Tour C and Tour D are the two routes that trip up first-time visitors booking El Nido island hopping, because both mix lagoons, beaches, and caves without one obvious winner. This guide focuses on Tour C versus Tour D specifically for travelers deciding between just these two options, rather than comparing all four standard tours at once. Below we break down the real stops, swimming conditions, crowd levels, and who each route suits, using current pricing.
- What Makes Tour C and Tour D Different
- Tour C Itinerary: Stops and Swimming Conditions
- Tour D Itinerary: Stops and Swimming Conditions
- Tour C vs Tour D at a Glance
- Difficulty, Fitness, and Family-Friendliness
- Price, Environmental Fees, and What’s Included
- Which Tour Should You Book?
- Booking Tips and What to Bring
- Best Time of Day to Book Each Tour
- Frequently Asked Questions
What Makes Tour C and Tour D Different
El Nido’s four standard boat tours (A, B, C, and D) were divided decades ago by the local tourism cooperative to spread visitor traffic across Bacuit Bay’s islands and reefs. Tour C leans toward dramatic limestone scenery and a famous hidden lagoon reached by a short swim through a rock crevice, while Tour D is the quieter, more relaxed route built around long white-sand beaches and a freshwater lagoon inside Cadlao Island. If you have already done Tour A or Tour B, C and D are the natural next step, and many travelers end up doing one of each pair across a two- or three-day stay.
Both tours depart from the same public beach in the morning, use similar outrigger bangka boats, and run for roughly six to seven hours including lunch. The real differences are in the stops themselves, how much swimming and climbing is involved, and how crowded each site tends to be at different times of day.
Tour C Itinerary: Stops and Swimming Conditions
Hidden Beach and Secret Beach
Tour C’s signature stops are Hidden Beach, entered through a narrow gap between two limestone cliffs, and Secret Beach, a small cove you swim into through a crack in the rock wall. Both require basic swimming confidence since there is no boat access directly onto the sand at Secret Beach. The payoff is a genuinely private-feeling pocket beach that photographs beautifully in the late morning light.
Matinloc Shrine and Star Beach
The tour also stops at the abandoned Matinloc Shrine, a hillside chapel with panoramic views over the Sulu Sea, and Star Beach, a shallow reef area popular for snorkeling with sea stars and small reef fish. Helicopter Island, with its dramatic split-rock silhouette, is often the final photo stop before heading back.
Tour D Itinerary: Stops and Swimming Conditions
Cadlao Lagoon and Paradise Beach
Tour D is generally considered the most laid-back of the four routes. Cadlao Lagoon is a calm, shallow freshwater-influenced lagoon tucked inside Cadlao Island, good for a relaxed float rather than serious snorkeling. Paradise Beach and Ipil Beach are long, flat stretches of sand with easy shallow entry, which makes this route noticeably friendlier for children, older travelers, or anyone who prefers wading over open-water swimming.
Pasandigan Beach and Bukal Lagoon
Pasandigan Beach and the freshwater Bukal Lagoon round out the day. Because these stops are less dramatic than Tour C’s cliff-lined lagoons, Tour D usually draws smaller crowds, and boat operators say it is the tour most likely to feel unhurried even in high season.
Tour C vs Tour D at a Glance
| Feature | Tour C | Tour D |
|---|---|---|
| Signature stops | Hidden Beach, Secret Beach, Matinloc Shrine, Helicopter Island | Cadlao Lagoon, Paradise Beach, Ipil Beach, Bukal Lagoon |
| Swimming difficulty | Moderate (swim-through entries) | Easy (shallow, wade-in beaches) |
| Best for | Confident swimmers, photographers | Families, older travelers, relaxed pace |
| Typical duration | 6.5–7 hours | 6–7 hours |
| Crowd level | Higher (most requested tour) | Lower to moderate |
| Scenery style | Dramatic limestone cliffs and hidden coves | Long open beaches and calm lagoons |
Difficulty, Fitness, and Family-Friendliness
If motion sickness or seasickness is a concern on the open-water legs between stops, it is worth reading a dedicated guide on how to avoid seasickness on El Nido boat tours before choosing either route, since both involve similar travel time on the water. For families with young children or travelers with limited mobility, Tour D’s shallow beach entries are generally easier to manage than Tour C’s swim-through lagoons, where getting in and out involves being lifted or guided through a narrow gap in the rock. Confident swimmers and snorkelers, on the other hand, tend to rate Tour C higher precisely because of that extra challenge and the more dramatic scenery it unlocks.
Price, Environmental Fees, and What’s Included
Both tours are priced similarly through the El Nido Boatmen’s Association, and the rate typically includes the boat, a guide, snorkeling gear, and a cooked lunch served on a beach stop; see our breakdown of what’s included in the island hopping boat lunch for details on what to expect. On top of the tour price, every visitor pays a separate El Nido Eco-Tourism Development Fee, which funds reef maintenance and waste management across Bacuit Bay. Because El Nido sits within a protected coastal zone, both tours are also subject to environmental guidelines set by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources, including no-touch rules for coral and marine life.
Which Tour Should You Book?
Book Tour C if you want the classic postcard shots of Hidden Beach and Secret Beach, you are a confident swimmer, and you do not mind slightly larger crowds at the most photogenic stops. Book Tour D if you are traveling with kids, prefer a slower pace, or already did Tour C or Tour A and want a genuinely different, quieter day on the water. If your schedule allows it, doing both across separate days remains the most complete way to see Bacuit Bay, and pairing one with a private boat charter is a good option if you want to customize the stops or avoid group crowds entirely.
Booking Tips and What to Bring
Book directly through your hotel or a stall near the main tourist beach a day in advance, since both tours have limited boat allocations each morning. Bring reef-safe sunscreen, a dry bag for your phone, water shoes for rocky entries, and cash in small denominations for the environmental fee and any drinks purchased on the beach stops. Sea conditions and specific stops can shift slightly depending on tide and the weather forecast for Bacuit Bay, so always confirm your exact itinerary with your boatman on the morning of the tour. Palawan’s tourism authorities also publish updated guidance for the wider province on the official Palawan provincial government site, which is useful if you are planning trips beyond El Nido as well.
Best Time of Day to Book Each Tour
Boats for both Tour C and Tour D typically leave the main tourist beach between 8:30 and 9:30 in the morning, and getting an early slot matters more for Tour C than Tour D. Hidden Beach and Secret Beach fill up quickly once the mid-morning wave of boats arrives, so an early departure means calmer water, better light for photos, and a few precious minutes with fewer people in frame before the crowds catch up. Tour D’s beaches are long enough that they rarely feel crowded even later in the day, so if you have a choice of time slots and can only get an early one, use it on Tour C.
Afternoon light also changes how each tour feels. Tour C’s limestone cliffs look their most dramatic in the harsher midday sun, when shadows carve out the rock formations, while Tour D’s open beaches and lagoons are more forgiving and photograph well throughout the day. If you are combining a tour with sunset plans back on the mainland, note that boats usually return between 3:30 and 4:30 in the afternoon, leaving enough time to clean up before dinner.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I combine Tour C and Tour D into one day?
No. Each tour follows a fixed route operated by a rotating boat assignment system, and boats are not permitted to mix itineraries. If you want to see stops from both, you need to book them on separate days.
Which tour is better for non-swimmers?
Tour D is the easier choice for non-swimmers, since its beaches allow shallow wading entry, whereas Tour C’s Secret Beach requires swimming through a narrow rock passage to reach the sand.
Do Tour C and Tour D include lunch?
Yes, both tours include a cooked lunch, usually grilled fish, chicken, rice, and fresh fruit, served on one of the beach stops around midday.
Is Tour D worth it if I have already done Tour C?
Yes. The two routes visit entirely different islands and beaches, so there is minimal overlap, and Tour D’s calmer lagoons make for a good contrast after Tour C’s more adventurous swim-throughs.
How far in advance should I book?
One day ahead is usually enough outside of peak season (December to April), but during holidays and long weekends it is safer to book two to three days in advance through your accommodation.
