Voted the world's most beautiful island — Palawan's secret lagoons, WWII shipwrecks, and luxury island resorts are increasingly on Western travellers' radar. Here's the complete guide to planning your trip.
Palawan, Philippines: The Complete Island-Hopping Guide
Palawan has been voted the world's most beautiful island by Condé Nast Traveler and Travel + Leisure — and the accolade is justified. A 450-kilometre limestone blade extending into the Sulu Sea, it combines dramatic karst scenery, pristine coral reefs, WWII shipwrecks, and luxury resorts that remain genuinely undervisited compared to Bali or Phuket.
For Western travellers, Palawan is at its absolute best November–May — its dry season, when island-hopping is safe, visibility underwater is exceptional, and the hidden lagoons are accessible in calm, clear conditions.
Getting to Palawan
From Europe or North America: The most practical routing is via Manila (MNL), which has direct connections from Doha (Qatar Airways), Dubai, Hong Kong, Singapore, and most Asian hubs. From Manila, domestic flights to Palawan take 60–90 minutes.
From Manila to Palawan:
- Puerto Princesa (PPS): Palawan's main airport, 1-hour flight. Several daily services with Philippine Airlines, Cebu Pacific, and AirAsia.
- El Nido (ENI, Lio Airport): Direct flights from Manila with Air Swift (55 minutes) — this route bypasses Puerto Princesa entirely, ideal for those going straight to El Nido.
- Coron (USU, Busuanga Airport): Direct flights from Manila (1 hour) with Philippine Airlines and Cebu Pacific.
El Nido: Lagoons, Cliffs, and Island-Hopping
El Nido is the island-hopping capital of the Philippines and, arguably, the most visually spectacular destination in Southeast Asia. The town sits beneath vertical limestone karst cliffs at the northern tip of Palawan, surrounded by the Bacuit Archipelago — 45 islands accessible by bangka outrigger boat.
The Island-Hopping Tours
El Nido's four standard island-hopping tours (A, B, C, D) cover different parts of the archipelago:
Tour A — The Classic: Small Lagoon, Big Lagoon, Seven Commandos Beach, Shimizu Island. The Small Lagoon requires swimming through a narrow limestone tunnel — one of the most memorable 10 minutes in tropical travel. Book the 7am departure to arrive before the afternoon tourist influx.
Tour B — The Remote: Entalula Beach, Cathedral Cave, Pinasil Island, Star Beach. Less crowded than Tour A, with excellent cave kayaking.
Tour C — Snorkelling Focus: Helicopter Island, Hidden Beach, Secret Lagoon, Matinloc Shrine. Best snorkelling of the four tours — coral gardens in exceptional condition.
Tour D — North Archipelago: Cadlao Lagoon, Bukal Beach, Paradise Beach. The quietest of the four tours.
Practical note: All tours cost approximately $20–25 per person including lunch. Book through your resort for small-group departures or early timeslots.
Where to Stay in El Nido
Six Senses El Nido on Pangulasian Island — one of the Bacuit Archipelago islands — offers overwater villas above the bay with the group's signature sustainability and wellness focus. Transfers by bangka from El Nido town (~30 minutes).
Miniloc Island Resort is the original El Nido luxury option: water cottages built directly over a sheltered cove, with extraordinary snorkelling from your terrace steps. The reef here is among the healthiest in the archipelago.
El Nido Resorts Lagen Island provides accessible luxury in a spectacular setting — the resort sits between rainforest and mangrove, with overwater cottages on a sheltered bay.
Browse our full collection of [luxury hotels in Palawan](/regions/palawan).
Coron: Shipwrecks, Volcanic Lakes, and Pristine Reefs
Coron, in the Calamian Islands of northern Palawan, is a completely different destination from El Nido. Where El Nido is about above-water beauty, Coron rewards those who go below the surface.
Coron's Diving Highlights
The WWII Shipwrecks: The Japanese fleet — Irako, Olympia Maru, Akitsushima, Kogyo Maru, and others — was sunk by US aircraft on 24 September 1944. The wrecks rest in 10–40 metres of water, now encrusted with coral and inhabited by lionfish, batfish, turtles, and vast schools of fish. Olympia Maru (the "Skeleton Wreck") is visible from the surface in calm conditions.
Barracuda Lake: A volcanic lake on Coron Island with extraordinary thermoclines — layers of dramatically different water temperatures (from 28°C at the surface to 38°C where the volcanic heat vents) creating unusual visibility effects. One of the most unusual dive experiences in Southeast Asia.
Kayangan Lake: Consistently cited as the clearest lake in Asia. The limestone cliffs rising from the lake are extraordinary; the viewpoint above (short hike, 20 minutes return) provides one of the Philippines' most photographed panoramas.
Where to Stay in Coron
Two Seasons Coron Island Resort offers overwater bungalows in a sheltered private bay — the finest accommodation in the area. Good reef snorkelling directly from the resort.
Discovery Island Resort provides comfortable mid-range accommodation with good diving infrastructure and PADI-certified dive centre.
Getting Between El Nido and Coron
- FastCat Ferry: 4–5 hours, comfortable, scenic. Daily departures. ~$35/person.
- Air Swift / Air Juan: 30–40 minutes by light aircraft. ~$80–100/person. By far the most practical option.
- Bangka Boat: 5–6 hours, more adventurous, rougher in wind. Not recommended if you have heavy luggage.
The Underground River: Worth Including
The Puerto Princesa Subterranean River National Park is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and one of the world's longest navigable underground rivers (8.2km). Guided boat tours take you through enormous chambers of stalactites and stalagmites in near-silence.
It's 80km west of Puerto Princesa city — accessible by half-day tour, or on the way to or from the airport. Include it if you're transiting through Puerto Princesa.
Practical Travel Information
Best time to visit: November–May (dry season). June–October brings the southwest monsoon and rough seas that make island-hopping dangerous or impossible in El Nido.
Suggested itinerary: 4 nights El Nido (island-hopping) + 3 nights Coron (diving/lakes) + 1 night Puerto Princesa (underground river).
Budget guidance: Mid-range travel (guesthouses, local tours) is very affordable — approximately $80–120/day including accommodation. Luxury island resort rates start at $300/night.
Booking ahead: December–March is peak season. El Nido's best island resorts sell out 3–4 months ahead. Book early.
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