El Nido splits its island-hopping into four fixed routes, A through D, each covering different lagoons and beaches. Tour A gets the headline sights — Big and Small Lagoon — and the crowds that come with them. It's still worth doing first.
Skipping the group boats
If you've got a couple of extra days, chartering a smaller boat privately covers the same highlights with none of the queueing at each stop. It costs more per person in a small group, and it's worth every bit of it.
