Small Lagoon

Small Lagoon is the quieter, more secret sibling of Big Lagoon, tucked into the same cliffs on Miniloc Island. Where Big Lagoon is grand and open, Small Lagoon hides behind a narrow gap in the rock that you slip through by kayak or by swimming, and the reward on the other side is a still, clear inner pool that feels like a discovery. For families with children old enough to enjoy a small adventure, that moment of passing through the wall into a hidden world is the highlight of the whole El Nido tour.

The honest read is that this is not a beach and not a toddler stop. There is no sand to lie on, you are in the water or on a kayak the whole time, and the entrance narrows as the tide rises, so timing and a little nerve matter. Confident older children love it, while younger ones do best riding in a kayak with a life vest and an adult close by rather than swimming the gap themselves. If your family wants to lie on sand and build castles, choose a beach instead and treat this as the adventurous extra.

Once inside, the appeal is simple and gentle. The water is usually calm and clear, the rock edges hold fish for easy snorkelling, and the enclosed pool stays sheltered even when the open sea is livelier. Bring your own mask, since gear on tour boats is hit and miss, and a dry bag for phones and valuables. There is a lagoon entry fee and kayak hire, both charged on the day and best treated as to be confirmed, so carry cash because nothing on the water takes cards.

Who should skip it: families with very young children who want calm shallow sand, since the entrance and the all water setting do not suit toddlers. Who should go: families with older children who want a snorkel and a small thrill, and who arrive on an early or late slot to find the lagoon at its quiet, clear best.

Small Lagoon sits beside Big Lagoon on Miniloc Island in Bacuit Bay, reached by boat from El Nido town as a stop on island hopping Tour A or by private charter. With a family, the first morning departure or a private boat gives you the calmest water and the quietest entrance before the kayaks build up around the narrow gap.

There are no facilities inside, so come fully prepared. Bring water, snacks, a sun shelter for the boat, life vests, your own snorkel mask and a dry bag, and carry cash for the entry fee and kayak hire. There is no reliable lifeguard cover, conditions are typical rather than guaranteed, and younger children should stay with an adult on a kayak rather than swimming the entrance alone.