Palawan ｜ Adventures In Mimaropa
Palawan island, located in the very west of the Philippines, has become a rapidly developing tourist hot spot over the last decade. It is all at once developed and undeveloped, suffering from over-tourism and under-tourism, and shockingly over-priced while also incredibly cheap. While that all might sound like it’s far fetched and impossible, I assure it’s not.
Like many places in the world, there are tourist hot spots and places left undiscovered. Palawan takes this to the extreme, with small towns like El Nido that are obnoxiously packed with tourists while the neighboring towns are completely devoid of foreigners. Roads in the most built up areas are paved and then all over a sudden everything becomes dirt roads filled with potholes. These plenty of transportation and infrastructure between the super popular tourist places, like Puerto Princesa, but try going somewhere like Duli and you’re pretty much on your own. It’s a place of contradiction, in a country that is built on that convention.
Getting To Palawan
There are a few options to get out to Palawan. Flying is the simplest way, with the main choice of flying into Puerto Princesa International Airport, which mainly servers domestic flights. There is also the option of flying into El Nido Airport, if you want to save yourself some time. Flight up here are more limited, but when you consider the 5 to 6 hours you will need to travel by van or bus, it’s works out in your favor.
If you’re smart about it, you’ll do what I did; fly into one and then out of the other. This way you only need to travel one way.
There’s also ports located all around the island, with boats making the trip from Manila and various other cities around the country. While these trips will take significantly longer and cost more than flying, you get the opportunity to stop at many small islands if you book a package tour.
Where To Go on Palawan
Most tourists make a beeline straight for El Nido, which is by far the most popular place on the island. While many fly in/out of Puerto Princesa, few stick around. The laid back town of Port Barton is also starting to become popular with tourists, though it’s still laid back.
If you take a look at a map, you’ll see the island is long and thin, with every major tourist destination on the west side between Puerto Princesa and El Nido. Outside of that, you’ll see few tourists, which is awesome if you want to escape the the typical grind.
You’ll also note that few people go south of Puerto Princesa. The reason being is that the area has a bad reputation due to things like kidnappings and religious extremism. If you plan to head down that way, use a fair amount of caution and common sense.
El Nido, on the island of Palawan in The Philippines, was an unknown paradise that has transformed into one of the top destinations for…
➣Port Barton
Coming soon…
➣Puerto Princesa
Coming soon…
Getting Around Palawan
Getting around Palawan can be a major pain. While it’s most free of the horrendous traffic found in other parts of the Philippines, it’s comes at the cost of being limited to a few main routes. If you want to travel outside or beyond those routes you will either need to pay for private transpiration or rent your own. The most economical way is to use a combination of both.
We rented motorbikes in El Nido and used them to for a week to explore the very north of the island. This allowed us to stay in small towns and see places that were far off the beaten path.
It is also possible to find tricycles that will take you to some of these far flung places, but you’re going to pay a high price for that, as well as having limited mobility around if you’re stay in those places.
One thing you won’t find around the island are jeepneys. In their place, you are fleets of minivans plying the routes between the major tourist destinations. Word to the wise, make sure book tickets in advance during the high season or risk not being able to leave on the day or time you want to. Also keep in the mind that drivers will pack those vans tight, making the trip uncomfortable.
How Long To Stay on Palawan
How long to stay on Palawan is hard to say. It depends on how much you’re moving around and your tolerance for over-tourism. It also depends on if you’re planning to do something like a scuba certification or learning to kite surf, both of which can be done.
With those caveats, I think a week is a good amount of time to spend on this island.
Scams, Dangers, & Annoyances
In general, the north half of the island is pretty safe. The main danger we faced were road conditions. Many places are unpaved, so if you’re renting a car or motorbike it’s important to remain alert and drive defensively.
As mentioned above, the southern half of the island can be a bit more dicey. Kidnappings are not unheard of and there’s a bit more religious fanaticism. If you decide to travel down that way, it might be a good idea to hire a local guide who knows their way around and it’s probably best to keep a low profile.
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There is also one major danger you’ll find throughout the country:
➣Broken Pedestrian Infrastructure
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If you plan on just the bus, you should check out:
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Need more information about the Philippines?
Mill over our full write up on Manila HERE.
Read our full write up on Angeles City HERE.
Check out our full write up on Cebu HERE.
Look at our full write up on Laoag HERE.
View our full write up on Vigan HERE.
Noddle over our notes on Negros HERE.
