Solo travel · Palawan · Philippines
Solo travel in Palawan
How to enjoy Palawan at your own pace.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: Simon Hefti, Schweiz ( de:User:Nikswieweg ), CC BY-SA 3.0
Quick answer
Palawan is a popular solo route: shared vans, group island-hopping tours and hostels in El Nido and Coron make it easy to meet other travellers, and English is widely spoken. Many solo travellers base themselves in El Nido Town.
Key facts
- Base
- El Nido Town
- Getting around
- Bus
- Emergency number
- 911 (national emergency hotline)
- Language
- Filipino and English
Solo travel tips
- Join shared island-hopping tours, which seat solo travellers with others and cost far less than private boats.
- El Nido Town and Coron Town have the most social hostels and bars.
- Dive centres in Coron are a good way to meet other travellers.
- Keep valuables in a dry bag on boats and avoid leaving them on the beach while you swim.
- Tell your accommodation your plans if you head off alone to remote beaches.
Where to stay
$$ · Best for first-timers, solo travellers, budget and nightlife
El Nido Town
El Nido Town (Buena Suerte) squeezes guesthouses, dive shops, bars and restaurants along Calle Hama and the streets behind the town beach, where island-hopping boats leave each morning. Taraw Cliff rises straight behind it. It is the most convenient and social base, though the beach itself is a working harbour rather than a swimming beach.
- Good
- Walk to tour departures; Most restaurants and bars; Wide choice of budget rooms
- Watch out
- Crowded and noisy in high season; Town beach not good for swimming; Power and water supply can be patchy
- Nearby
- Taraw Cliff, El Nido town beach, Corong-Corong
Great on your own
Nature · Coron Island
Kayangan Lake
Take the photo at the viewpoint on the way up; queues for it build after 10am.
- Time needed
- 1–1.5 hours
- Cost
- Low cost
- Iconic
- Views
- Photo spot
- Nature
Experience · Coron Bay
Coron Bay wreck dives
Dive with a centre that matches wrecks to your certification; penetration dives need advanced training.
- Time needed
- Full day
- Cost
- Expensive
- History
- Active
- Iconic
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
Climb to the viewpoint on Snake Island first; the sandbar shape shows best from above at low tide.
- 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
Arrive an hour before sunset to get a table at the beach bars.
- Time needed
- 2–3 hours
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Couples
- Views
- After dark
Meeting people
- Island-hopping beach lunch — Boat crews on El Nido, Coron and Port Barton tours grill fish, pork and squid and serve them with rice, fruit and salads on a beach between snorkelling stops.
- Puerto Princesa native-food dinner — Restaurants in Puerto Princesa specialising in Palawan dishes serve tamilok, crocodile sisig and kinilaw for visitors willing to try something new.
Sensible precautions
Sun, sea conditions and boat safety are the main concerns: wear a life jacket on bangkas and follow crew advice on currents. Petty theft from rooms and beaches occurs in busy towns; use lockers and keep valuables out of sight.
- Emergency number
- 911 (national emergency hotline)
- Staying connected
- Mobile data works in towns but is patchy among the islands; Wi-Fi in El Nido and Port Barton can be slow, and power cuts happen.
Questions travellers ask
+Is Palawan good for solo travellers?
Palawan is a popular solo route: shared vans, group island-hopping tours and hostels in El Nido and Coron make it easy to meet other travellers, and English is widely spoken.
+Where should solo travellers stay in Palawan?
El Nido Town: Compact beach town under limestone cliffs, departure point for Bacuit Bay tours.