Things not to miss in Palawan – the tropical paradise in Philippines
Palawan conjures up images of idyllic beaches, hidden lagoons, and turquoise waters gently rocking against towering limestone cliffs. Although tourism is at its saturation point here, Palawan remains one of the most alluring destinations in Philippines. Here are some things not to miss on your trip to this wonderful group of islands.
Arrive in Puerto Princesa
Puerto Princesa is the largest city in the Palawan group of islands, and a great hub to start your trip. With direct flights from Manila, it is easy to get to. While most folks head straight to El Nido or Coron, I recommend renting a car in Puerto Princesa, and dropping it off in El Nido. The drive allows you to sample places outside the usual hotspots. After visiting El Nido and around, you can continue north to Coron on a ferry. Coron has a sleepy little airport which is well connected with Manila.
If you have 4-5 days, you can sample the highlights of the islands
Taytay and Fort Santa Isabel
Fort Santa Isabel in Taytay gives you a glimpse of Philippines’ colonial past. Also known as the Fuerza de Santa Isabel, the fort was built in 1667 by the Spanish. Spend a couple of hours and enjoy lunch or spend a night in one of the boutique hotels overlooking the bay.
El Nido group of islands
EL Nido feels like a town with hastily thrown together concrete buildings. Lot of the properties are built right next to the beach, without a lot of breathing room. To really savor the best of what the islands have to offer, explore the nearby small islands. You can rent your own boat for a day to sample the best. For about $100 – $150, you would be able to rent a private boat with captain and food for the day. Ask around in one of the travel shops on the main street in the town.
El Nido to Coron
While El Nido has some of the best beaches and remote islands, a trip to Coron gets you up close to some fascinating lagoons and some of the most amazing limestone rock formations. Coron has nearly a dozen lakes on the island, with some of them connected underground to the sea. This results in lakes having a mix of salt and fresh water. The rugged rock formations date back to the Jurassic origin. To sample what Coron has to offer, head down to the port in Coron and rent a private boat. For $50, you can rent a traditional boat for half a day. Here are some of my favorite things to do in and around Coron:
- Twin Lagoon – a beautiful area where the warm sea water meets the cold fresh water. The two lagoons are connected by a narrow crevice. Swimming or kayaking here is a great explore the area.
- Snorkeling around Skeleton wreck – a quiet spot to snorkel without much crowds
- Short hike to Kayangan lake – bear in mind that this place is usually overrun – ask your captain if you can time it to avoid crowd.
- Snorkeling around Siete Pescados area
I didn’t get time to dive on my visit here, but Coron has some amazing dive sites – with stunning coral gardens and many ship wrecks.
Fortunately, even though the town is seeing some unsustainable development, rest of the island has been well conserved. Some of the lakes on the islands are even out of bounds, such as the largest lake on the island – Cabugao. Fly back from Coron to Manila or your next destination.
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