Palawan Travel Guide

Palawan is the long, wild island province stretching toward Borneo - a ribbon of limestone cliffs, hidden lagoons, jungle and some of the finest island-hopping and diving on Earth.

Why go / don’t miss: the towering karst lagoons of El Nido, the WWII wreck-diving and lakes of Coron, the Puerto Princesa Underground River, and the remote UNESCO reefs of Tubbataha.

Areas: El Nido and the Bacuit Archipelago; Coron and the Calamian Islands; the capital Puerto Princesa (Underground River); and far-south Balabac for pink-sand sandbars.

Getting around: fly into Puerto Princesa or El Nido; vans link Puerto Princesa to El Nido (5-6 hrs), and boats do the island-hopping.

When to go: the dry season Nov-May is best; Tubbataha liveaboards run only Mar-Jun.

Where to stay: El Nido or Coron for island-hopping, or Puerto Princesa as an arrival base.

Dining: fresh seafood everywhere - grilled fish, kinilaw and Palawan’s famous crocodile sisig in the capital.

Local tips: El Nido and Coron get busy in high season and book out early; go shoulder-season for quieter lagoons.

Palawan occupies a long, sparsely settled chain of islands on the southwest flank of the Philippines. The archipelago runs from northern groups such as Busuanga and Agutaya down to southern keys like Balabac, and includes remote claims in the west such as Kalayaan and the Spratly outcrops and the eastern islet group Cagayancillo. Landscapes alternate between limestone cliffs and karst formations, mangrove fringes, dense rainforest and long sandy strands; notable anchors are the coastal town of Puerto Princesa and the underground passage of the Puerto Princesa Subterranean River, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, as well as the steep islands around El Nido and the deep caverns of the Tabon Caves.

Much of Palawan’s life revolves around the sea. Island hopping and wildlife spotting are the default activities, and the best diving and snorkeling are found around coral gardens, mangrove channels, shipwrecks, submerged caves and steep drop-offs. Smaller attractions often mentioned by visitors include Starfish Island for its shallow fauna, Snake Island for its narrow sandbar, Senorita Island for reef life, and quieter places such as Luli Island that change with the tides.

There is also a strong on-land offering: sea-cliff walks and short treks around the El Nido archipelago and coastal stretches such as Nagtabon Beach, caving and archaeological work at the Tabon sites, and small museums and crocodile farms around the main towns. Palawan stages a lively calendar of local events too - from the January Tarek Festival and the colorful June Baragatan sa Palawan to religious observances such as the Feast of the Immaculate Conception and local rituals like the Pagdiwata Tribal Ritual. Practically, most visitors reach the island by air, with regular flights from Manila to Puerto Princesa that take about an hour.