Top things to do in the Philippines
Discover all the adventures you can experience in the Philippines
Snake Island, or officially known as Vigan Island, is a very popular beach destination located in El Nido. The name of the island was informally changed by the locals to what it is called now because of its unique curve that resembles a snake. The S-shaped sandbar here, which is approximately three kilometers long, serves as the connection of mainland Palawan to the islet.
The small island is best visited during low tide when the unique, white sandbar is most walkable and visible.
Like any other island in El Nido, Snake Island is a great spot for swimming or basking in the crystal clear turquoise waters but it is the only island that will give you the experience and feeling of walking in the middle of the sea. Watch the marine life underneath like small fishes, sea turtles, corals, and starfishes via snorkeling along the shoreline. Snake Island is also a paradise filled with thick foliage and lots of mangroves where monkeys are often seen and should be avoided. It also houses a small shed on top of a hill that boasts a stunning birds-eye view of the snake-looking sand trail and a panoramic view of the Bacuit Bay and nearby El Nido islands.
A trip to El Nido is not complete without experiencing any of the municipality’s island hopping tours. Snake Island is part of Tour B and is either the lunch stop or the start-off point of the said tour. Tour B is an underrated tour vs. the other tour sets in El Nido but it is the closest (to the mainland) and the most relaxed. However, the major crowd-pullers of Tour B are the scenic sandspit of Vigan Island and the caves that are included in the set (Cathedral Cave and Cudugnon Cave).