Cadlao Island

Cadlao is the big island filling the view from El Nido town - a green mountain rising over six hundred metres straight out of Bacuit Bay, and the largest of the group. Because the standard tours run past it to the further islands, its coves stay comparatively quiet: Ubugon Cove and Cadlao Lagoon on the near side, Paradise and Natnat beaches on the shore facing town, and reef along the edges good enough to snorkel without a guide. A small number of operators run private trips that circle the island for exactly this reason. The summit trek is a serious half-day: steep, hot, largely unshaded scrambling with fixed ropes in places and a guide required, rewarded by a view over the whole bay and its scattered karst. Most visitors settle for the lagoon and a beach, which is a fair trade.

History

People have lived around Bacuit Bay since at least 2800 BC, and in Dewil Valley perhaps for 14,000 years, as burials in Ille Cave show. The town grew from the Tagbanwa village of Talindak, became a barrio of Taytay in 1882 and was renamed Bacuit by the Spanish in 1890; it became its own municipality in 1916 and on 17 June 1954 took the name El Nido, after the edible swiftlet nests in its limestone cliffs (Wikipedia, El Nido, Palawan).

What you'll find

• Cadlao Lagoon - the quiet inlet on the island's flank.
• The near beaches - Paradise and Natnat facing town.
• The summit view - Bacuit Bay's islands from above.
• The reef edges - snorkelling off the shore.

When to go

November to May for calm crossings. Start summit treks at dawn - the climb is brutal in midday heat. Sunset from the water with Cadlao behind is the classic El Nido view.

Practical notes

The trek is steep, rope-assisted and needs a guide; it is not a casual walk. Private boat hire costs more than joining a group tour. Facilities on the island are minimal.

Nearby

El Nido town is fifteen minutes across the water; the Tour A and B circuits pass around the island.