Nacpan beach in El Nido.

©Andrey Danilovich/Getty Images

Nacpan Beach

Top choice in El Nido


For an easy day trip out of El Nido, head north by tricycle or motorbike to this incredible, golden-hued, 3km-long beach. Development has arrived in Nacpan and new guesthouses, boutique hotels and upscale tented camps are popping up everywhere. Still, the atmosphere remains mellow – for now. To get here, drive 16km north of El Nido on the National Hwy (paved), then another 4km down a once-rough access road that is now mostly sealed. There's a shuttle van from El Nido (round-trip P600, eight trips daily).

The last trip back to El Nido is at 6.30pm. Nacpan gets crowded during the high season; walk north to find solitude.

On the way to Nacpan look for the turn-off to Nagkalit-kalit Waterfalls just north of the Km 285 marker on the highway. It's a 40-minute hike to the refreshing falls; hire a guide at the trailhead to avoid getting lost.


Lonely Planet's must-see attractions

Nearby El Nido attractions

1. Duli Beach

3.71 MILES

This incredibly beautiful, jungle-backed, stretch of golden sand toward the northern tip of mainland Palawan is the centre of El Nido's surfing community…

2. Nagkalit-kalit Waterfalls

4.57 MILES

From a signpost on the National Hwy 3km south of the Nacpan Beach turn-off, it’s a 40-minute walk through several rivers to these gentle falls, with a…

3. Lio Beach

7.09 MILES

The wealthy Ayala conglomerate, in conjunction with Ten Knots Travel, are developing this wide white-sand beach 7km north of El Nido proper into a swanky…

4. Cadlao Island

7.95 MILES

Cadlao Island is like a mini–Tahiti miraculously relocated to the Bacuit Archipelago. In addition to being a wonderful piece of eye candy for those…

6. Balay Cuyonon

10.28 MILES

You can take a guided tour of this complex of well-preserved traditional Cuyonon houses to learn about ordinary village life. Consider a night in a native…

7. Maremegmeg Beach

11.52 MILES

Often called Las Cabanas Beach after a local resort, this is the closest nice beach to El Nido and has a rockin' sunset bar scene centred around Beach…

8. Miniloc Island

13.36 MILES

Miniloc Island is perhaps the most interesting of the archipelago's islands. The main attractions are Big Lagoon, Small Lagoon and Secret Lagoon, three of…