The fee
The El Nido environmental fee: 400 pesos, in cash, once
Every island tour here has a fee on top that is not in the price you paid online. It is small, it is paid once, and it catches out almost everybody — usually at the least convenient moment.
Quick answer
The El Nido Eco-Tourism Development Fee is 400 pesos a person for non-resident visitors in 2026. You pay it once, it is valid for ten days, and it covers every island tour you take in that window. It is collected in cash and it is not included in what you paid for the boat.
The fee, at a glance
- Amount, 2026
- 400 pesosper non-resident visitor
- Palawan residents
- 200 pesosreduced rate
- Paid
- Oncenot per tour
- Valid for
- 10 daysacross all island tours
- How
- Cashpesos, not cards
- Where
- Tourism office or the beachbefore you board
- Included in tour price?
- Almost nevercheck your voucher
- Kayak at Big Lagoon
- Extra againa few hundred pesos, cash
- Keep
- The receiptit is what proves the ten days
- Cheapest tour on this page
- $23before the fee
How it actually works on the day
Three things worth knowing
Pay once, keep the receipt, bring pesos — and bring extra for the kayak.
You pay once, not per boat. If you do Tour A on Monday and Tour C on Wednesday, the fee covers both. Keep the receipt — it is what you show the second time.
It is cash. Pesos. There is no card machine at the tourism office window and none on the beach.
It is separate from the boat. Some operators collect it for you and some send you to the office the evening before. Either way it is not in the online price, and the boat will not leave without it.
And it is not the only cash you need. The kayak at the Big Lagoon is a few hundred pesos more, paid at the entrance. Bring notes for everybody in the party.
The cash you actually need
Four things nobody takes a card for
Everything below is paid in pesos, on the day, on a beach or at a window.
- The eco-tourism fee — 400 pesos each
Paid once, valid ten days, covers every island tour in that window.
- Kayak rental at the Big Lagoon — a few hundred pesos
Boats are not allowed inside, so this is the only way in.
- Drinks on the boat and at beach stops
Lunch is included on almost everything here; drinks are not.
- Tips for the crew, if you want to
Not expected, common, and cash only like everything else.
Common questions
The fee, answered
How much is the El Nido environmental fee?
400 pesos a person for non-resident visitors in 2026, and 200 pesos for Palawan residents.
Do I pay it for every tour?
No. You pay it once and it is valid for ten days across all island tours.
Is it included in the tour price?
Almost never. It is collected separately, in cash, on the day or the evening before.
Can I pay by card?
No. Bring pesos in notes.
What is it called officially?
The Eco-Tourism Development Fee, usually shortened to ETDF.
What else costs extra?
Kayak rental at the Big Lagoon, a few hundred pesos, also cash. Boats are not permitted inside the lagoon.
Go deeper
More on island hopping in El Nido
What it costs
From $23 to $438, plus the 400-peso eco fee.
The verdictWhich tour is best
All twelve ranked, by route rather than by letter.
The lagoonsTour A
Big, Small and Secret lagoons, Shimizu, Seven Commandos.
The quiet oneTour B
Snake Island, Pinagbuyutan, Entalula and two caves.
The far beachesTour C
Hidden Beach, Secret Beach, Matinloc, Helicopter Island.
ComparedTour A or Tour C
Stop by stop, and which to do if you only do one.
