Palawan is a hidden piece of paradise that has been named The Best Island in the World in the Travel + Leisure World’s Best Awards few times in the row. Because it is more isolated from the main clustering islands of Philippines, lots of travelers tend to leave it off their itinerary, so it is not too crowded and therefore it is still very peaceful. palawan travel tips
The easiest way to get to Palawan is from Manilla. Once you leave the city of Puerto Princesa, you will find aquamarine waters surrounding the island, emerald green lush jungles, limestone hills that look like they are growing from the ocean, small finishing villages, countless palm trees and much more. Palawan is love and it is absolutely worth the longer trip. Here are few travel tips that I learned during our visit. Hopefully you’ll find them useful!
Money
Currency on Philippines is Philippine Peso (PHP) -> 1 AUD = 40 PHP / 1 EUR = 64 PHP. There are barely any places where you can pay by credit card, so bring cash! We made this mistake and we struggled to find an ATM to withdraw some money and when we did, we were charged 12 AUD for each withdrawal. To be precise, we found 1 ATM in Puerto Princesa and 0 on El Nido, so be prepared. palawan travel tips
Transport
The most common mean of transport are tricycles. One way is usually around 50 PHP, but it depends how far you’re travelling and if the driver likes you or not. There are no taxis that you can just hail and go. If you want to travel more comfortably, you have to pre-book a van. Vans are quite common on Palawan, but they are not private! You can book a private van with driver, but you will have to pay extra. Other mean of transport are motorbikes, which you can rent almost anywhere and they are a great option for day trips! palawan travel tips
When we were leaving from Honda Bay after our island hopping tour, we could not find any tricycles around the port, so we took something like a bus (it was in fact an old truck with benches on each side). I haven’t figured how they work, it just appeared so we got on and for 20 pesos per person the driver took us where we wanted and along the way he stopped several times to pick up or drop of other people. I don’t have to tell you that we were the only foreigners there. I wish I have taken a picture or video! Well if you are in Puerto Princesa and there is no tricycle on sight, this public transport is cheap, quite convenient and from our experience I can say it’s safe.
Weather
Palawan has got 2 main seasons: dry and wet. Dry season lasts from November to May and wet season from June to October, however, many locals told us that because of the global warming the months are changing and it usually still rains a lot in November. We traveled at the end of October and the weather wasn’t great, we got only one really beautiful day during our stay. Next time I definitely won’t travel in wet season, it is not worth the risk.
Language
Official language on Philippines is English and Filipino. There are many other languages and dialects spoken – almost each of the 7107 islands has its own. English is used the most so you shouldn’t have a problem with the language barrier. palawan travel tips
Geography
As mentioned before, Philippines consist of 7107 islands in total and Palawan itself has got all together 1780 islands. The main island is called Palawan Island, the second most famous and most visited island in The Province of Palawan is Coron. Palawan is geologically different from other islands in Philippines, it reminds more of Borneo with its nature and weather conditions.
Internet
Wifi is not common on Palawan and you may struggle to get online. We bought local sim cards with pre-paid data but the reception was still very low and barely working, so prepare to get offline and just enjoy the moment! There are few cafes in El Nido with signage outside that they’ve got free wifi, but you will need lots of patience because it’s really slow.
Power Cuts
El Nido can suffer from electricity blackouts, so if you want to make sure your camera and phone will be charged over-night, double-check if your hotel has got extra generator. palawan travel tips
Nature
Locals are very serious about environmental conservation and nature protection. They are lovely warm-hearted people and even though some of them live in incredible poverty, they are very hospitable towards tourists (at least this was my impression, I heard some stories when other travelers did not feel very safe, but honestly I don’t know why).
Ready to pack your bags and leave? Palawan will not disappoint you!
For some extra inspiration, you can watch our short video from this magical island here.
Thanks! This is so helpful. What transportation did you take to go to the hotel from the airport?