The complete guide to visiting Daracotan Island, Philippines
Daracotan Island in the Philippines is as far from reality as most travellers will ever come to. It’s almost paradise.
I loved my visit to Daracotan Island. However, there’s no doubt it is different to what we experienced on the rest of our trip through the Philippines and would be off-putting to some people.
Therefore, I’ve written this guide to share my experience. Inside the guide, you’ll find my thoughts on the island, an account of the most memorable moments, and practical information on how to get there, what to do and what to bring.
Ratings
Accessibility: 3/5 • Safety: 3/5 • Enjoyment: 5/5 • Value: 3/5 • Overall: 3.5/5
About Daracotan Island
Daracotan is an island, located 2 km off the north-east corner of Palawan in the Philippines.
The island itself is pretty small and you could walk (and scramble) around it in a couple of hours. Being in the Philippines, it is tropical and has lagoonal waters on one side, with coral reefs on the side facing the mainland.
There are only four resorts on the island, all located on its north and west sides. These are fairly simple and vary between back-to-basics huts and more luxurious options.
What appealed about visiting Daracotan island?
Before we get onto the meaty stuff, I figured I’d share why I picked to visit Daracotan Island in the first place. After all, it’s not very big or popular.
I first heard about it from a couple of backpacker tour companies, which include Daracotan Island on their “Intro to the Philippines” itineraries. They describe it as a “castaway experience”.
Reading it, I figured a castaway experience would be a lot of fun. Before a detour to Apo Island earlier on in my Philippines trip, I’d never stayed on a tropical island with so few people or so little to do.
It also appealed that Daracotan Island is located close to El Nido (possibly the biggest tourist hub in all the Philippines), with a one hour drive and 15 minute boat ride separating them. Therefore, we wouldn’t lose much time getting to it.
We booked accommodation at Backpackers El Nido and off we went!
Getting to the island
Arriving at the island was an adventure. Backpackers El Nido had already told us that the road to the jetty was a bit bumpy, so a car was best. However, getting a car taxi from El Nido to the jetty was super expensive, so we took a tricycle.
Bad idea! When they say the way to the jetty is bumpy, they are not joking. Several times I was convinced the tricycle was going to fall over as it hit a pothole or went over a particularly uneven section. As we got over each hill the driver would say, “phew!”, which is NOT what you want to hear when the tricycle is bouncing from side to side!
Fortunately, it was smooth sailing once we arrived at the jetty. We messaged our accommodation to say we had arrived, and the boat sailed from the other side to pick us up.
Initial impressions
Getting off the boat on Daracotan Island was amazing. There was no one about, aside from the staff at our resort; the sand was yellow and smooth; the sea was clear and still.
We were shown to a hut opposite the beach. We could sit in front of our hut and just hear the sound of the water rippling against the shoreline.
Exploring the island on future days, we would see that there was a resort to our left and two to our right; however, visiting during the off/shoulder season, these were very quiet. At one point a group of backpackers arrived for the day at the resort to our left, and we were so excited when they departed at the end of the day!
Insects…
One aspect of “castaway” I had not considered was the animal life. Namely: insects.
The Philippines is a country with a lot of mosquitos, so we had expected this. However, the mosquitos on Daracotan are definitely more blood-starved than those on the mainland; this was okay during the day, but they got ferocious at night-time! I wore leggings most evenings to protect my legs.
We also had a bad run in with the most evil biting flies. They were big and jumped on you, and their bite was so painful. They were almost impossible to swat.
I hated those flies so much! Fortunately, they only appeared in large numbers on the last night, so I didn’t worry about them until right before we were leaving.
We also had a run in with a few spiders in the showers. One literally looked like the grim reaper and another one, although smaller, was carrying eggs on her back, which seemed an even more terrifying prospect.
… and jellyfish
Daracotan Island, being surrounded by coral reefs, is a great place to snorkel. Not far away from the shore, right opposite Backpackers El Nido, is a little shipwreck, reportedly dating back to 1987. The water surrounding it is only a couple of metres deep, and the boat sticks out of the water at low tide. There’s a lot of corals and marine life around it too.
Heading south of the shipwreck, there’s a shelf full of spectacular corals. We didn’t discover it until the morning we left the island, but it was some of the best corals we’ve seen!
However, there are a lot of small jellyfish in the water. I would literally just snorkel 10 m from the shoreline and be stung within minutes. On one unfortunate swim I got stung on my forehead…
The stings only lasted a couple of minutes. However, it did discourage me from spending lots of time in the water.
We’d also heard reports of spiky animals, so I was always a bit conscious of where I was putting my feet.
Our stay at Backpackers El Nido
We stayed at Backpackers El Nido, which is the cheapest and least luxurious option on the island. Our hut cost £28 ($36) per night.
The actual huts were fairly basic; they just contained a mattress bed with mosquito net. Outside there was a bench that we could sit on. Electricity only operated between 6 and 10 pm, and we had a plug in the room we could use within those times.
The bathrooms were communal, with a row of pipe showers with cold water, and a row of toilets with outdoor sinks.
As for food, it was pretty good. The staff served breakfast, lunch and dinner, with four or five dishes on the menu each time. They were a bit expensive, even for Palawan, at 350 to 450 pesos ($6 to $8 / £5 to £6), but based on the location this makes sense.
The staff and their friends loved their karaoke. They had some karaoke sessions inside the kitchen which interrupted the peace occasionally, but were very entertaining for us!
On a positive note, they also provided free water and (admittedly quite bad) snorkel gear.
How does Daracotan Island rate as a destination?
As part of this blog, I give every place I visit a rating so that we can easily compare destinations and decide whether they’re worth a visit – those are the scores you see at the top of the page!
This is how Daracotan Island rated:
- Safety: 3/5 – the island feels very safe. Given the absence of nearby medical facilities and the potential for rays and spiky fishes in the water, I was a bit nervous in case there was an emergency.
- Accessibility: 3/5 – it isn’t difficult to get to Daracotan Island if you’re already in El Nido, but it requires more effort compared to other places! As any stay requires getting off the boat on the beach, it might not be easy for people with mobility issues.
- Enjoyment: 5/5 – our stay on the island was so lovely!
- Value: 3/5 – Daracotan Island is more expensive than other places in Palawan, itself one of the most expensive islands in the Philippines.
Overall: 3.5/5
If you’ve already visited, let me know if you agree with these ratings! Just to note, the ratings are my personal opinion based on my visit, so you might have a completely different experience.
Things to do on Daracotan Island
There isn’t much to do on Daracotan Island, but that’s kind of the point. It’s a good place to not do too much at all!
I’d recommend taking it easy for a few days. Sunbathe, read a good book, or snorkel around the shipwreck and pretty corals.
How to get there
If you stay at a resort on Daracotan Island, they will help you get across. Most resorts have their own boat which they use to fetch people from the mainland.
It’s easiest to travel to the jetty from El Nido. There are no public transport options for the drive, so getting a taxi is pretty much the only option. I’d recommend organising the hour’s drive with your resort in advance as they can get cheaper prices than hailing one in El Nido.
What to bring
Daracotan Island requires the same things you’ll need for a trip to El Nido and the rest of Palawan. Here’s what I’d suggest:
- Swimsuits, so you can dip in the ocean whenever you want to.
- Clothes to wear over swimsuits, like a cover up, shorts and tees. It’s worth bringing a top or shorts that you’re happy to wear in the water if you get sunburnt.
- A pair of long trousers. I needed them to prevent being bitten in the evening, so they’re handy if you have the same affliction..
- PJs. There is no air conditioning overnight so don’t bring your thermal jammies!
- Portable charger. Useful during the day, given the limited electricity.
- Cash. Naturally there are no ATMs on the island and depending on your accommodation you’ll need cash to pay for everything.
- Suncream & insect repellent, so you don’t get too burnt or bitten.
- Raincoat. Depending on the season and what you’re planning on doing during your visit, a raincoat is essential to prevent you from getting soaked.
You won’t need proper shoes unless you want to walk across the island!
Conclusion
I loved my time on Daracotan Island. Although there is nothing luxurious about it, what’s sacrificed in comfort is gained in tranquillity and feeling like you’ve got the whole island to yourself.
I’d recommend a few days there to anyone heading to El Nido!
Do you have any questions about staying at Daracotan Island? Let me know in the comments.
Planning a longer trip through the Philippines? Check out my guide to Apo Island – another small island experience with a ridiculous number of turtles. Alternatively, Siquijor makes for a great stop on any itinerary!
