The short answer
Stay in El Nido town if you want to walk to everything. Stay in Corong-Corong if you want quiet nights and sunsets without giving up convenience. Stay at Lio for a polished resort beach near the airport. Stay at Nacpan if the beach is the whole point of the trip.
El Nido town
The town sits on a small bay under a limestone cliff. Tour boats leave from its beach, and the streets behind it hold most of the restaurants, bars, tour desks, rental shops and ATMs.
- Good: you walk to your boat in the morning and to dinner at night. The widest choice of budget rooms and hostels is here.
- Less good: it is crowded and noisy, with tricycles and music until late. The town beach is a boat harbour, not a place to swim.
- Best for: short stays, backpackers, and anyone doing a tour every day.
Corong-Corong
A strip of beach and highway 5 to 10 minutes south of town by tricycle. It faces west, so every evening ends with a sunset over the bay islands. Further along the same road are Las Cabanas and Maremegmeg beaches.
- Good: calmer than town, better views, mellow beach bars, and still a short ride from everything.
- Less good: you need a tricycle or a scooter for most dinners, and the beach is shallow and muddy at low tide.
- Best for: couples, and anyone who wants to be near the action without sleeping inside it.
Lio
A planned resort estate beside the airport, 15 to 20 minutes north of town. The beach is long, clean and shaded, with a row of restaurants and shops behind it.
- Good: the most comfortable hotels in El Nido, steady power and internet, and a real swimming beach at the door.
- Less good: it is the most expensive area, and it feels separate from the town. Going out for the evening means a ride each way.
- Best for: families, short luxury breaks, and people flying in and out of Lio Airport.
Nacpan
Four kilometres of sand about 45 minutes north of town. A few small resorts, glamping tents and beach restaurants, and very little else.
- Good: you wake up on one of the best beaches in the Philippines, before the day visitors arrive.
- Less good: island hopping tours start in town, so every boat day begins and ends with a long ride. There are few places to eat and no ATM.
- Best for: a night or two at the end of a trip, once the tours are done.
How to choose
- Two or three nights, tours every day: town or Corong-Corong
- A week: split it. Start in town or Corong-Corong for the tours, then finish with two nights at Nacpan or Lio.
- Light sleeper: anywhere except the centre of town
- Working remotely: Lio first, town second. Ask the hotel about backup power before you book.
Before you book
- From December to February the good rooms sell out weeks ahead.
- Ask whether the hotel has a generator. Power cuts still happen everywhere in El Nido.
- Ask whether your tour operator picks up from your area. Most do for Corong-Corong, and few do for Nacpan.
- If you stay outside town, a rented scooter pays for itself within a day or two of tricycle fares.