Things to do · Palawan · Philippines
18 best things to do in Palawan
18 sights and experiences ranked for a first visit, with honest notes on time, cost and crowds.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: Jordan Balintac, CC BY-SA 4.0
Quick answer
The essential sights in Palawan are Puerto Princesa Subterranean River, Big Lagoon and Small Lagoon and Kayangan Lake. Of the 18 picks below, 4 are free, 2 work on a rainy day and 7 suit children. Allow about 9 days to see the highlights without rushing.
Key facts
- Top sight
- Puerto Princesa Subterranean River
- Free sights
- 4
- Good on a rainy day
- Puerto Princesa Subterranean River
- Time to see the highlights
- 9 days
At a glance
| Sight | Area | Time needed | Cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| Puerto Princesa Subterranean River | Sabang | Full day from Puerto Princesa | Mid-priced |
| Big Lagoon and Small Lagoon | Miniloc Island, El Nido | Full-day tour | Mid-priced |
| Kayangan Lake | Coron Island | 1–1.5 hours | Low cost |
| Coron Bay wreck dives | Coron Bay | Full day | Expensive |
| Hidden Beach and Matinloc Shrine | Matinloc Island, El Nido | Full-day tour | Mid-priced |
| Snake Island and Tour B | Bacuit Bay, El Nido | Full-day tour | Mid-priced |
| Nacpan Beach | El Nido | Half a day | Free |
| Las Cabanas Beach | Corong-Corong | 2–3 hours | Free |
| Taraw Cliff | El Nido Town | 1.5–2 hours | Mid-priced |
| Barracuda Lake | Coron Island | 1 hour | Low cost |
| Twin Lagoon | Coron Island | 1 hour | Low cost |
| Mount Tapyas | Coron Town | 1–1.5 hours | Free |
| Maquinit Hot Spring | Coron Town | 1–2 hours | Low cost |
| Calauit Safari Park | Busuanga | Full day from Coron | Mid-priced |
| Honda Bay island hopping | Puerto Princesa | Half a day to full day | Mid-priced |
| Plaza Cuartel | Puerto Princesa | 30 minutes | Free |
| Palawan Wildlife Rescue and Conservation Center | Puerto Princesa | 1–1.5 hours | Low cost |
| Tubbataha Reefs | Sulu Sea | 4–6 nights on a liveaboard | Expensive |
The 18 best things to do
Nature · Sabang
1.Puerto Princesa Subterranean River
An underground river flows for about 8 km through a limestone cave beneath the Saint Paul Mountain Range before reaching the sea. Paddle boats carrying a small group take visitors about 1.5 km into the cave, lit only by the boatman's lamp, past chambers of stalactites and colonies of bats. The surrounding national park runs from mountain to sea and is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Stay a night in Sabang and take the first boats of the morning, before day tours from Puerto Princesa arrive.
- Time needed
- Full day from Puerto Princesa
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- Book ahead
- Entry needs a permit with daily limits; arrange it in advance through an accredited tour or the Puerto Princesa permit office.
- Iconic
- Nature
- Kids
- Rainy day
Nature · Miniloc Island, El Nido
2.Big Lagoon and Small Lagoon
On Miniloc Island in Bacuit Bay, the Big Lagoon is a basin of jade water enclosed by limestone walls, explored by kayak, while the Small Lagoon is entered by swimming or paddling through a narrow gap in the rock. Both are on El Nido's Tour A, the most popular of the island-hopping circuits.
Choose a boat that visits Miniloc early or late in the day; the lagoons are busiest from late morning.
- Time needed
- Full-day tour
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- Book ahead
- Access to the lagoons is managed with visitor caps; book Tour A a day or more ahead in high season.
- Iconic
- Nature
- Active
- Photo spot
- Couples
Nature · Coron Island
3.Kayangan Lake
A clear freshwater lake ringed by limestone on Coron Island, reached by a stairway of around 300 steps. Halfway up, a viewpoint looks back over a cove of karst islands — the most photographed scene in Coron. The lake is on the ancestral domain of the Tagbanwa people, who manage access.
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
4.Coron Bay wreck dives
On 24 September 1944, US Navy aircraft attacked a Japanese fleet sheltering around Busuanga and Coron, sinking about a dozen ships. Wrecks such as the Okikawa Maru, Akitsushima and Irako now lie at depths suited to recreational and technical divers, and the shallow Skeleton Wreck can be snorkelled.
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
5.Hidden Beach and Matinloc Shrine
On El Nido's Tour C, boats stop at Hidden Beach, a small cove reached by swimming through a gap in the rocks, Secret Beach and the abandoned Matinloc Shrine, a chapel on a headland with viewpoints over the western islands. The route has more open-water crossings and can be cancelled when seas are rough.
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
6.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. It is a gentler, beach-focused tour that suits families.
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
7.Nacpan Beach
About 17 km north of El Nido Town, Nacpan is a gently curving beach of about 4 km of pale sand backed by coconut palms, with a few simple restaurants and bars at the access point. A short hike up the hill at one end shows Nacpan and neighbouring Calitang beaches side by side.
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
8.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. It is the easiest place from El Nido Town to swim and watch the sun go down behind the islands.
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
Viewpoint · El Nido Town
1.Taraw Cliff
The jagged limestone cliff directly behind El Nido Town gives views over the rooftops to Bacuit Bay. Guided canopy walks with harnesses and suspended bridges climb to a viewpoint on the razor-sharp karst; the climb is steep and requires gloves and good footwear.
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
Nature · Coron Island
2.Barracuda Lake
A brackish lake inside the limestone of Coron Island, known among divers for its thermocline, where the water temperature rises sharply at a few metres' depth. Snorkellers see the underwater rock formations, while divers can descend with an operator.
Bring a mask; the rock formations below the surface are the reason to come.
- Time needed
- 1 hour
- Cost
- Low cost
- Nature
- Active
- Off the beaten path
Nature · Coron Island
3.Twin Lagoon
Two lagoons on Coron Island separated by a limestone wall, connected by a small opening you can swim through at low tide or reach by a ladder at high tide. Where fresh and salt water mix, the water shimmers with layers of warm and cool currents.
Visit at low tide if you want to swim under the rock rather than climb the ladder.
- Time needed
- 1 hour
- Cost
- Low cost
- Nature
- Kids
- Photo spot
Viewpoint · Coron Town
4.Mount Tapyas
A stairway of about 700 steps climbs to a large cross on a hill above Coron Town, with views over the harbour, Coron Bay and the surrounding islands. It is the classic sunset walk in Coron.
Start about an hour before sunset and bring water; there are rest points on the way up.
- Time needed
- 1–1.5 hours
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Views
- Active
- Photo spot
Nature · Coron Town
5.Maquinit Hot Spring
A rare saltwater hot spring set among mangroves a few kilometres from Coron Town, with stone pools at a temperature of around 40°C. It is an easy evening soak after a day of diving or a climb up Mount Tapyas.
Go in the evening when the air is cooler; bring a change of clothes.
- Time needed
- 1–2 hours
- Cost
- Low cost
- Couples
- After dark
- Outdoors
Zoo · Busuanga
6.Calauit Safari Park
Created in 1977 when giraffes, zebras and antelopes were brought from Kenya, this wildlife reserve on Calauit Island in northern Busuanga also protects the endemic Calamian deer. Visitors ride an open vehicle through the grassland and can feed giraffes.
It is a long trip from Coron Town by road and boat; go early and combine it with a beach stop.
- Time needed
- Full day from Coron
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- Kids
- Nature
- Outdoors
Island · Puerto Princesa
7.Honda Bay island hopping
A short boat ride from Puerto Princesa's north side, Honda Bay's small islands include Cowrie Island, Luli Island (which partly disappears at high tide) and Starfish Island, with shallow snorkelling and white-sand beaches. It is a relaxed half-day or full-day trip from the city.
Choose the trip if you have a spare day in Puerto Princesa; the reefs are modest compared with El Nido and Coron.
- Time needed
- Half a day to full day
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- Kids
- Outdoors
- Nature
Historic site · Puerto Princesa
8.Plaza Cuartel
The remains of a Japanese garrison where about 150 American prisoners of war were killed in December 1944, now a small memorial park beside the Immaculate Conception Cathedral in Puerto Princesa. Markers tell the story of the massacre and the handful of survivors.
Visit with the cathedral next door and the waterfront Baywalk in the late afternoon.
- Time needed
- 30 minutes
- Cost
- Free
- History
- Free
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Zoo · Puerto Princesa
9.Palawan Wildlife Rescue and Conservation Center
Known locally as the Crocodile Farm, the centre outside Puerto Princesa breeds the endangered Philippine crocodile and keeps saltwater crocodiles and other Palawan wildlife. Tours include the hatchery and a raised walkway over the crocodile ponds.
Combine with Baker's Hill and the city sights on a half-day tricycle tour.
- Time needed
- 1–1.5 hours
- Cost
- Low cost
- Kids
- Nature
- Rainy day
Nature · Sulu Sea
10.Tubbataha Reefs
A marine park of two atolls and a reef in the middle of the Sulu Sea, about 150 km south-east of Puerto Princesa, protected as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Diving is possible only on liveaboard boats during a short season, usually from mid-March to mid-June, with sharks, turtles and steep coral walls.
Trips suit experienced divers; currents can be strong and the crossing from Puerto Princesa takes about 10 hours overnight.
- Time needed
- 4–6 nights on a liveaboard
- Cost
- Expensive
- Book ahead
- Liveaboard places are limited and usually sell out many months before the season.
- Nature
- Active
- Off the beaten path
Pick by interest
| Interest | Best picks |
|---|---|
| History | Coron Bay wreck dives and Plaza Cuartel |
| Views | Hidden Beach and Matinloc Shrine, Snake Island and Tour B, Nacpan Beach and Las Cabanas Beach |
| Outdoors and nature | Puerto Princesa Subterranean River, Big Lagoon and Small Lagoon, Kayangan Lake and Hidden Beach and Matinloc Shrine |
| After dark | Las Cabanas Beach and Maquinit Hot Spring |
| With children | Puerto Princesa Subterranean River, Snake Island and Tour B, Nacpan Beach and Twin Lagoon |
| On a rainy day | Puerto Princesa Subterranean River and Palawan Wildlife Rescue and Conservation Center |
What to book ahead
- 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.
- Tubbataha Reefs: Liveaboard places are limited and usually sell out many months before the season.
Plan the rest of your trip
Questions travellers ask
+What is the number one thing to do in Palawan?
Puerto Princesa Subterranean River. An underground river flows for about 8 km through a limestone cave beneath the Saint Paul Mountain Range before reaching the sea.
+What can you do for free in Palawan?
Nacpan Beach, Las Cabanas Beach, Mount Tapyas and Plaza Cuartel. More free things to do.
+What is there to do in Palawan when it rains?
Head indoors to Puerto Princesa Subterranean River and Palawan Wildlife Rescue and Conservation Center.
+What is there to do in Palawan at night?
Las Cabanas Beach and Maquinit Hot Spring are best after dark.