El Nido is getting more and more popular with kiteboarding these recent years, thanks to the promotion of the spot by the Philippine Kiteboarding Association (PKA) that hosted a leg of their competition tour for 2 years consecutively. If the East coast of El Nido has many beaches and options for kiting, I have selected 2 of the principal spots that also have a kite school/center.
Toratod:
This is my favorite spot in Palawan. It has the huge privilege and convenience of being located on a tiny peninsula splitting two lagoons in half. And the 2 lagoons have both their advantages that you will pick according to the wind direction of the day. If they are both exposed East, the Northern lagoon will be better for Northeast winds, when the Southern lagoon will be naturally more convenient for the winds blowing Southeast.
The Northern lagoon is also the one that can be kited under all kinds of tides. On the Southern lagoon, you can still go kiting, though you will have to walk up to 200 meters in ankle-deep water.
The bottom of both lagoons is mostly sandy but some boulders are scattered a bit everywhere on the lagoon. The water is clear enough that you can easily manage your landing after your jumps. The lagoons are quite protected by a reef about 300 to 500 meters from the shoreline, making the water mostly flat or just choppy.
The wind is onshore to slightly side onshore.
Foiling is possible behind the reef only. I’d recommend going on low to mid-tide as it is easier to walk in the lagoon until it gets deep enough that you can start upwind body dragging. And I would advise you to keep on dragging a good 100m offshore from the furthest land point of the peninsula. Use the peninsula as a marker and never get closer to a 100 meters line from this point to the shoreline, and don’t get any 100 meters close around the peninsula as there are rocks too. And then you have a vast playground to enjoy foiling.
The wind in Palawan is generally quite light, so you will generally enjoy your biggest kites here. 70% of the time with your 12m or 14m, 20% with bigger than 14m, and 10% with smaller than 10m kite.
Toratod has a windsurf/kitesurf center, with brand new F-one equipment, for rental and lessons.
After kiting, you can have your meal at Toratod beach point, where Greg and Len have established themselves in 2019, and offer a traditional familial cuisine type, at fair prices. You can also sleep at Toratod beach point, they offer tents for a camping style at p300/night, with a shared bathroom. Otherwise, they have brand new wooden bungalows native-style built in 2020.
Accommodation prices inquiries : +63 927 418 6796
