El Nido to Coron Expedition
The original Tao experience
Join a four-day, four-night expedition through the turquoise waters between El Nido and Coron, in the Philippines. You’ll travel with like-minded strangers and local crew who will feel like family by day two.
The route
This is a four-day, four-night expedition across 250km of remote northern Palawan, connecting El Nido to Coron. Travelling by traditional bangka through hidden coves and deserted beaches, snorkel over thriving reefs and sleep under the stars in Tao’s bamboo basecamps.
The experience
Days are unhurried but full: snorkelling, fishing with the crew, sharing home-cooked feasts with new friends, swapping stories around the campfire. There are no chef whites and no fancy kitchens. Just a small galley, one cook, a few essentials and whatever we can catch or pick up along the way at our island destinations, where some families regularly supply us with staples of green papaya and lato (seaweed).
Your shipmates
What makes it special isn’t just where you go, it’s how you travel: guided by local islander crew who are proud to call these islands home. Each expedition group has a wide mix of ages, nationalities and backgrounds to make for an interesting, diverse and vibrant atmosphere on-board and in the basecamps. The minimum age for joiners is 13 unless by prior agreement. There is no upper age limit!
The gold standard
20 YEARS EXPERIENCE Get you off the beaten track El Nido, Linapacan and Coron
SAFETY & COMFORT Rigorous training and adapted boats make us second to none
FOOD AND DRINK Our meals are served with our special brand of hospitality
EDUCATION & LIVELIHOOD Each contributes directly and indirectly to the community
EXCLUSIVE PROPERTIES Pristine locations, limited access and bespoke design
Included highlights
Explore 250km of remote islands with like-minded others. We can get you away from the crowds among the islands of West Busuanga, Linapacan and Daracouton Bay between El Nido and Coron, on a boat to call your own. Bliss!
Stay in Tao’s off-grid bamboo basecamps, hidden in coves, jungles and island communities. Sleep in our hand-crafted Tuka huts, their bird-beak curves designed for shade, breeze, and connection to nature.
The Lost Boys are your island-born crew. Sailors, cooks, and storytellers who bring the Tao journey to life. Born of the islands, they guide with laughter, skill, and soul, turning every voyage into the adventure of a lifetime.
We’re passionate about food, serving native fruits and vegetables from our farm, freshly caught seafood and occasionally home-reared pork. Served family-style on sharing plates. Big on flavour, Filipino food is soulful, generous, and seasonal.
Dive in! Jump overboard to snorkel vibrant coral reefs, swim to secluded beaches, or relax on deck with a book. The Tao Experience is a social gathering, but there’s always space to step back, disconnect and find your own rhythm.
Experience the healing touch of Tao’s island massage, offered by women from our Foundation, using coconut oil pressed at our farm. Simple, soulful, and scented with sea air (and coconut, of course).
Meet the scholars and communities we support! From classrooms to coastlines, we invest in people: teaching skills, nurturing confidence, and building futures rooted in island life.
Your adventure starts here
Traditional
It’s like opening the pages of a long-forgotten adventure novel. Sail onboard the largest traditional paraw in the Philippines for a taste of history.
paraw
up
Planning your trip

Health and Safety

Palawan Travel Guide

El Nido Travel Guide

Coron Travel Guide

Tao Paraw Project

Tao Farm Project
How
For two decades Tao has been flipping the script on adventure travel, swapping glossy escapism for raw, real-world impact. It’s been a journey.
it all
began
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