Nothing defines Palawan more than the water around it. With seascapes the equal of any in Southeast Asia, and terrestrial and aquatic wildlife, the Philippines' most sparsely populated region is also the most beguiling. Because of the silhouette of its main island
It’s hard to believe the Philippines are an under-appreciated tropical travel destination, especially with their extraordinary hiking, diving, beaches and of course,— Palawan, a hidden piece of paradise that was recently named The Best Island In The World in the Travel + Leisure World’s Best Awards.
This isn’t the first time Palawan has ranked top in the world, and it’s easy to see why. There, beautiful blue water mixes with emerald green, jungle-filled mountains that appear to rise up from the ocean, and small fishing villages dot the island. Together with its neighboring islands, it creates the Palawan province, aka paradise.
Described as “the last frontier,” Palawan has artifacts that date back 50,000 years. The island is accessible by either boat or airplane — it’s about an hour and a half by air from Manila— although you can also get there from Iloilo and Cebu. Many say the ideal time to head to Palawan is between about October and May, so we suggest booking tickets ASAP.
Incredible (and rare) wildlife can be found on the islands, from purple crabs and Philippine mouse-deer to Philippine pangolin and beautiful butterflies. Just be sure to avoid the creepy-looking Palawan bearcat at night.
We suggest heading into the water and going below the surface. Palawan has some of the best spots to scuba dive in the world — barracuda-filled shipwrecks, for example, line the bottom of Coron Bay.
If diving sounds too scary, try a tour of Palawan’s subterranean river (which UNESCO calls “one of the most unique” in the world) or take a bangka boat to travel between the islands.
Once you’re back on land, hop on a “tricycle,” one of the preferred methods of transportation on Palawan. We’re pretty sure that after all the biking, swimming and exploring you’ll do — you’ll never want to leave.
Enter the exotic and breathtaking world of the underground river by paddle boat for 45 - 60 minutes. Equipped with a search light you will enter a mystical environment exploring the pitch-dark inner recesses of this cavern. Every turn in this underground river tour provide fascinating different rock formations.
The Puerto Princesa Underground River has placed Palawan in the forefront of tourism after it was hailed as one of the new seven wonders of Nature. The 8.2-kilometer subterranean river runs under a protected cave that features spectacular formations of stalactites and stalagmites. Join this full day tour including lunch to discover more about this beautiful area.
The incredible Puerto Princesa Underground River is one of the seven wonders of nature and a must to any visitor to the Philippines. The cave formations are spectacular and are considered to be one of the most complex cave systems in the world. The river runs through it for 8.2 kilometers. You’ll have an incredible experience exploring the caves of Underground River and our boatman/tour guide will help make this a very fun and interesting day.
The tour starts with an early pick up from your preferred hotel in Puerto Princesa City. Enjoy a 2.5 hour drive to Sabang with a picturesque view of other natural attractions. From Sabang you will take a motorized Bangka (which is a small motorize local boat) going to the Entrance Beach, a wonderful forest area home to a number of indigenous species, containing a set of naughty Macaque's. See and experience a close encounter with monkeys and monitor lizards in a rain forest setting.From there, enter the exotic and breathtaking world of the underground river by paddle boat for 45 minutes to 1 hour. Explore the pitch-dark inner recesses of the cavern. The Underground River is one of the longest navigable underground rivers in the world, with a total length of 5 miles (8km).Witness the stalagmite-pillared interiors and different rock formations and doomed amphitheaters which took thousands of years to form, and the Swift and Bat populations that inhabit the cave.
Upon your return to the Sabang port your guide will bring you to a local restaurant where you will be provided a buffet lunch.