What They DON'T Tell You About EL NIDO in the Philippines 🇵🇭 (an EXPATS perspective)

This place was voted as one of the most beautiful beach destinations in the world by Conde Nast Traveler and won several travel awards for a very very good reason. El Nido in the Philippines. It doesn't just look like paradise, it is the kind of paradise you always dreamed of. I have lived in the Philippines for over four years and I have traveled several times to El Nido including my most recent trip with my boyfriend. Needless to say it holds a very special place in my heart but here is one downside. Some people have trouble coordinating their trip and feel overwhelmed before they even get there and most travelers waste days getting there, get confused with logistics, overpay for basic things and miss out on hidden gems that locals like me sway by. In this video I will show you how to plan your El Nido trip the smart way from flights and accommodations to once-in-a-lifetime experiences and how I save money on flights, hotels and even island hopping tours. Get ready for your ultimate guide to El Nido and yes I have some game-changing tips that even travel agents do not talk about. Let's go. By the way today's video is kindly sponsored by Coupert which is the perfect little helper for your trip planning. Coupert is a free browser extension that helps you automatically find and apply the best coupon codes at checkout when shopping or booking online. It also gives you cashback at thousands of partner stores and the best part of it is you can also earn money by completing tasks on the website. I will show you how in today's video and how you can use Coupert for your trip to El Nido or anywhere else to get the best discount codes and cashbacks so that you have more money left to the things that matter, the experiences and memories you will make on your trip. Let's talk about the biggest mistake first. How you get to El Nido? You have two main options. You can fly direct with a Swift which is now operated by Cebu Pacific from Manila to El Nido which is in my opinion the easiest but pricier option or you fly to Puerto Princesa then take a five to six hour van ride which is cheaper but it is quite bumpy and takes up half of the day and you can write it off as travel day meaning you will be too tired to do anything afterwards. I personally cannot recommend this. I've been there, I've done that and don't make the same mistakes like I did. I would definitely pay a little bit more for the comfort and extra time in El Nido. When booking my flights I use Coupert to find discount codes and offers automatically. I saved on my domestic flights by just letting it run in the background. It even works on sites like Kayak, Trip.com or Expedia. You will not find any discounts on flights unless you use Coupert's browser extension which does the legwork for you. It's just a click and you will save money. The download link is in the description box if you are looking for it. Where should you stay? That depends on your vibe. I stayed at which is giving bohemian vibes in the Philippines. Spiritual, nature connected and peaceful. I found it on Agoda and Coupert was able to find me discount codes for it. Another great experience was the Airbnb on the water. Sailing Calayan where you sleep on a catamaran in El Nido Bay. It's magical during sunset and is definitely worth it. I would say one night for the experience is enough as sleeping on the water is quite different to your usual experience. You can even use Coupert for Airbnb bookings which is perfect for those who prefer this option. And next up is Nakhpan beach glamping. These are beachfront luxury tents at Nakhpan beach which is a bit further up north from El Nido town and this is perfect for a little digital detox and turtle spotting like I did. I love waking up to the sound of the ocean and the palm tree views. On my last visit I stayed at the Funny Lion which was a great deal especially because they offer a free shuttle boat service for a private island called Papaya Beach. I spent my anniversary date there and even witnessed a proposal which was very beautiful. It's definitely worth staying here for a few days so you can experience this as well. Pro tip! Use Coupert on Booking.com or Agoda. It applies hidden codes and shows you cashback which is especially useful for last minute hotel deals. If you want make some extra money for this trip then definitely check out the other offers from Coupert because you can also earn cash money with it. Yep! There are different ways how to do it. Coupert has cash offers for you playing games. Yes, it's that easy. Meaning you earn money for playing your favorite games and it's something you can do when you are bored, waiting for the bus or just wanting to kill some time which happens quite often I would say. The earnings per game range somewhere between $30 to $60 to over $300 for games like Sea War, The Grand Mafia and more. You can also earn by downloading certain apps or try some services. The more tasks you complete in the cash offers the more you earn of course. And another great way to make some extra money on the side with Coupert is by taking surveys. So easy! It's a no-brainer for me. You can earn money with just a few minutes of your time and if you submit valid coupons you can also earn rewards and if you are promoting Coupert on Reddit, YouTube and other platforms you can earn too. So it all adds up and you will have some extra cash at the end of the month. It is very easy to do it. You just have to sign up on Coupert.com and they pay you your earnings via PayPal or gift cards or your choice like your bank account. I'll definitely leave a link in the description box down below for you to try it out and because we all can use some extra cash you know so sharing is caring. As mentioned the link is in the description box down below for you to try it out because at the end of the day we all can use some extra cash, don't we? So check it out. It's down here. Now back to my list. El Nido is all about soaking up the beauty and exploring the hidden beaches. So of course you have to do some island hopping. I tried tour A and tour C and discovered secret lagoons, tent on different beaches and snorkeled and enjoyed beach lunches the Filipino way. All with views that will take your breath away. If you don't want to sleep on a catamaran but want to experience it then definitely try the day tour with El Nido Yachting Club which is perfect when you are traveling in a group or have a special occasion planned. If you have events or like whatever. One friend of mine got married and she booked that tour. I went with a group of content creator friends and had so much fun and absolutely loved exploring places where the usual tour boats don't go. There's also the option to do a speed boat tour that allows you to see a bunch of places. I already checked on Klook and you can book it directly online using your Koopert extension. So definitely make use of it. Next up Maramegmeg Beach during sunset. The views are unreal. You can zipline from one island to another here and you can also enjoy the sunset on a kayak like I did it with my friends. It's a lot of fun. It's a beautiful place and you will definitely enjoy it. Talking of sunsets you definitely want to make sure to plan in some time at Liu Beach. This is one of my personal favorite spots and the vibe is just laid back and chill. My boyfriend loved it so much that he took millions of pictures. It definitely left him in awe. One of my most memorable experiences was the three-day island expedition. You are sailing from El Nido to Coron in a small group for three days with no wi-fi, sleeping in nipah huts, enjoying the simple life which we all need for some grounding and watching the stars on remote islands. I experienced the real Filipino island spirit with crystal clear waters, stunning beaches and memories that will change you and last for a lifetime. Pro tip if you want to experience El Nido and Coron then definitely take the expedition so you can see all of the islands in between where nobody else goes and also see El Nido and Coron separately. When I booked my experiences I did it through a site like Klook and Coupert found me a working code and some cashback. You can find all the island hopping tours I mentioned, book it and save some money while doing it. Coupert finds the discount codes for you as always. Food is a huge part of travel for me and while El Nido is not a culinary established as some other places it has some gems. Get your breakfast fix and coffee at Maza Bakery. This is my La Union favorite and now they have the El Nido. I can highly recommend the ham shuka, definitely try it and maybe also the pan de coco. For smoothie bowls and Middle Eastern food check out Happiness Cafe. This place is also a hostel so if you are a solo traveler you will definitely make some friends here. For sunset drinks and tacos with a view head to Las Cabanas. This place has the best spot on Mara Magnic beach and has stunning views of the bay so no brainer for me. And if you want to have a nightcap check out Odessa Mama and Bodmer Brewery. Here you can find some comfort food and craft beer. I even found some restaurant discounts with Coupert when using delivery or dining platforms and while there are barely any delivery options here in El Nido you can check for platforms like Uber Eats for your other trips to make sure you get your Coupert discount codes applied. Always check it only takes a few seconds. Before you go here are a few tips that will save your trip. Bring cash. Many places are still cash only so it's recommended to always carry some cash with you. Buy an eSIM before you go. Coverage is inconsistent and it can get frustrating to do your data top up. I highly recommend getting an eSIM and applying the Coupert discount code or cashback to have a hassle-free experience. Plus traveling the Philippines is already a bit confusing so you want to make sure you are always connected to the internet to be able to do some research or apply discount codes to your bookings with Coupert. I got you. Pack reef safe sunscreen and bug spray especially for Nagpan and Leo beach. There are these little bugs that are called nicknicks which are sand flies and once they bite you it's itchy like crazy. It's worse than a mosquito bite and it takes much longer to heal so apply bug spray as if your life depends on it. If you take the ferry from El Nido to Coron definitely book it online with Want2Go because I had my fair share with ferry ports in the Philippines and you are definitely better off booking it online. Trust me. Also once again you can apply the Coupert browser extension and either get a discount code or some cashback on it so it always pays off to just check. El Nido is definitely more of a slow travel destination and you want to treat your body and soul to something good. I joined a yoga class at Namaste El Nido and it was really nice. You can also get a beachside massage if you wish so. And one of the most important things respect the locals and the environment. This island is someone's home place and you are a guest so behave as if your mother is watching. This place is very special and we want to make sure to preserve its beauty. Take nothing but pictures and leave nothing but footprints. I hope this guide was helpful for you. I know it is easy to overlook browser extensions. Coupert is honestly one of those easiest ways I have saved money while traveling. It works automatically, finds codes and cashback and it is totally free. I use it every time I book a flight, hotel or even a tour. So the best part about it is that you can also earn cashback as I mentioned just by shopping at your favorite stores. I just activated it before checkout and the cashback goes straight into my bank account. And you can withdraw it to PayPal, a gift card or even your bank account. The link is in the description box. It takes five seconds to install it and it might just be your best travel hack for 2025. It will save you a lot of money. El Nido is not just a destination, it is a feeling and with the right planning you can make the most of every moment. If you found this guide helpful, hit that like button, subscribe for more smart travel tips and real life travel vlogs and let me know in the comments what you are most excited to do in El Nido. And if you want to check out my El Nido vlogs, they will pop up right after this video. So enjoy and I'll see you next time!