Discover Palawan

After a day of touring the islands in El Nido, it became obvious to us why this is one of the most popular destinations in Palawan. For starters, it has an endless array of cascading limestone cliffs, a truly impressive site. The captivating view from the main beachfront is just a glimpse to what lies beyond. From secret lagoons to white sand beaches and majestic caves (see our previous post) El Nido is a place full of mystery and enchantment.

Island Hopping Tours are an all-day excursion (9am-4pm) and advertise for about 500-700 pesos (approx $11-$15 USD) per person, depending on the destinations in the package. By arrranging a tour through a local banca-boat driver (next to Rico's Cottages where we stayed,) we got a deal for about 400 pesos per person for Tour A & 500 pesos for Tour B (in a group of four.) Fresh grilled fish, salad, and fruit are all included. Just bring your own water and beverages of choice. If you're yearning for a little more adventure and a day tour is just not enough for you, overnight packages are also available.

We suggest a hearty breakfast on the beach to start. Several restaurants offer breakfast with eggs, toast, and fresh-brewed coffee. You'll need the energy for a day of island hopping. Now away we go!

A view from within Small Lagoon and some other impressive limestone formations along the way.

Snake Island, appropriately named for it's winding "S" shaped sandbar.

Pinagbuyutan Island

Enthusiastic snorkelers swimming towards the lagoons.

Our multi-talented banca driver Dan Dan, cleverly constructing a hat from palm leaves.

Lunch on the tours consisted of fresh grilled fish and salad, ripe mango and bananas.

7 Commando Beach is usually the last stop on tour A.  The only island with a relaxing small refreshment stand, it's the perfect place to enjoy a Buko (Coconut) juice after a day of island hopping. Included in the 50 pesos ($1.25 USD) the woman at the stand can also open up the Buko after your last sip and make a spoon for you to scoop the remains of the creamy flesh. Now that's a taste of paradise!

A floating fishing hut near a sandbar in Port Barton.

We visited the endangered Philippine crocodiles at the Palawan Wildlife Rescue and Conservation Center in Puerto Princessa City. Experts believe there may be less than 100 remaining in the wild today. The Wildlife Center maintains a crocodile farm, where the reptiles are bred and protected. We recommend a visit here to also see the baby crocs, and other exotic wildlife such as the bearded pig and Palawan porcupine.

We were lucky to spot an egret wading by a pond close to the Iwahig Penal Colony in Puerto Princessa City. Palawan is known as a birdwatcher's paradise with it's variety of tropical birds.

Local kids playing on the beach in Port Barton.

The cross on Mount Tapyas, Coron, Palawan.

Kids hanging out on the corner store in Culion Island, Busuanga, Palawan.

Fishermen on the water at sunset in Port Barton.

Misty rain and sunset view over Coron, Palawan. Climbing over 700 steps to Mt. Tapyas, it was absolutely worth it to see the breathtaking view.

Is a most mysterious and intriguing place...Accesible only through a small opening, we had to awkwardly maneuver ourselves and our cameras to get to the other side. Feeling a little like Alice going through the rabbit hole, suddenly we felt overwhelmingly small next to the elevated ceilings and chiseled interiors. Shafts of light filtered down and illuminated the amorphous walls. Organic and sculptural, it is a work of art from all angles. We were inspired by the creative possibilities at this location and could have spent hours experimenting with our cameras. Here are a couple examples:

Naturally formed from millions of years of erosion, there is still uncertainty as to what the caves were used for. Archeological evidence suggests that it could have been a Neolithical burial place, because bones were found at the site. Located on the mainland of Palawan, the cave is definitely one of the highlights of "Tour B" in El Nido.