Palawan Island

Welcome to Palawan Island

Palawan Island, Philippines is one of the most beautiful destinations on Earth. With idyllic beaches, accommodations that will please both the luxury traveler and those on a budget, and plenty of activities, Palawan is sure to amaze even the most discerning of visitors.

Palawan Travel GuideHotels & Resorts

Palawan trip planner

Most Palawan trips link Puerto Princesa, El Nido and Coron, with Port Barton as a quieter stop on the road between Puerto Princesa and El Nido. Since Mar 29, 2026, only Puerto Princesa has nonstop flights from Manila's NAIA; El Nido and Coron flights leave from Clark or Cebu (Cebu Pacific and Philippine Airlines notices, checked Oct 2026). The pages below cover each route, fee, tour and season question with named sources.

How this site is built: we compile operator timetables, government and park notices, and booking-platform listings. Each figure names its source and the month we checked it. Nothing on the planning pages is first-hand; the four resort reviews further down are separate 2019 reviews and are kept as they were written.

Figures marked "reported by" or "as listed on 12Go" come from schedule databases, guides or booking platforms; confirm them with the operator or at the counter before you travel.

Key facts at a glance

Question Short answer Source, checked Oct 2026 Full page
Nonstop from Manila? Puerto Princesa only, about 1 h 15 min to 1 h 40 min Reported by FlyTeam (OAG data); Cebu Pacific help center How to get to Palawan
Puerto Princesa to El Nido Shared van about 5 hours, USD 7.65 to 9.57, as listed on 12Go in USD 12Go Puerto Princesa to El Nido
El Nido to Coron Fast ferry 3.5 to 4 hours, PHP 2,600 to 3,784 Montenegro and Atienza operator sites El Nido to Coron
El Nido eco-tourism fee PHP 400 from outside Palawan Palawan Provincial Tourism Office Palawan fees
Underground River Permit required, daily visitor cap Underground River park advisory Puerto Princesa Underground River
Rainy season June to November; dry season December to May PAGASA Best time to visit Palawan

Each row links to a page with its full source list.

Getting there and around

  • How to get to Palawan: flights from Manila, Clark and Cebu, the 2026 move to Clark, and the 2GO ferry.
  • Palawan airports: El Nido (Lio), Puerto Princesa, Busuanga for Coron and San Vicente, with transfers to town.
  • How to get to Coron: flights to Busuanga, ferries from Manila, El Nido and Puerto Princesa, and the airport van.
  • Puerto Princesa to El Nido: vans, Cherry Bus and private transfers.
  • El Nido to Coron: fast ferries, the Cebgo flight and expedition boats.
  • Port Barton: vans from Puerto Princesa and El Nido, island hopping and fees.
  • Balabac: the long trip south, registration and tour formats.

Direct link SafetyWing travel medical insurance

Tours

Planning and money

Resort Reviews (2019)

These four reviews were written in 2019 and are kept as written, apart from typo fixes. Prices and facilities may have changed since then.

Book Your Trip Now

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Looking for a place to stay? Search Palawan hotels on Booking.com.

Last checked Oct 2026. Sources are listed at the end of this page; tell us if an operator has changed a fare or schedule.

FAQs

What is Palawan famous for?

Its best-known sights are El Nido's lagoons and beaches, the lakes and lagoons around Coron Island, and the Puerto Princesa Underground River. Each has its own page here with tour and fee details.

How expensive is a trip to Palawan?

It depends on the route and the season. As one Oct 2026 example, a shared van from Puerto Princesa to El Nido was listed at USD 7.65 to 9.57 on 12Go in USD, and the El Nido to Coron fast ferry at PHP 2,600 to 3,784; totals are on Palawan trip cost.

How many days in Palawan is enough?

We found no official guidance, so it comes down to the route. A Puerto Princesa, El Nido and Coron loop has two long transfers, about 5 hours by van and 3.5 to 4 hours by ferry, before any tour days.

When not to go to Palawan?

PAGASA's rainy season runs June to November, when typhoon signals can stop boats under Coast Guard rules. Month by month data is on Best time to visit Palawan.

Which part of Palawan is the best?

There is no single best base. Coron has more airlines flying from Clark and Cebu, while El Nido can also be reached by road from Puerto Princesa; the comparison is on El Nido vs Coron.

Sources

  1. Cebu Pacific help center, Transfer of Cebgo (DG) and AirSWIFT (T6) flights from Manila to Clark (checked Oct 2026)
  2. PhilSTAR Life, Philippine Airlines moves all turboprop flights from Manila to Clark (Feb 2, 2026) (checked Oct 2026)
  3. FlyTeam, Manila to Puerto Princesa route (OAG schedule data as of Oct 5, 2026; secondary) (checked Oct 2026)
  4. FlyTeam, Clark to El Nido route (OAG schedule data as of Oct 5, 2026; secondary) (checked Oct 2026)
  5. FlyTeam, Clark to Busuanga route (OAG schedule data as of Oct 5, 2026; secondary) (checked Oct 2026)
  6. 12Go, Puerto Princesa to El Nido route page (checked Oct 2026)
  7. Montenegro Shipping Lines, El Nido to Coron trips and fares (checked Oct 2026)
  8. Atienza Interisland Ferries, El Nido to Coron (MV November Cattleya) (checked Oct 2026)
  9. Palawan Provincial Tourism Office, Facebook post on El Nido ETDF rates under Municipal Ordinance No. 1-2024 (Jul 29, 2024) (checked Oct 2026)
  10. Puerto Princesa Subterranean River National Park, Travel Advisory (checked Oct 2026)
  11. Philippine Coast Guard MC 02-23, Revised guidelines on movement of vessels during heavy weather (PDF hosted by a PCG district maritime safety site) (checked Oct 2026)
  12. PAGASA, Climate of the Philippines (checked Oct 2026)