Palawan or Boracay? Which Philippine island should you choose for your holiday? Resorts of the Philippines. Palawan Island Palawan Island Philippines how to get there

We didn’t plan to write such a post, but we regularly receive letters in the mail with a similar question, despite the fact that there seems to be enough information on the Internet on this topic. There are two options - by sea and by plane. The first one is cheaper, but long, suitable if you have a lot of time. The second one is somewhat more expensive, but much more comfortable and faster. Therefore, most people should probably prefer air travel.

But, if you still want to travel by sea, then know that there are several options, both by company and by port of departure/arrival. Describing them all would require a separate post, so we’ll limit ourselves to just the names: 2 Go (Super Ferry), Atienza Shipping Lines, Montenegro, San Nicolas Shipping, Milagrosa Shipping, Negros Navigation. It is quite possible there are others.

Does Air Asia fly to Palawan?

In fact, the most frequently asked question is “... is it true that you can now get to Palawan with Air Asia?”

- Yes, you can.

How much does a plane ticket cost?

From Cebu to Palawan

If you are vacationing in Cebu, you can get to Palawan by direct flight with Cebu Pacific.

From Boracay to Palawan

As far as we know, there are no direct flights of scheduled airlines, all are operated on the Boracay - Manila - route. Departure airports from Boracay are Kalibo and Caticlan. It is noteworthy that from Kalibo it can be half the price!

In addition, they regularly ask how we got from Puerto Princesa to El Nido. In the future we will try to write a detailed report, for now we will only give one piece of advice - use the bus, not a minivan - it is cheaper and more comfortable, the travel time is the same.

From Karon Island to Palawan

No, don’t think, you don’t need to fly here (although you can with Air Juan), just take one of the many boats plying between these two islands. True, the sail is long, as we were told, about 6 - 7 hours. There is no point in describing what, how and how much; you can easily find out everything on the spot.

Thank you and enjoy your holiday on the wonderful island of Palawan!

updated: April 11, 2017 by: Sergei

Palawan is one of the most unusual islands in the Philippines, which allows you to truly feel unity with nature and was created both for lovers of quiet family vacation, and for fans aquatic species sports.

Interesting Facts

Palawan is the most large island in the country and is a small archipelago of a large central island (Palawan itself) and many small islands.

Palawan has the status of a nature reserve of global importance due to its amazing nature.

One of the longest underground rivers in the world flows on the island.

One of the parts of the famous "James Bond" - "Tomorrow Never Dies" - was filmed in Palawan.

The largest pearl in the world was found here, weighing 24 kg.

Famous ocean explorer Jacques Cousteau believed that Palawan had the most magnificent seascapes in the world.

You should know it

Getting to Palawan There are two ways: by ferry and by plane, which depart from Manila to the capital of Palawan - Puerto Princesa. But the ferry is, firstly, a method of transportation for people with strong nerves or complete romantics. Such movement may also be justified by the presence of large cargo. The journey takes 2.5 days. An airplane is faster, more pleasant and more expensive at just 200-300 rubles.

Concerning weather conditions , That best time To go to the Philippines to Palawan, the period is from December to May, because the rest of the time you can get caught in prolonged downpours. The temperature in the dry season is quite comfortable - 26-29 0 C.

Beaches of Palawan

If you want to feel like Robinson Crusoe, stranded on a desert island, then Palawan is right choice. One of the favorite entertainments of tourists is boat trips to one of the 45 nearby uninhabited islands. The deserted beaches that are hidden by the coastal cliffs will amaze you after the mountainous terrain of Palawan itself.

The most ecological resort in Palawan - Apulit Island - will not leave you indifferent, thanks to its beaches with white sand, clear water and amazing representatives of flora and fauna: more than 1,500 species of plants, most of which are from the orchid family, cat bear, pangolin (giant salamander).

Cat bear (or red panda)

Diving and snorkeling enthusiasts will find happiness in Honda Bay. In general, diving in Palawan is rightfully considered the best in the world, and Tubbataha Reef is recognized as a UNESCO world heritage site. For your attention - a variety of corals, ocean and coral fish, shellfish.

But the resort and reserve area of El Nido, which consists of many islands, most often uninhabited, deserves special attention. And you have the wonderful opportunity to spend the whole day on the beach, which is only yours, enjoying the sun, ocean and swimming in the lagoons.

Cultural and entertainment program

Palawan - one of a kind nature reserve, therefore, all the entertainment and attractions of this island are directly related to its nature.

One of the popular activities here is going down to the wrecks of the Second World War, which can be found near islands such as Coron, Busuanga, Kalamian.

It is worth mentioning the El Nido Islands again. On Ursula Island there is a fish sanctuary and wildlife, to Pagsanyan - Pagsanya waterfall and amazing river rapids. Resort area El Nido is centered on two islands: Miniloc, where there are houses on stilts in the water and the appearance of a simple fishing village, and Lagen, which boasts the title best resort Palawan.

If you have time, be sure to visit the Palawan Museum, the Butterfly Farm, the Original Jail Without Walls, and the Crocodile Institute, all in Puerto Princesa.

The huge complex of 200 Tabon caves is interesting from an archaeological point of view: the remains of human ancestors were found here, dating back to the 24th millennium BC.

Another interesting place that deserves your attention is the old capital of Palawan - Taytay Island. Here you will discover the ruins of the largest Spanish fleet, the fort's chapel and bring back original souvenirs, presented in abundance on the island.

Amazing mountains, impenetrable jungles, the richest undersea world and pristine nature - isn’t it The best way take a break from the everyday hustle and bustle of the concrete jungle.

On New Year 2017 we decided to go to the Philippines. Going there for the winter vacation, we found ourselves at the very peak of the tourist season, when the weather is completely favorable for relaxation. You don't need a visa for the Philippines, since we were going there for only 14 days. After looking through many options, we decided to go to Palawan Island at the most... Big city Puerto Princesa (Philippines). First of all, we needed to select air tickets, insurance and an appropriate hotel.

Palawan Island: how to get there

We always book tickets ourselves and save money on it. This is especially true for trips to Asia. Flights to the Philippines are not cheap, so we used a proven service. By going to the search engine's website, we entered the point of departure and arrival, as well as the dates and number of travelers. The system offered several flight options. The most ideal option was to fly via Abu Dhabi with Etihad Airways, and then with Philippine Airlines, connecting in Manila and flying on domestic airlines of the same company to Puerto Princesa, Philippines. The cost of round-trip tickets for two people was about 100,000 rubles. And the total travel time amounted to 36 hours, which were too tiring. Airlines provided great service, especially Etihad. At the airport we arrived at terminal 3 and flew back from there. The airline passengers were offered free juices and water, and they could take blankets to cover themselves in the waiting room (since the air conditioning works very well, blankets can also be taken from the plane). You can get vouchers from the Etihad counter to eat on the second floor, but not all food outlets. The shower is also free, and wi-fi worked almost everywhere.

At the Manila airport everything was much simpler, but we spent relatively little time there. Arriving at Puerto Princesa Airport, a transfer was waiting for us from the hotel where we had booked the rooms.

Hotel Palawan, Philippines

Find good hotel Palawan (Philippines) is problematic. Most of the hotels that we were able to find had a rating of 2-3 stars. Their average cost varies from 17,000 to 50,000 rubles for 14 days. To find a hotel, we used a free search engine. We managed to find very good hotel, which mainly had luxury rooms and villas. The hotel is called . The cost of this hotel in Palawan (Philippines) is almost 100,000 rubles for two people for 13 nights. The rooms are spacious, with excellent furniture, wide plasma TVs, satellite channels, minibar, free Internet, air conditioning and all the attributes of a decent hotel. As soon as we arrived, we were offered welcome drinks while a hotel representative completed paperwork.

Hotel Palawan (Philippines) Princesa Garden Island Resort and Spa occupies large area with a huge swimming pool, along the perimeter of which there are good sun loungers and umbrellas, under which you can hide from the heat. The layout is executed at the highest level, this also applies to the entire hotel area. The spaces between the villas are connected by limestone walkways in the middle of a wide grassy lawn. There are many tall palm trees on the territory that create the atmosphere of a tropical paradise. Hotel Palawan (Philippines) Princesa Garden Island Resort and Spa located on the first coastline and has a small private beach.

Cheap hotels in Palawan (Philippines)

During our stay, we noticed cheap hotels in Puerto Princesa. First of all, this one cost 650 pesos. Very quiet place, located 10 minutes from the airport and everything you need - market, souvenir shops and restaurants. This hotel is owned by 4 girls who are very hospitable.

Other budget hotels in Puerto Princesa, Philippines

Prices start at 750 pesos.
. Prices start at 680 pesos.
. Prices start at 700 pesos.
. Prices start at 710 pesos.
. Prices start at 720 pesos.

Beaches of Puerto Princesa, Philippines

We were lucky with the beaches, since there are not many places for swimming in Puerto Princesa (Philippines) and they are located at a considerable distance from most hotels, so you have to take a taxi or rent a scooter to get to them. To be honest, it’s not entirely clear how you can swim on them, because they are practically not equipped, although they don’t look bad at all. In the eastern part of Puerto Princesa you can swim at BM beach, Kalayaan beach and Pristine beach in the southern part. Almost everywhere the water is ankle-deep, so the beaches are more suitable for walking than for swimming. But you can try.

Things to do in Puerto Princessa

Diving

The most popular entertainment for tourists coming to the island of Palawan is diving, which we enjoyed doing, since we both have certificates. There are many companies here that offer equipment rentals and transfers to popular dive sites. The most popular place is West Coast. From Puerto Princesa (Philippines) most of these places are relatively close. Here it is great amount sunken ships from the Second World War. In addition, you can dive at the reefs of Basterra and Tubbataha.

underground river

During our trip to the West Coast, we took an amazing boat ride on an underground river. Transfer there can be organized by excursion companies located in the city. The transfer is carried out by minibus, which picks up tourists from the hotel in Palawan (Philippines). Next, a distance of about 50 kilometers is covered, which takes less than 1 hour. You can only ride in one place and, despite the fact that this is the longest underground river in the world, you can only swim for about 1 kilometer, but that's enough. The tour costs 1,200 pesos and includes a buffet lunch.

City Tour

While on vacation in Puerto Princesa (Philippines), you can go on a city tour. I highly recommend that you do this yourself. You can rent a bicycle or motorcycle and hit the road. In the city you can see the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception, a butterfly garden and a crocodile farm.

Crocodile Farm and Butterfly Garden

One day we decided to diversify our stay in Puerto Princesa (Philippines) by visiting a crocodile farm. We went there by chance, after lunch. We arrived by taxi, since the distance from the city is 12 km. There are no shows there, but it is interesting to look at the reptiles. There are many aquariums here for breeding these descendants of dinosaurs.

On the way back we stopped at the butterfly garden, which is located along the road in the Santa Monica area. Here they are collected and reproduced rare species butterflies living on the island. Here you can watch the process of their breeding or simply admire the rare species of these island inhabitants. Scorpions, reed switches and others also live in the garden.

Islands

You can go on a boat trip in Puerto Princesa (Philippines). Excursions to Honda Bay are sold on the street. It costs 1000 pesos and includes lunch. But you can take a boat for 1,500 pesos and see the islands and bay on your own.

Food in Puerto Princesa (Philippines)

Puerto Princesa, Philippines has all the food you can find in Asia. Here you will find all sorts of fast food restaurants like Jollibee, McDonalds, Chowking and Razon’s.

To our surprise, we only saw two supermarkets on Palawan Island. But we didn't really need them. And what was strange was that there was very little fresh fruit. You can buy bananas, coconuts, oranges, pineapples, watermelons, apples. There wasn't even a very wide variety of vegetables: small tomatoes, cucumbers, eggplants and green beans. But the signature dish here is seafood, of course. We were at the night market, where you can buy all kinds of fish, crabs, prepared vegetables and of course rice, which is served on a large banana leaf.

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Island Palawan located on the coast of the South China Sea near the border with. It is a fairly long piece of land with a length of over 420 km. It is covered with mangrove forests, tropical jungles and Mountain peaks. The island is inhabited by more than 85 nationalities, forming the most multinational region on Philippines. Palawan can be called a kind of archipelago within an archipelago. The main part of the land is surrounded by dozens of small islands, forming picturesque lagoons and bays of a pronounced turquoise color. From a bird's eye view, the island appears to be an endless tropical paradise of countless mountains, hills and hills covered with dense jungle. The resort is of particular interest to eco-tourists, who have the opportunity to have a wonderful rest in the cozy hotels of the exotic reserve El Nido in northern Palawan.

The most best impressions from staying in these fabulous places divers also receive when diving into emerald sea waters, washing the island from all sides. Several dozen magnificent beaches in the most secluded areas are the reason to fulfill the dreams of many romantic couples and people who want to spend time alone with nature. Numerous excursion routes bring significant diversity to beach holiday, making it even more rich and exciting. In terms of cost, Palawan is considered one of the most expensive resorts in the Philippines, which, however, is quite reasonable.

The most densely populated area of the island is its administrative center – Puerto Princesa. First of all, it is famous for its crocodile farms and underground river, which has the status National Park and included in the List World Heritage UNESCO. The abundance of limestone karst rock formations contributes to the appearance of natural cavities into which water flows. The reserve is located 50 km from the city limits between Saint Paul Bay and the Babuyan River, in the north of the island. The entrance to the cave with an underground river begins in a turquoise-colored water lagoon, near the city of Sabang. The river flows for 8 km towards the South China Sea through many grottoes replete with massive stalactites and stalagmites. The land part of the park, located above the river, is covered with mountain forests and mangroves. About 800 plants characteristic of tropical Asia grow here. In addition, the reserve is home to almost two dozen reptiles, 30 species of mammals and about 70% of the birds represented throughout the archipelago. Among the animals, such unique individuals as the bearded pig, long-tailed macaque and Palawan binturong are common. A visit to the Underground River National Park is included in the compulsory program tourist route for guests visiting the island of Palawan. The reserve is extremely rich in colorful sights and is a wonderful example of wild nature, carefully preserved by man.

The city of Puerto Princesa is named after Princess Eulalia de Bourbon, who was the daughter of the Spanish Queen Isabella II, who founded the island's capital in 1872. During the time of Spanish colonialism, Puerto Princesa developed rapidly, becoming the main industrial, commercial and economic center of the country. Already at the end XIX century the city was recognized as the most beautiful in the Philippines. Over time, numerous refugees from countries found shelter here South-East Asia and other regions of the Philippine archipelago, gradually turning Puerto Princesa into an international city with beautiful architecture and high social status. Today, it is home to about 160,000 people of different cultures and nationalities, speaking different languages, among which English, Tagalog and Visayan are widely spoken. Among the city's attractions, it is worth noting the picturesque Princess Eulalia Park, founded in 1872, Palawan Museum dedicated to the history of the island, Mendoza Park, erected in honor of the resistance fighters who fought against the Japanese occupiers during the Second World War and Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception on Rizal Avenue.

The best diving spot on the island is considered Honda Bay. There you can see a whole scattering of exotic fish and magnificent landscapes of coral gardens. The most remote area for scuba divers, Tubbataha Reef is located 180 km from the resort, but is nevertheless very popular among divers. Along the island coast there are luxurious sandy beaches, some of which have modern luxury hotels, restaurants and nightclubs, and some are intended for secluded relaxation far from civilization. Thrill seekers can visit the cave complex Tabon, where fossil remains of humanoid creatures dating back to approximately the 24th millennium BC were once found. On this moment out of more than 200 caves, only 7 are open to the public. sea trips have the opportunity to rent a boat, canoe or speedboat and go to unforgettable journey along the coast.

The best time to visit Palawan is from January to April, when the bright sun shines over the island and there is not a single cloud in the sky. From May to December the region experiences heavy rainfall and windy strong winds. Wherein average temperature the air does not change much throughout the year and is +27 degrees, but a significant part of tourists come to relax here both in summer and winter, preferring to focus on the weather forecast in the near future.

Holidays on the island of Palawan are attractive in many ways. This and snow-white beaches of fine sand, and a rich underwater world, and the azure waters of the South China Sea, and colorful natural landscapes, and developed tourist infrastructure. As one of the best eco-resorts in Asia, Palawan annually attracts tens of thousands of tourists from all over the world, thereby fully justifying its reputation.

Let's consider one of the most beautiful islands planets.

Mesmerizing beauty, magnificent sunrises and sunsets, clear azure water - all this can be seen with your own eyes on the island of Palawan, which is located in the Philippines. There are about 7,000 different islands scattered throughout the state, among which lies the paradise and mysterious Palawan. The views of the island are very reminiscent of Thai Koh Chang, famous for its emerald green.

One of the bays of Palawan island

But getting there is not so easy. This can be done with a transfer in Manila, the capital of the Philippines. And from there there is a flight to Puerto Princesa - this is main city Palawan Islands.

Palawan Island on the map

geographical coordinates 9.499555, 118.461604
length about 430 km
width from 8 to 40 km

The sights in this city can be counted on one hand, but that’s not the point. For example, visitors love to visit the military museum. Although there are not so many exhibits of wartime equipment, it is interesting to see. Or why not a temple, there is one in Puerto Princesa. This is an elongated sky-white Catholic church that was built in distant colonial times. It is a kind of imprint of those distant historical events. So that's almost it interesting places main city of the Philippines.

Much more remarkable is the underground river, legends about which have been developing for centuries. It is located on the opposite part of the island - in the village of Sabang. And to get there, you need to stand in line. This may take several hours or days.

This is where the journey along the underground river of Palawan Island begins

Sabang, like any place in the Philippines, has stunning views. Those who like to watch the raging elements can stop on the beach. Sitting on the white sand, you will certainly enjoy the sight of the water crashing uncontrollably against the rocky outcroppings. It's fascinating. There are many on the coast deserted beaches. A kingdom of silence and tranquility, a paradise for those who want to enjoy peace.

On the coast of Palawan island

As soon as it’s your turn, you can immediately swim to the underground river. It originates far in the mountains, and enters the sea, flowing through caves. The boat carrying tourists begins its journey through these caves. They have been washed away by this river for centuries. By the way, this is why the river is called underground. The walk lasts no more than an hour, so you need to be able to enjoy the views in a short time. The crystal clear water is home to endangered species of fish and turtles, which can be seen in the river with keen eyesight.

These amazing things “grow” in the underground river of the island

A little lighting and it will be just like in the Reed Flute Cave in China

The island of Palawan is not rich in sights and monuments; nature is much more important here: endless Cote d'Azur, sandy and stone white beaches. In a word, calm and only calm. Despite the long and thorny path to the island, your expectations will be justified. If you dream of being alone with yourself in the lap of nature, then this place is ideal for relaxation.

If you have time, you can also visit the island of Mactan, where the legendary navigator Ferdinand Magellan was killed, but a monument was erected to his killer, Chief Lapu-Lapu.