With kids · Palawan · Philippines
Palawan with kids
Family-tested sights, a calm base and the practical details that make travelling with children easier.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: Jordan Balintac, CC BY-SA 4.0
Quick answer
Palawan suits families who enjoy the water: calm lagoons, sandbars, snorkelling from the beach and the boat ride into the underground river. Long road journeys and early boat departures are the main challenges, so pick fewer bases and resorts with easy beach access. Top picks: Puerto Princesa Subterranean River, Snake Island and Tour B and Nacpan Beach. Families usually base themselves in Lio Beach.
Key facts
- Family picks
- 7
- Best area for families
- Lio Beach
- Rainy-day options
- 2
- Busiest months
- April and December
Best things to do with kids
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
Island · Bacuit Bay, El Nido
2.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
3.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
Nature · Coron Island
4.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
Zoo · Busuanga
5.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
6.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
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Zoo · Puerto Princesa
7.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
Rainy-day ideas
- Puerto Princesa Subterranean River — Stay a night in Sabang and take the first boats of the morning, before day tours from Puerto Princesa arrive.
- Palawan Wildlife Rescue and Conservation Center — Combine with Baker's Hill and the city sights on a half-day tricycle tour.
Where families should stay
$$$ · 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
Family travel tips
- Ask tour operators for child-size life jackets and choose shorter, calmer routes like El Nido's Tour B.
- Break the Puerto Princesa–El Nido drive with a night in Port Barton or Sabang.
- Pack reef-safe sunscreen, rash guards and water shoes; the sun on the boats is intense.
- Lio Beach near El Nido has a swimmable beach and reliable facilities for younger children.
- Carry basic medicines; pharmacies in small towns have limited stock.
Day trips for families
- 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.
When to go with children
The best months overall are January–April. April and December are the busiest, so book the big sights early. Weather by month.
Questions travellers ask
+Is Palawan good for kids?
Palawan suits families who enjoy the water: calm lagoons, sandbars, snorkelling from the beach and the boat ride into the underground river. Long road journeys and early boat departures are the main challenges, so pick fewer bases and resorts with easy beach access.
+What can kids do in Palawan?
Puerto Princesa Subterranean River, Snake Island and Tour B, Nacpan Beach, Twin Lagoon and Calauit Safari Park.
+Where should families stay in Palawan?
Lio Beach: Planned beach development beside El Nido's airport, about 6 km north of town.