Pack two bags. Your main bag is stowed in the boat for the whole trip, and on several expeditions you cannot reach it until you land. Everything you need for three days goes in a small dry bag, which Castaway suggests should be 30 to 40 litres: swimwear, a towel, sunscreen (several listings ask for biodegradable or reef-safe), insect repellent, a hat, toiletries, a power bank, a light rain layer, water shoes and any medication, including seasickness tablets. Add pesos in cash, because environmental fees, drinks and tips are paid in cash and there are no ATMs on the islands. Masks and snorkels are provided; fins often are not.
We Are Juan 3D2N, Coron to El Nido
Two bags: what goes in the hull and what stays with you
Every operator handles luggage the same way in principle: the big bag goes below or on board, and you live out of a small one. The listings differ only in the detail.
| Operator | Main luggage rule | Small bag advice |
|---|---|---|
| We Are Juan | Stowed on board; no weight or size limit | Prepare a smaller bag with essentials for three days; a secure dry bag is “highly” recommended |
| Castaway | Stored in the hull, no access during the trip | Separate essentials bag, ideally a 30 to 40 L dry bag; its own site asks for a soft bag, not a hard suitcase |
| Keelooma | No weight limit, but large bags stay on the boat | Bring a dry bag |
| Big Dream Boatman | Goes under the boat and comes out only in an emergency | Dry bag essential |
| Sea Quest group and private trips | No luggage limit stated | Waterproof bag on the packing list |
What the luggage rules mean for you
Two practical consequences follow. First, you will not be able to fetch a forgotten charger or a jumper from your suitcase at the first camp, so pack the small bag as if the big one does not exist. Second, a soft bag is easier for the crew to stow. On one crowded We Are Juan departure, a reviewer said there was not enough room for everyone’s suitcases.
If your trip ends in El Nido and you fly out of Lio, check your airline’s allowance before you pack. Suroy.ph reported 15 kg checked plus 7 kg cabin on the Clark route.
The dry bag checklist
This list combines what the operators themselves ask guests to bring. Where only some listings mention an item, the third column says which.
| Item | Why | Who asks for it |
|---|---|---|
| Dry bag | Sea spray and beach landings soak ordinary bags | We Are Juan, Castaway, Keelooma, Big Dream Boatman, Sea Quest |
| Swimwear and a change of clothes | You are in and out of the water all day | Castaway, Sea Nomads, Exodus, Sea Quest |
| Towel | Not every operator supplies one | We Are Juan and Sea Quest’s 4-day trip ask you to bring your own; Sea Nomads provides a shower towel at camp |
| Sunscreen | Long hours on an open deck | Biodegradable: Sea Nomads, Exodus. Reef-safe: Sea Quest’s 5-day trip |
| Insect repellent | Evenings at beach camps | We Are Juan, Exodus, Sea Nomads (biodegradable) |
| Hat and sunglasses | Little shade on deck | We Are Juan, Exodus, Sea Quest |
| Power bank and flashlight | Camp power runs only a few hours | Power bank: We Are Juan, Sea Quest. Flashlight: Sea Quest’s 5-day trip |
| Water shoes | Some stops mean wading ashore in shallow water | Sea Quest, which “strongly” recommends them |
| Rain jacket or warm layer | Evenings on the water can be cool and wet | Rain gear: Sea Nomads. Light rain jacket: Tao. Jacket: Exodus |
| Reusable water bottle | Purified water is supplied | We Are Juan’s Coron listing |
| Toiletries and personal medication | No shops on the route | We Are Juan, Castaway, Sea Quest |
| Seasickness tablets | Take them before boarding | Keelooma, Big Dream Boatman |
Do not underestimate the cool evenings. One low-star reviewer on We Are Juan’s El Nido trip said the briefing was cancelled and their group packed only a sweater, which was not enough.
Snorkel gear: masks yes, fins often no
All the expeditions we cover include a mask and snorkel. Fins are a different matter. Castaway’s own site says fins are not included, Buhay Isla provides masks and snorkels but no fins, and the KKJ group expedition lists fins as an extra. Tao is the exception, with fins available in several sizes. A reviewer on a crowded We Are Juan departure also said there were too few masks to go round, so if you snorkel a lot and have your own mask, it earns its place in the dry bag.
Cash: how much and what for
Keelooma’s listing puts it simply: “No ATMs exist in the sea.” Bring Philippine pesos for:
- Environmental fees, which are cash only. El Nido charges PHP 400 per person, Coron PHP 200, Linapacan PHP 200 and Culion PHP 100. Which fees your trip covers depends on the listing. We Are Juan’s El Nido to Coron listing excludes all four, its Coron to El Nido listing says every guest needs valid tickets and that it can process them for you, Castaway includes Linapacan but not El Nido or Coron, and Keelooma excludes the El Nido and Coron fees. Keep your receipts.
- The balance of a direct booking. Castaway takes a PHP 5,000 deposit and the rest in cash at the briefing, and Keelooma’s balance is also paid in cash.
- Drinks beyond what is included, such as beer at Keelooma or Tao.
- Tips for the crew, which Keelooma encourages, and tricycles to and from the meeting point. Keelooma quotes about PHP 250 from El Nido town to its Lio office and about PHP 200 from Coron Port to town.
Get the cash before you reach the departure town if you can. Suroy.ph reports that card acceptance is patchy outside the larger operators and that town ATMs can run dry at weekends.
Keep that cash on you or in the dry bag, not loose in a hut. One reviewer on the Exodus listing reports having all their cash stolen while sleeping at camp.
Documents and insurance
Bring your passport or ID. Sea Quest’s 4-day trip lists both, plus a credit card for extras at the Ariara resort, and Exodus asks for passport details after booking. Travel insurance is required by Keelooma, which wants cover for boat travel, snorkelling and trip disruption, and by Sea Nomads. We Are Juan excludes it from the price. Keelooma also points out that neither the operators nor the small airlines refund onward travel if weather cancels a boat or a flight, which is one more reason to keep a spare day before an international departure. See the best time to go for the seasons.
What to leave in the big bag
The hut has no wardrobe and the camp has a few hours of power, so hair dryers and other high-power gadgets are dead weight in the small bag. Tao does not allow guests to bring their own beer or soda and charges corkage on spirits, so check your operator’s drinks rules before you stock up. Keelooma’s advice on the rest: “The less you bring, the more you’ll feel it.”
For what the camps and boats are like, read what to expect. To choose a departure, compare Coron to El Nido and El Nido to Coron trips, or see our best expeditions.
Pick your crossing date
Shared expeditions run most days in the dry season and the popular dates fill first. Check your date and direction.
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