Palawan Itinerary: 5, 7 or 10 Days Without Backtracking

Palawan looks compact on a map, but it is a long, narrow province, and most first trips go wrong by trying to see too much of it. The road from Puerto Princesa to El Nido alone takes most of a day, and the boat to Coron takes a good part of another. A good itinerary is mostly about choosing what to leave out.

In five days, pick one main base, or two that are close together. Seven days covers Puerto Princesa, a quiet stop on the west coast and El Nido. Ten days is enough to add Coron by ferry and fly out from Busuanga. Each plan below runs in one direction, so you never have to double back on the long road.

The plans assume you fly into one airport and out of another, which usually costs about the same as a return ticket and saves a full day of travel. Van and ferry times change with the season and the weather, so confirm schedules a day ahead and keep one spare day before your flight home.

How Getting Around Palawan Shapes Your Plan

There are three gateways: Puerto Princesa in the middle of the main island, El Nido at its northern tip, and Busuanga airport, which serves Coron in the Calamian Islands further north. Puerto Princesa has the most flights and usually the cheapest fares. El Nido's small airport has fewer seats and higher prices, but it puts you right next to the boats.

Shared vans run between Puerto Princesa and El Nido and take about five to six hours, with fares usually between ₱650 and ₱800. Local buses are cheaper but slower. Between El Nido and Coron there are no roads, so you take a ferry. The fast ferry takes roughly four to five hours in good weather and costs around ₱1,800 to ₱2,500. Ferries do not run every day, so book early in peak season.

The rule that follows from this: move in one direction. South to north, from Puerto Princesa up to El Nido and on to Coron, is the most common route. North to south works just as well.

5-Day Palawan Itinerary: Puerto Princesa and El Nido

This plan suits a first visit with a tight schedule. Fly into Puerto Princesa and out of El Nido.

Day 1: Arrive in Puerto Princesa. Spend the afternoon at Baker's Hill or along the baywalk, and eat at one of the seafood places in the city.

Day 2: Underground River day trip to Sabang. The ride takes about two hours each way, and you need a permit for a specific date. Our Underground River permit guide explains how to get one. Book it before you book anything else on this route.

Day 3: Morning van north to El Nido. You arrive in the afternoon, which leaves time for a sunset walk in Corong Corong.

Day 4: El Nido island hopping. Take Tour A for the Big Lagoon if this is your only boat day.

Day 5: A half day at Las Cabanas Beach or a short tour, then fly out from El Nido. If your flight is early, swap days 4 and 5 so the boat day is not the day you leave.

If you would rather skip the long road, spend all five days in Coron or all five in El Nido instead. Either one gives you three boat days and a free day as a buffer against bad weather.

7-Day Itinerary: Add the Quiet West Coast

A week lets you break the road north with a stay on the west coast, where the pace is slower and the beaches are quieter. Fly into Puerto Princesa and out of El Nido.

Days 1 and 2: Puerto Princesa, with the Underground River on day 2.

Days 3 and 4: Port Barton. Vans from Puerto Princesa take about three hours. Spend a day island hopping to the sandbars and snorkelling spots offshore, and leave the other day free. San Vicente's Long Beach, a little further north, is the alternative if you want a long empty beach rather than a village.

Day 5: Van from Port Barton to El Nido, about four to five hours. Settle in and watch the sunset.

Days 6 and 7: Two El Nido tours. Our guide to El Nido Tours A, B, C and D explains which to pick. Fly out on the evening of day 7, or add a night if the flight times don't work.

10-Day Itinerary: Puerto Princesa to Coron

Ten days covers the full route without rushing. Fly into Puerto Princesa and out of Busuanga.

Days 1 and 2: Puerto Princesa and the Underground River.

Days 3 and 4: Port Barton or San Vicente.

Days 5 to 7: El Nido, with two tours and a free day for Nacpan Beach or a rest.

Day 8: Ferry to Coron. Leave early and expect to arrive in the afternoon. Some travellers take a multi-day island expedition between El Nido and Coron instead, sleeping in basic beach camps along the way. It costs more, but the trip itself becomes part of the holiday.

Days 9 and 10: Coron island hopping, starting with Kayangan Lake and Twin Lagoon. Our Coron island hopping guide compares the tours. Fly out on day 10 or, better, on day 11, so a late ferry or a cancelled tour does not cost you a flight.

When to Go and How Weather Changes the Plan

The calmest months for boat trips run from about December to April, and that is also when ferries and flights fill up. March to May is hot, with the best light in the lagoons. From June to October, the southwest monsoon brings rougher seas, and tours and ferries are cancelled more often, especially on the open-water routes. If you travel then, add a spare day at each stop and avoid booking the ferry and a flight on the same day.

A Rough Daily Budget

Travelling on a mid-range budget, plan for roughly ₱3,500 to ₱6,000 per person a day once rooms, food, one tour and fees are added up. Joiner island-hopping tours cost about ₱1,200 to ₱2,300 each before entrance fees. A clean fan or air-conditioned room in town starts around ₱1,500 a night and climbs quickly near the beach in high season. Carry cash in small bills, because many fees are collected at the landing and ATMs in the smaller towns are few and often have queues.

Which Palawan Itinerary Fits You?

With five days, stay in one place or pair Puerto Princesa with El Nido. With a week, add Port Barton and enjoy a slower trip. With ten days, carry on to Coron and finish there. Whichever plan you choose, book the Underground River permit and the El Nido to Coron ferry first, since they have the fewest slots, then fit flights and rooms around them.