El Nido Island Hopping: Tours A, B, C and D, and what they really cost

Shared tour prices

As of 30 July 2026, a shared tour typically costs ₱1,200 to ₱1,400 per person and includes lunch cooked on the boat.

Tours A, B, C and D are standardised routes. Most agencies in town sell them at broadly the same price, because the rates are regulated.

Private boats cost considerably more. They are worth it only if you want to set your own timings or avoid the crowds at the lagoons.

Extra charges outside the tour price

As of 30 July 2026, three charges sit outside the tour fee: the eco fee, the Big Lagoon entrance and the kayak hire. Because of them, the price you pay at the agency is not what you spend on the day.

The eco fee is the Eco-Tourism Development Fee. You pay it once per 5 days, not once per tour, and most agencies collect it for you when you book.

Tour A total: ₱2,100–2,500 the first time

As of 30 July 2026, a first Tour A comes to roughly ₱2,100–2,500 per person, including the kayak you need to enter the Big Lagoon.

Each later tour within the same 5 days costs ₱400 less, because the eco fee is already paid. A second Tour A is about ₱1,700–2,100.

Sites that advertise Tour A "from ₱1,200" quote the boat seat and nothing else. Most published totals leave out the kayak entirely.

Which tour to pick

Most people book Tour A first. It includes the Big Lagoon, and it is the busiest of the four.

Tour C is generally the quieter alternative, with better snorkelling. Fewer people book Tours B and D, and they are easier to join at short notice in peak season.

Small Lagoon used to be on Tour A. It was split off Tour A, and as of 30 July 2026 Small Lagoon is on Tour D. Most published itineraries do not show this change.

Departures and weather

Tours leave from the town beach, and the departures are grouped in the morning.

Boats do not run when the Coast Guard suspends sailing for weather. The Coast Guard does this with some regularity between June and October.