What are the best things to do in Palawan Philippines? And which highlights should you not miss in one of the most beautiful regions of the Philippines. The Palawan region is located in the west of the Philippines and stretches over a length of around 450 kilometers. The island chain boasts breathtaking landscapes and amazing biodiversity, making it a hotspot for nature lovers. Here you can discover wonderful bays, breathtaking limestone formations, white sandy beaches and the wonderful underwater world. Find out now what the most beautiful sights in Palawan are.
How to get to Palawan
The best way to explore the region is on a Palawan itinerary that starts in Puerto Princesa or on the island of Coron. You can easily reach both airports from the capital Manila or the other islands of the Philippines. From Puerto Princesa, you can drive towards El Nido and from there continue by boat to Coron. Or you can take the route from Coron via El Nido to Puerto Princesa. On the way, you can discover the following sights and highlights of Palawan, which are simply heavenly.
Palawan – Things To Do
For the sake of simplicity, we have sorted the best things to do in Palawan from north to south. We start with the sights on the island of Coron and end in Puerto Princesa on the island of Palawan.
#1 Shipwreck Diving in Coron
Shipwreck diving in Coron is an absolute highlight that you shouldn’t miss if you have a diving license. A total of 10 Japanese warships from the Pacific battles of the Second World War lie here from the time when Japan occupied the Philippines. It was absolutely amazing to suddenly discover such a large ship at the bottom of the sea and then to dive right into it through a small hatch. We recommend this unique experience to any diver visiting Coron Island.
All information about the Shipwreck Dive on Coron can be found here: Coron Wreck Diving I Everything you need to know
Hotel Recommendation on Coron
La Natura Resort
-large pool
-lovingly landscaped garden
-away from the hustle and bustle of the city
-WLAN & breakfast included
The beautiful La Natura Resort | Check Prices*
#2 Coron Super Ultimate Tour
An island hopping tour on the island of Coron* is probably one of the best sightseeing tours you can take during a round trip to the Philippines. Even if Coron (or the main island of Busuanga) itself is not really worth seeing, the lagoons and bays off the coast certainly are. The island world that we saw on the Super Ultimate Tour off Coron is one of the most beautiful places we saw on our round trip through the Philippines.
Book an Island Hopping Tour on Coron | Check Prices*
#3 Boat Trip to El Nido
If we could only choose one Palawan highlight, it would probably be this tour. Within 3 days we went by boat from Coron to El Nido and during this time we visited many great deserted islands, snorkeling spots and even a cliff to jump off. The feeling of always being on the move on this island hopping tour and seeing hundreds of green islands in the Philippines no matter when and where you look over the railing made this trip so incomparable.
We booked this island hopping boat tour from Coron to El Nido with the provider El Nido Paradise* after a lot of research. They have a lot of very good reviews and the price was also very good compared to other similar providers.
The great thing is that under normal circumstances you would never get to these remote places and islands in the Philippines. Because the normal 1-day tours that you can take from El Nido or Coron never go that far out. This means that the beaches and islands that you can experience on a three-day boat tour can only be seen on a boat tour lasting several days.
We just felt totally at ease and couldn’t believe what a beautiful landscape we were driving through. And then of course there was the incredibly delicious food that the crew from El Nido Paradise* spoiled us with over the three days. For us, this tour really was the absolute highlight of our trip to the Philippines and we really wanted to recommend this tour to you.
Fantastic 3 day tour between El Nido and Coron | check prices*
All information about the 3-day boat tour from Coron to El Nido can be found here: 3 day boat tour from Coron to El Nido I An unforgettable trip
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#4 Explore El Nido
El Nido is mainly divided into two areas. On the one hand, you have El Nido Town with its lively alleyways, cafés, souvenir stores and hotels. Here you can take a leisurely stroll through the alleyways, enjoy a good meal and the various boat tours also start here. Just outside El Nido Town is the area around Corong Corong Beach. Things are a little quieter here. Here you will mainly find hotels on the beach and a relaxed atmosphere. If you want to be on the beach in just a few steps from your hotel, this is the place for you.
Hotel recommendation El Nido Town
Fisheye Hotel
The Fisheye Hotel* is located in the middle of the hustle and bustle of El Nido Town and yet you sleep here quietly in the backyard. You won’t actually hear any of the noise of the city. The hotel only has 4 rooms and the entire complex is lovingly furnished in Bali style. Breakfast is also included and it’s delicious. The hotel also has its own store where you can buy chic jewelry and clothes. We felt very comfortable here and you can get everywhere quickly on foot.
- stylishly furnished in Bali style
- Air conditioning and TV with Netflix
- Rooms are quietly located in the backyard
- Double room from 30 euros
Fisheye Hotel | Check availability*
Hotel Recommendation at Corong Corong Beach
Coco Resort | Large Bungalows in a beautiful garden
The Coco Resort consists of many small and large detached bungalows in a garden-like complex with a large pool and private beach access. In the large bungalows you even have your own small whirlpool, your own terrace and enough space for privacy.
We really felt very comfortable here and we could walk to the beach in 2 minutes.
- own bungalow with a lot of space around it
- big hotel pool
- breakfast included
- own access to the beach
#5 Nacpan Beach
If you want to explore more than just the destinations within walking distance, you should hire a scooter. From El Nido, you can reach Napcan Beach in just under 45 minutes. An almost 4 km long and 50 m wide bay awaits you here. Beach wherever you look… with unfortunately very little shade. Sun loungers with parasols can only be hired at the entrance to the beach.
#6 Maremegmeg Beach
You can reach Maremegmeg Beach from El Nido in just a few minutes by scooter or tuk-tuk. There are lots of hotels and beach bars on the beach with cool music, swings and beanbags. It feels a bit like Bali here. However, the further you walk along the beach, the quieter it gets. It’s easy to find a quiet spot to spend the rest of the day just relaxing on the beach.
#7 Island world El Nido
From El Nido you can set off on 4 different boat tours, each of which visits different beaches, bays and caves. And these are definitely some of the most beautiful Palawan sights you can experience. The different boat tours in El Nido are standardized and are called Tour A – D. They also cost exactly the same everywhere, so it makes no difference where you book your tour, as you will be randomly allocated to the boats on the beach.
You can easily book the tours online via the provider El Nido Paradise*. We were really happy with the provider. Everything is well and professionally organized!
Book a boat trip to El Nido | Check Prices*
#8 Canopy Walk
For this excursion, simply go to the canopy walk office. Here you can choose between 2 options. You can just walk to the top and enjoy the view or walk over the nets. From the viewing platform, you have a great view of the bay of El Nido and the sea. If you have chosen the “big” package for 700 pesos, you can now continue over the various nets that are stretched at a dizzying height. There will always be photo breaks and your guide will take numerous photos of you.
We really enjoyed the canopy walk and would rate it as one of the highlights of El Nido. You really have a wonderful view from up there and enjoy a panorama that you can otherwise only see with a drone.
Would you like more information about the canopy walk: Canopy Walk El Nido (Taraw Cliff)
#9 Kayak tour at Corong Corong Beach
During our research for the Philippines, we hardly read anything about kayak excursions in El Nido. But since we love such excursions, this was added directly to our to-do list despite the lack of information. And what can we say, it was one of the best excursions we did in El Nido.
From Corong Corong Beach, you have the opportunity to paddle to several beaches. We paddled first to Ipil Beach 2 in about 45 minutes. The path leads along the limestone cliffs and at one point through a huge gap in the rocks. You will also pass a few other beaches that you can visit on the way back.
#10 Climb the Taraw Cliff
If you want to experience an exciting hike in El Nido, you should climb Taraw Cliff at sunrise. This hike is one of the most beautiful Palawan sights and should definitely be on your bucket list for Palawan. You can only do the tour with a guide. Our guide always explained to us exactly where we should hold on and where we should step. And so we made our way up the cliffs of Mount Taraw over hill and dale in around 45 minutes. Shortly before we reached the top, it started to get light and the first birds accompanied our ascent with their song.
We made it just in time for sunrise and were able to marvel at the magnificent view of El Nido. Illuminated by the warm light and with the rising sun behind us, it was one of the best views of our Philippines backpacking trip.
Although we were not alone on the mountain, the number of other tourists was limited, so we were able to find a spot for ourselves. However, there is no viewing platform or anything similar on the mountain. This means you have to find a spot somewhere on the pointed rocks.
All information about the hike up Taraw Cliff can be found here: Taraw Cliff Hike I El Nido Palawan
#11 Visit the Underground River in Puerto Princesa
If possible, you should also plan 1-2 days in Puerto Princesa, as there is a lot to discover here too. Alternatively, you can also head straight to your next destination in the Philippines from here, such as the beautiful island of Cebu.
In Puerto Princesa, you should definitely visit the Puerto Princesa Subterranean River National Park, where an underground river flows through impressive limestone formations. The UNESCO World Heritage Site is one of the longest underground river systems in the world. On a boat tour through the impressive caves, a fascinating world of stalactites and stalagmites awaits you, surrounded by dense tropical vegetation and exotic wildlife.
Hotel in Puerto Princesa
If, like us, you have to spend the night in Puerto Princesa, we can recommend the Hotel Cleon Villas Pension*. The owner was really super nice and even waited longer for us because we didn’t get there until around midnight. The rooms are simple but very clean and perfect for one or two nights.
#12 Honda Bay Islands
Just as fascinating as the Underground River are the picturesque Honda Bay Islands, which invite you to go island hopping with their crystal-clear water and pristine beaches. Honda Bay is located on the east coast of Puerto Princesa and is home to a multitude of small islands with resorts and beaches. Popular stops on the tour include islands such as Cowrie Island, Starfish Island and Pandan Island. Once again, beautiful beaches and a great underwater world await you here.
We hope you enjoyed our Palawan sightseeing. If you have any questions about our Palawan itinerary, please leave us a comment.