FAQs
Green Gecko Expeditions Frequently Asked Questions
Cancellation Policies for Green Geckos 3-Day El Nido to Coron Expedition are as follows:
- Same day or night before cancellations are considered “no-shows” and are 100% non-refundable.
- Cancellations after reservation confirmation of the booking and reservation payment of the 3000 PHP reservation fee will be considered earned at the time for confirming and processing your reservation. After this window, a 50% service fee (based on the total trip value) will be charged.
- Finalized Reservations fees are considered fully earned after the reservation is confirmed.
Weather-Related Cancellations and Delays
Green Gecko Expeditions strongly recommends travel insurance to protect yourself against weather-related cancellations.
- Delays: Trips may be delayed up to 48 hours due to wind issues. We’ll reach out to discuss alternative options a few days before the trip. Make sure you have adequate insurance, as these cancellations may result in loss of fees paid, future reservations, and even flights home. Depending on the circumstances, it may be able to refund all your fees, but at this time, we do not know the exact details, some of which are listed below.
- Company cancellations: Green Gecko Expeditions never cancels our 3-day boat trips, but rather the Philippine Coast Guard may cancel them due to wind or wave conditions. We may be forced to adjust or delay schedules or any one of our scheduled stops on the itinerary, if bad weather poses a risk to participants’ safety. These cancellations are almost always done by the coastguard and rarely by the captain.
- Natural disasters (e.g., typhoons, monsoons): We encourage travel insurance as strong winds, typhoons, and other Acts of God can cause delays or cancellations either by the coast guard or the boat captain. These delays can also affect your return flight home and your visas. These Acts of God are unfortunate and unforeseeable and are covered under Philippine Law as Acts of God.
- Coast Guard cancellations: Full refund unless supplies (food, diesel, boat rental) were purchased and preparation time invested (30% fee retained).
Non-Weather-Related Cancellations
- Cancellations due to sickness or flight delays, unforeseen emergencies/accidents are not the fault of Green Gecko and are not eligible for a refund.
No matter whether you’re taking the Green Gecko Expedition 3-day boat trip from Coron to El Nido or just taking the one-day boat tour to swim with the dugongs and sea turtles, we highly recommend travel insurance before traveling outside your home country. It may help to cover any losses that you may encounter due to the weather. or unforeseen events.
Check the hospitals in the locations you are planning to travel to, and see if they accept the insurance you plan to have.
It’s a boat cruise for 3 days are Coron to El Nido or vice versa, all 3 days are on the water, so it’s highly likely your belongings will get wet. Green Gecko Expeditions highly recommends that it would be wise to cover your backpack/luggage with a plastic or raincoat cover. Furthermore, any electronic device, passport, or any other fragile belongings should be enclosed in a water-tight ‘Dry Bag”
Green Gecko serves awesome Vegetarian food, but it’s up to the guest to inform us a day before their trip that they are vegetarian; if not, we will prepare our regular non-vegetarian dishes for everyone. All food is served on large family-style plates where you can pick and choose what you want to have on your own plate. We have options from freshly caught fish, to eggs, and veggies.
Tao Philippines, Buhay Isla, Green Gecko Expedition, Tiki Expedition, diving, Keelooma, El Nido Paradise, and El Nido Sea tours. They are all the top-rated companies in the El Nido to Coron expedition business. This is a summary of what to expect on the 3-day El Nido to Coron Expedition.
It’s well known that the best island hopping tour in the Philippines, if not all of Southeast Asia, is the 3 or 4-day expedition or island hopping boat tour from El Nido to Coron or Coron to El Nido. Please refer to our company comparison list in this FAQs section, where you will find a brief write-up and comparison of each company’s trip, even including Green Gecko Expedition between Coron and El Nido and vice versa.
For travelers seeking an authentic, pristine, off-grid island experience, the Philippines offers some of the world’s most enchanted island hopping, with stunning powdery white sand beaches and camping in bamboo beach cottages… right in front of the beach. Wake up with the smell of the crisp ocean air and fresh-brewed coffee every morning. This area, listed as one of the best island chains in the world, is called the Linapacan Island Chain. It’s only accessible by private boat as there are no regular local ferries servicing this area between Coron and El Nido.
Unlike traditional “catered” tours, these expeditions emphasize….. back to basics, no frills, barefoot adventure. Dedicated to total Eco-Friendly sustainability, and a deep cultural immersion with the local Tagbanua Native Tribe, these trips are one of a kind. Just imagine candlelit beachfront dinners, sing-alongs, and storytelling in front of the beachside campfire, midnight dips in the cool ocean waters, and finally sleeping in open-air cottages.
IT SHOULD BE NOTED: This is not a pampered life experience. This is for the rough and hardy, versatile and adventurous traveler. This is why they are referred to as Expeditions rather than first-class tours. Not recommended for the faint of heart or the delicate/fussy city person. Shared washrooms (toilets and showers) are primitive and basic, exemplifying a real Castaway Island Experience. It’s really a unique, totally amazing island adventure. This is what makes the Green Gecko expedition from El Nido to Coron the #1 value-based tour in the Philippines, if not all of Southeast Asia. Please refer to our expedition comparisons in the FAQs. If you have further questions, please don’t hesitate to call us.
Below is a list of the main expedition companies doing the El Nido to Coron and Coron to El Nido 3-day boat tours. This list is meant to help you choose the right expedition company for your needs. Please note this list is not in order related to their review score position, and it’s recommended to please investigate each company’s review score and what their inclusions/exclusions are online.
TIP: Recent reviews are a much more accurate report of the trip that you are expecting to receive. Reviews that are 2 or 3 years old are most likely regarding different crews, different boats, and therefore different experiences. Furthermore, some reviews are from people who have never even taken the trip, but had problems booking online or who, for some reason, tried to change or cancel their reservations. Please pay attention to reviews from people who actually took the trip as a better indicator.
When choosing the right El Nido to Coron Expedition Company, there are a few things to consider:
- What size of boat/group do you prefer? A smaller boat containing 12-18 people is a more intimate-sized group. This is Green Geckos Expeditions’ preferred group size, 12 to a maximum of 22, with 18 being the overall average. Some companies listed below are using big boats licensed to hold 35 to 60 people. The capacity of the boat is always checked by the Philippine Coast Guard before departure, and the number of people allowed is never exceeded the legal limit for the size of the boat. All boats have life jackets for every person, usually under the seat or in the hull.. Please decide and investigate beforehand which type of experience you prefer, a small, intimate group or a larger group.
- Are alcohol and soft drinks included in the price of the trip? An important and costly question. Some companies include limited or unlimited local mixed drinks after base camp arrival (5 pm), while other companies charge extra for alcohol and soft drinks. This is a major expense and should be taken into consideration. Please read some comments on the internet that say the drinks were resort-priced, and they spent over $500 during the trip just on alcohol.
- Are all island entry fees included in the price?
- Is the Linapacan Environmental Fee included? This is different from the entrance fees.
- Are there charging stations for your cell phone, power banks, or camera?
- Do they provide Vegetarian and gluten-free options?
Please check recent reviews, giving them more credit than older reviews.
Because all the companies listed below visit relatively the same island destinations and sometimes even sleep side by side on the same beach campsite area at night, we will not review each specific company’s itineraries, nor shall we review the food served, unless something sticks out to be different. We would advise all island hoppers/travelers to ask for an itinerary with inclusions/exclusions before signing up.
The Experience:
Snorkel, Kayak, hike, meet indigenous local tribes, play beach volleyball or paddle ball, or just chill on the beach… these are only some of the activities included. Sleep in open-air bamboo cottages with mosquito nets, or possibly beachside tents, under the stars.
The Expedition is an off-grid experience allowing travelers to detox from the internet and social media and the hustle and bustle of city life. No electricity, as light comes from solar lamps and bonfires. Some locations have generators. Internet connections are available in certain areas on an “on and off” basis. Please inform concerned family members that you may be out of internet coverage for a few days, and not to get worried and start phoning the Coast Guard. Meals are generally the same between all the companies listed below, some cooked over an open fire, including fresh seafood, pork, and chicken, and local and vegetarian dishes. As mentioned before, the list below is a general list of all the companies involved, and they are not listed in order of their review scores or overall satisfaction.
LIST OF COMPANIES DOING THE 3 DAY CORON TO EL NIDO OR EL NIDO TO CORON EXPEDITION
- Tao Philippines – The Pioneers of the 3-day Expedition
Tao was the first company to start these 3 to 5-day island hopping trips. The true pioneers. Tao does Multi-day island-hopping expeditions with beach camping. Their expedition is well known and usually highly rated. Because they were the Pioneers, their prices are well above the other expeditions.PLEASE NOTE: There are no free drinks on this trip.
TAO COST FOR A 3 DAY TRIP: $650 – $750
STANDING POINTS
* The Original Expedition Company
* Great Tour
* Expensive NON-INCLUSIVE BAR.
* Tao is the most Expensive 3 3-day expedition operator, as stated both on Google and the Tao website, the average cost for their trip is $650 in low season, up to $750 in High Season.
Buhay Isla offers Sustainable beach camping & bamboo huts similar to Tao and all the other companies.
Huts are Hand-built bamboo cottages with thatched roofs, with all companies’ huts being of a similar nature. Compost toilets are simple, basic amenities, and solar power is available in minimal areas. Experiences: Snorkeling, paddleboarding, jungle treks
STANDING POINTS*Great Tour
*Limited only to Rum and Juice after 5 pm.
*Medium to High price range $337 – $400
Green Gecko Expeditions offers an equal experience as the other companies at a lower price range. They also have cliff jumping and spear fishing (optional, please check availability) listed as additional activities included.
Their reviews on TripAdvisor are currently 4.7 stars out of 5. Analyzing the reviews, quite a few people who have left negative reviews never took the trip. Removing these people who took the trip would give them a TripAdvisor score of 4.9 – 5.0. Green Geckos Tour is Eco-Friendly sustainability done right.
They also have a 4-day option. Priced between $280 – $303.
STANDING POINTS
*Best Value for money.
*Good Tour.
*Has Cliff Jumping and on some trips Spear Fishing options (please verify in advance)
*Unlimited Free Rum and Juice after 5 pm.
* Has trips almost every day
Another highly rated and high-priced company with a great tour. BDBM is at the top end of the pricing, with their 4-day expedition price costing $599. As with Tao Expeditions, all drinks are not included, and over a 4-day cruise, the bill for soft drinks and alcohol can be expensive, depending on your alcohol consumption. This cost should be taken into consideration. Sleep in open-air bamboo cottages with mosquito nets.
STANDING POINTS*Good reviews.
*4-day expeditions only
*On the top end of the price index $599
*Soft Drinks and Alcohol Extra.
Tiki Expeditions and Tours
Tiki Expeditions made this list only because they were the cheapest price on the internet, with a good review score. It’s a great Budget Backpackers’ Paradise and also offers discounts to bloggers and website owners. Tiki Expeditions is filling a niche for travelers on a tight budget. As mentioned in the earlier opening paragraph, most of these companies, including Tiki Expeditions, see the same islands, sleep on the same beaches, and eat the same food. Furthermore, Tiki includes free Rum and juice. Tiki is rated in the top 7 mainly because it’s a friendly tour at a cheaper price for basically the same experience.STANDING POINTS
* Trips almost every day
* Cheapest priced expedition, for travelers on a tight budget.
* Free rum and juice after 5 pm
* Same comparable experience at a cheaper price.
Keelooma Expeditions
Keelooma Expeditions is a top company. Their reviews are good. They are one of the larger operators, and therefore, they have some bigger boats and trips almost every day.STANDING POINTS
* Trips almost every day for travelers on a tight schedule.
* A mix of larger and smaller boats.
* Alcohol not included
* Good reviews.
El Nido Paradise
El Nido Paradise is a well-represented company and Good reviews. Being one of the first companies on the internet after Tao, they have a lot of reviews. Their boats are usually bigger, so enquire about the size of the group if this is important to you.
STANDING POINTS* Mostly larger-sized boats.
* Good reviews
* Alcohol not included.
* Well-maintained boats
Sea-Tours
Sea-Tours is a well-organized trip with good reviews. They have some of the bigger boats, with one boat stated on the internet to hold 60 people. All tours listed above run from the port of Dipnay/San Fernando El Nido to Coron.
STANDING POINTS* Good reviews
* Alcohol not included
* Nice big boats.
We hope that this general overview gives you some basic information to consider before booking your trip. All companies above have good reviews, and we have not listed them in any particular order. Please read thoroughly, then follow up directly with the company of your choice to make the best decision for your trip.
