El Nido ranks tenth in global beach awards on 6 October

El Nido entered the 2026 Condé Nast Traveler Readers’ Choice Awards on 6 October 2026, ranking tenth among the world’s top beaches in the publication’s annual list. The result places the Palawan destination alongside Coron and Boracay, giving the Philippines three entries in the global top 15.

El Nido reaches tenth place in the 2026 awards

The list published by Condé Nast Traveler names El Nido, Philippines, at number ten with a score of 91.27. Coron ranked fourth with 93.32, while Boracay took eighth place with 91.49. The three destinations were the only Philippine entries in the 15-place beach ranking.

The award result was reported in the Philippines on 17 October 2026 by The Philippine Star’s report. That account says the 29th Readers’ Choice Awards were based on responses collected from 1 April to 30 June 2026, covering several travel categories as well as beaches and islands.

The ranking is a current news point for visitors because it identifies the destination itself rather than a hotel or a tour operator. It also gives the October result a specific place within the wider Philippine travel picture: Palawan topped the publication’s Asian island ranking, while El Nido appeared in the global beach list.

Why the ranking relates to El Nido’s protected coast

El Nido is a municipality at the northern end of Palawan in the Philippines. The local tourism office describes its setting through limestone cliffs, lagoons, beaches and marine biodiversity, with the town forming part of the El Nido-Taytay Managed Resource Protected Area.

The area includes the Bacuit Archipelago, whose islands and islets provide the landscape associated with the destination’s beach reputation. The Philippine Department of Tourism lists Bacuit Bay islands and named locations including Miniloc Island, Entalula Island, Seven Commandos and Small Lagoon among the attractions connected with El Nido.

That geography gives the award result a more precise meaning than a generic beach accolade. Travellers visiting El Nido encounter a municipality whose recognised attractions extend across mainland beaches, island shores, lagoons and marine habitats, rather than one single urban waterfront. The destination’s protected setting is therefore part of the context in which the ranking is presented.

The 2026 global beach list records the result directly, while the Department of Tourism profile confirms the destination’s limestone, lagoon and marine setting.

Visiting El Nido: what travellers from Western Europe should know

• The relevant result was published on 6 October 2026, when Condé Nast Traveler placed El Nido tenth in its global beach ranking.
• The ranking concerns the destination and its beaches, islands and lagoons; it does not announce a new entrance, closure or special opening.
• El Nido lies in northern Palawan and is connected with Bacuit Bay and the El Nido-Taytay Managed Resource Protected Area.
• Visitors can reach the area by air through El Nido or Puerto Princesa, with onward travel by land from Puerto Princesa.
• Entry requirements depend on your nationality; UK travellers can check the FCDO travel advice at gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice, Irish travellers the Department of Foreign Affairs at ireland.ie.

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Frequently asked questions about El Nido

When was El Nido named in the global beach awards?

Condé Nast Traveler published its 2026 global beach ranking on 6 October 2026, placing El Nido tenth with a score of 91.27.

Where is El Nido and how do you get there?

El Nido is in northern Palawan, Philippines. Travellers can arrive by air through El Nido or Puerto Princesa and continue by land from Puerto Princesa.

What is El Nido known for?

The destination is associated with limestone cliffs, beaches, lagoons, Bacuit Bay and the marine habitats of the El Nido-Taytay Managed Resource Protected Area.