Things to Do in Palawan

About Palawan

The first thing that hits you is the smell—salt and diesel and something faintly floral from the mangroves threading between the islands. Palawan doesn't do introductions slowly. One minute you're taxiing down Puerto Princesa's runway, the next you're skimming across Honda Bay in a bangka whose outriggers barely clear the water, heading toward sandbars that appear only at low tide. In El Nido, the limestone karsts rise straight from the sea like broken teeth, and the lagoons tucked between them are the color of liquid glass—so clear you can see starfish fifteen feet down. Coron Town smells of grilled squid and welding shops; its market opens at 4 AM when divers roll in from night boats, and the best breakfast you'll eat is tapsilog at ETC Cafe for ₱120 ($2.15) while your regulator dries on the railing. Port Barton moves slower—reggae bars built from driftwood, fishermen mending nets in the shallows, and sunsets that turn the whole bay copper. Here's the trade-off: paradise isn't cheap. Island-hopping tours run ₱1,200-1,500 ($21-27) per person, and a decent room in El Nido starts at ₱3,500 ($63) during peak months. But watch dolphins arc through your ferry's wake, or drift through the underground river where bats rustle overhead like dry leaves, and you'll understand why people burn through vacation days here. Palawan isn't just beautiful—it's the kind of place that resets your baseline for what turquoise actually looks like.

Travel Tips

Transportation: Book your van tickets online before you land—Southwest Tours charges ₱600 ($11) for the 5-hour Puerto Princesa to El Nido run, and seats sell out by 9 AM. In El Nido, skip the ₱500 ($9) tricycle rip-offs from the bus terminal; walk 10 minutes to Corong-Corong where boats to Las Cabanas run ₱50 ($0.90) each way. Download the PhilJets app for Coron seaplane transfers—₱7,500 ($135) cuts the 8-hour ferry to 35 minutes.

Money: ATMs in El Nido only dispense ₱10,000 ($180) max and run dry on weekends. Bring pesos or use the BPI branch in Coron Town proper. Island-hopping tours prefer cash—₱1,500 ($27) per person in El Nido, ₱1,200 ($21) in Coron. Pro tip: pay your boatman directly to skip the tour company markup, but count the fuel cans first.

Cultural Respect: The Tagbanua people own much of northern Palawan—ask permission before photographing their villages near Coron. Remove shoes when entering homes; bring small gifts like rice or coffee. In Muslim fishing communities like Bataraza, cover shoulders and knees. The karaoke rule: locals start singing at 8 PM sharp—joining a round earns instant friends and probably free rum.

Food Safety: Eat where the boat crews eat—Kinabuch's in Puerto Princesa for crocodile sisig (₱280/$5), Altrove in El Nido for brick-oven pizza that tastes like Naples discovered coconut milk. Avoid ice in drinks outside Coron Town; stick to bottled water. Street-side halo-halo is safe if you see the vendor shaving ice fresh—₱40 ($0.70) buys relief from 32°C (90°F) heat.

When to Visit

March through May delivers the postcard weather—31°C (88°F) days, 8-10 hours of sun, and seas flat enough for beginners to kayak the big lagoon. Hotel rates spike 60% during Easter week; book three months out or sleep in Port Barton and day-trip. June starts the southwest monsoon: afternoon storms roll through El Nido, but Coron stays drier and prices drop 25%. July to September means daily rain and choppy seas—ferries cancel without warning, though you'll have Kayangan Lake to yourself and Coron wrecks visible to 30 meters. October brings shoulder-season gold: 29°C (84°F), half the crowds, and ₱2,800 ($50) rooms in El Nido that cost ₱4,500 ($81) in April. November through February is peak dry season—perfect 26°C (79°F) days, but Chinese New Year crowds mean ₱1,800 ($32) van seats and hour-long queues for the underground river. For divers, March-May offers 25-meter visibility at Tubbataha Reefs; January brings whale sharks to Honda Bay. Budget travelers: come October or February for 40% cheaper flights and empty beaches. Luxury seekers: March or April for glass-calm seas and helicopter transfers to Amanpulo.