Seven Commandos Beach
El Nido, Philippines
A gorgeous strip of creamy sand and lazy coconut palms backed by the same jungle-clad cliffs that tower over El Nido town, Seven Commandos Beach is one of the prettiest beaches around El Nido. Although it’s on mainland Palawan, you can only reach it from the water, and so it often features on Bacuit Archipelago island-hopping tours.
The basics
While it’s possible to stay at a high-end resort on Seven Commandos Beach or kayak round from El Nido Beach nearby, most travelers visit on an island-hopping tour out of El Nido: It features on the ever-popular circuit known as Tour A. Besides enjoying sun, sea, and sand, and sipping on fresh coconuts (or something harder), there’s some attractive coral reef offshore, an Insta-friendly jungle swing, plus football and beach volleyball if you’re feeling energetic.
Things to know before you go
Seven Commandos Beach is a good choice for sun worshippers and social media mavens.
Most tours spend 1–1.5 hours at Seven Commandos Beach. If you’d like to stay longer, consider chartering a private boat or renting a kayak.
Unless you’re kayaking, you reach Seven Commandos Beach by wading through the water from an island-hopping boat, so it’s not accessible to travelers with mobility challenges.
How to get there
Seven Commandos Beach is only 0.5 miles (750 meters) from El Nido Beach as the crow flies, but the cliffs mean walking is impossible. While a few intrepid travelers kayak round the promontory from El Nido Beach, most travelers arrive on an island-hopping tour, usually Tour A.
When to get there
Seven Commandos Beach is open year-round, but it’s generally best to visit during the dry season, which runs from roughly mid-November to mid-May. Sunsets can be spectacular.
Who were the seven commandos?
Whether you write it “7 Commandos” or “Seven Commandos”, the name of Seven Commandos Beach is shrouded in mystery. Some say that seven soldiers were stranded on the beach during World War II and carved their names into the rocks; others claim that “Seven Commando” was the name of a fishing boat that washed up here.
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