Palawan Travel Guide

In a nutshell

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Aptly dubbed "The Last Frontier", Palawan may just be the only remaining world-class island destination that hasn't succumbed yet to the ravages of commercial tourism.

Where to go on Palawan

Puerto Princesa

Your journey into this tropical paradise starts at Puerto Princesa, the capital city of the Province of Palawan.

Here you will find the UNESCO World Heritage Site, Puerto Princesa Underground River, that boasts of a singular river-cave system, karst cliffs, and a thick mangrove forest.

Island hopping in Honda Bay which is located on the eastern shores of the province is also an impressive introduction to the region's rich marine life and pristine waters. Ugong Rock in Sabang is for those who seek adventure where you can zip line from the top of a karst mountain while the firefly watching tour in Iwahig is designed for anyone who wants a unique experience for the city people.

Puerto Princesa is also the jump off point for one of the best dive site in the world, the Tubbataha Reef nature reserve.

El Nido

Up north, things get even better. Discover the spellbinding lagoons and beaches of El Nido where you can enjoy crystal clear water and more karst formations. The snorkelling sites in Port Barton are some of the best too. The islands are just as breath-taking but not as crowded as their more known counterparts.

The southern end remains largely unaffected by tourism. The highest peak in Palawan can be found here in Brooke’s Point, located about 192km from the capital. The Tabon Cave complex in the southwestern part offers a spelunking experience like no other. It's an important site of many archaeological discoveries and is thus popularly referred to as the cradle of Philippine civilization.

Coron

The northern tip of Palawan is not to be outdone. Whether you're a professional diver or a recreational one, you will have the most amazing time exploring the shipwrecks of Coron. There's a reason why Coron is touted as having the best wreck diving site in the whole of Asia. Besides the WWII Japanese shipwrecks, the vibrant coral gardens are also perfect for avid snorkelers.

For non-divers, there's the stunningly beautiful Kayangan Lake as well as Maquinit Hot Spring. If you haven't had your fill of island hopping yet, you can venture further into the islands of Cuyo or visit what was once called the Island of the Living Dead, Culion, a former leper colony.

When to go to Palawan

It is best to avoid the rainy season particularly the months of June to October. The province experiences heavy monsoons starting from June and it is not uncommon for island hopping tours to get cancelled at this time. The best time to go would be from December to May.

Where to stay in Palawan

Accommodation in Palawan can be as cheap or expensive as you'd like. There are all kinds of accommodation to suit every type of traveller and most of these are located in the province's capital, Puerto Princesa. There are home stays, guesthouses, inns, and hostels for those on a budget and there are also full-service hotels complete with modern facilities and amenities you'd find in 3 to 5-star hotels. There are beachfront properties and those nestled at the foot of a karst cliff. If you are so inclined, you can also stay in an island luxury hotel in El Nido for your utmost privacy and enjoyment.

Where and what to eat in Palawan

As with accommodation, the culinary scene in Palawan is pretty diverse. It is a good mix of traditional delicacies and international cuisine with a few exotic treats in between. Based on experience, dining in El Nido can be expensive unless you're willing to eat in an open air, carinderia-style restaurant. Even that is pricey relative to other similar restaurants in the region. Still, Palawan offers some unforgettable gastronomic adventure courtesy of crocodile sisig and tamilok (woodworm).

How to get around Palawan

The most common mode of transportation within the region is tricycles, jeepneys, vans, and buses. It is possible to rent motorcycles but taxis are pretty much unheard of except the few ones we saw outside a mall in Puerto Princesa. Transfer arrangement is usually included in your accommodation but if not, there are shuttle vans just outside the airport.

In places like El Nido, tours already include pickup and/or drop off to your hotel. Traveling within the region is relatively easy albeit time-consuming.

There are frequent vans going to El Nido from Puerto Princesa for roughly PHP500 to PHP600 with travel time lasting up to 6 hours. Taking the bus is a bit cheaper but it stretches travel time for up to 9 hours.

You can travel onward to Coron from El Nido by boat. Depending on the type of boat, the trip may take 4 to 9 hours and costs

How to get to and from Palawan

Travel agencies are increasingly offering tour packages that include both lodging and travel arrangement. If not, there's nothing to worry about as the province is one of the most accessible tourist destination in the Philippines.

Palawan can be reached by air through one of the four airports in the region: El Nido Airport or Lio Airport, Puerto Princesa City Airport, Francisco B. Reyes Airport in Busuanga, and Cesar Lim Rodriguez Airport in Taytay. Most tourists, however, enter Palawan through the first two gateways.

To Puerto Princesa

Cebu Pacific, Philippine Airlines, and Air Asia all have daily flights from Manila to Puerto Princesa. Travel time is approximately 1 hour to 1 hour and 30 minutes.

There are also direct flights from Cebu City.

It is possible to fly from Davao and Iloilo, however, there's a layover of several hours in Manila.

You can also travel by boat although you will have to spend at most 22 to 24 hours holed up inside the ship.

To Coron

Coron meanwhile is your gateway to the Calamian group of islands located in the Northern part of Palawan. The fastest way to get there is also by air as it would take only 1 hour and 30 minutes. Both Cebu Pacific and Philippine Airlines fly to Busuanga airport several times daily.

To El Nido

Unfortunately, it is not possible to fly from Puerto Princesa to El Nido and vice versa at this time. If you plan to hit these two most popular destinations in the province, you need to set aside at least 2 days just for travel time.

Travelling by sea

Between Manila, Puerto Princesa, El Nido, and Coron, you can travel by sea via Atienza Shipping Lines, Negros Navigation, MV Milagrosa, Superferry, San Nicolas Line, MV Sea Journey, and Montenegro Shipping Line.