Palawan Trip

We were arriving in Manilla from Hanoi, Vietnam - so it made sense to fly to Palawan via Manilla. Manilla itself is a busy hectic city, and it’s not what you come to the Philippines for in our opinion - so you will want to fly in and out as quickly as you can to get to the beautiful islands! 🏝️ If you plan to stay an extended period of time in the Philippines (+30 days) the first thing you need to do when arriving in Manilla is go Terminal 3 upstairs to get your extended visa. This will save you coming back later and you can’t do it ahead of time online. It costs around 3000 pesos which needs to be paid in cash and it takes about an hour to get it sorted. Once we extended our visa, we made our way to the hotel. Here we opted for a nicer hotel as we wouldn’t be doing too much and wanted to be located close to the airport somewhere we could walk to the big shopping centre (as we had 6 weeks of island life ahead, it was great for us to top up on essentials! There also beauty salons etc). We relaxed at the hotel, hit the shops and I got some very cheap waxing done to be island ready 🌴

Hotel 101 is ideal if you are flying in and out of the airport. Very comfortable nice rooms and safe. Can walk easily to the nearby shopping centre.

We did not have time to do the twin lagoon tour but I would definitely recommend to do one of the boat tours if you can the lagoons look dreamy and came highly recommended!

When we arrived in Coron our major priority was getting booked onto the Coron-El Nido Expedition. We spent the day visiting a few of the operators to make sure we could book a place on this unmissable experience (my recommendation would be to book at least a week ahead if you can). We also booked our diving trip. If you have time you could spend your first day on one of the standard and creatively named - Tour A, B, C. I’ve heard great things and seen beautiful pictures of the lagoons in Coron. We just didn’t have time. Also these tours will be busier and more touristic, if this isn’t your thing, the upcoming expedition will definitely be more up your street! Grab yourself coffee and lunch at one of the cute joints in Coron.

Accomodation is more expensive in The Philippines compared to other places in SEA and often more basic. Lily’s guesthouse was simple but had everything you need. It was a short walk to the centre and the family owners were lovely and welcoming. There’s a little grocery stand right out front too.

If you are a scuba diver, one of the main reasons you will be heading to Coron is to dive the WW2 Shipwrecks. If so my advice would be to spread them out over 2 days and so 2 dives a day. Wreck dives are deep dives, so it is better to stick to 2 per day and this way you will get to see the major sites and take it easy in the afternoons. If you aren’t a diver, spend your days in Coron on the boat tours!

We cannot recommend Reggae Dive Centre enough! It’s so important whenever diving that you go with safe instructors that are well reviewed. These guys came recommended by many and were professional and fun.

Pizza goes down so we’ll after a dive! Time to devour all those calories you just burnt diving. There was a queue to get into this place but it was worth the wait!

The diving in Coron really is amazing. We saw Lionfish, Crocodile fish and beautiful marine life amongst the wrecks. You got to drive through the old ships but it never felt too advanced or difficult.

We were recommended this restaurant and it did not disappoint!

Today, it’s time to set sail on the Coron-El Nido expedition. Our personal highlight of the whole of our trip to the Philippines. We opted for the 3 Day 2 night option which was incredible but there are also options to stay longer. What makes this trip great is that you go to the islands that the standard tours don’t visit, it’s much more bespoke and tailor made and far less touristy. You sleep on huts on the beach and they light a campfire at night on your own little island. It’s a true unique experience. The snorkelling out here is amazing and all equipment is included and available on the boat. You eat the freshest food like fish caught fresh from the sea and a great mixture of meat and veggie options - as well as unlimited rum & coke.

Wake up in the morning with the sun and the sound of the sea right in front of you. The true cast away experience! Wake up have a delicious breakfast and then it’s time to head back out on the boat to explore more untouched islands. Our 2nd day included an island where a small community was living and we got to see their way of life. The children came out to say hello and sing us a song! It was really heartwarming to see. We got to see the tiny school and witness an ongoing class. It was an experience that grounded you and also helped you to realise that the simple things in life are so important. Look out for the lovely wild animals roaming the island too!

The last day of the expedition, you get another full day exploring more islands eating fresh coconuts and on this day, we got to snorkel with turtles! Then after the unforgettable experience came to an end we pulled into El Nido and arrived at our accommodation.

Frendz hostel is the place to be in El Nido with its rooftop events and social scene it’s a great way to meet people and it’s a good quality place to stay. They arrange all the tours from here too so even if you don’t stay book the trips from the agents at this hostel which often is a great way to meet other travellers too if you prefer guest houses and hotels.

After a short stop in El Nido - another once in a lifetime experience was awaiting. I had no idea what Raf had planned for my birthday but I knew we were going to be away for a few days… We were picked up in a minivan to be taken to the other side of El Nido island where we jumped on a small outrigger canoe to be taken on a short 15 minute journey to an island I had no idea existed! Raf had booked 3 nights on Darocotan Island - where we would experience a taste of paradise. The island only has 3 accommodations giving it a private island feel. We stayed at Dryft camp which is an eco resort where we slept in glamping tents right on the beach. When we arrived we ate at the open air bamboo restaurant that served the most delicious food. Dryft is the perfect place to completely disconnect - there’s no wi-fi but lots of board games and a volleyball net. Across the island there’s even a shipwreck for amazing snorkelling. We relaxed on the beach which was one of the most beautiful we had seen on our whole trip - especially as at times we had it completely to ourselves. We ate a lovely dinner and I was given a surprise birthday pancake! Very sweet. If you are looking for a one of a kind experience to treat your significant other (or yourself) a trip to Darocotan island will not disappoint!

One of only 3 accommodations on the island. A few beautiful accommodation options to choose from depending on budget - glamping tents and hive huts - with shared external bathrooms as well as a lux tipi with a private bathroom.

We woke up to the sound of the ocean in our glamping tent and headed to try another delicious item from the restaurant menu for breakfast! (You need to try the island oats if it’s still going!). On our second day we went on the walk through the trees to the other side of the island to snorkel the shipwreck. We were able to borrow a mask and snorkel from the reception for a small fee. The walk was beautiful - past lines of coconut trees and across more pristine beach with the water glistening…everyday on the island we were pinching ourselves! The shipwreck itself is also really cool there’s loads of beautiful coloured fish (including nemo clownfish!). Great place to spend a few hours. Back at the camp we basically split our time between sunbathing and heading upstairs at the main bamboo building with a fresh coconut and book in hand. We played a lot of cards and enjoyed reconnecting in peace. It’s very good for the soul to spend this quality time in nature and not constantly in front of screens like we are far too much in everyday life!

More of the same for our last day and night at Dryft camp at Darocotan Island. 🏝️ We relaxed, went for a swim, enjoyed amazing fresh food and tried to savour every moment of this incredible experience. ❤️ As the whole trip was a surprise - one thing I hadnt prepped in advance was downloading some podcasts / audio books which I would have made use of with the peace and quiet - so that’s a top tip for preparing to be cut off from the world for a few days! ✌️ But sometimes not having the distractions makes great reflection time for a total reset. Some yoga and meditation also goes down nicely 🧘‍♀️ Tailor to your own travel style! 😉

After our time cut off from the world in paradise, whilst sad to leave it was a nice change of pace to come back to El Nido town. We enjoyed being back in a town with a great selection of restaurants and bakeries 😋 We heard mixed things about El Nido town some told us to skip it all together but I think that’s a mistake. It’s a great and beautiful town. The beach is gorgeous. You can easily spend a day wandering around the shops, restaurants and beach and on our first day we booked one of the classic and very popular boat trips - they offer a few based on ages and what you want to see - we booked ours directly through Friendz hostel.

One thing we stumbled on and really enjoyed was watching a local basketball game in town, the atmosphere was awesome! And it was free to watch. It’s always good in towns to wander around and see what you find :)

An amazing social hostel with a rooftop pool and incredible views! Nightly entertainment and you can book your boat trips from the agent downstairs.

The El Nido boat tours are the thing you cannot miss whilst here! The famous lagoons you see in all the pictures are part of these tours. Yes they are full of people but they really are beautiful! And you can still find some quiet corners to yourselves in the lagoon at times. There are a few different tours to choose from but we were happy with Tour A - it was a fun atmosphere on the boat and they have a photographer on board taking great shots! We booked through Haqqy tours from downstairs in Frendz hostel.

Great pizza and a good atmosphere

The next stop in Palawan was Port Barton. It’s about 4 hours in a mini van to get there which wasn’t the most comfortable ride from memory but it was ok. Port Barton is really beautiful - it has a unique very laid back atmosphere. Compared to El Nido it’s a lot less built up, much more local, rustic and charming. The stars at night here are incredible - and there are lots of things to do including more boat trips (of course!- you’re in the Philippines!). ⛵️ We took it easy when we arrived on our first day walking around the town and checking out the beach, we also booked our boat trip for the next day.

Aquarius was a cheap and cheerful accommodation to stay in a good location. The family that run it are lovely and I had a great chat with them as they gave me insights into Filipino culture, myths and legends which I really enjoyed!

Every night at 7pm Coco Rico offers free drinks! Yep, kind of crazy! It’s also why there are so many drunk backpackers here. It’s funny to go see, the also do cheap and decent Mexican food so worth popping by.

We booked a boat trip direct through the Aquarius hotel which was a great way to spend our day in Port Barton. You go in a small group much more intimate than the El Nido tours - and we had our best experience snorkelling with turtles here which you can see from the video! 🐢 You stop off at a few islands at a nice pace and get time to socialise with the group. On the evening (and as a place to stay if you want a lively backpacker hostel) there is Coco Rico that does a nightly happy hour where the drinks are actually free for an hour! 🍺 We stopped by for some food and to people watch and laugh at the very drunk backpackers! make the time to look up at the stars every night in Port Barton 🌌

Our last day in Port Barton we enjoyed amazing coffee and brunch at Fat Cat. We wandered around town and enjoyed sunset at Port Barton beach which is one not to be missed! There’s more day and boat trips to do in Port Barton as well like a trip to White Beach and the waterfalls to easily spend another day exploring.

The best brunches and are coffee served here!

Puerto Princessa is where you come for the southerly airport of Palawan, and if doing north to south this will be your jumping off point to the Cebu region (which was our next leg of the trip). Puerto Princessa is the biggest and capital city of Palawan. So it’s a much busier built up town - not as charming but with lots of options for shops and restaurants. The main attraction of the city is the Underground River which is a UNESCO heritage site - and tomorrows activity - you can book through your hotel, online or through an agent. After a 3 hour journey to Puerto Princessa we checked in our hotel and went out to explore the city - lots of great cafes and a decent coffee :)

Golden Pension House was a comfortable, well located hotel that was really new with great facilities at a great place so would highly recommend!

The underground river tour is a must do when visiting Puerto Princessa. It’s a world heritage site and people come from all over the world to see it. It’s a full day out and it takes a long time to get there so be prepared for a lot of travel. You do a mangrove boat tour, then head on to the main underground river trip and lunch is included. It’s a much more built up commercial operation than anything you will have experienced in the trip so far, but it’s unique and they do a good job of preserving the nature which they talk you though. It also stood out to us that in many of the cave tours elsewhere in Asia they were not being as conscious about the natural world as they are here. And that’s a wrap on Palawan! For us next up was to explore the Cebu region.