Season guide · Palawan · Philippines
Palawan in the hot dry season
March–May: weather, crowds, prices and the best things to do this time of year.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: Ron Van Oers, CC BY-SA 3.0 igo
Quick answer
Hot and calm with the warmest water and Tubbataha diving; Holy Week and school holidays crowd El Nido and Coron. Expect highs up to 33°C (91°F) and lows around 23°C (73°F), with about 21 rainy days across March–May. March–April are among the best months of the year to visit.
Key facts
- Months
- March–May
- Temperatures
- 23°C (73°F) to 33°C (91°F)
- Rainy days in the season
- About 21
- Sea
- 28°C (82°F) to 30°C (86°F)
- Crowds
- Busy
- Hotel prices
- High
Weather in the hot dry season
| Month | High | Low | Rainy days | Daylight | Crowds |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March | 32°C (90°F) | 23°C (73°F) | 4 | 12 h | 4/5 |
| April | 33°C (91°F) | 24°C (75°F) | 5 | 12.3 h | 5/5 |
| May | 33°C (91°F) | 25°C (77°F) | 12 | 12.6 h | 4/5 |
Compared with the rest of the year: average highs of 33°C (91°F) against a yearly 32°C (90°F), and 21 of the year's roughly 153 rainy days fall in these 3 months. Crowds rate 4/5 and hotel prices 4/5 on average.
What's on in the hot dry season
Recurring events; dates move from year to year, so confirm with the organiser.
- March: Tubbataha dive season opens (usually mid-March)
- March: Holy Week — major domestic travel period, boats and rooms sell out (March or April)
- April: Holy Week (March or April)
Make the most of the weather
Beach · Matinloc Island, El Nido
Hidden Beach and Matinloc Shrine
Bring water shoes; reaching Hidden Beach and Secret Beach means clambering over rocks in the shallows.
- Time needed
- Full-day tour
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- Nature
- Active
- Views
- Off the beaten path
Island · Bacuit Bay, El Nido
Snake Island and Tour B
El Nido's Tour B visits Snake Island, where a winding sandbar links two islands at low tide and a short climb gives a view of its curves, plus Cudugnon Cave, Pinagbuyutan Island and Entalula beach.
- Time needed
- Full-day tour
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- Kids
- Nature
- Views
- Photo spot
Beach · El Nido
Nacpan Beach
Go by scooter or tricycle in the afternoon and stay for sunset; the road is paved most of the way.
- Time needed
- Half a day
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Outdoors
- Couples
- Kids
- Views
Beach · Corong-Corong
Las Cabanas Beach
A sunset beach facing Bacuit Bay at the southern end of Corong-Corong, with beach bars and a zipline that crosses the water to Depeldet Island.
- Time needed
- 2–3 hours
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Couples
- Views
- After dark
Viewpoint · El Nido Town
Taraw Cliff
Go early in the morning before the rock heats up, and only with an organised guide or operator.
- Time needed
- 1.5–2 hours
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- Views
- Active
- Photo spot
Day trips in the hot dry season
- Malcapuya and Banana Island (About 1.5 hours by boat) — A popular full-day boat tour from Coron to islands with white-sand beaches and shallow reefs: Malcapuya, Banana Island and Bulog Dos sandbar.
- Nagtabon Beach (About 1 hour by car or van) — 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.
What to pack
- Light, breathable clothes, a sun hat and high-factor sunscreen
- A compact umbrella and waterproof shoes — rain is frequent
- Comfortable walking shoes
Other times of year
Questions travellers ask
+Is the hot dry season a good time to visit Palawan?
Yes: March–April are among the best months. Hot and calm with the warmest water and Tubbataha diving; Holy Week and school holidays crowd El Nido and Coron.
+What is the weather like in Palawan in the hot dry season?
Highs of up to 33°C (91°F) and lows around 23°C (73°F), with about 21 rainy days over the season.