Can You See the Best of Palawan in 7 Days? A Philippines Itinerary

Palawan is the kind of place that makes you reconsider your return ticket. Stretching over 1,700 islands between the South China Sea and the Sulu Sea, this long, narrow province in the western Philippines holds some of the most dramatically beautiful scenery in Southeast Asia — limestone karsts rising from turquoise water, hidden lagoons, Second World War shipwrecks, and beaches that look photoshopped even when you’re standing on them. Seven days won’t let you see everything, but with a smart route that flows from Puerto Princesa north to El Nido and then across to Coron, you can hit the genuine highlights without spending half your trip on a bus or a boat.

Day 1: Arrival in Puerto Princesa and the Underground River

Most flights into Palawan land at Puerto Princesa International Airport, and the city makes a logical first base — particularly because it sits closest to one of the island’s most famous natural landmarks. If you land early enough, you can squeeze in the Puerto Princesa Subterranean River National Park on your first day. Book this in advance; entrance permits are capped, and tours sell out regularly.

The underground river is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and one of the New Seven Wonders of Nature. Guides paddle small bancas (outrigger boats) through roughly 4.3 kilometers of navigable cave, past cathedral-sized chambers, stalactite formations, and colonies of swiftlets and bats. It’s genuinely atmospheric — bring a light jacket, since the cave air is noticeably cool.

The journey from Puerto Princesa to the park takes about 90 minutes. Most tours include lunch at a beachside area called Sabang, where you can also rent a kayak and paddle through mangroves before or after the cave tour. Back in the city by late afternoon, walk along Rizal Avenue for dinner. Kinabuchs Grill and Restaurant is a reliable local spot — order the crocodile sisig if you’re feeling adventurous, or stick to the reliably excellent grilled seafood.

Day 2: Puerto Princesa to El Nido

Get up early. The overland journey from Puerto Princesa to El Nido takes five to six hours by van, and the first shared vans typically depart between 7 and 8 AM from the city terminals near the market. Private transfers are available if you want more flexibility. The road winds through rice paddies, mountainous jungle, and small barangays — it’s genuinely scenic for most of the route, though the final stretch into El Nido gets bumpy.

You’ll arrive in El Nido town mid-afternoon. The town itself is compact and chaotic in the best way — a jumble of tricycles, tour operators, dive shops, and restaurants spilling out along a single main road fronting Bacuit Bay. Check into your accommodation and walk to the beach to get your bearings. Corong-Corong Beach, about 10 minutes south of the main strip by tricycle, is quieter than the town beach and a better place to watch your first Palawan sunset.

Spend the evening eating on the main road. Altrove does excellent wood-fired pizza that feels incongruous in a small island town and is somehow entirely justified. Pick up your island-hopping tour tickets for the next two days — Tour A and Tour C are the essential ones — at any of the dozens of operators along the strip. Prices are standardized at around ₱1,200 to ₱1,500 (roughly $20–$27 USD) per person per tour, excluding entrance fees.

Day 3: El Nido Island Hopping — Tour A

Tour A is El Nido’s most popular circuit, and for good reason. Boats leave the beach by around 9 AM and spend the day weaving between the limestone formations of Bacuit Bay. The stops vary slightly by operator, but the core sites are the Big Lagoon, Small Lagoon, Secret Beach, and Shimizu Island.

Big Lagoon is the one that appears on every postcard — a wide, still body of brilliant emerald water enclosed by sheer karst cliffs. Kayaks are available to rent inside for around ₱200 ($3.50 USD). Paddle into the quieter corners of the lagoon early before the crowds consolidate around midday. Small Lagoon requires swimming or kayaking through a low rock passage to reach — inside, the water is warmer and the cliffs press in close on all sides. It’s a tighter, more intimate experience than the Big Lagoon.

Secret Beach involves swimming through a narrow underwater gap in a cliff face to reach a small, enclosed white sand cove. It’s a short swim but requires a degree of confidence in the water. Those who make it through find a calm, hidden pool that feels genuinely secret despite the steady stream of tour boats anchored outside.

Lunch is typically served on the boat or on a beach — usually grilled fish, rice, and vegetables. Afternoons often include a snorkeling stop at a coral garden near Payong-Payong Beach. Back at the main beach by 4:30 or 5 PM, showers and a cold San Miguel on a rooftop bar are the natural next step.

Day 4: El Nido Island Hopping — Tour C

Tour C covers different geography — the northern part of Bacuit Bay around Matinloc Island — and has a distinctly different mood from Tour A. This circuit tends to attract slightly fewer tourists and includes some of the most visually striking sites in the entire archipelago.

Hidden Beach is accessible only by swimming around a headland — the beach itself is tucked behind a rock formation and invisible from the sea. The snorkeling in this area is noticeably better than Tour A’s sites, with more fish and healthier coral coverage. Matinloc Shrine, a small white chapel perched on a cliff above the bay, offers the best elevated viewpoint you’ll find on any of the tours. Climb to the top of the shrine’s hill for a panoramic view over the limestone islands stretching toward the horizon.

Helicopter Island — named for its shape, not its amenities — has a long beach ideal for swimming and the kind of casual afternoon drifting that travel days rarely allow. By the time the boat heads back to El Nido in late afternoon, you’ll have covered enough water and rock and lagoon to feel like you’ve genuinely seen Bacuit Bay.

Use the evening to pack for tomorrow’s journey. The ferry crossing to Coron is long, and an early start helps significantly.

Day 5: El Nido to Coron by Ferry

The ferry from El Nido to Coron is one of those travel days that is itself an experience. Several operators run the route — 2GO Travel and various fast-craft operators like Montenegro Lines offer daily departures — and crossing time ranges from four hours on a fast ferry to eight or more on a slower vessel. Fast crafts depart from around 8 AM; book ahead, as these fill quickly especially in peak season (December to May).

The crossing passes through the Calamian Islands, a cluster of islands and reefs that see far less traffic than either El Nido or Coron. On clear days the water is an improbable shade of blue and limestone outcrops appear and disappear on the horizon continuously. Bring snacks, sunscreen, and something to read — there’s limited shade on the open deck sections, and the interior of most fast ferries is chilly from air conditioning.

Coron town is smaller and quieter than El Nido, built around a waterfront market and backed by dramatic jagged peaks. Arriving in the afternoon gives you time to walk the town, cross the bridge to the main market area, and climb the 700 steps to Mount Tapyas before dark — the viewpoint at the top looks out over the entire bay and the silhouette of the surrounding islands. Dinner along the waterfront keeps it simple after a travel day.

Day 6: Kayangan Lake, Twin Lagoon, and a Shipwreck

Coron is built around two very different attractions: its freshwater lakes hidden inside limestone islands, and some of the best wreck diving in Asia. A full day here can cover both if you plan it right.

Morning tours head to Kayangan Lake, often listed among the cleanest lakes in Asia. The approach involves a steep staircase climb over a viewpoint — the view from the top, looking down over the bay in one direction and the lake in the other, is one of Palawan’s most photographed scenes for good reason. The lake itself is calm and exceptionally clear, a mix of freshwater and saltwater layers, with excellent visibility for snorkeling. Twin Lagoon is a short boat ride away — two connected lagoons separated by a karst wall with a small gap to swim through. The temperature difference between the lagoons is noticeable, with the inner lagoon feeling distinctly warmer.

For the afternoon, divers should arrange a wreck dive with any of Coron town’s numerous dive operators. The bay holds at least a dozen Japanese supply ships sunk during a U.S. air raid in September 1944. The most accessible is the Skeleton Wreck (officially Okikawa Maru), which sits shallow enough that snorkelers can see the superstructure from the surface. Experienced divers can descend into the hull of the Irako or the Akitsushima. Dive prices typically start around $35–$45 USD per dive including equipment.

Non-divers can join a snorkeling tour that covers Skeleton Wreck, Barracuda Lake (another thermocline lake where the water shifts from cool to almost hot as you descend), and several coral garden sites. It’s an entirely different face of Palawan from El Nido’s lagoons — darker, more haunted, and equally spectacular.

Day 7: Coron Town, Maquinit Hot Springs, and Departure

Your last day in Palawan doesn’t need to be a rush. Most flights out of Coron’s Francisco B. Reyes Airport depart in the afternoon, leaving the morning open for a final few hours of exploration.

Start with the Coron Public Market — the morning market near the waterfront is the town at its most local, full of fresh catch, dried fish, tropical fruit, and cheap breakfast. A bowl of lugaw (rice porridge) or pan de sal with coffee from a streetside vendor is a good way to ease into the last morning.

If you have time before you need to head to the airport, Maquinit Hot Springs on the southern edge of town is worth the tricycle ride. These are saltwater hot springs — unusual in a region dominated by freshwater thermal sites — and the water sits at around 39–40°C (102–104°F). Soaking here after a week of island hopping feels entirely appropriate. Entry costs around ₱200 ($3.50 USD), and the surrounding mangrove setting makes it more atmospheric than a typical roadside onsen.

The airport is small and processes quickly, but tricycle rides out there take 20–30 minutes from town. Build in time accordingly. Flights connect back to Manila, from where most international connections depart.

Seven days through Palawan — Puerto Princesa, El Nido, Coron — doesn’t cover everything. It skips Port Barton, Busuanga’s other islands, Culion’s history, and the reefs of Tubbataha. But it covers the core of what makes this province one of the genuinely unmissable places in Southeast Asia, and it leaves you with a clear sense of what would bring you back for a second trip.

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📷 Featured image by Rafael Loreto on Unsplash.