One day in Palawan

Day by day

1. Day 1: Puerto Princesa Subterranean River and Big Lagoon and Small Lagoon

   Puerto Princesa Subterranean River, Big Lagoon and Small Lagoon, Kayangan Lake and Coron Bay wreck dives, then Las Cabanas Beach in the evening.

   1. Morning

      Puerto Princesa Subterranean River

      Stay a night in Sabang and take the first boats of the morning, before day tours from Puerto Princesa arrive. Allow Full day from Puerto Princesa.

   2. Late morning

      Big Lagoon and Small Lagoon

      Choose a boat that visits Miniloc early or late in the day; the lagoons are busiest from late morning. Allow Full-day tour.

   3. Lunch

      Lunch: Chao long

      Chao long shops along Rizal Avenue and Manalo Street in Puerto Princesa.

   4. Afternoon

      Kayangan Lake

      Take the photo at the viewpoint on the way up; queues for it build after 10am. Allow 1–1.5 hours.

   5. Late afternoon

      Coron Bay wreck dives

      Dive with a centre that matches wrecks to your certification; penetration dives need advanced training. Allow Full day.

   6. Evening

      Las Cabanas Beach

      Arrive an hour before sunset to get a table at the beach bars.

Before you go

• Puerto Princesa Subterranean River: Entry needs a permit with daily limits; arrange it in advance through an accredited tour or the Puerto Princesa permit office.
• Big Lagoon and Small Lagoon: Access to the lagoons is managed with visitor caps; book Tour A a day or more ahead in high season.

If it rains

• Swap in Palawan Wildlife Rescue and Conservation Center (Puerto Princesa): Combine with Baker's Hill and the city sights on a half-day tricycle tour.

Where to stay for this itinerary

Pace and daylight

The sights in this plan add up to roughly 17–23 hours of visiting over one day, before meals and getting between them. Daylight runs from about 11.6 hours in January to 12.7 hours in June.

Getting between stops: Bus. Air-conditioned vans and buses run from Puerto Princesa to El Nido in about 5–6 hours, with stops for Port Barton and San Vicente; shared vans also serve Sabang.

More or fewer days

• 2 days in Palawan
• 3 days in Palawan
• 5 days in Palawan

Questions travellers ask