Things to Do in Palawan in May
May weather, activities, events & insider tips
Shoulder Season · Good Value
May Weather in Palawan
Temperature, rainfall and humidity at a glance
86°F
High Temp
77°F
Low Temp
0.2 inches
Rainfall
70%
Humidity
Is May Right for You?
Weigh the advantages and considerations before booking
Advantages
- + Dry-season shoulder month: skies stay blue 70% of the time and boat operators still run every route without the June-to-October swell cancellations
- + Hotel rates dip 20-30% from Easter highs yet the sea is still that postcard-turquoise you flew here for - El Nido town has half-empty guesthouses and you can snag a waterfront table at Altrove for pizza without queuing
- + Tubbataha live-aboard season ends mid-May; last-minute berths drop to shoulder pricing and you dive with 30 m (98 ft) visibility alongside whale sharks before the park closes
- + Firefly-watching in the Iwahig River is at its May peak - new moon nights feel like someone strung greenish LEDs among the mangroves and the paddle is dead calm before the monsoon kicks in
Considerations
- − Afternoons can turn sticky: 70% humidity plus 30°C (86°F) highs mean you're sweating through that linen shirt by 2 pm - plan temple trudges or town walks for 7-10 am or after 4 pm
- − Transition rains arrive like clockwork around 3 pm on ten days this month; they're short but torrential and turn downtown Puerto Princesa's Rizal Avenue into a knee-deep wade for 30 minutes
- − UV index hits 8 - enough to fry unprotected skin in 15 minutes; island-hopping boats have zero shade and the glare off the limestone walls in Big Lagoon feels like being in a solar oven
Year-Round Climate
How May compares to the rest of the year
| Month | High | Low | Rainfall |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 28°C | 23°C | 0.2 inches |
| Feb | 28°C | 23°C | 0.1 inches |
| Mar | 29°C | 23°C | 0.1 inches |
| Apr | 30°C | 24°C | 0.1 inches |
| May | 30°C | 25°C | 0.2 inches |
| Jun | 29°C | 25°C | 0.3 inches |
| Jul | 29°C | 25°C | 0.2 inches |
| Aug | 29°C | 24°C | 0.2 inches |
| Sep | 29°C | 24°C | 0.3 inches |
| Oct | 28°C | 24°C | 0.4 inches |
| Nov | 28°C | 24°C | 0.3 inches |
| Dec | 28°C | 24°C | 0.3 inches |
Best Activities in May
Top things to do during your visit
Island-hopping circuits around El Nido and Bacuit Bay
May seas are still lake-calm before the southwest monsoon. You get that cathedral-quiet inside Big Lagoon and can kayak without bumper-boat traffic. Operators run all four standard routes (A-D) with only 6-8 boats instead of March's 30-boat armada.
Booking Tip: Book one day ahead - walk the shoreline at 5 pm when captains compare next-day weather forecasts and you can pick the calmest window. Ask if lunch is cooked on the beach (better) or pre-packed in plastic (avoid).
Underground River paddle in Puerto Princesa Subterranean River National Park
Water levels inside the cave are lowest just before the rains, letting boats glide deeper into the 4.3 km (2.7 mi) marked route. Stalactite acoustics are clearest in May humidity and you'll hear the bat colonies shift overhead like rustling newspaper.
Booking Tip: Secure the mandatory park permit before 2 pm the day prior - slots open 24 hours ahead and weekends sell out even in shoulder season. Bring a dry bag. Drips from the ceiling feel like a lukewarm shower.
Tubbataha Reefs Natural Park live-aboard diving
Park shutters 15 June, so May is the last call for 40 m (131 ft) visibility, schooling barracuda tornados, and the odd whale shark cruise-by. thermoclines are milder than April and surface conditions are still comfortable for night dives on the Ranger Station wall.
Booking Tip: Monitor boat forums for 'standby berths' - operators drop prices 25% the week before sailing if cabins are empty. You need 30 logged dives and Advanced cert; don't even think of faking it - the park rangers check.
Estrella Falls jungle picnic and swim in Narra
Water volume is perfect in May - strong enough to create natural plunge pools but not the chocolate-milk silt you'll see come July. The 30-minute motorbike ride from Puerto Princesa airport passes cashew plantations fragrant with May harvest smoke.
Booking Tip: Bring your own snacks. The lone sari-sari by the gate runs out of Coke by noon on Saturdays. Scooter parking is PHP 20 under the mango tree - pay the caretaker, not the kids waving you in.
Tabon Caves archaeology walk and mangrove paddle in Quezon
Low tide exposes the 20,000-year-old skull-cave entrance and May's calm sea lets you paddle the adjacent mangrove maze without fighting wind chop. The Lipuun Point buffer zone is blessedly tourist-free - more macaques than humans most mornings.
Booking Tip: You need a visitor permit from the National Museum branch in Puerto Princesa (same-day if you arrive before 9 am). Hire the paddle boat at the public wharf, not the private pier, and agree on a 3-hour return window so you're back before afternoon squalls.
Nacpan-Calitang twin beach sunset surf-and-turf
May swells are beginner-friendly 1-1.5 m (3-5 ft) rollers, and the west-facing beach means sunsets drop straight into the South China Sea without clouds - photographers get that orange disc kissing the horizon line. Beach BBQ vendors set up driftwood fires at 5 pm. The scent of grilled squid drifts down the sandbar.
Booking Tip: Tricycle drivers quote a fixed PHP 800 return from El Nido town - haggle to PHP 600 if you leave before 7 am and promise to fill empty seats. Stay for sunset. Drivers loiter for return trips and you split fuel with other travelers.
Where to Stay in Palawan in May
Hand-picked hotels across price tiers for May travellers.
Packing Checklist
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Climate-specific gear, brand recommendations, and what to leave at home.
View Palawan Packing List →Essential Tips
Insider knowledge and common pitfalls to avoid
Insider Knowledge
Air-con vans from Puerto Princesa to El Nido leave the new San Jose terminal hourly. Ask for the 'new highway' route (4 hrs) instead of the old coastal road (6 hrs) even if drivers push the latter - construction crews are still fixing potholes from last monsoon.
May is cashew harvest. Look for stalls selling fresh, still-soft nuts along the national highway outside Roxas. They roast them in woks with coconut shell charcoal. Buy a PHP 20 test pack before committing to the bigger bag. Freshness turns rancid fast.
If Underground River permits sell out online, show up at the park office at 6:30 am. No-show boat operators hold 10% of seats for walk-ins. Cancellations happen when mainland flights are delayed. Persistence pays.
Island-hopping boats anchor bow-to-stern in Small Lagoon. Ask your guide to approach from the western entrance. The sun hits the limestone at 10 am. Photos glow without the postcard-over-edit filter everyone uses. Timing is everything.
Avoid These Mistakes
Booking the first El Nido island-hopping flyer shoved at you on Rizal Street is a rookie move. Operators share boats and you'll overpay for identical route A. Compare three kiosks. Insist on a boat with canopy shade. Shop smart.
Expecting zero rain because May is 'dry' is naive. Transitional storms are short but violent. Plan flights out with a same-day buffer. Puerto Princesa-Manila hops get cancelled when visibility drops below 3 km (1.9 mi). Build slack.
Ignoring tide charts for Nacpan Beach ruins the magic. At dead low the twin beaches merge into one 1 km (0.6 mi) sandbar you can walk. High tide submerges the path. You'll wait 3 hours for the sand to resurface. Check charts.
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Top-rated things to do in Palawan this May
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