On one of our latest trips to Palawan we decided to do a motorbike route through the north of the island and explore spots that aren’t usually visited so much or be able to spend more time in them. After passing through Sibaltan, Duli and Bucana, the last stop of the route was the wonderful Nacpan Beach, which we consider one of the best beaches in the Philippines and, of course, one of the best beaches in El Nido, which you can visit without needing to take a tour.
Nacpan is located about 45-60 minutes (which can be covered by motorbike, tricycle or van) from the bustle of El Nido Town. Given its great extension (it is 4 kilometers long), except for the southernmost part, where most travelers are concentrated, it is a spectacular strip of golden sand adorned by thousands of palm trees where you will hardly run into people, especially if you visit it in the first and last hours of the day.
There are barely 4-5 accommodations in Nacpan at the moment, so it is still an extremely quiet part of Palawan where you can fall asleep listening to the waves of the sea. If, on top of that, you can do it in a little cabin with beach views, you will have that feeling of the less exploited Philippines you are surely looking for. That’s why, on this occasion, we decided to stay at Eco Sanctuaries Nature Lodge Nacpan Beach.
What the resort is like
This small resort has, as of today, only 3 cabins, each with capacity for two people, so you will have the chance to feel pampered and, above all, in a place that is still very special. It is the last accommodation on Nacpan Beach, so few people pass through this part of the beach, creating an atmosphere of pure relaxation.
As if that weren’t enough, there are no roosters around, so you will have a pleasant sleep.
Its west-facing orientation will probably give you a sunset you will always remember.
As its name suggests, the concept of the accommodation is an eco-resort, that is, coexistence with and respect for nature, and, truthfully, that is something we love.
Besides the cabins, it has a beautiful open-air restaurant, a shala to practice yoga and meditation (we can’t think of a better place in the world to enjoy the peace and practice) and, what we like most, hammocks, sun loungers and umbrellas so you can relax at Nacpan.
The cabins
There are two types of cabins at Eco Sanctuaries Nature Lodge Nacpan Beach:
- Sea-view villa: this is the largest cabin, the one closest to the beach and it has a small terrace. It can accommodate up to 4 people.
- Beachfront villa or bungalow: in the second row, behind the previous one, but with views. This is the kind we stayed in.
All of them have sea views and, as you can see in the photos, they are very close to it, close enough to walk barefoot, so choosing between them is more a matter of budget or size.
Our cabin had everything for a very comfortable stay and we really didn’t miss anything. The bed is one of the best (if not the best) we have had in all our visits to Palawan. Besides being huge and comfortable, it has a mosquito net that is easy to set up and lets you sleep without worrying about mosquitoes.
On the headboard, we also found a banig, a colorful local handicraft, totally environmentally responsible, which we personally love.
Although the rooms don’t have air conditioning, we never missed it. Why? Because, in addition to having a powerful fan, the whole room is very well ventilated, thanks to shutters distributed throughout the cabin, which also have mosquito screens so you can forget about insects.
The bathroom is spacious and pleasant. The shower, unlike what happens in many hotels on the island, has good water pressure, but you should know that there is no heater and the water comes out at room temperature. That’s not something we missed, given the usual temperature here.
Other cool little details are its lamps, which give pleasant light, drinking water, a kettle and amenities such as toothbrushes made from bamboo or artisanal soap with sampaguita scent, the national flower.
The restaurant
Most likely your booking at Eco Sanctuaries Nature Lodge Nacpan Beach will include breakfast, and that’s something you are going to enjoy a lot. Not only because you can tell the dishes are made with care, but because of the quality of the ingredients.
We went for the oat porridge with coconut milk, fruit (often the delicious Filipino mango) and cashews (very common in Palawan), and we can’t think of a better way to start the day.
For lunch and dinner you have a variety of Filipino and international dishes at your disposal, which you can enjoy at Kawan (the restaurant) while gazing at a paradise-like beach. We tried the spaghetti with moringa and cashews and really liked it.
If you feel like it, they also offer five-course tasting dinners for couples right on the beach, as long as you book in advance.
If you want to change things up, if you decide to stay overnight in Nacpan, you can also go to the restaurant of other hotels in the area such as Angkla, the Glamping or Mad Monkey. During the day there are also local food stalls.
Other details to mention about the Nacpan Eco Resort
Although we hope you have a good idea of what you’ll find if you decide to sleep at Eco Sanctuaries Nature Lodge Nacpan Beach, here are a few more details:
- You’re isolated from almost everything, but you’ll have satellite internet connection. So, if you want to work or simply contact your family, you’ll be able to do so without any problems.
- If you’re a guest, you can attend one yoga class per day for free. In fact, yoga retreats are occasionally organized at the resort.
- They give you a drip-bag of local coffee that you can enjoy whenever you want.
- You have free drinking water at all times.
- You can get a massage in your room or on the bed that’s right on the beach itself (we think that’s a great plan).
- Kayaks and paddle boards are available.
- This isn’t just about this resort at Nacpan Beach, but for any visit to the beach: you need to be careful with sandfly bites (sandflies or nik nik). Coconut oil and OFF Overload! repellent (both sold in the Philippines) usually work well. Be careful because you hardly notice when they bite, but the itch lasts a long time afterwards.
- Nacpan usually has a bit of waves (nothing that will make swimming difficult), so you could also be tempted to do a bit of surfing.
How to get to this Nacpan resort
There is still (and luckily, as we think it’s part of the charm) no road that reaches the resort. However, you won’t have to rack your brains much.
In our case, we decided to go on our own motorbike. We notified them of our arrival time, they opened their parking area for us and, once there, they guided us to the resort by motorbike. In other words, we had the chance to ride along the vast Nacpan and we won’t lie: we loved it.
If you don’t dare to drive here, you can also walk to the accommodation and the staff will help you with your luggage. We estimate it won’t take you more than 10 minutes.
If you want to go more comfortably, they also offer a 4×4 transfer service, which drops you right at the hotel without you needing to do anything.
If you’re looking for a more economical solution and don’t want to rent a motorbike, you also have the option of negotiating a tricycle from El Nido airport or El Nido Town. Don’t expect less than 1.200 -1.300 pesos per full vehicle.
You can read more about how to access Palawan in How to get to El Nido.
In short… Would we go back?
If you ask us whether we would stay again at Eco Sanctuaries Nature Lodge Nacpan Beach, the answer would be a resounding yes. Due to availability, we could only stay here for one night, but we would have loved to stay one more because here we felt that relaxation we miss after more than a week in El Nido Town.
As we said at the beginning of this article, staying here was feeling that we were in a remote area of the Philippines, but, at the same time, with all the comforts and the certainty that in about 45 minutes we were close to one of the country’s main destinations, with everything that entails (variety of restaurants, tours, airport, port, etc.).
We think it’s an accommodation in El Nido that’s ideal if you’re looking to complement your stay in El Nido Town or Corong Corong (the perfect areas to do the El Nido island hoppings) with one or two days of total relaxation. If you don’t mind getting up a bit early, you could even do the excursions from here.
And, although you’ve probably already guessed it, we think it’s a great place if you’re planning your honeymoon in the Philippines.
We hope you liked this review and that you’re encouraged to stay around here! If you want more accommodation suggestions, take a look at Where to stay in El Nido or Best resorts in El Nido. If you have any questions, feel free to leave us a comment and we will get back to you as soon as possible.
