Palawan Tour Packages: How to Choose El Nido, Coron and Puerto Princesa Trips (2026)

Palawan is the Philippines’ best-known island escape: limestone islands and lagoons around El Nido, shipwreck diving and calm bays at Coron, and an underground river near Puerto Princesa. A good package puts them together without wasting days in vans and ports, which is easy to do here. Here’s how to choose a Palawan package, which route works for your length of stay, and what to check before you book.

What a good Palawan package includes

The basics are flights, transfers, hotels and island-hopping. What separates a good package from a thin one is how those fit together. Check that internal flights or ferries are included, not just “transfers”, and that the route doesn’t backtrack. Look at which hotels are named: on Palawan, location makes a big difference, whether you’re in El Nido town, on a beach outside it or on a private island resort. And check whether island-hopping is a shared group boat or a private one, and whether the environmental and lagoon fees are included.

Ask for an itemized quote. A cheaper headline price often means shared boats, simpler hotels or long overland transfers.

5 days: El Nido

Fly direct from Manila or Cebu to Lio Airport, about 4 km from El Nido town. Spend four nights there, with two or three days on the water. El Nido’s boat trips around Bacuit Bay are organized as four standard tours, known as A, B, C and D, each covering a different set of lagoons, beaches and islands. On a private boat you can mix them and go early, before the shared boats arrive. Our guide to El Nido’s beaches covers where to swim.

7 days: El Nido and Coron

Add Coron after El Nido. The two are connected by boat across the sea, a crossing of several hours that depends on the weather, so flying via Manila is the fallback. Coron is known for its clear lakes, such as Kayangan and Barracuda, and for the Japanese shipwrecks from World War II, which make it one of the best wreck-diving spots in Asia. Three nights there is enough for most people.

10 days: Puerto Princesa, El Nido and Coron

Start in Puerto Princesa for the Underground River at Sabang, a UNESCO World Heritage site about two hours from the city. Visits need a permit, which your operator arranges. Then drive north to El Nido, about five to six hours by road with stops, and finish in Coron. It’s the most complete Palawan trip, and the route that makes most sense if you’d like to see more than the beaches. See our Palawan travel guide and how to get to El Nido.

Private or group?

Group packages and shared island-hopping are the cheapest way to see El Nido, and the boats can be busy, with set stops on a set schedule. A private package costs more, but you get your own boat and guide, your own timing, and hotels you’ve chosen. It’s the better fit for couples, families and anyone who’d rather avoid the busiest lagoons at midday.

When to go

The dry season, roughly November or December to May, is the best time for calm seas and island-hopping. The southwest monsoon from about June to October brings rain and rougher water, and boat trips can be cancelled. Our best time to visit Palawan page has the details by month.

Before you go

US citizens can visit the Philippines without a visa for a short tourist stay; check the length of stay allowed for your passport. Every arriving passenger has to register on the government’s eTravel system at etravel.gov.ph, free of charge, within 72 hours before arrival. You’ll get a QR code to show on arrival. Use the official site, not a paid copy.

Planning it with My Way Travel

We plan private trips in the Philippines with flights, transfers, private boats and named hotels in one itinerary. My Way Travel is rated 4.8 to 5.0 on Tripadvisor across its listings in Vietnam, Thailand, Cambodia, Spain, Germany and the United States, with more than 3,000 reviews in total. Have a look at our Philippines tours or tell us your dates.

Sources: Philippine Bureau of Immigration advisories on eTravel; Philippine travel guides on El Nido’s island-hopping tours; My Way Travel’s Palawan guides. Last checked October 2026.

Frequently asked questions

How many days do you need in Palawan?

Five days for El Nido, seven to add Coron, and ten to include Puerto Princesa and the Underground River.

What should a Palawan tour package include?

Internal flights or ferries, transfers, named hotels, island-hopping with clear details on whether the boat is shared or private, and the environmental and lagoon fees.

Is El Nido or Coron better?

El Nido for lagoons, beaches and limestone islands; Coron for clear lakes and wreck diving. With a week, you can do both.

What is the best time for a Palawan trip?

The dry season, roughly November or December to May. From about June to October, rain and rough seas can cancel boat trips.

What do Americans need to enter the Philippines?

No visa for a short tourist stay, but every arriving passenger must register on eTravel at etravel.gov.ph within 72 hours before arrival.