Known for its crystal-clear waters, dramatic limestone cliffs, and lush jungle landscapes, Palawan is a breathtaking island province in the Philippines. It is one of the most beautiful places I have visited on Earth.
I would definitely suggest going for at least 2 weeks; there are so many islands and unreal places I didn’t get to visit with just 1 week in the Philippines.
However, I am still so thankful I went and will forever be wanting to go back! So definitely add it to your list, and make an effort to visit, regardless of how much time you have to come.
This Philippines Travel Guide will help you plan a 1 week trip to Palawan, with recommendations for the best things to do, where to stay, where to eat, and how to get around.
If this is your first time in the Philippines, make sure you’re aware of what to expect. These tips will help you appear less like a tourist, and more like a seasoned visitor, or even a local!
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With only 1 week in the Philippines, the breakdown of how I spent my time looked like this:
2 days – Coron
3 days – Coron to El Nido island hopping expedition
1 day – El Nido
1 day – Coron
I really wish I had had more time there, because I didn’t get to spend as much time as I wanted in El Nido. However, since I was flying in and out of Coron, I spent more time there by default.
I’ll share more about the island hopping experience, and everything I did during my time in Palawan to help you maximize your time!
When it comes to budgeting for the Philippines, the US Dollar will go far. Here’s what I budgeted per day in each category:
Lodging: $50/night (I wanted a private room at a nicer hotel/hostel but I’ve seen hostel rates as low as $7/night)
Transit: $5/day
Activities: $20/day + $350 for the Expedition
Check out my travel budget template for help building out your budget – you can download the actual template I use for free!
Coron to El Nido Island Hopping Expedition
The Coron to El Nido (or vice versa) island hopping expedition is a once-in-a-lifetime experience that will take you to various remote islands throughout the Philippines that you wouldn’t otherwise be able to visit.
This is a great alternative to flying between the two islands, or taking the direct ferry, if you have the time and budget during your visit to the Philippines.
There are lots of boat tour companies that are constantly running these island hopping expeditions in either direction, and for a variety of durations. The most popular companies are Big Dream Boatman, Tao, Keelooma, El Nido Paradise, and Buhay Isla.
If you want a luxurious experience, go with Tao. However, if you’re looking to save your money, I would just compare availability and pricing between the other companies – at the end of the day, they are all pretty similar.
The one-way tour will typically cost 18,000 – 35,000 PHP, depending on which tour company you go with and how many days you want the expedition to last.
Definitely book this as far in advance as possible. By the time I was booking my trip, just a couple weeks out, almost all of the expeditions were full so my options were limited.
I did a 3D2N (3 day, 2 night) boat expedition with Keelooma from Coron to El Nido, and would recommend the experience overall! If I did it again, I would probably go with Tao instead, just to splurge and sleep in nicer accommodations.
Day tours and excursions in Coron
I really only had time for day tours and excursions in Coron, so I will speak to the different options you have there, and which ones I did!
Each boat tour includes pick up and drop off from your hotel/hostel/airbnb (if you’re located in Coron town), and a buffet lunch! If you want to snorkel or kayak, you will either need to bring your own snorkel equipment or you can rent from your boat crew.
I booked all of my tours through Get Your Guide so I knew ahead of time what I would be doing, but you can easily book excursions once you’re there as well! Usually they’ll accept new bookings up until 8pm or so the night prior.
1. Coron Super Ultimate Tour
If you only have time for one tour, make it the Coron Super Ultimate Tour! This will take you to 7 iconic spots like Kayangan Lake, Twin Lagoon, Barracuda Lake and more, where you can snorkel and explore.
Every tour also includes a buffet lunch!
If you have a higher budget and want to tailor your tour, I recommend splurging on a private tour. This will allow you to choose what you really want to spend time on, so you can maximize your trip!
This is the tour I took my first day in Coron, and I absolutely LOVED it! I also spent an extra few pesos to get a kayak for the day, with another solo traveler, so that I could really explore the lakes.
The kayak rental isn’t necessary, but was definitely a nice way to float in the water and see everything!
4. Bea Beauty Salon & Spa
This is not an excursion, but if you’re like me – after all of the snorkeling and swimming around in the lakes, my hair needed some TLC and I honestly was scared to try to wash it and comb it out myself.
So I spent an afternoon at Bea Beauty Salon & Spa getting a massage and hair mask treatment!
This was honestly a big highlight of my trip – my hair was sooo smooth after. It cost me about $20 USD total and was so worth it.
Where to stay in Palawan
When visiting Palawan, you have a good variety of affordable lodging options! This trip, I stayed in a combination of hotels and hostels, so will walk you through each of your options.
Hotels
Given that the USD is pretty strong in the Philippines, I would recommend staying in a hotel if you can afford it. It will still be relatively cheap, and you can get a really cool room at a nice hotel!
In Coron I stayed at the Coron Bancuang Mansion, which was super nice – it has a pool and breakfast included.
Hostels
If you’re looking for a more social option, and especially if you’re a solo traveler, I would recommend staying in a hostel!
In Coron, the popular hostels that I’d recommend are Hop Hostel and the Outpost Hostel.
In El Nido, the popular hostels that I’d recommend are the Frendz Hostel and the Outpost Beach Hostel. I stayed at the Frendz Hostel in a private room and really loved it.
Airbnbs
If you’re traveling with your family or a larger group, renting an Airbnb is a great option. I would recommend renting one close to the town center if you want to go on boat tours, so that the tour operators can pick you up for free.
Where to eat in Coron
1. Om’s Thai
You know I can never resist a good Thai food spot, and Om’s Thai was so good I went there twice!
2. El Kuvo
This was the cutest spot that my (new!) friend found and we tried it out! I had the refreshing watermelon & lychee salad and OMG it was soo good – I would go back just for that!
3. Prince Wonton Restaurant
The place to go for wontons and noodles! It’s very cheap (like $3 for your whole meal) – if you’re hungry though you might want to order two plates!
4. AE’s Delights
This spot is open late night and is perfect for snacking on siopao (steamed buns) or churros!
5. Mama Café
Mama café has refreshing smoothies, salads, sandwiches and other brunch foods. Everything I ate here was delicious!
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How to get around Palawan
By Walking
This is the easiest way to explore each city! The streets are narrow, and there are no sidewalks so you basically just walk along the side of the road!
There are tons of shops and restaurants lining the center of the towns, so it’s really fun to walk around and pop in and out of each place.
By Trike
This is the most common way to get around town quickly! Each ride usually cost around 200 – 300 PHP, or $3-5 USD.
I even took a trike to get to El Nido airport from my hostel, which was a bit of a long ride in one of these but we made it there safe and sound!
By Car
There are no Ubers or Taxis in Palawan. Check out my 10 Essential Travel Tips for the Philippines for everything you need to know about airport transfers by bus.
I would not recommend renting a car in Palawan. There are hardly any places to park a car, the streets are really narrow, and with pedestrians walking in the street I would personally be terrified to drive through town here.
If you’re planning a trip to the Philippines, feel free to send me an email or DM on Instagram with any questions or for personalized travel tips!
mariss
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