View of green mountain and tropical beach, El Nido bay, Palawan island, Philippines
beach, boat, cadlao, el nido, island, palawan, philippines, sea, tropical

©Dmitry Pichugin/500px

Cadlao Island

Bacuit Archipelago


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 staying on the beach in El Nido, it’s also home to lovely Cadlao Lagoon (also known as Ubugun Cove). This lagoon offers some good snorkelling in the shallow coral gardens that lie off the beach at the head of the bay. More and more people are kayaking out here on their own from El Nido.


Lonely Planet's must-see attractions

Nearby Bacuit Archipelago attractions

2. Lio Beach

3.13 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…

3. Maremegmeg Beach

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4. Miniloc Island

5.57 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…

5. Nagkalit-kalit Waterfalls

6.03 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…

6. Matinloc Island

6.44 MILES

Like the back of a half-submerged stegosaurus, Matinloc Island snakes some 8km along the western edge of the Bacuit Archipelago. Along with neighbouring…

7. Nacpan Beach

7.95 MILES

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…

8. Duli Beach

11.49 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…

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