In short
El Nido lives by its boat trips: enclosed lagoons, hidden beaches, snorkelling. The town itself is small, noisy and permanently under construction.
Northern Palawan stays wild the moment you leave the marked circuits.
What it really costs
The boat tours, lettered A to D, are the main line and are paid by the day.
Everything is trucked in from Puerto Princesa, five hours away: groceries cost markedly more than elsewhere in the Philippines.
When to go
December to April, calm sea and clear sky. From July to October, tours are frequently cancelled.
May and November are decent shoulder months, with fewer people.
What nobody tells you
Electricity is generated locally and cuts are a daily event in some areas.
The internet connection is the weakest on this list. You can holiday here; you cannot work here seriously.