Region
Palawan
Fly into Puerto Princesa, then go north: 2 nights city, 3–4 El Nido or Port Barton. Skip town-hopping by road.
Key facts · Philippines
- Best months
- Dec–Mar
- Currency
- Peso (PHP, ₱)
- Language
- Filipino and English
- Plugs
- A · B · C · 220 V
- Time zone
- UTC+8 all year
Rules in force · 5Drug trafficking can carry the death penalty in Singapore…
- Southeast Asia ↗Drug trafficking can carry the death penalty in Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, Vietnam, Laos, Thailand, Brunei and Myanmar; never carry a bag or parcel for anyone.
- Southeast Asia ↗Carry a passport valid for at least six months from entry with two blank pages; airlines refuse boarding on less.
- Philippines ↗Complete the free eTravel registration on the official government site within 72 hours before arrival; ignore lookalike sites that charge.
- Philippines ↗Typhoon season runs roughly June to November: flights and boats are cancelled at short notice; buy flexible tickets and keep a spare day.
- Philippines ↗Carry pesos in small notes; many stalls, jeepneys and taxis are cash-only.
Palawan is one long island, not a cluster. The road from Puerto Princesa to El Nido is 5–6 hours; the north (El Nido, Taytay, Port Barton) and the far south (Quezon, Brooke's Point) do not combine in one week. Pick one base per trip and fly in and out of Puerto Princesa (PPS).
Sleep
Which bed, for how many nights, and what to do from it
Where to sleep
Sleep base
- El NidoPlanned
Lagoon island tours; 5–6 h by road from PPS.
Page planned: listed so the region plan is complete.
- Port BartonPlanned
Quieter beach base between PPS and El Nido.
Page planned: listed so the region plan is complete.
Day trip
- Coron (Calamian Islands)City guide
Separate island group; ferry or flight, not a road trip.
Best Jan–May
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Night sequences
- 5 nights
- Puerto Princesa 2 + El Nido 3
- 7 nights
- Puerto Princesa 2 + Port Barton 2 + El Nido 3
- 10 nights
- Puerto Princesa 2 + Port Barton 2 + El Nido 4 + Coron 2 (ferry north)
- The PPS–El Nido road is winding and long; a 5–6 h drive is normal, and vans leave early.
- Typhoon season Jun–Nov can cancel ferries and flights; keep a buffer day before an international flight.
- El Nido and Coron island tours run on small boats; sea state decides whether they go.
Day-trips door to door
| To | From | Door-to-door p50 | Last return | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Puerto Princesa Underground River (Sabang) | Puerto Princesa | 180 min | unknown | Permits are limited; book ahead. Van + boat, full day. |
| Taytay | El Nido | 60 min | unknown | Old fort and town stop on the PPS–El Nido road. |
| Coron | El Nido | 240 min | unknown | Fast ferry across the open sea; morning departures, weather-dependent. |
Bags between cities
No luggage forwarding between towns; carry bags or leave them at your PPS hotel if you return.
When and how
Months, arrival and passes
Seasons at a glance
Pick a month to see where to go.
| Country | JJan | FFeb | MMar | AApr | MMay | JJun | JJul | AAug | SSep | OOct | NNov | DDec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Puerto Princesa | go | go | go | go | go | × | × | × | × | × | ok | go |
| Coron (Calamian Islands) | go | go | go | go | go | ok | × | × | × | ok | ok | ok |
| Philippines (country-wide) | go | go | go | ok | ok | ok | ok | × | ok | ok | ok | go |
Computed from each country’s own data; hover a country name for the source. Advisory countries are left out.
Climate strip
| Zone | J | F | M | A | M | J | J | A | S | O | N | D |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Palawanwhole island | best | best | best | hot | wet | wet | wet | wet | wet | wet | ok | best |
- Palawan
- Dry season roughly Dec–May; Jun–Nov is wetter with typhoon risk. El Nido and Coron are best Jan–May.
Peak months (Jan–Apr) fill El Nido rooms; book weeks ahead for the dry season.
Get in
| From | To | How | p50 | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Manila (MNL) | Puerto Princesa (PPS) | Domestic flight, Philippine Airlines / Cebu Pacific / AirAsia | ~1 h 20 | The main gateway; several flights a day. |
| Cebu (CEB) | Puerto Princesa (PPS) | Domestic flight | ~1 h 15 | Useful if you are coming from the Visayas. |
| Manila (MNL) | El Nido (ENI) | Airswift small aircraft | ~1 h 15 | Expensive and weather-sensitive; book direct with the airline. |
| Manila | Coron | 2Go Travel or Atienza ferry | overnight | Slow ferry to the Calamian Islands; check current schedules. |
Eat and move on
Regional food
| Dish | Where | Timing / trap |
|---|---|---|
| Fresh seafood and grilled fish | Puerto Princesa, El Nido | Kalui on Rizal Avenue in Puerto Princesa is a long-standing Filipino seafood stop; reserve. |
| Pearl and shell handicrafts | Puerto Princesa markets | Several record-size pearls were found near Puerto Princesa; buy from fixed shops, not beach touts. |
Go next
Calamian Islands (Coron)
plannedFast ferry from El Nido ~4 h, or fly
Lakes, wrecks and reefs; a separate island group.
Puerto Princesa
Van 5–6 h from El Nido
Airport city and Underground River base.
El Nido
plannedVan 5–6 h from Puerto Princesa
Lagoon tours and the north's main base.
Cuyo Islands
plannedFlight or ferry via Puerto Princesa
Remote island group east of Palawan.
Port Barton
plannedVan ~3 h from Puerto Princesa
Quiet beach between PPS and El Nido.
Roxas, Palawan
plannedVan along the north road
Coastal town on the route north.
Sabang, Palawan
plannedVan ~2 h from Puerto Princesa
Underground River gateway.
Brooke's Point
plannedRoad south from Puerto Princesa
Southern Palawan base.
Taytay, Palawan
plannedVan ~1 h from El Nido
Old capital with a Spanish fort.
Quezon, Palawan
plannedRoad south from Puerto Princesa
Tabon Caves and southern coast.
Mindanao
plannedFlight via Manila or Cebu
Separate region; check current travel advice.
Travel to Philippines
Gateway country page
Visa, money, transport and first-trip planning.
Best time to visit the Philippines
plannedReference
Dry season Dec–May; typhoon risk Jun–Nov.
Philippines itineraries
plannedReference
Build Palawan into a longer island route.
Deep dive
Photos, reading and every source