Tao Expeditions Philippines (El Nido) — The BEST Island Hopping in Palawan!

On my birthday, Olga surprised me with the most unforgettable gift — a multi-day voyage with Tao Expeditions Philippines, also known as Tao Adventures. If you’ve ever dreamed of sailing through the limestone cliffs and turquoise waters of El Nido on a pirate-ship-style boat, this is the trip that makes you feel alive.

From snorkeling with turtles to sleeping in bamboo base camps, Tao is not just island hopping. It is adventure, chaos, romance, and pure Filipino magic.

What Is Tao Expeditions?

Tao Expeditions is a community-powered sailing adventure where you travel on massive wooden boats, eat meals cooked fresh by the Tao crew, snorkel in hidden coves, explore caves, and sleep in secluded base camps far from the crowds. It is rustic, immersive, and unforgettable — the opposite of a luxury cruise but more meaningful in every way.

How It All Began

We rolled up to the port with two huge suitcases, four backpacks, and zero chill. The tricycles couldn’t even fit all our gear, so Olga and I had to split up. When we finally arrived, rain came pouring down as the Tao crew checked our bags and guided us onto the ship.

Our vessel, The Balatik, looked straight out of a pirate movie. Even in the storm, it was beautiful.

One wrong step and my camera gear would’ve ended up at the bottom of the ocean, but the barefoot crew carried everything onboard like it weighed nothing.

Life Onboard the Balatik

Once we settled in, the magic started to show itself — the wooden beams, the shaded lounges, the smell of freshly sliced fruit, and the unexpected presence of dogs living their best island life. One of them, Amo, instantly became Olga’s little ocean shadow.

The boat had everything we needed:

A shaded deck
A bridge area
Kayaks
An open kitchen
Secret dry corners where Amo hid from the rain

Stop 1: Snake Island Sandbar

Even though it was raining, Snake Island was stunning. Olga debated getting into the water because of the cold but eventually dove in, mermaid hair and all. I swam out to meet the other passengers while she tried not to turn blue.

Despite the weather, the beauty still punched us in the chest. Palawan doesn’t need sunshine to show off.

When the Sun Finally Came Out

After warming up with tea, everything changed. The clouds broke open, and Palawan instantly transformed from gray documentary to turquoise paradise.

The cliffs glowed.
The ocean lit up.
The entire boat felt alive again.

Olga claimed she “felt like a bad pirate” and started asking where the rum was. The crew laughed because rum always comes — Tao trips have happy hour.

Snorkeling at Helicopter Island — The Turtle Moment

This was the highlight.

The moment we jumped in, a turtle drifted beneath us. Olga dove gracefully while I filmed it — a double reflection shot that’s still one of my favorites.

The water was so clear that you could see everything without goggles. Helicopter Island behind us rose like something carved by gods.

A Hidden Cave and Olga’s Paranoia

Later, we swam into a secret cave near Pasandingan Beach. It echoed, dripped water, and created the kind of atmosphere that makes every shadow suspicious.

Olga heard a noise behind her and screamed because her snorkel touched her leg.
Pure panic.
Pure comedy.

We left the cave laughing.

Sleeping in Base Camp — Cadlao Island

As daylight faded, we reached our Tao base camp — rustic bamboo huts facing an empty beach.

Inside:

A mattress
A mosquito net
Silence

Minimal, raw, beautiful.

The food that night was incredible. This is something Tao Expeditions does extraordinarily well — the freshest ingredients, grilled fish, vegetables, tropical fruit, and the kind of flavors that feel like home even when you’re far away.

Dinner felt romantic in a wild, natural way — just us, the ocean, the warm lights of the camp, and the sound of the waves. It was real. Unpolished. Perfect.

We fell asleep sunburned, tired, and totally happy.