Palawan has a new title to put on its tourism posters. In the Condé Nast Traveller 2026 Readers' Choice Awards, the province was voted Asia's best island with a score of 98.99, just ahead of Phu Quoc in Vietnam at 98.26 and Koh Lanta in Thailand at 97.50. The results were shared by the Philippine Information Agency in Palawan on 12 October.
It is a big jump from a year ago. In the 2025 edition of the American magazine's list, Palawan came in fifth, behind Phu Quoc and below Boracay. Readers clearly still love the place, and more people will be booking because of it.
That is the catch. The spots that made Palawan famous, the lagoons of El Nido and the lakes of Coron, are already busy from mid-morning in peak season. So this guide looks at the other side of the province: two slower places where you can still have a beach mostly to yourself, and how to fit them into a trip.
What the Award Means for Your Trip
Readers' choice awards are popularity votes, not inspections, so the win tells you how much travellers enjoyed Palawan rather than how it compares on any checklist. Still, a top ranking tends to bring a wave of first-time visitors over the next few seasons, especially from overseas.
Expect the dry months from November to May to fill up first. Island tours in El Nido and Coron already sell out on long weekends and around Christmas, and boat slots at the most popular lagoons are limited. If you are set on those places, book rooms and tours early and choose weekdays. If you would rather avoid the rush altogether, the two towns below are worth a closer look.
Port Barton: Slow Days on the West Coast
Port Barton is a small fishing village in the town of San Vicente, on Palawan's west coast between Puerto Princesa and El Nido. There are no big resorts, no malls and no airport nearby. What it has is a calm bay, a row of guesthouses along Itaytay Beach, and an island-hopping scene that feels like El Nido did before it got popular.
The island tours here are short and easy. Boats typically leave around 9 in the morning and return by mid-afternoon, with lunch on a beach. Common stops include German Island, also called Inaladelan, which charges its own small entrance fee, along with Exotic Island and the reefs where you can snorkel among turtles and reef fish. Tour prices are lower than in El Nido, and a private boat for a small group is easy to arrange at the beach.
On land, Pamuayan Falls is reachable on a forest walk of about an hour and a half, and a local guide is a good idea. The beach faces west, so sunsets are the main event in the evening.
Plan around two practical limits. Power in Port Barton has long been limited to the evening hours unless your guesthouse runs a generator, so ask before you book if you need to work or charge equipment during the day. Banking is also thin, so bring enough cash from Puerto Princesa or El Nido instead of counting on an ATM in the village.
Getting to Port Barton
Vans run from San Jose Terminal in Puerto Princesa, and the ride takes about three hours. Some vans also pick up at the airport for a higher fare. From El Nido, direct vans take roughly four to five hours. Schedules change with the season, so confirm departure times with your guesthouse a day ahead.
San Vicente's Long Beach: Kilometres of Empty Sand
The town of San Vicente, which also covers Port Barton, is home to Long Beach, a stretch of sand of about 14 kilometres that local officials like to call the longest white beach in the country. In reality, the sand is closer to beige, and the beach is broken into several sections by rocky headlands. None of that takes away from the main draw: on most days, you can walk for a long time without seeing another group.
The beach runs past the barangays of New Agutaya, San Isidro and Alimanguan. The easiest way to explore it is to hire a motorcycle and driver for a half-day beach hop, stopping wherever the water looks good. For a view over the coast, ask about Bato ni Ningning, a sandy viewpoint in Barangay Santo Niño.
San Vicente also has a cluster of islands offshore, and group island tours visit four or five of them in a day. As in Port Barton, the tours are less crowded and the boats are smaller.
Getting to San Vicente
San Vicente has a small airport, but flights there have come and gone over the years, so check the airlines for current routes before planning around it. The reliable option is a van from Puerto Princesa, which takes about four hours. A slower bus also runs from San Jose Terminal. Make sure your ticket says San Vicente or Poblacion, since Port Barton is a separate stop.
How to Fit the Quiet Side Into a Palawan Trip
Both places work best as a pause between the busier stops. A route that many travellers use is Puerto Princesa first, then two or three nights in Port Barton or San Vicente, then onward to El Nido. It breaks up the long road north and gives you a few slow days before the crowds.
If you are still deciding where to base yourself, our guide to El Nido, Coron and Puerto Princesa compares the three main hubs. Divers heading north should read our notes on Coron wreck diving and Kayangan Lake, which cover fees and the best months.
A few habits help on smaller islands. Carry cash in small bills, bring a dry bag for your phone, and pack reef-safe sunscreen. Small boats are more affected by wind and waves, so keep a buffer day before your flight home. Our island hopping safety checklist lists what to pack and what to check before you get on a boat.
The Best Time to Go
The calmer months for boat trips usually run from November to May, with March to May the hottest and busiest. Typhoon season and the southwest monsoon bring rougher seas from around June, and tours can be cancelled at short notice. This year, a strong El Niño is also expected to keep things drier than usual into early 2027, which may mean more sunny days but also hotter afternoons and tighter water supply in small towns.
Is It Worth Going Now?
Yes, as long as you plan ahead. The award will bring more people to Palawan, but most of them will head for the same few lagoons. Give yourself a few nights in Port Barton or along Long Beach, and you will see the version of Palawan that readers were probably voting for in the first place: clear water, empty sand and no rush.
Sources
Palawan is Asia's Best Island in 2026 Condé Nast Traveller awards – Philippine Daily Inquirer, October 2026
Asia's top islands, Condé Nast Traveler 2025 – GMA News
Port Barton, Palawan travel guide – The Poor Traveler
San Vicente, Palawan: Long Beach travel guide – The Poor Traveler