4 best day trips from Palawan

Day trips compared

The day trips

30 km · About 1–1.5 hours by boat

1.Culion Island

Culion was the Philippines' leper colony from 1906, and its town keeps a museum and archive of the colony's history, a hilltop church in an old Spanish fort and viewpoints over the bay. It is a thoughtful counterpoint to beach days around Coron.

Getting there

Boat from Coron Town

Best for

Culture, Quiet stays

35 km · About 1.5 hours by boat

2.Malcapuya and Banana Island

A popular full-day boat tour from Coron to islands with white-sand beaches and shallow reefs: Malcapuya, Banana Island and Bulog Dos sandbar. It balances Coron's lake and wreck tours with time on the sand.

Getting there

Island-hopping tour from Coron Town

Best for

Beach, Families, Couples

40 km · About 1 hour by car or van

3.Nagtabon Beach

On Palawan's west coast across the mountains from Puerto Princesa, Nagtabon is a sweeping beach with a few simple resorts and Hen and Chicken islands offshore, far quieter than Honda Bay.

Getting there

Private van or tricycle from Puerto Princesa

Best for

Beach, Quiet stays

25 km · About 1 hour by van or scooter

4.Long Beach, San Vicente

About 14 km of almost empty beach with clear water on the west coast. From Port Barton, a ride along the coast road lets you pick a stretch of sand to yourself for the day.

Getting there

Van, scooter or tricycle from Port Barton

Best for

Beach, Quiet stays, Couples

Day-trip tips

• Leave early: most trips are more relaxed with a morning departure and a return before dinner.
• Book vans through your hotel, which arranges pick-up; sit near the front if you get car-sick on the winding road.
• For trips over about 150 km, an overnight stay or an organised tour saves a lot of travelling.

Questions travellers ask