Palawan is a long, narrow island province in the western Philippines, stretching about 450 kilometres between the Sulu Sea and the South China Sea. Its forests, limestone cliffs, coral reefs and island-studded bays have earned it the nickname of the country's Last Frontier.
Most visitors divide their time between three bases. El Nido, at the northern tip of the main island, sits on Bacuit Bay among towering karst islands and hidden lagoons. Coron, on Busuanga Island in the Calamian group to the north-east, is known for clear mountain lakes and Second World War shipwrecks. Puerto Princesa, the provincial capital, is the gateway to the Puerto Princesa Subterranean River, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Between them lie quieter villages and long beaches on the west coast. Stays range from guesthouses and apartments in town to beach houses and villas, and journeys between bases are part of the trip.
El Nido town is compact and lively, packed between cliffs and the sea, and puts you next to the boats for island-hopping; nearby Corong-Corong is calmer and faces the sunset, and quieter beaches lie further north along the coast. Coron town, on the eastern part of Busuanga Island, is a working port with guesthouses and apartments close to the dive and boat departures.
Puerto Princesa is a real city, with markets, restaurants and the best road and air links, and makes a practical first or last night. For a slower pace, Port Barton and the wider municipality of San Vicente, on the west coast between Puerto Princesa and El Nido, offer simple beach stays with fewer crowds. Families often prefer a house or apartment with a kitchen, since life outside the towns is unhurried and spread out.
El Nido takes its name from the swiftlets that nest in its limestone cliffs; the town was called Bacuit until 1954, and the bay still carries that name. Its islands, coves and lagoons form part of the El Nido-Taytay Managed Resource Protected Area, given protected status in 1998.
Days here revolve around bangkas, the traditional outrigger boats that take visitors to white-sand coves, snorkelling reefs and lagoons enclosed by sheer rock, where kayaks slip through narrow gaps. On land, viewpoints above the town and beaches north of the bay make easy half days. Because the bay is a protected area, boats and visitors follow its rules, so listen to your boat crew. Wear reef-safe sunscreen, carry your rubbish back and do not stand on coral.
The municipality of Coron covers the eastern half of Busuanga Island, all of Coron Island and dozens of smaller islets in the Calamian group. Coron Island, a mass of jagged limestone, was recognised in 1998 as ancestral domain of the Tagbanua people, who manage visits to its lakes and beaches. Kayangan Lake, framed by karst cliffs, is the best-known view.
Coron is also a renowned wreck-diving area. On 24 September 1944, American aircraft attacked a Japanese fleet sheltering in the bays, and around a dozen ships now lie at depths of roughly 10 to 40 metres, some within reach of snorkellers. Siete Pecados Marine Park near town, which received a Blue Park Award in 2024, offers easy snorkelling over healthy reef.
Puerto Princesa Subterranean River National Park, about 80 kilometres north of the city in the Saint Paul Mountain Range, was inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1999. Its river runs through a limestone cave system and flows directly into the sea, and the park protects a full mountain-to-sea ecosystem of forest, mangroves and coastline. Visitors travel by road to the village of Sabang, then by bangka to the cave mouth, where paddle boats enter the darkness. The city has managed the park since 1992, and visits are arranged in advance.
In the city itself, the bay and its mangroves, the cathedral and the market fill a day. Puerto Princesa is also the departure point for liveaboard trips to Tubbataha Reefs, a separate World Heritage Site in the Sulu Sea.
Palawan sits on the edge of Sundaland, so much of its wildlife is related to that of Borneo; endemic species include the Palawan peacock-pheasant and the Philippine pangolin. Research at the Tabon Caves in the south shows that people have lived here for more than 50,000 years. The province's oldest communities, including the Palaw'an, Batak, Tagbanua and Tau't Bato, still live in its uplands and islands.
Brunei ceded southern Palawan to Spain in 1749, when the island was known as Paragua. Under American rule the province was reorganised and renamed Palawan in 1905, with Puerto Princesa as its capital. Far offshore, Tubbataha Reefs Natural Park, about 150 kilometres south-east of the city and a World Heritage Site since 1993, can be visited only on liveaboard dive boats from mid-March to mid-June.
Puerto Princesa International Airport (PPS) is the main gateway, with frequent flights from Manila, Cebu and other Philippine cities. Coron is served by Francisco B. Reyes Airport (USU) on Busuanga Island, and El Nido has a small airport at Lio (ENI), about 4 kilometres from town.
By land, the journey from Puerto Princesa to El Nido takes roughly five to eight hours by van or bus along the island's main highway, with Port Barton and San Vicente reached by side roads. Coron and El Nido are linked by sea, on faster passenger ferries or slower boats. Within towns, tricycles, motorbikes with a covered sidecar, are the usual short-hop transport, and boats do the rest. Leave slack in your plans: weather can delay sea crossings.
Palawan is warm all year. Broadly, the drier months run from about December to May, with calm seas that suit island-hopping and diving, and March to May are the hottest. The southwest monsoon brings rain and rougher water from about June to October; in the north, around El Nido and Coron, July and August are usually the wettest months.
The north of the province is more exposed to tropical storms, while the south is largely out of the path of typhoons. During the rainy season, boat trips may be cancelled at short notice, so flexible plans and travel insurance are sensible. Tubbataha's short diving season, from mid-March to mid-June, falls in the calmest months.
Choose El Nido for lagoons, beaches and island-hopping among limestone islands, and Coron for mountain lakes and wreck diving on Second World War ships. With a week or more, many travellers visit both, linked by ferry.
The drier months, from about December to May, bring the calmest seas and the most reliable boat trips, with March to May the hottest. From June to October the southwest monsoon brings rain, rough water and occasional storms, especially in the north.
By road, vans and buses take roughly five to eight hours along the main highway. You can also fly to El Nido's small airport at Lio (ENI), or break the journey with a night in Port Barton or San Vicente.
The Puerto Princesa Subterranean River National Park is about 80 kilometres north of the city. Visitors drive to Sabang, then continue by bangka boat to the cave entrance. Visits are arranged in advance, and most people make it a full-day trip.
Only on a liveaboard dive boat, since there is no accommodation at the reef. Tubbataha Reefs Natural Park lies about 150 kilometres south-east of Puerto Princesa and is open to divers from mid-March to mid-June.
Allow at least a week for two bases, such as Puerto Princesa and El Nido, or El Nido and Coron. Ten days to two weeks lets you add a quieter stop like Port Barton and leaves room for weather delays.
Yes, for families who enjoy the outdoors. Calm, shallow coves, snorkelling and boat days suit children, and houses with kitchens make longer stays easier. Long road transfers and basic facilities outside the towns are worth planning for.
The Philippine peso (PHP). Cards are accepted in many places in Puerto Princesa and the main tourist towns, but cash is needed for tricycles, boats, local fees and small shops, and ATMs can run short in remote areas.
Researched and written with AI assistance, then fact-checked against the sources below. Last checked .