El Nido: Catamaran Island Hopping & Private Beach Lunch

4.76

(132 reviews)

What’s the experience like?

I almost missed the meeting point because I got distracted by a street vendor selling mangoes outside the El Nido Yachting Club office. The morning felt sticky already, but once we stepped onto the Seacret catamaran, everything shifted—the boat smelled faintly of sunscreen and seaweed, and our guide Paolo grinned like he’d been waiting all week for this. He kept calling out names as we clambered aboard, mixing up “Sarah” and “Sara”—which somehow made it feel less like a tour and more like a group of friends who hadn’t met yet.

The first stop was Big Lagoon. You have to paddle in by kayak (they hand these out), and honestly, my arms weren’t ready for it. But gliding under those limestone cliffs—so close you could touch them if you stretched—was worth every sore muscle. Paolo pointed out tiny crabs scuttling over rocks while someone behind me tried to sing “Under the Sea.” There’s this hush inside the lagoon that makes you whisper without thinking. I still think about that silence.

Lunch was at Star Beach, which Paolo said is only for people on this El Nido catamaran tour. The sand felt almost powdery between my toes—nothing like what I’m used to back home—and the grilled fish tasted smoky with just a hint of ginger. I tried to ask one of the crew how they get supplies out here; he just laughed and waved toward another little boat bobbing nearby. After eating, some folks napped on towels while others snorkeled around coral that looked almost fake in how bright it was. I lost track of time completely.

We finished at Seven Commandos Beach where coconuts were stacked high near a volleyball net. A few locals joined our group for a quick game—I didn’t play (I’m hopeless) but cheered from the shade instead. On the ride back to town, sunburnt and salty, I realized I’d barely checked my phone all day—just watched limestone cliffs drift by as Paolo told stories about old shipwrecks in these waters. So yeah, not everything went smoothly (I dropped my sunglasses overboard), but honestly? That made it better somehow.