El Nido and its mother archipelago, Palawan, are regulars in the top islands or beaches lists in some of the world’s most respected travel magazines like Condé Nast, Travel + Leisure Magazine, and National Geographic Traveler.

So what are prestigious magazines saying about this paradise?

Most recently in February 2019, David Jeffreys and Jordi Lippe-McGraw say about El Nido in Condé Nast’s 24 Best Island Beaches in the World:

Shockingly, Palawan remains steadily under the radar, even though it continues to rank highly in our Readers’ Choice Awards. El Nido alone is home to around 50 white sand beaches—it’s impossible to choose just one—all of which are set around dramatic limestone formations and boast the finest and whitest sand you’ll ever see. The water is so blindingly blue it makes the Caribbean Sea look murky in comparison. And the sunsets? Well, they’ll ruin you for life. Consider yourself warned. (source)

On Hidden Beach, El Nido, Flight Network says in 2018:

Based on the poll results, El Nido’s Hidden Beach has been ranked as the best beach in Asia for 2018 as this “tropical, white sand, postcard-perfect beach” has “unmistakable” limestone cliffs “that draw your eyes away from the magnificent reefs and palm-lined shores.”

“The wild, vegetation-covered rock formations and crystal clear waters of Hidden Beach will make you feel as if you’ve been dropped into a movie,” said one of the poll’s participants, Sachin Aggarwal of Carlson Wagonlit Travel. (source)

A visiting journalist, Rojer Pe, narrates a scene in Small Lagoon, El Nido, in 2017:

The eerie sound of silence would be intermittently broken by people exclaiming in glee—one found a baby shark gliding under the water. Little “sharkie” and a green turtle were playing hide-and-seek in a “forest” of corals as big as wheels of a 10-wheeler truck. Tiger, Parrot, Jack, Butterfly, Sweetlips, Snapper, Grouper, name it—multi-colored fishes, all of them in their natural habitat, not in some mall or man-made aquarium. (source)

Rebecca Ascher-Walsh describes Palawan, which took the #1 spot in Travel + Leisure’s list of World’s Best Islands 2017:

There’s nothing quite like immersing yourself in the natural wonders of this Philippine archipelago, which many of our readers described as “rustic,” “romantic,” “affordable,” and “relaxing.” As one fan succinctly wrote, “It’s the single most beautiful place on earth.” Palawan, which consists of an eponymous main island, in addition to some 1,800 surrounding islets and island outposts, is a repeat winner on the list, first scoring the No. 1 spot in 2013. And with its verdant mountains, a five-mile-long underground river, limestone caves, and spectacular scuba diving, its appeal is as clear as its turquoise waters. (source)

Melanie Lieberman talks about Palawan when it ranked #1 in Travel + Leisure’s World’s Best Islands 2016:

Palawan first received the coveted No.1 spot in 2013, and it’s little surprise that the island is back at the top. Visitors are greeted with mountains rising out of impossibly turquoise waters, where shipwrecks and reefs make for prime scuba diving and snorkeling. “Palawan is every beach lover’s dream destination,” said one voter, who regarded it as a “wonderful and magical place.” Palawan is also home to a five-mile-long underground river. It’s considered one of the world’s wonders of nature, and visitors shouldn’t miss the chance to boat through its limestone caverns. (source)

Cynthia Drescher describes Palawan in the Most Romantic Islands in the World 2015:

It’s no wonder Palawan ranked as the most beautiful island in the world this year, as the clear aquamarine water, limestone cliffs, and lagoons of the island province of the Philippines are only the most basic highlights. Palawan is also home to nature reserves on both land and sea, with dolphins just offshore, marine gardens of giant clam, sea turtles nesting on white sand beaches, 600 species of butterflies, and lush palm forest like a Gilligan’s Island fever dream. (source)

M.D. dela Cruz Tan of ZEST Magazine mentions El Nido in 2012:

The first time Australian D.J.M. Winters stepped on the shores of Miniloc Island, in El Nido, north of Palawan, to visit the country’s “Last Environmental Frontier,” as well as to “check out what business ventures may be there.” He noted that “it was like stepping on a photograph come to life.” He said, “Everything seemed too good to be true. Palawan is almost surreal for its beauty.” (source)