Nacpan Beach

Nacpan is the antidote to El Nido's boat tours: no karst walls, no queueing at a rock gap, just four kilometres of open golden sand running north from a headland, with surf that actually breaks and coconut palms behind. At the southern end the beach meets Calitang on the other side of a low promontory, and the short climb up it gives the twin-beach photograph that has spread the place around - two curves of sand running away in opposite directions from a single point. Development has arrived in the form of beach clubs, bars and a scattering of resorts at the south end, but walk fifteen minutes north and it thins out to almost nothing. The road from El Nido has improved but still has rough sections, and getting there by tricycle is slow and bumpy; most people rent a motorbike or share a van.

What you actually see

• The long strand - four kilometres of open golden sand.
• The twin-beach viewpoint - the headland between Nacpan and Calitang.
• The surf - real waves, unusual for El Nido.
• The empty north end - where the beach clubs stop.

When to go

November to May for settled weather. Weekday mornings for space; sunset for the light. The southern end is busiest.

Honest expectations

The road is rough in places and the ride is long. There is a current and shore break - swimming needs more care than in the lagoons. Beach clubs at the south end charge resort prices.

Nearby

Duli Beach further north is the quieter surf option; El Nido town and the Bacuit Bay tours are back south.