Where to stay · Palawan · Philippines
Where to stay in Palawan
8 neighbourhoods compared, with the trade-offs hotel listings don't tell you.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: Ron Van Oers, CC BY-SA 3.0 igo
Quick answer
For a first visit, stay in El Nido Town. Compact beach town under limestone cliffs, departure point for Bacuit Bay tours. Best alternatives — families: Corong-Corong.
Key facts
- First visit
- El Nido Town
- Families
- Corong-Corong
- Budget
- El Nido Town
- Nightlife
- El Nido Town
Best area for each kind of trip
| Trip type | Area | Why |
|---|---|---|
| First-timers | El Nido Town | Compact beach town under limestone cliffs, departure point for Bacuit Bay tours |
| Families | Corong-Corong | Sunset-facing bay just south of town with resorts and beach bars |
| Couples | Corong-Corong | Sunset-facing bay just south of town with resorts and beach bars |
| Budget | El Nido Town | Compact beach town under limestone cliffs, departure point for Bacuit Bay tours |
| Luxury | Lio Beach | Planned beach development beside El Nido's airport, about 6 km north of town |
| Nightlife | El Nido Town | Compact beach town under limestone cliffs, departure point for Bacuit Bay tours |
| Food lovers | Puerto Princesa City | Provincial capital with the main airport, seafood grills and Honda Bay |
| Solo travellers | El Nido Town | Compact beach town under limestone cliffs, departure point for Bacuit Bay tours |
| Quiet stays | Lio Beach | Planned beach development beside El Nido's airport, about 6 km north of town |
| Beach | Corong-Corong | Sunset-facing bay just south of town with resorts and beach bars |
Palawan neighbourhoods in detail
$$ · Best for first-timers, solo travellers, budget and nightlife
El Nido Town
El Nido Town (Buena Suerte) squeezes guesthouses, dive shops, bars and restaurants along Calle Hama and the streets behind the town beach, where island-hopping boats leave each morning. Taraw Cliff rises straight behind it. It is the most convenient and social base, though the beach itself is a working harbour rather than a swimming beach.
- Good
- Walk to tour departures; Most restaurants and bars; Wide choice of budget rooms
- Watch out
- Crowded and noisy in high season; Town beach not good for swimming; Power and water supply can be patchy
- Nearby
- Taraw Cliff, El Nido town beach, Corong-Corong
$$ · Best for couples, families and beach
Corong-Corong
About 2 km south of El Nido Town by tricycle, Corong-Corong faces west across Bacuit Bay, so it gets the sunsets the town beach misses. It has mid-range resorts, cafés and beach bars on the road down to Las Cabanas Beach, and many island-hopping boats also pick up here.
- Good
- Sunset views over the bay; Quieter than town; Close to Las Cabanas
- Watch out
- Tricycle needed for town; Narrow beach at high tide
- Nearby
- Las Cabanas Beach, Marimegmeg Beach, El Nido Town
$$$ · Best for families, luxury and quiet stays
Lio Beach
Lio is a master-planned estate with a long, clean beach, resort hotels, restaurants and shops beside El Nido's small airport. It is calm, walkable within the estate and easy with children, but it feels more manicured and less local than El Nido Town.
- Good
- Long, swimmable beach; Reliable infrastructure; Next to the airport
- Watch out
- Higher prices; Twenty minutes from town and tour departures
- Nearby
- El Nido Airport, Nacpan Beach, El Nido Town
$$ · Best for first-timers, budget and solo travellers
Coron Town
Coron Town on Busuanga is a working harbour town with dive centres, guesthouses and seafood restaurants on the streets behind the pier, where island tours and dive boats depart. Mount Tapyas overlooks it and Maquinit Hot Spring is a short ride away. There is no beach in town; the beaches and lagoons are on boat trips.
- Good
- Short boat rides to Coron Island and wrecks; Plenty of dive shops; Good-value rooms
- Watch out
- No beach in town; Busy, traffic-filled main street
- Nearby
- Mount Tapyas, Maquinit Hot Spring, Coron Island, Coron wrecks
$$ · Best for first-timers, food lovers and families
Puerto Princesa City
Puerto Princesa is a city rather than a resort, with the main airport, hotels along Rizal Avenue, the cathedral and Plaza Cuartel, and good restaurants for chao long noodles and grilled seafood. It is the base for the underground river and Honda Bay day trips and the start of the long drive north.
- Good
- Main flight hub; Good restaurants and services; Easy day trips
- Watch out
- Not a beach destination; Underground river is two hours away
- Nearby
- Plaza Cuartel, Honda Bay, Palawan Wildlife Rescue and Conservation Center
$$ · Best for quiet stays, couples and beach
Sabang
Sabang, about 80 km north-west of Puerto Princesa, is the boat landing for the Puerto Princesa Subterranean River, with a long beach, a few resorts and simple cottages. Staying overnight lets you see the river early, before day-trip vans arrive, and add the mangrove paddle tour and Ugong Rock nearby.
- Good
- Beat the day-trip crowds at the river; Jungle and beach setting; Very quiet nights
- Watch out
- Limited dining and services; Unreliable mobile signal
- Nearby
- Puerto Princesa Subterranean River, Sabang mangrove forest, Ugong Rock
$ · Best for budget, quiet stays, solo travellers and beach
Port Barton
Port Barton in San Vicente is a small village on a crescent beach, reached by a road branching off the main north–south highway. It has guesthouses and cafés right on the sand and its own island-hopping tours to reefs, sandbars and turtle-feeding areas, at a slower pace than El Nido.
- Good
- Relaxed village atmosphere; Beachfront rooms at low prices; Fewer boats on tours
- Watch out
- Electricity only in limited hours in some places; Few ATMs, so bring cash
- Nearby
- White Beach, German Island, Long Beach
$$ · Best for quiet stays, beach and couples
San Vicente and Long Beach
San Vicente town sits at one end of Long Beach, a roughly 14-kilometre stretch of pale sand on the west coast between Port Barton and El Nido. Development is still light, with a handful of resorts and homestays, so it suits travellers looking for space and quiet more than activities.
- Good
- Empty sand for kilometres; Peaceful; Sunset views
- Watch out
- Few restaurants; Transport links are limited
- Nearby
- Long Beach, Port Barton, San Vicente Airport
Areas compared
| Area | Price | Nearby |
|---|---|---|
| El Nido Town | $$ | Taraw Cliff, El Nido town beach, Corong-Corong |
| Corong-Corong | $$ | Las Cabanas Beach, Marimegmeg Beach, El Nido Town |
| Lio Beach | $$$ | El Nido Airport, Nacpan Beach, El Nido Town |
| Coron Town | $$ | Mount Tapyas, Maquinit Hot Spring, Coron Island, Coron wrecks |
| Puerto Princesa City | $$ | Plaza Cuartel, Honda Bay, Palawan Wildlife Rescue and Conservation Center |
| Sabang | $$ | Puerto Princesa Subterranean River, Sabang mangrove forest, Ugong Rock |
| Port Barton | $ | White Beach, German Island, Long Beach |
| San Vicente and Long Beach | $$ | Long Beach, Port Barton, San Vicente Airport |
Getting to your hotel
Puerto Princesa International Airport (PPS) is about 10 minutes by tricycle from the city centre. Coron's Francisco B. Reyes Airport (USU) is on Busuanga, about 30–40 minutes by van from Coron Town. El Nido's small Lio Airport (ENI) has a limited number of flights on small aircraft, mainly from Manila, and is about 15 minutes from town.
Questions travellers ask
+What is the best area to stay in Palawan for first-time visitors?
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.
+Where should families stay in Palawan?
Corong-Corong: Sunset views over the bay.
+Which area of Palawan is best for a budget stay?
El Nido Town ($$): Compact beach town under limestone cliffs, departure point for Bacuit Bay tours.