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Diving in El Nido

Explore diving in El Nido

Set amid stunning limestone cliffs and turquoise waters, diving in El Nido offers vibrant coral reefs, dramatic drop-offs, and rich marine biodiversity. Divers can explore healthy coral gardens teeming with tropical reef fish, colorful nudibranchs, moray eels, and sea turtles. Pelagic encounters, including occasional reef sharks and rays, add excitement to every dive. With calm, warm waters and abundant dive sites suitable for all levels, El Nido scuba diving is a must for divers seeking pristine underwater landscapes in the Philippines.

Book your diving in El Nido

Common marine life sightings for El Nido

More Information

For travellers heading to El Nido, flight routes have recently changed, and direct services from Manila may not always be available, depending on the airline schedule. The most convenient gateways are typically Clark, Cebu and Bohol, with direct flights available to El Nido on selected dates.

Clark is approximately a three-hour drive from Manila, while travellers departing from Manila may also connect through Cebu before continuing to El Nido. Another popular option is to fly into Puerto Princesa and travel by van or bus to El Nido, which takes around five to six hours. This route is particularly convenient for travellers planning to explore more of Palawan along the way.

In June 2026, Cebu Pacific announced that AirSWIFT operations would be integrated into Cebgo, including services between Clark and El Nido. Travellers are therefore encouraged to check the latest airline schedules and route availability before confirming their travel plans.

Once in El Nido, dive operators offer boat trips to offshore reefs, coral gardens and surrounding islands, along with equipment rental and professionally guided dives. With well-organised logistics and a wide selection of dive centres, an El Nido scuba diving holiday provides convenient access to some of the Philippines’ most beautiful and diverse marine ecosystems.

Time Zone

UTC+08:00

Phone

+63

Currency

PHP

Voltage

230 V

Pressure

Bar (bar)

Plug

A, B, C

Languages

Filipino

1st Stage

INT / Yoke / K

International airports

Ninoy Aquino Intl. (MNL)

Thanks, from PADI.

This page wouldn't be possible without contributions from the following PADI members: Aquanaut Dive Center, Tabanka Scuba Diving Inc. Disclaimer

^* By accessing this page, you acknowledge and agree that the information displayed has been provided by one or multiple third parties. The provision of this content is for general informational purposes and does not constitute a recommendation or solicitation to make any type of purchase or decision. PADI does not warrant or guarantee the accuracy or completeness of such information nor can PADI guarantee such content will be free of material you may find objectionable or otherwise. PADI reminds you to adhere to the PADI Standard Safe Diving Practices and recommends that you consult a dive professional familiar with the site and its present conditions before diving. PADI does not and cannot review all content on this platform and therefore disclaims any responsibility or liability related to your access or use of this third party content, and under no circumstances will PADI be liable for any loss or direct, indirect, incidental, special or consequential damages caused by reliance on this information.