El Nido Stay | Nacpan Calitang Twin Beach Accommodations

Dusk at El Nido’s scenic twin beach Distance won’t stop tourist from visiting these natural gems of the north in El Nido, Palawan. The Nacpa...

Dusk at El Nido’s scenic twin beach

Distance won’t stop tourist from visiting these natural gems of the north in El Nido, Palawan. The Nacpan Calitang Twin Beach has grown in popularity that tourist would rent motorbikes, hire tricycles and join van tours just to reach this set of beach 17.5km up north from El Nido town. I can’t blame them, as I have been here several times and the beaches are always mesmerizing to see. Playful waves, soft golden sands, scenic hills and still unspoilt by mass development. Visitors frequent the beach daily, usually as day trips, but staying overnight at these beaches yields a much richer rural experience.

Sunset at Calitang Beach

Why Stay Overnight?

It’s been more than three years since I first visited the Nacpan Calitang Twin Beach. The road condition from the turn, coming from the national road hasn’t change. Rough, dusty and unpaved. The isolation of Bucana Town has kept the place electricity-free, both an advantage and disadvantage. It has hampered development but still kept the place as pristine as possible.

Since Nacpan Calitang Twin Beach are easily connected, I decided to stay at Sitio Calitang Beach since it has an open view of the sunset and is a lot closer to the hills at the tail-end where the beaches are connected. Day-trip visitors here usually stay only until 5pm and often miss out on the sunset. I think aside from Marimegmeg Beach and Corong-corong, Calitang Beach is one of the best places to view the sunset in El Nido.

If one wants to see the rural beauty of El Nido, wake up early and see the beach widen more at low tide. Nacpan Beach has an unadulterated beauty in the morning that is so pure it puts me to shame to leave even a footprint on this long stretch of beach. There is little to no tourist at all at these times.

Alighting the jeep to Bucana as it crosses a fragile bridge

Getting to Nacpan Calitang Twin Beach

There are a few of ways to get to Bucana town, the expensive but easy way and the cheap and slightly longer way. Try to haggle for prices for a return trip the next day. Travel time from El Nido town to Sitio Calitang, Bucana is almost an hour without stops.

• Join El Nido Tour E. An inland tour which includes the Nacpan Calitang Twin Beach along with a side-trip to Nagkalit-kalit Falls or Bulalacao Falls. Tour cost is Php 1,200 per person.
• Hire a vehicle. Tricycles may be hired from Php 800–1000 for a group of up to 4 people. The rate includes return and waiting time at the beach. Vans can also be hired for a group of up to 10–12 people for Php 2000–2500. Motorbike rent for solo or couples are also possible from Php 500–800 per day. All area for day trips only.
• Public Transport. The cheapest way to Sitio Calitang is by public jeep at the El Nido transport terminal. Look for Valine Grace, the lone jeep plying the El Nido-Bucana route. The jeep leaves the terminal usually at noon (11:30am–12nn) but can be a little late during Wednesdays and Saturday’s market day (locally known as tabuan). Travel time takes longer (1.5–2hrs) as they drop passengers and goods along the way. Fare is Php 50 one way. Valine Grace leaves for El Nido at 7:30–8:00am. There are no jeepney service on Sundays.

Unadulterated Nacpan Beach in the morning

Things to Know Before Staying Overnight

If one wants to stay overnight or more in Bucana here are some information that may help.

• There is no electricity in Bucana. Most establishments are generator-powered which usually runs from 6pm to 11pm.
• Spotty cellular network for both Smart and Globe at some areas. Some lodgings and restaurants have Wifi which is powered by their pocket Wifi but I still found the connection inconsistent.
• There are restaurants and eateries in the area which serves food from Php 100 and up. Plenty of sari-sari store as well.
• Bring insect repellant or petroleum jelly. In the evening there are plenty of sand mites in the area, particularly in Nacpan Beach. They can leave nasty bites. There are also mosquitoes though most lodgings have mosquito nets.

Calitang Beach stretch

Where the twin beaches meet

Clear view of the sunset at Calitang Beach

Sundown over the islets off shore

Lone motorbike and a few dogs early in the morning at Nacpan Beach

Nacpan Beach without the tourist

Accommodations at Calitang Beach on the next page…

Calitang Beach is near a fishing village so there are many boats on shore

Accommodations at Calitang Beach

At the moment there are only three lodgings in the area. I stayed here mainly because of the sunset view and close distance from the hills where the beach meet. Beach is also fine and soft but there are many fishing boats here as it is near a fishing villages. The waves here are also calm in comparison to Nacpan Beach.

Where I stayed at Calitang Pearl Lodge

Calitang Pearl Lodge

It has four rooms and lodging is made from concrete. It’s close to the beach and has a nice wide fenced grounds. What I like are the hammocks at the porch. Room is big with private bathroom. Each room has a queen-sized bed good for two. They don’t have a restaurant within the area but they have a restaurant at Nacpan Beach (Kyla’s Cocina) and food can be ordered there and brought here. Owners Malou and Jess were very amiable.

Rates: Php 700/night
Contact: 0916.572.3098

Room at Calitang Pearl

Hammocks at the porch

View of the beach from the porch

Beach cottage from Valine Grace

Valine Grace Beach and Cottages

They have two nice looking green cottages with two adjoining rooms each. Rooms were okay and cool since it was made of wood and has a private bathroom. My only problem was the thin walls you that I could easily hear conversations from the other room. It’s okay if I’m with friends with neighbor rooms but kinda awkward with strangers. The place looks nice though also with a large fenced area. They serve food and drinks as the owner have a sari-sari store as well. Valine Grace is owned by the same family who owns the lone jeep that plies the El Nido – Bucana route.

Rates: Php 600/ night
Contact: 0908.900.1763, 0927.275.2236

The bedroom

The pathway leading to the beach

Dandal Bay View by the beach

Dandal Bay View

A native style lodging with four rooms. Rooms are also spacious with large beds and has a private bathroom. The restaurant faces the beach and has nice views of sunset. They have Wifi (if signal is good) from 6pm to 10pm. They also have a store at the back along the inner road.

Rates: Php 500/ night
Contact: 0905.791.2419

The room

Restaurant with sunset view

Accommodations at Nacpan Beach on the next page…

Hammock and cottages at Nacpan Beach

Accommodations at Nacpan Beach

The coconut-tree fringed golden sand beach is a favorite among visitors here. The sand is really soft and fine, the shore wide and the beach stretch long. Going to two of the accommodations mentioned takes about 5–10 minutes walk from Kyla’s Cocina restaurant.

The Calitang Peal room extension at Nacpan Beach

Calitang Pearl Lodge Nacpan Extension

The owners decided to build two rooms there of the same style as the one in Calitang Beach. It’s near their restaurant and the crowd favorite part of the beach.

Rates: Php 900/night
Contact: 0916.572.3098

Kyla’s Cocina restaurant

The resto bar

Catian Resto Bar

A nice place to chill as they offer cocktails aside from the usual food. They also have a number of cottages with beautiful native chairs at their porch. Rooms range from Php 800 (shared bathroom) to Php 1500 (beach front with private bathroom). It’s hard not to miss the place as they have flags of different countries at their beach front.

Rates: Php 800–1500
Contact: 0910.619.9996, 0926.703.1507

The native rooms at Catian Resto Bar

Inside the beach front room

Cozy chairs at the cottage porch

Beach Huts for customer use

Well-spaced apart and away from the beach cottages

Jack’s Place

This resort is very pleasant resort. Spacious manicured grounds, native style huts spaced apart and away from the beach. Rooms vary from joint huts with shared bathrooms and single rooms with private baths. Camping is also allowed in the area. They have a restaurant with Wifi (if they get a good signal). Beach hut cottages free to use by guest and customers.

Rates: Php 800–1200 for room/night; Php 500 for camping.
Contact: 0995.237.4811

Beach huts at Jack’s Place

Camping at Jack’s Place