Palawan in Full: The Ultimate Philippines Luxury Journey 16 Days | Manila · Puerto Princesa · El Nido · Coron

If you have ever dreamed of experiencing the Philippines at its most complete and its most breathtaking, this is the tour for you. Palm Tree Travel and Tours presents a sweeping 16-day journey through the entire length of Palawan — the archipelago's most celebrated island province and, year after year, one of the most acclaimed island destinations anywhere on earth.

Beginning in Manila, where Spanish-era fortresses and UNESCO-listed churches anchor four centuries of layered history, the journey heads south to Puerto Princesa — the vibrant capital of Palawan and the gateway to the world-famous Underground River, one of the New Seven Wonders of Nature. From there, travel north to El Nido, the dreamlike coastal town whose Bacuit Archipelago of limestone karsts, hidden lagoons, secret beaches, and ancient caves has captivated Hollywood filmmakers and travelers from every corner of the world. Finally, spend a generous week in Coron at the northern tip of Palawan — a destination unlike any other, where Africa meets the Philippines at a remarkable wildlife safari park, where WWII warships rest on the seafloor draped in coral, and where lakes and lagoons of impossible clarity are enclosed within cathedral walls of limestone.

This is Palawan from south to north, in full. Let Palm Tree Travel and Tours take care of every detail while you simply experience it.

TOUR HIGHLIGHTS

• Explore colonial Manila in depth — UNESCO-listed San Agustin Church, Fort Santiago, the walled city of Intramuros, and the historic Rizal Park
• Hold a baby Philippine crocodile and encounter endemic Palawan wildlife at the Palawan Wildlife Rescue and Conservation Center
• Take in a sweeping panorama of Puerto Princesa and the Sulu Sea from the hilltop grounds of Mitra's Ranch
• Visit the solemn Plaza Cuartel — an ordinary-looking park that conceals one of the Pacific War's most haunting stories
• Island-hop across Honda Bay's three spectacular islands: Starfish Island, the activity-packed Cowrie Island, and the magical tidal Luli Island
• Enter the Puerto Princesa Underground River — UNESCO World Heritage Site, New Seven Wonders of Nature, and the longest navigable underground river in the world
• Kayak through El Nido's iconic Big Lagoon, ringed by sheer limestone cliffs and emerald-green water
• Swim through a hidden rock opening to discover Secret Beach — the secluded cove said to have inspired Alex Garland's novel The Beach
• Visit Hidden Beach, where Survivor Sweden famously filmed its finale — a lagoon-like paradise invisible from the open sea
• Walk El Nido's serpentine Snake Island sandbar at low tide with the sea on both sides
• Explore Cudugnon Cave — a Neolithic burial site and WWII refuge concealed inside El Nido's limestone cliffs
• Summit Mt. Tapyas in Coron for a 360-degree panorama over the entire Calamianes archipelago
• Soak in the rare volcanic Maquinit Hot Spring — one of the world's very few saltwater hot springs, heated by volcanic activity deep below
• Snorkel the legendary Kayangan Lake — the cleanest lake in the Philippines, enclosed by cathedral limestone walls
• Swim through the Twin Lagoon's limestone gap, where freshwater and saltwater meet in a uniquely surreal experience
• Snorkel the haunting Skeleton Wreck and the East Tangat WWII shipwrecks, draped in coral on the floor of Coron Bay
• Sail to Malcapuya Island — Palawan's most exquisite beach — plus Banana Island and Bulog Dos Island
• Encounter free-roaming giraffes, zebras, waterbucks, and the critically endangered Calamian deer at the extraordinary Calauit Wildlife Safari Park
• Cool off in the plunge pool of Concepcion Falls and visit the hilltop Malbato Chapel with panoramic views over the Coron highlands

TOUR AT A GLANCE

• Duration: 16 Days / 15 Nights
• Route: Manila → Puerto Princesa → El Nido → Coron → Manila
• Tour Type: Luxury Adventure · Nature · Culture · Island Hopping · World Heritage · Wildlife · Beach
• Hotel Class: 5-Star Luxury
• Price: From USD 4,999 per person

WHAT'S INCLUDED

• Dedicated professional English-speaking guide and private driver throughout all 16 days
• All domestic flights and inter-island ferry transfers as listed in the itinerary
• Admission and conservation fees for all attractions listed
• 5-star luxury hotel accommodation (deluxe twin or double room) as per itinerary
• All private ground transportation during sightseeing and city tours
• Complimentary private airport and hotel transfers throughout the entire trip
• All meals listed as "Breakfast" or "Lunch" in the day-by-day itinerary
• Premium snorkeling equipment (mask, snorkel, and fins) during all island-hopping activities
• Complimentary bottled water and refreshments on all vehicle and boat transfers
• 24/7 dedicated concierge support for the full duration of your journey

WHAT'S NOT INCLUDED

• Travel insurance — essential for luxury travel; purchase before departure
• Philippine entry visa fees (if applicable)
• International airfares to and from the Philippines
• Personal expenses: spa treatments, premium beverages, laundry, souvenirs, shopping, etc.
• Single room supplement (available on request — please ask your consultant)
• Optional activities not listed in the itinerary (e.g., scuba diving, Maquinit Hot Spring entrance, zipline at Mitra's Ranch, private yacht charters)
• Tipping for guides, drivers, boat crew, and hotel staff
• Any costs arising from force majeure events: typhoons, severe weather, flight or ferry disruptions

DAY-BY-DAY ITINERARY

DAY 1 — ARRIVAL IN MANILA
Mabuhay! Welcome to the Pearl of the Orient! Your dedicated Palm Tree Travel and Tours representative meets you personally at the arrivals hall of Ninoy Aquino International Airport and escorts you by private luxury vehicle to your 5-star Manila hotel. Check in, settle into your room, and let the energy of this extraordinary city wash over you at your own pace. Manila is a place of vivid contrasts — ancient walled fortresses and gleaming modern skylines, centuries-old churches and buzzing night markets, a bayside promenade where the sunsets are nothing short of spectacular. Rest well tonight. The grandest Philippine adventure begins tomorrow. Overnight at a 5-star luxury hotel in Manila.

DAY 2 — MANILA TO PUERTO PRINCESA: CROCODILE FARM, MITRA'S RANCH, IMMACULATE CONCEPTION CATHEDRAL & PLAZA CUARTEL
After a leisurely breakfast, your private driver transfers you to the airport for the approximately 1.5-hour domestic flight south to Puerto Princesa, the vibrant capital of Palawan. Your dedicated local guide meets you on arrival for a private afternoon city tour. Begin at the Palawan Wildlife Rescue and Conservation Center — where two endemic crocodile species are bred alongside Palawan bearcats, eagles, bearded pigs, and myna birds. You can hold baby crocodiles and, for the adventurous, sample the famous Crocodile Sisig. Drive to the elevated grounds of Mitra's Ranch, where a sweeping hilltop panorama takes in Puerto Princesa City and the shimmering Sulu Sea, with horses and foals roaming freely across the ranch. Continue to the solemn Immaculate Conception Cathedral — a Spanish-era church on the site of the very first Mass in Puerto Princesa in 1872 — and Plaza Cuartel next door, a quiet city park that conceals one of the Philippines' most sobering WWII stories: it was here that 150 American prisoners of war were burned alive by Japanese soldiers in 1944, with only 11 surviving to escape. End the afternoon with a sunset stroll along the City Baywalk Park. Overnight at a 5-star luxury hotel in Puerto Princesa.

DAY 3 — HONDA BAY ISLAND HOPPING: STARFISH ISLAND, COWRIE ISLAND & LULI ISLAND
After breakfast, your private guide transfers you to Santa Lourdes Pier for a full day on the jewel-blue waters of Honda Bay aboard your private boat. First stop is Starfish Island — a small, oval paradise whose shallow crystal waters are scattered with bright starfish, clownfish, and reef life in every direction. Cowrie Island follows — the largest and most activity-rich stop on the bay, where swimming, kayaking, beachside dining, and drifting in impossibly clear water are all available at your leisure, with a delicious lunch served here. Your final destination is the extraordinary Luli Island — named from the Filipino words meaning "submerge and emerge," because the island literally disappears beneath the sea at high tide and resurfaces at low. Walk the retreating sandbars, feed colorful fish in the shallows, and stand in the middle of the open bay on a strip of white sand with nothing but sea in every direction. Transfer back to your hotel. Overnight at a 5-star luxury hotel in Puerto Princesa.

DAY 4 — UNDERGROUND RIVER NATIONAL PARK, THEN ONWARD TO EL NIDO
Depart early for the 75km drive north to Sabang (approximately 2 hours). A short boat ride crosses to Sabang Beach before you board a park-operated paddleboat to begin the Underground River Tour — one of the most extraordinary natural experiences in the Philippines and in the world. This UNESCO World Heritage Site and New Seven Wonders of Nature stretches 8.2km through the mountain, flowing directly into the South China Sea. Your 45-minute journey carries you through a vast underground cathedral of stalactites, stalagmites, soaring cave chambers, and tens of thousands of bats and swiftlets overhead, all illuminated by a sweeping searchlight as your expert boatman guide narrates the astonishing formations around you. Enjoy a fresh Filipino lunch at Sabang Beach before the scenic 5–6-hour private overland drive north to El Nido. Arrive at dusk, check in to your luxury boutique hotel, and catch El Nido's legendary sunset from the beachfront. Overnight at a 5-star luxury resort in El Nido.

DAY 5 — EL NIDO ISLAND HOPPING TOUR A: BIG LAGOON, SECRET LAGOON, SHIMIZU ISLAND, PAYONG-PAYONG BEACH & SEVEN COMMANDO BEACH
El Nido takes its name from the Spanish word for "the nest" — a tribute to the edible bird nests woven by swiftlets into the crevices of its soaring limestone cliffs. With 45 islands and islets forming the Bacuit Archipelago, many entirely uninhabited, El Nido is a tropical paradise without equal in the Philippines. Today's classic Tour A introduces you to its greatest highlights. Kayak or swim into the breathtaking Big Lagoon — an enclosed natural swimming hole of still, emerald-green water rising sheer and vertical on all sides. Squeeze through a narrow rock crevice to reach the Secret Lagoon, a hidden chamber of calm water and lush vegetation. Enjoy a beach lunch at Payong-Payong Beach before heading to Shimizu Island, one of El Nido's finest snorkeling sites. End the afternoon at Seven Commando Beach — a long, coconut-palm-fringed sweep of white sand where sea turtles occasionally surface and the sunset light over the bay is simply glorious. Overnight at a 5-star luxury resort in El Nido.

DAY 6 — EL NIDO ISLAND HOPPING TOUR C: HELICOPTER ISLAND, MATINLOC SHRINE, SECRET BEACH, TAPIUTAN ISLAND & HIDDEN BEACH
Today ventures to El Nido's most cinematic and secluded corners — the beaches and coves that allegedly inspired Alex Garland's novel The Beach and drew Survivor Sweden's production team to film their series finale here. Cruise first to Helicopter Island, named for its unmistakable rock formation, with outstanding snorkeling reefs and a sea turtle nesting ground. Continue to Matinloc Island, home to the serene Matinloc Shrine presiding over a stunning view of Tapiutan Island across the narrow strait. Then the real adventure begins: Secret Beach can only be reached by swimming through a narrow gap in a wall of towering rock — your guide leads the way into a small, utterly enclosed cove of white sand and perfectly calm turquoise water. Your final destination is Hidden Beach — a lagoon-like cove concealed behind limestone formations invisible from the open sea, its powdery white sand and crystalline shallows as close to perfection as a beach can be. Overnight at a 5-star luxury resort in El Nido.

DAY 7 — EL NIDO ISLAND HOPPING TOUR B: SNAKE ISLAND, PINAGBUYUTAN ISLAND, CUDUGNON CAVE, CATHEDRAL CAVE & ENTALULA ISLAND
A third day in the Bacuit Archipelago exploring Tour B — El Nido's most diverse and historically fascinating circuit. At low tide, Snake Island reveals its celebrated S-shaped sandbar connecting two landmasses, allowing you to walk a ribbon of white sand with open sea on both sides. Continue to Pinagbuyutan Island — a dramatic limestone dome of lush jungle with crystal-clear reefs ideal for snorkeling and a perfect beach for a relaxed lunch. The afternoon brings Cudugnon Cave, a Neolithic burial site where archaeologists have uncovered pottery, jewelry, and human remains dating to the Chinese Song Dynasty, and where local communities hid from Japanese forces during WWII. A photo stop at Cathedral Cave on Pinasil Island reveals a cavernous sea-level opening as tall as a church spire. End the day at serene Entalula Island, where crystal-clear water and a striking free-standing diamond-shaped rock formation create a perfect final image of three magnificent days in the Bacuit Archipelago. Overnight at a 5-star luxury resort in El Nido.

DAY 8 — EL NIDO TO CORON BY FERRY
After a leisurely final breakfast in El Nido, check out and make your way to the ferry terminal for the scenic 4–5-hour crossing to Coron (127km). As El Nido's towering limestone karsts recede behind you and the open Sulu Sea opens ahead, take in the vastness and beauty of this journey through Palawan's extraordinary waters. Your private driver and guide are waiting at Coron's pier to transfer you to your 5-star hotel. The rest of the afternoon is yours — explore Coron Town's charming waterfront, dine at a pier-side restaurant, or relax at the hotel as the day's journey settles into memory. Overnight at a 5-star luxury hotel in Coron.

DAY 9 — CORON TOWN TOUR: MT. TAPYAS, MAQUINIT HOT SPRING, CASHEW FACTORY, SAN AGUSTIN CHURCH & LUALHATI PARK
Your private guide collects you after a leisurely breakfast for a full day discovering the cultural and natural soul of Coron Town. Begin with the iconic climb up Mt. Tapyas — 724 stone steps to the summit, where a hilltop cross presides over a panorama of every island, channel, and cove of the Calamianes archipelago laid out against the deep blue of Coron Bay. A scenic tricycle ride takes you to Maquinit Hot Spring — one of only a handful of saltwater hot springs in the world, its waters heated to 40 degrees Celsius by volcanic activity deep below. Visit the Cashew Factory where Coron's famous roasted cashews are produced fresh, then the peaceful San Agustin Parish Church — a dignified 1901 stone structure anchoring the town with quiet historical grace. End the afternoon at Lualhati Park, Coron's scenic baywalk, watching the fishing boats return as the limestone peaks turn amber in the fading light. Overnight at a 5-star luxury hotel in Coron.

DAY 10 — CORON ISLAND HOPPING TOUR A: KAYANGAN LAKE, QUIN REEF, CYC BEACH, TWO PEAKS CORAL GARDEN & GREEN LAGOON
After a leisurely breakfast, your private boat departs for Coron's most celebrated island-hopping circuit. The centerpiece is Kayangan Lake — approached by a short climb up a limestone ridge delivering one of the most photographed viewpoints in the Philippines, before you descend to water so extraordinarily clear and pure it is widely considered the cleanest lake in the country. Snorkel through surreal submerged rock formations in water that carries a luminous, otherworldly quality of light. Continue to Quin Reef — a sprawling underwater garden of multi-colored corals — then CYC Beach for a private swim on pristine white sand. Two Peaks Coral Garden follows, where giant clams, sea turtles, and extraordinary marine diversity populate one of Coron's finest reef systems. Close the day drifting through the Green Lagoon — a shallow, luminescent enclosed body of water surrounded by towering limestone. Overnight at a 5-star luxury hotel in Coron.

DAY 11 — CORON ISLAND HOPPING TOUR B: BARRACUDA LAKE, TWIN LAGOON, BANOL BEACH & SKELETON WRECK
A second island-hopping day in Coron, exploring its most physically unusual and scientifically remarkable features. Begin at Barracuda Lake — a body of water that is simultaneously 70% freshwater and 30% saltwater, creating a dramatic thermocline you can literally feel as you snorkel deeper, the temperature shifting abruptly around you in a sensation unlike anything else in the natural world. Continue to the Twin Lagoon — two connected bodies of water, one saltwater and one freshwater, separated by a limestone wall you pass through via a narrow gap. Enjoy a private beach lunch on the white sand of Banol Beach before the afternoon highlight: the Skeleton Wreck, a WWII-era sunken vessel resting at 5 to 22 meters depth, its hull encrusted with hard corals and alive with colorful reef fish — snorkeling above it is both hauntingly beautiful and deeply evocative of the history that played out in these waters. Overnight at a 5-star luxury hotel in Coron.

DAY 12 — CORON REEF AND WRECKS TOUR: PASS ISLAND, LUSONG CORAL GARDEN, LUSONG GUNBOAT & EAST TANGAT WRECK
A two-hour private boat ride delivers you to Pass Island — an immaculate paradise of soft white sand, swaying coconut palms, and calm, secluded coves where the only sounds are the water and the wind. Lusong Coral Garden (Sangat Coral Garden) is the largest and most spectacular coral garden in all of Coron, its vast scale and extraordinary diversity making it one of the finest snorkeling sites in the Philippines. Beside it lies the Lusong Gunboat, a Japanese WWII vessel resting on its side at just 10 meters depth, its hull colonized by corals and circled by fish. The day's ultimate destination is the East Tangat Wreck — a 40-meter WWII anti-submarine craft that sank on September 24, 1944, now resting on a sandy slope at 22 meters depth, its entire structure home to a thriving underwater ecosystem. Snorkeling above it is a profound and unforgettable experience. Overnight at a 5-star luxury hotel in Coron.

DAY 13 — CORON ESCAPADE TOUR: MALCAPUYA ISLAND, BANANA ISLAND & BULOG DOS ISLAND
After a leisurely breakfast, your private boat sets off on the 1.5-hour ride to Malcapuya Island — Palawan's finest beach and a destination so overwhelmingly beautiful it defies reasonable description. The sand is fine and white beyond comparison, the water transitions through multiple extraordinary shades of turquoise and deep blue, and the offshore snorkeling reefs are exceptional. Sail to Banana Island, whose graceful curved silhouette gives it its name, where a pristine white sandbar fringed by forested hills invites a peaceful walk and excellent offshore snorkeling. Your final stop is Bulog Dos Island — a slender sandbar rising from the open Calamianes Sea, unforgettable in its isolation and beauty. Return to Coron for a farewell dinner at one of the town's finest restaurants. Overnight at a 5-star luxury hotel in Coron.

DAY 14 — CORON SAFARI TOUR: CALAUIT WILDLIFE SAFARI PARK, OCAM-OCAM BEACH, CONCEPCION FALLS & MALBATO CHURCH
One of the most surprising and genuinely unique experiences available anywhere in the Philippines. Your private guide takes you to Calauit Wildlife Safari Park — a sanctuary where African wildlife imported in the 1970s has thrived alongside native Palawan species in an extraordinary coexistence. Giraffes stretch their elegant necks above the tree line, zebras graze across open savanna, waterbucks and elands wander freely, and the critically endangered Calamian deer moves quietly between them. Continue to Ocam-Ocam Beach for a relaxed lunch of freshly grilled fish by the water, then visit Concepcion Falls — a beautiful waterfall dropping into a cool natural plunge pool surrounded by dense tropical forest. Close this remarkable day at the hilltop Malbato Church (St. Vincent Ferrer Chapel), perched above Sitio Malbato with sweeping views over the Coron highlands and the sea beyond. Overnight at a 5-star luxury hotel in Coron.

DAY 15 — CORON TO MANILA
After a final leisurely breakfast in Coron, your private driver transfers you to Francisco B. Reyes Airport for the approximately 1-hour flight back to Manila. Your dedicated Manila guide meets you at arrivals and escorts you to your 5-star hotel. The evening is entirely yours — revisit a favorite corner of Intramuros, indulge in a farewell dinner at one of Manila's acclaimed restaurants, or simply sit on the hotel terrace and let two weeks of extraordinary Philippine experiences play back through your mind. Overnight at a 5-star luxury hotel in Manila.

DAY 16 — DEPARTURE FROM MANILA
After a final leisurely breakfast and unhurried hotel checkout, your private driver transfers you to Ninoy Aquino International Airport with ample time for your international departure. As Manila's coastline and the blue Philippine waters fall away beneath the clouds, we hope the memories of hidden beaches, underground rivers, glowing lagoons, free-roaming giraffes, sunken warships, and the extraordinary warmth of the Filipino people travel home with you and remain with you for a lifetime. It has been the deepest privilege to share the Philippines with you. Thank you for choosing Palm Tree Travel and Tours — we look forward to welcoming you back for your next adventure.