Butiki loves El Nido and knows all the best spots and activities. Here we share them with you.
Where to go for dinner in El Nido
Here are our favourite restaurants
La Plage restaurant is a great beachfront place that blends French and Asian flavours. The cuisine is outstanding, and the ambience is our personal favourite. The restaurant is housed in a stunning, native-style structure right on the beach, complete with a pool and lounge area to relax. The view of Bacuit Bay is amazing, especially during sunsets. The owners, hailing from France, have outdone themselves with this impressive gem of a restaurant. Credit card accepted.
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Bella Vita serves delicious pizza and pasta besides amazing views of Bacuit Bay, making it a top spot for enjoying sunsets.
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Happy Home is one of our all-time favourite dining spots, which serves an array of delectable Filipino and Western dishes. With a homely feel, this establishment is located in a two-story building in Corong-Corong, conveniently situated next to the main road. The choices are plenty, the servings are generous and the food is great. Try their Iced Tea Pitchers for drinks. Happy Home also serves a good breakfast and lunch.
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La Luppa is El Nido’s unique and most authentic Italian restaurant. You should try their Roman cuisine for a romantic dinner. Alfresco or indoors with aircon. Besides the range of Italian dishes, the pizza comes from a wood-fired oven and is a must-try. Great efforts are made to bring high-quality ingredients that are typically difficult to locate abroad. Credit card is accepted here.
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Thery’s Burgers and Waffles is a must-visit burger joint in El Nido that cooks up our favourite burgers in town. Situated in Corong-corong, opposite Pops District, the owners have made great efforts to make the place look very inviting. It’s great that you can watch your burger being grilled to perfection. The menu is straightforward, allowing you to select your preferred patty, toppings such as caramelised onions, jalapenos, and tomatoes, among others, cheese options, including cheddar, blue cheese, or mozzarella, and a sauce of your choice. Pair it with some fries and a drink, and you’re good to go! In addition, Therries Burgers and Waffles have recently introduced a section with authentic Belgian waffles. The concept is the same- choose your waffle type, toppings, ice cream and sauce to create a unique and tasty treat. Highly recommended!
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Seed Dreams, located on Serena Street in town, is one of the few restaurants in El Nido that only serves vegetarian and vegan food. While Butiki is not a vegetarian, we go there for the deliciously cooked vegetable dishes. There are plenty of wonderful appetizers and snacks on the menu, such as croquettes, fritters and eggplant tempura and our favourite is the vegetable curry with tofu. The rooftop setting on the third floor provides a beautiful view of El Nido Bay. There are private and dorm rooms available too, and they serve breakfast.
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What to do in El Nido other than island hopping?
Here’s what Butiki likes to do when we’re not guiding tours.
Dewil Valley Located on the east coast of Palawan this village has plenty to offer! Visit the Ille cave and do the mangrove kayak tour for an original activity.
Nacpan With its famous Twin Beach and a seemingly endless stretch of beach this popular spot should be on your list. Rent a motorbike to get there or charter a tricycle for around 1500P. Vans at 3000 to 4000 pesos.
Sibaltan Also on the east coast, is a fishing village with a kite surfing community. Enjoy the ride along the coast to get there by motorbike or van. We also suggest staying there for a night or two to completely relax and disengage from the outside world.
What is the weather like in El Nido?
Wondering what time of year to visit El Nido? What weather will there be next week?
The weather in the Philippines is always a ‘hot’ topic. Let’s say broadly speaking the best time to visit El Nido is from January until April. That doesn’t mean you *shouldn’t* visit in the other months though. November and December can be nice, but there’s a good chance there are rainy days, windy days that have the tours cancelled and even a typhoon or tropical storm are possible. May and June can still be ok, you can take your chances. July, August, September, and October though personally we don’t count as our favourite months. As the image below shows, plenty of chance of typhoons that, while not always dangerous can and will bring lots and lots of rain and wind and cancel flights, ferries and tours.
Pagasa or the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration is a great source for updates and we highly recommend you follow them on facebook for early warnings etc.
The best weather forecasts and updates are provided by Robert Speta. Self-proclaimed weather geek, this broadcast meteorologist brings regular updates about any system of weather that might affect the Philippines and the wider West Pacific area. He is a must to follow if you plan to visit the Philippines and you want to know more about the weather. Really, it’s essential! Here is his Robert Speta Facebook page and here is his WestPacWx YouTube channel
Image credit: https://www.pagasa.dost.gov.ph/climate/tropical-cyclone-information