12 DAYS
Coron • El Nido • Port Barton • Puerto Princesa
Palawan Deep Dive
One island, three speeds: Coron's wrecks and lakes, El Nido's lagoons, then Port Barton, where Palawan still feels like a fishing coast. Joined by sea and road, not airports.
Palawan rewards people who stay a while, and this route is built for that. You start in Coron, where the best of the island is underwater: Japanese wrecks from 1944 for divers, and coral gardens and freshwater lakes in the karst for everyone else. A fast ferry carries you south to El Nido, then a road through farmland and fishing villages brings you to Port Barton, a bay town with no airport, no big resorts and very little to do except swim, eat grilled fish and take a boat to a sandbar.
The trade-off is weather. The Coron–El Nido ferry runs mainly in the drier months and is cancelled when the sea is rough, so we keep a flight option in reserve. Like all our journeys, this is a starting point: divers often add a night in Coron, slower travellers drop Port Barton for San Vicente's long beach, and some people skip Coron altogether. Tell us and we will reshape it.
What's included
- 11 nights' accommodation in your chosen tier, breakfast daily
- Domestic flights Manila–Busuanga and Puerto Princesa–Manila
- Coron–El Nido fast ferry (or replacement flight if it is cancelled)
- Road transfers El Nido–Port Barton–Puerto Princesa (shared van in Essential, private car from Boutique up)
- Two Coron boat days, two El Nido boat days, one Port Barton boat day
- Pre-departure planning call and digital travel guide
- Tours with a Spanish- or English-speaking local guide, private or shared depending on the trip
- Lunch on boat and tour days
- Entrance fees for the visits in the itinerary
- Premium and Signature: dinner at a top-rated restaurant in every destination, plus a local food experience with a guide (market visit and tasting)
- Free rebooking by our team if weather or other events cancel a boat or flight
- International travel insurance, with cancellation cover up to €2,000
- 24/7 local support by WhatsApp throughout your trip
Not included
- International flights
- Extra insurance cover for diving, if you dive
- Dive fees and equipment rental
- Other meals not listed as included
- Environmental and terminal fees
- Drinks
- Tips
- Extra costs caused by weather or other events outside our control (new tickets, extra hotel nights). We handle the rebooking for you
The route
Flights, ferries and transfers
- FlightManila → Busuanga (Coron) · 1h flight
- RoadBusuanga airport → Coron town · around 40m by road
- FerryCoron → El Nido · around 4h fast ferryRuns mainly November to May and is weather-dependent. Backup: fly via Manila.
- RoadEl Nido → Port Barton · around 4h by road
- RoadPort Barton → Puerto Princesa · around 3h by road
- FlightPuerto Princesa → Manila · 1h 20m flight
Day by day
Choose your trip length
Route: Coron • El Nido • Port Barton • Puerto Princesa
The day-by-day plan and prices update for the length you choose. Every plan can still be adjusted with our team.
Day 1
Arrive in Manila
We meet you off your international flight and take you to a hotel close to the domestic terminal. Coron flights leave early, so a night here keeps day two calm.
OvernightManila
Day 2
Fly to Busuanga, drive to Coron town
A one-hour flight to Busuanga, then about 40 minutes by road to Coron town. Climb Mount Tapyas for the view at sunset, all 700-odd steps of it, or save your legs for tomorrow.
OvernightCoron
Day 3–4
Lakes, reefs and wrecks
Leave early for Kayangan Lake and Barracuda Lake, ahead of the day-trip boats, with snorkelling stops on the reefs around Coron Island. Day four is for wrecks: certified divers do two or three dives on the Japanese supply ships sunk in 1944, and snorkellers visit the shallow Skeleton Wreck and Lusong Gunboat.
OvernightCoron
Day 5
By sea to El Nido
The fast ferry takes around four hours across open water and lands you in El Nido town in the afternoon. It runs mainly from about November to May and is cancelled in rough weather; if that happens we move you onto a flight instead.
OvernightEl Nido
Day 6–8
El Nido's bay and the quieter north
One early boat day to the lagoons, one to the islands further out, and one on land: Nacpan beach, a kayak along the coast, or a lazy afternoon at Las Cabanas. By now you will have opinions about the best grilled fish in town.
OvernightEl Nido
Day 9–10
South by road to Port Barton
About four hours by road through rice fields and small towns, with the last stretch winding down to the coast. Port Barton has no airport and few cars, and the boat tours here are small and unhurried: sandbars, turtle spots on the reef and lunch on an empty beach. It is the part of the trip people mention most when they get home.
OvernightPort Barton
Day 11
Road to Puerto Princesa
Around three hours by road to Puerto Princesa. If you want to see the Underground River, we can route you via Sabang and do it on the way, which makes a long but worthwhile day. Otherwise, an easy afternoon and dinner in the city.
OvernightPuerto Princesa
Day 12
Fly home via Manila
A 1h 20m flight to Manila connects to your international flight. We leave a generous buffer between the two.
Where you'll stay
We choose hotels for you from our shortlist in each destination, matched to your travel style. Examples will appear here as our hotel collection is published.
Experiences
- Kayangan and Barracuda Lakes on an early boat
- Wreck diving (certified) or wreck snorkelling in Coron Bay
- Sunset from Mount Tapyas
- El Nido lagoons and outer islands by boat
- Kayaking the El Nido coast
- Port Barton island-hopping: sandbars, reef and turtles
- Optional: Puerto Princesa Underground River via Sabang
Possible upgrades
- Private boat on every boat day
- Extra night in Coron for a second dive day
- Underground River permit and private transfer via Sabang
- Swap Port Barton for two nights on San Vicente's long beach
Travel styles
Four ways to travel. All of them done properly.
I
Essential
The right places, smartly connected.
Well-located, characterful hotels, the experiences that matter and efficient routing. Never a compromise on where you are.
- Well-located 3★ hotels with character, double room with breakfast
- Shared airport and port transfers
- Group tours and shared boat days with a local guide
- Domestic flights and ferries with checked baggage
- Lunch on tour days, entrance fees and travel insurance
- 24/7 support by WhatsApp
II
Boutique
Small hotels with a point of view.
Design-led boutique hotels, upgraded rooms, private transfers where they make a difference and experiences curated for you.
- Everything in Essential, plus:
- Boutique 4★ hotels, superior rooms or better
- Private transfers by car throughout
- Private guided tours, and a private boat on one day per island
- Best available flight times
- Personal welcome at the airport on arrival
III
Premium
The best resorts, a slower pace.
High-end resorts and villas, private transfers throughout, exceptional experiences and service that anticipates.
- Everything in Boutique, plus:
- 5★ resorts and villas, sea-view rooms or better
- Private boats and private guides on every tour day
- Dinner at a top-rated restaurant in every destination
- A local food experience with a guide
- Meet-and-assist service at Manila airport
IV
Signature
The Philippines, privately.
Private-island resorts, villas and boats, charter flights where they save a day, and concierge-level care from arrival to departure.
- Everything in Premium, plus:
- Private-island resorts and villas with private pools
- Your own boat and crew on every island
- Charter flights or seaplanes where they save time
- Private dinners on the beach or a sandbar
- A dedicated concierge on WhatsApp before and during your trip
Price indication
Per person, based on two people sharing, excluding international flights. Final price depends on dates, hotels and room availability.
Best months
November to May, when the Coron–El Nido ferry runs most reliably; February to April is calmest
Choose your trip length
Route: Coron • El Nido • Port Barton • Puerto Princesa
The day-by-day plan and prices update for the length you choose. Every plan can still be adjusted with our team.
- Essential
- From €2,000
- per person
- Boutique
- From €3,000
- per person
- Premium
- From €5,200
- per person
Questions travellers ask
1. Can I change the route?
Yes. Many people reverse it, flying into Puerto Princesa and out of Coron. You can also drop Port Barton, add San Vicente, or stay longer in one place. It is a starting point.
2. What if the ferry is cancelled?
It happens a few times a season in rough weather. We watch the forecast with the operator and, if needed, rebook you on a flight via Manila. You lose a few hours, not a day.
3. Do I need to dive?
No. The wreck day works as a snorkelling day, and two of Coron's wrecks are shallow enough to see from the surface. Divers need a certification card and recent experience.
4. Is it suitable for children?
Yes for confident swimmers from around eight. The road legs are long for small children, so families sometimes skip Port Barton or fly out of El Nido instead.
Ready to see the Philippines from the inside?
Tell us when you're coming. We'll help design the rest.