7 Days in Palawan

Fly into Puerto Princesa (PPS). Withdraw all necessary cash immediately at the airport ATMs — enough for your full week in Palawan. Book a shared van to Sabang (2.5 hours, PHP 250–350) for the Puerto Princesa Subterranean River — the UNESCO World Heritage underground river. Permit booking must be done in advance online at palawanundergroundriver.com (PHP 150 permit + PHP 40 environmental fee per person).

The 8.2km navigable underground river system is one of the world's longest and a genuine natural wonder — paddled in a small bangka with a guide narrating the cathedral-like cave chambers, stalactite formations, and resident swallows and monkeys. Tours last 45–60 minutes inside the cave and include a short nature trail through old-growth forest. Return to Puerto Princesa by late afternoon.

Dinner at Ka Lui Restaurant (traditional Filipino seafood set meals in a nipa hut setting — reservations required) or Kinabuchs Grill. Early night ahead of the early van transfer to El Nido tomorrow.

Depart Puerto Princesa at 7–8 am for the 5–6 hour van ride north through Palawan's mountainous interior. The journey passes rice paddies, small fishing villages, and dramatic karst outcrops — increasingly frequent as you near El Nido. Rest stop in Roxas. Arrive in El Nido around 1–2 pm. Book Tour A for Day 3 and Tour C for Day 5 immediately on arrival.

Drop your bags and walk to Corong-Corong Beach south of the town pier — a quiet lagoon beach with excellent views across to the limestone towers. The late afternoon light on Bacuit Bay from this angle is exceptional. Walk back through town to get your bearings.

Real Street in El Nido has everything from PHP 100 turo-turo rice meals to Altrove's wood-fired pizzas. Happiness Bar at the beachfront is a good sunset drink spot. Get to bed early — Tour A departures start at 8 am.

8–9 am departure from the town pier. Big Lagoon: kayak through the limestone karst-enclosed lagoon for the most immersive experience (PHP 150 kayak rental at the lagoon). Small Lagoon: swim through the narrow cliff opening to reach the enclosed turquoise pool — one of the most photographed spots in the Philippines.

Secret Beach: entered by swimming through a cliff crack (30-second swim) to a completely enclosed sand beach. Shimizu Island: coral snorkelling with excellent visibility on calm days. 7 Commandos Beach: the tour's lunch stop — a long white beach with bamboo restaurants where fresh seafood is grilled to order and eaten on the sand.

The El Nido Viewpoint is a 10-minute steep climb above the town — the panorama over Bacuit Bay's 45 limestone islands at golden hour is genuinely one of the finest views in Southeast Asia. Stay until the light fades.

Nacpan Beach is the finest undeveloped long beach in the Philippines — 4km of golden sand, swaying palms, and clear water with almost no development. Reach it by habal-habal (motorbike taxi, PHP 200–300 return, 45 min each way) or on a rented motorbike if you're confident. Arrive before 10 am for the quietest experience.

Las Cabanas Beach (10 minutes from El Nido town) is the most accessible beach near town and has a zipline over the water connecting two small islands (PHP 350). The beach has a good selection of restaurants and bars at low-key prices. A relaxed afternoon option after the morning habal-habal ride.

A free evening to explore whatever you haven't tried yet — the craft beer bars on Real Street, the beachside fire dancing at some resorts, or simply a long seafood dinner watching the tide come in. El Nido is a wonderful town to wander at night when the day tours have ended and the streets belong to guests and locals alike.

Tour C visits Bacuit Bay's southern islands — a completely different set of landscapes from Tour A. Helicopter Island has a beautiful beach and the clearest water of any Tour C stop. The Tour C Secret Beach is larger than Tour A's version — a longer swim through a cliff gap to a wider enclosed sand beach.

Matinloc Island's abandoned Spanish-era chapel sits on a hilltop with a 270° panorama over southern Bacuit Bay — climbing to the shrine is optional but unmissable on a clear day. Hidden Beach (Matinloc's hidden cove) is accessed at low tide by swimming around a limestone cliff — the enclosed lagoon inside has brilliant white sand and exceptional clarity.

Last night in El Nido — confirm your morning transfer to Coron (ferry departure, 3–4 hours) or flight. 2GO Travel and Montenegro Shipping Lines run the El Nido–Coron ferry (PHP 1,500–2,000 per person, departures vary by season — check schedules). Book in advance.

Depart El Nido for Coron by morning ferry (3–4 hours, PHP 1,500–2,000) or AirSWIFT flight (45 min). Arrive in Coron Town and check in at your hotel. Coron has a different character from El Nido — quieter, more rugged, and famous for its crystal-clear island lakes and WWII Japanese shipwrecks.

Kayangan Lake is Coron's most iconic and photographed spot — an island lake with extraordinary clarity and the famous viewpoint over the limestone-fringed lake from the hilltop lookout above. Twin Lagoon is two connected lagoons with a tunnel between them — at high tide you swim through; at low tide you climb over a rock. Both are typically on the same half-day island hopping tour from Coron Town.

Coron Town's waterfront is pleasant for an evening walk — less developed than El Nido. Sea Dive Resort Restaurant, Bistro Coron, and Kawayanan Grill Station are all reliable options for fresh seafood. The town has a more relaxed fishing-village atmosphere than El Nido.

Coron Bay holds the remains of a Japanese naval fleet sunk by US aircraft in September 1944 — now colonised by extraordinary marine life and considered among the world's top wreck diving destinations. Non-divers can snorkel the shallower wrecks (Skeleton Wreck at 5–15m depth). Certified divers can access deeper wrecks — Okikawa Maru, Kogyo Maru, and Akitsushima are particularly impressive.

Barracuda Lake is a 38°C thermocline lake accessible from the water — diving or snorkelling through the temperature layer is a unique physical sensation found in very few places on earth. Then pack and transfer to Francisco B. Reyes Airport (USU) in Busuanga for your departure flight to Manila.

Fly from Busuanga Airport (USU) to Manila — AirAsia, Cebu Pacific, and Philippine Airlines all serve this route. The flight takes about 1 hour. Last chance for a sunset over Coron Bay if your flight is in the evening.