Do you allow children on your island hopping boat tours?

All our private tours allow children of any age, but the multiday group tours between El Nido and Coron might not allow it.

How can I book or secure an island hopping tour with you?

Depends on the tour. ​​For the less expensive single day or group joiner tours some deposit will be required, but to book a multiday island hopping expedition between El Nido and Coron you would need to pay a $1,000 deposit (converted to Filipino pesos according to the day’s exchange rate) to secure a boat, first come first gets the best crew. Then we usually ask that 30,000p be paid in cash to the boatman on boarding, unless you’d rather not carry that much cash around and pay a portion of your choice together with the second advance payment about one month before your tour. Bank transfer is preferred, but PayPal or credit card through PayPal’s site is also possible although it would require an additional 4.5% to cover their high fees. We can issue you an invoice with all the details.

What are your office hours, or when do you operate, or what times can we have a whatsapp conversation or call?

We are located in the Philippines, so on that time zone, which is GMT+8, and therefore generally we are available at that time, although we can operate on the phone as well, so we are generally also available outside of office hours and on the weekends. We constantly check our emails and Whatsapp account. 

Do you offer island hopping tours starting in Puerto Princesa?

The only tours we offer that would technically start in Puerto Princesa would be our Balabac island hopping tours. Puerto Princesa by itself is not an interesting place to visit. We offer private tours in Port Barton, El Nido and Coron, as well as private or group multiday island hopping boat tours between El Nido and Coron. For those there are several ways you can get to Port Barton or El Nido, or we can arrange a private van for you. 

In case the marriage proposal tour will get rained out or it will rain heavily on the island hopping tour date, can I get a refund?

We don’t have a refund in case of rain but we can always reschedule as things for the proposal tour need to be organized, bought, reserved and booked in advance. Also, it takes a lot of preparation. But in case of rain, we can do a back-up plan like setting it up in your hotel room or somewhere else. We recently had a proposal and it rained as well but at the end of the tour, when it’s proposal time, the rain stopped.

How can I or we get to El Nido or Coron from the airport?

Getting from the airports is very easy, or we can organize a private van for you if you like. It takes about an hour and shared vans go to or from the airport on a constant basis. 

What happens if my multiday island hopping boat tour between El Nido and Coron runs through either Christmas or New Years Eve?

Any day that your tour runs through Christmas or New Years Eve will require a $200 surcharge for each, which goes to the crew for having to work over that period. 

Does the boat include a captain?

Yes, the boat includes a captain and usually a crew of around 4 to help steer the boat, plus an English speaking tour guide, who is often also the cook. 

Does anyone on the island hopping boat tour speak English?

Yes, in the least the tour guide speaks very good English, otherwise English is an official language in the country and most people speak fairly good English, even in these remote areas.

What is the distance between El Nido and Coron?

Our island hopping boat tours between El Nido and Coron actually start or end in Sibaltan, about a one hour private van ride (included in the price) on the other side of the peninsula from El Nido. The remaining water distance is about 120km, which a speedboat can do in one day or our regular banca boats if the water is not too wavy.

Are there any air-conditioned options for the accommodation?

There are only a few places offering a few rooms with air-conditioning, but generally the bamboo huts are breezy, letting a lot of air pass through, which can be quite comfortable and soothing if it is on a beach near to the ocean. But if that is what you need we can see what is available, in some of the fancier resorts and a couple of hotels on Linapacan.

What are your prices for non-standard island hopping boat tours, such as for more than two people or days other than 3 or 4?

For a full list of our different prices you can check out https://islandhoppinginthephilippines.com/palawan/boat-prices/.

I’m not sure if I want a private or group island hopping tour. What is the difference?

A private island hopping tour is more expensive because you are not sharing the costs with others, but the advantage is you can custom craft your tour concerning where you will sleep overnight, the overall schedule, and which sites you will visit. After that we can help you form your own group, where you will still be in control of customization, but you can reduce per person costs by sharing the boat with others. And lastly you can join a scheduled, uncustomizable tour for about 18,500 pesos per person, mostly only three day two night island hopping tours between El Nido and Coron.

How does the marriage proposal tour work?

After your island hopping boat tour of the area, you are taken to an island beach where you can relax while the crew sets up the surprise proposal on the other side of the island. Once done your tour guide will escort you there, and after the surprise proposal, you can enjoy a picnic on the beach to a sunset. 

What sites do you usually visit on your multiday island hopping boat tours between El Nido and Coron?

There are 82 islands between these two, busy tourist towns located in a beautiful, remote area off the beaten path. Much easier to escape the tourist hustle here. You can find a sample itinerary of the most popular sites we visit at islandhoppinginthephilippines.com/Palawan_Island_Hopping_Itinerary.pdf, otherwise listed in direction from El Nido to Coron the highlights would generally be: Binulbulan Island, Maosanon Island, Magransing Island, Tacling Island, Cobra Island, CalaCala Island, Cagdanao Island, Linapacan, Bulawit Island for some cliff jumping, Araw beach, Banana Island, Barracuda Lake, Kayangan Lake, and Twin Lagoon. Generally you can see about 4-5 sites a day, depending on your pace. But relax, all the islands are beautiful and it should not be about quantity but about enjoying your leisurely days. Lots of excellent snorkeling in crystal clear waters along the way, and white sand beaches on deserted islands. The mentioned pdf file shows links to each of those sites mentioned, linking to individual pages with images and more detailed info. Along the route there are islands with concentrations of manta rays or turtles.

How do your prices of your multiday island hopping tours between El Nido and Coron compare to the competition?

We regularly check and consistently find our prices well below the competition, because we are an efficient, family-run operation which prides itself on responding quickly to customer queries.

What kinds of tours do you offer?

You can check out all the current packages we offer at islandhoppinginthephilippines.com/general-info. We started in Palawan (where I lived for several years), which is our main focus, but we are slowly expanding to other parts of the country, for now Visayas (where we live now).

Do you offer any plankton tours?

For plankton tours you can check out islandhoppinginthephilippines.com/palawan/explore/plankton-and-stars-in-the-philippines/ for more info. They can be seen frequently at certain times of the year, and the multiday island hopping boat tours between El Nido and Coron are ideal for this because you will travel through a remote area with very few city lights, which would normally drown out the stars above. The wondrous and abundant number of stars seen in the southern stars in combination with the calm and plankton rich waters of this remote area is truly a remarkable experience.

For the marriage proposal tour, I’m hoping the weather clears for the proposal day and no more Typhoons happen. If it’s unsafe for the tour to go ahead, will we receive a refund?

Unfortunately, as a proposal tour needs a lot of preparations and purchasing stuff and booking suppliers in advance, we cannot offer a refund. Regarding weather conditions, if the coast guards decide to cancel the tour or any boats, we can reschedule it as long as the photographers are available. I hope you understand.

Do your tours include food?

Yes they do, generally three square meals a day for the multiday island hopping transfers but only lunch for the single day tours. You can state your culinary preferences for the private tours and possibly also for the scheduled group tours. 

Do you offer island hopping group tours?

Yes, you can find more details at islandhoppinginthephilippines.com/palawan/v/multi-day-party-boat-tour-expedition-el-nido-coron/, where you will also find the latest schedule. Scheduled group tours cost 18,500 pesos per person and 12 persons minimum are required for each tour. We can also help you organize your own group so that you can maintain control of the schedule, itinerary and accommodation while reducing per person costs by teaming up with like-minded travelers.

How much for a boat transfer between El Nido and Coron in a single day?

To accomplish this distance of about 120km would require a speedboat, as our slower traditional banca boats require at least two days to make it that distance. At $2,700usd for two people the speedboat is more expensive, since it would cost $2,200 with the banca boat for two days, including accommodation and three square meals a day. With the speedboat you will also see up to 8 sites a day along your journey. It does not cost any less if you want to skip the sites, but it would be a shame, as they are beautiful in this remote area off the beaten path.

For snorkeling are masks, snorkels and fins included?

Masks and snorkel are included but not fins, unless previous guests left some, since they are different for different feet sizes. But you can easily buy them in either El Nido or Coron if you like, or we can have them rented for you, although I do not find them necessary.

Can you tell me some information about your marriage proposal tour?

The marriage proposal can be made on a secluded island either in Coron or El Nido, and based on your budget can include a photographer, videographer with drone, romantic picnic on a deserted beach and other niceties. It is arranged as a surprise, where the photo crew are explained as working for the government promoting tourism in the country. The Coron package is less expensive, as the El Nido photographers are much more expensive. I have CCed my wife in this email, as she organizes these tours. They are best combined with a multiday tour between El Nido and Coron, through a beautiful, remote area of 82 islands. Below you will find some links concerning the multiday island hopping tours and you can communicate with either of us for more information.

Do you offer tours to deserted islands?

Yes, you can find more info at islandhoppinginthephilippines.com/palawan/trekking/bolina/. It can be part of our regular multiday tours, which are generally $2,600usd for two people and four days between El Nido and Coron. Price depends on the number of days and people. You would be provided with a tent and mattress etc, and the crew would help you get set up on your deserted island or beach. Or you can make it a smaller trip starting and ending in Sibaltan (https://islandhoppinginthephilippines.com/palawan/boat-trips-tours/survive-ultimate-island-survival-experience/). It is a remote area on the El Nido end of our multiday tours.

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