Good question. The beach is nice, but I didn’t see anyone swimming other than kids. I don’t see why you wouldn’t be able to swim there.

Hello, yes they have been asked to close. But the legal system there is quite slow so it could be months till something is done. If you are going to stay at the nest anytime soon then you could be alright, i stayed there in december and its a great resort, stunning views of the bay and a fantastic infinity pool. As much as the charm of the pool is being so close to the sea, it is illegal to be that close. If you are planning to stay In future, i would book somewhere else just to have peace of mind. El Nido itself is like a shanty town, pretty much a good experience of how the other half. Its pretty safe there, as long as you dont walk around late at night on your own, weve been alright every time weve gone to visit. The only thing i would say, which could potentially ruin your trip, is to stay away from salads and drinks with ice cubes or tap water, always buy drinks in bottles or cans, i know quite a few people that have gotten sick, including me. One of the big problems is the waste management, this is one of the issues they are dealing with which is why the government is now cracking down in El Nido, that and the illegally built hotels too close to the sea/beach (some have drains to the sea which have been destroying the beach and sealife for years and years) i wouldnt recommend swiming in the sea there, wading to get to the boats is fine. The islands are your best places for swimming and evrything, they are the main reason people go there, the islands are spectacular, right out of a postcard! Good luck and have fun over there!

Hello, The articles seem to be legit, they have also mentioned the same issues with Boracay on there, and I have definitely heard about that from my parents who live in the Philippines. The Nest is definitely on that list. When I went to stay in december I did notice it is very close to the shoreline, especially its newly finished infinity pool. It seems you have booked your holiday at a pretty unlucky time. There's been talk of environmental issues with El Nido for years and years, it's only in the past 5 years with the large influx of tourists that has tipped the scale and the government has decided to pull their fingers out and do something drastic. If they have issued an order for these places to shut down then the big question is not IF but WHEN. Legal matters can take quite some time to kick into action, I used to live in Puerto Princesa, I know how slow they can drag legal issues out, could be several months before they shut down the establishments, instead of 30 days. You're planning to stay in April, so you may be lucky enough to catch the last boat before they shut the place down. BUT, on very rare occasions I have also seen the legal systems work pretty fast. I would say it is pretty risky to go ahead staying at The Nest unless you have a back up? Have you paid for your room in full? Can you get a refund? Best thing is to contact The Nest itself and ask them what is happening. But if I were in your shoes, even if they say they'll be open, I would get my money back and book elsewhere.(Although if they are shutting down I doubt they'll happily give refunds) Other places may not be as beautiful as the Nest but at least you'll be sure to have somewhere to stay.Peace of mind! I'm pretty saddened by the news as well, the Nest is my favourite out of all the places i've stayed at. And I will give you one very important tip, which i tell everyone going to El Nido. Avoid any drink with ice cubes (fruit shakes) and salads, some establishments use mineral water, but not all, so it's always a gamble, and it really ruins the trip when you get ill. I've heard many people complain of getting sick (hence them trying to sort out environmental and water/waste drainage issues) and I got sick when I was there in december, I broke the rule and had a shake, and some drinks with ice. I've visited several times before without getting ill so I got complacent :-/ Hopefully none of this has put you off going and enjoying the place, it really is a beautiful paradise there, not El Nido itself, but the islands you go to on the boats, just like pictures on postcards :-) April shouldn't be too busy with tourists either, and rainy season doesn't really start till June so April is a good time to go! :-) Have a great time over there!!