Put your eyes out and picture yourself at the most breathtaking tropical paradise that the planet has to offer. Is that clear? The picture that you have conjured up most likely resembles Palawan, which is a chain of more than 1700 islands and islets located in the Philippines to the southwest of Luzon.
These islands are often referred to as the final frontier of the Philippines since they stretch from Busuanga and Coron in the north all the way down to El Nido and Puerto Princesa before arriving at Rio Tuba.
A paradise of beaches with white sand and coral reefs, the islands are home to an extraordinary assortment of marine life, shipwrecks, and limestone cliffs that rise from water that is incredibly transparent. You may get a fair feeling of island life at its best by visiting a few tiny villages and towns that are tucked away among all of this natural beauty.
El Nido, Puerto Princesa, San Vicente, and Coron are the four destination areas that are most popular in this region. Three cities and innumerable tiny islands, some of which were inhabited and others of which were uninhabited, were among the places I visited during my island-hopping expedition around Palawan. Continue reading to learn about some of the most amazing activities that can be enjoyed in this tropical paradise:
Kayangan Lake is to be visited in Coron.
One of the most well-known features of the Philippines is its incredibly beautiful water, and Kayangan Lake is sometimes referred to as the cleanest lake in the nation. In light of this, it was one of the first places I planned to visit on my schedule.
Hidden away in the midst of towering limestone cliffs and dense jungle foliage is where you will find the lake. In order to get to this location, you will need to either participate in a tour or charter a private boat. The route is just a short boat ride from Coron. The tours begin in Coron and cost around $30 to $40 for an excursion that lasts for three hours. On the other hand, we could have chartered a private boat captain and gone around the area without a guide for less than twenty dollars.
To get to the lake, you will have to go over several wooden platforms that are shaky and then suffer a short journey over the cliffs. When you do make it there, however, you will be rewarded with a revitalizing swim in water that is so deep blue that it nearly seems to be too wonderful to be true.
An important piece of advice: the underwater view is just as breathtaking. If you want to explore the rock formations and appreciate the schools of fish that are below the surface, I strongly suggest that you carry a mask and a snorkel with you.
Participate in a Tao Boat Tour To Explore the Islands
The decision to participate in the Tao boat experience was without a doubt one of the most advantageous choices we made throughout our trip. Leaving from Coron, the expedition embarked on a traditional bangka, which is a kind of boat. We journeyed for five days through the beautiful waters surrounding Palawan until we arrived at El Nido, passing by a multitude of little islands and islets along the way. Until I went on this journey, I had never previously been on an island that was completely abandoned.
In addition to the fact that there was always hot herbal tea and coffee on the boil, the staff on board made three delicious meals for us each and every day. The boat was used for some of the meals, while the beach was used for others. We would paddle our way to shore with a dry bag at the end of each day of traveling, and then we would set up camp for the night in bamboo shelters that were hand-made and were only a few feet away from the sound of the sea lapping against the coast.
In all of my trips, which have been quite a few, this was without a doubt one of the most fantastic experiences I’ve ever had. A trip that lasts for four days and four nights typically costs between $650 and $750 per person. The cost of a shorter tour for three nights ranges from $550 to $600. No matter what you would want to do with your time, this vacation is unquestionably worth the cost.
There are a few other firms that provide adventures that are comparable to this one, and some of them even operate on liveaboard yachts. It is possible to use the journey as a means of traveling from one location to another. Bring a desire to meet new people and an open mind with you when you go. You will be traveling with other people on this boat tour since it is not a private transportation option.
Discover the wonders of El Nido’s streets.
El Nido is somewhat of a sleepy little town that manages to be both bustling and relaxed at the same time. The streets are lined with a variety of establishments, including restaurants, cafés, boutique stores, and traditional Filipino residences. Despite the fact that everything seems to have been carefully selected, it is one of those settings where nothing really fits in.
It was Ver De El Nido that I considered to be the best restaurant in the town. The contemporary surroundings, which were inspired by the jungle, and the fascinating menu provided a nice respite from the native cuisine that we had been consuming for the previous five days on the boat trip. The restaurant that served a unique combination of Mexican and Italian meals came highly recommended.
Cash is always a good idea. Cash payments are preferred by a significant number of eateries and small retailers. On the other hand, you should exercise caution and only withdraw money from reputable ATMs. When I travel, I usually bring numerous cards with me in case one of them is stolen by a machine in another country.
El Nido Marine Reserve Park is a place you should visit.
The El Nido Marine Reserve Park is a stunning national reserve that puts on a spectacular exhibition of the abundant and varied marine life that can be found in Palawan. The sanctuary, which can be found in the Northern Palawan archipelago, is the biggest of its kind in the whole nation. Around fifty islands and a handful of low-key eco-resorts make up this marine region, which is considered to be one of the finest conserved marine environments in the Pacific.
Although the park is wonderful for relaxing on the beaches, the true enchantment is hidden under the surface of the surroundings. There are several activities that are popular, such as snorkeling, diving, and kayaking. These activities allow you to go below the surface of the water and discover a world filled with coral caverns, underwater mountains, and an abundance of marine life.
When it comes to divers, there are a few dive spots that are thirty meters deep, and visibility is often about twenty meters. Additionally, the ticket is good for a period of ten days and the reserve levies an eco fee of just four dollars per person.
Take a Boat Rental and Make Your Way Around the Islands of Coron
Island hopping is without a doubt the most effective method of exploring Palawan. Taking everything into consideration, the territory is comprised of about two thousand distinct islands. My first order of business upon arriving in Coron was to strike up conversations with local boat owners along the port front. We were able to negotiate a price of around thirty dollars with a kind guy and his wife in order to have them take us on a short excursion across the islands of Coron.
By hiring a private boat, we were able to tailor our schedule to our specific needs. We went to beaches that were so virgin that there was not a single person in sight, we snorkeled over reefs that had not been seen before, and we sailed over the ocean at our own pace. Even further, we went to the market in Coron and purchased some fresh fruit, aubergines, and sweet potatoes, which our boat driver then grilled for us on a beach that was completely remote.
Visit Puerto Princesa’s Underground River
Over the course of our vacation to Palawan, Puerto Princesa was one of the locations that left the least impression. Although we did spend some time visiting the city and shopping, we found that the city did not have the same sense of being on an island that we had been used to.
The most enjoyable way to spend your time in this area is to go to the Subterranean River National Park, which is home to breathtaking limestone karst cliffs that surround and cover an underground river. The river that is covered ultimately flows into the ocean and is home to a wide variety of marine flora and animals. The cave system is regarded to be among the most spectacular cave systems in the world, and it serves as a protector for one of the continent’s most varied and significant forests.
Scuba dive over shipwrecks that date back to World War II.
In addition to its breathtaking islands, beaches, and lakes, the island of Coron is well-known for the large number of sunken fighter aircraft and shipwrecks that may be found by exploring the depths of the harbor. The United States Navy was responsible for sinking the majority of the Japanese ships that were involved in World War Two.
In addition to being artifacts from the past, the wrecks are also home to thriving coral reefs and fish populations. Although it is a touch unsettling, it is without a doubt one of the most extraordinary underwater sceneries.
The Lusong Gunboat, Akitsushima, Okikawa Maru, and Irako are among the most well-known wreck sites in the world. There are some that are shallow enough to be snorkeled over, while others are submerged deep enough to need a more difficult dive with diving gear.
Enjoy the day on a secluded island of your own.
Is there anything more exciting than getting off a boat and spending the day completely alone on a white sand island? Is there anything else that could possibly be more exciting? Should you be fortunate (and if you visit outside of the busy season), it is conceivable that you may be able to land at a beach that is completely vacant and have the whole area to yourself.
Approximately two hours passed during this time, and then some other visitors arrived on the island to join us after they arrived.
The grilling process on a Boat’s Deck
To the best of my knowledge, there are hardly more than a handful of locations where it is possible to really barbecue on the back of a boat. These classic bangka boats are tiny and typical in the Philippines. They feature a small barbecue that is placed on one of the outriggers and sits above the water.
This is a helpful hint: we went to a nearby market on land and bought our own ingredients, and then we let the skipper prepare our meals. That being said, there are certain boats that will cook a dinner for you, and the cost of the day rental price will cover it.
Every day, there are a great number of kayak trips that make their way to the river. A typical day excursion departing from Puerto Princesa and lasting between eight and ten hours costs between forty and fifty dollars per person.
