Discover the Pearl of Palawan

Upon arrival in Manila airport (NAIA), your driver will be waiting for you outside the corresponding terminal to take you to your hotel near the Manila Bay : Manila Lotus Hotel located in Ermita (or White Knight depending on availabilities)

Manila is the bustling capital of the Philippines, making it the center of commerce, culture, and government in the entire country. It also serves as the gateway for local and international travelers, with its major airport terminals and busy seaports serving many trips from within and outside of the country.

Before anything, it is essential to know that Manila can mean two ways. First, it can mean the City of Manila, which is made up of 16 administrative districts. It is also referred to as “Old Manila” by many locals. Second, Manila may mean the National Capital Region (NCR) or Metro Manila, made up of several cities such as Manila City, Makati, Quezon City, Pasay, and Taguig, among others. This article tackles not just the City of Manila, but Metro Manila as a whole.

Depending on your time of arrival, we will take you to Intramuros for a unique visit of the walled city, you will either ride a bamboo bicycle called bambike to discover the ancient city built by the spaniards or, if you don't mind walking, a traditional tour of Intramuros. Either way, you will have an unforgettable experience.

After breakfast, your driver will bring you to the airport for your flight bound to Puerto Princesa, the capital and main city of Palawan. He will drop you off at the corresponding terminal at least two hours before the scheduled time of departure.

Upon arrival, you will be transferred to Puerto Pension, a quiet and nicely decorated hotel in bamboo. The restaurant on the 3rd floor offers a nice view on the bay of Puerto Princesa.

In the afternoon, you may enjoy the baywalk, the Palawan Heritage Center and the Palawan Environment Enforcement Museum.

For dinner, don’t miss the chance to try one of the best restaurants of the country: Kalui, unless you prefer to experience the magic of fireflies watching.

Puerto-Princesa Subterranean River National Park encompasses one of the world’s most impressive cave systems, featuring spectacular limestone karst landscapes, pristine natural beauty, and intact old-growth forests and distinctive wildlife. It is located in the south-western part of the Philippine Archipelago on the mid western coast of Palawan, approximately 76 km northwest of Puerto Princesa and 360 km southwest of Manila.

The property, comprising an area of approximately 22,202 ha, contains an 8.2km long underground river. The highlight of this subterranean river system is that it flows directly into the sea, with its brackish lower half subjected to tidal influence, distinguishing it as a significant natural global phenomenon. The river’s cavern presents remarkable, eye catching rock formations. The property contains a full mountain-to-sea ecosystem which provides significant habitat for biodiversity conservation and protects the most intact and noteworthy forests within the Palawan biogeographic province. Holding the distinction of being the first national park devolved and successfully managed by a local government unit, the park’s effective management system is a symbol of commitment by the Filipino people to the protection and conservation of their natural heritage.

You will leave in the morning, around 9am from your hotel to discover this marvel of the world as well as Elephant Cave. Lunch will be served in Sabang.

You will leave Puerto Princesa in the morning and hit the road to go to El Nido. It takes about a little over 5 hours to reach El Nido. Upon arrival, you will go directly to your new resort where you will spend the next 3 nights : Stunning Republic.

El Nido is a famous seaside resort also located on the island of Palawan. Renowned for its white sand beaches and coral reefs, it is a gateway to the Bacuit Archipelago, a group of islands with steep karst cliffs. Its highest point is on the island of Cadlao, 640 meters above sea level. The island of Miniloc, next to it, is known for its crystal clear waters, as for the lagoons (Small lagoon, Big Lagoon, hidden lagoon and secret lagoon), they are on the routes of the boat tours and will surely take your breath away. Nearby, the island of Shimizu offers fish-filled waters. The area offers many dive sites, including the long Dilumacad Island tunnel that leads to an underwater cave.

In the afternoon, you can rest or discover by yourself the surroundings of El Nido.

After breakfast, around 8:30am, you will embark on a banca that will take you from beach to lagoon. You will spend the entire day at sea and will have the opportunity to swim and refresh yourself at each stop to enjoy both the scenery and the striking underwater fauna. Tour C includes the following stops: Helicopter Island, Matinloc Shrine, Secret Beach, Star Beach and Hidden Beach.

After this great island hopping, in the afternoon, you will return to your hotel where you can rest until dinner time unless you prefer wandering around the streets of El Nido Town.

Today, you can enjoy Corong-Corong beach where your hotel is located. And if you want, you can also visit the surroundings by scooter, including the beaches of Nacpan, Las Cabanas, as well as Sibultan and Bucana. You can also, if you wish, go on another island hopping adventure to discover different beaches and lagoons of Bacuit Bay.

The stops of Tour A include: Small lagoon, Big Lagoon, Secret Lagoon, Shimizu Island and 7 commando beach

In the morning, a tricycle will pick you up from your hotel and bring you to the port/airport of El Nido (depending on availabilities) to go to another archipelago: the Calamian Islands. After a 4-hour boat trip, you will arrive in Coron where a driver will be waiting for your to take you to your hotel, the Sunz-en Coron where you will spend the next 3 nights.

Coron is actually the capital city of Busuanga Island which is part of the Calamian archipelago, in the north of Palawan. The town of Coron is often mistaken with the island of the same name that we can visit in day time but where it's prohibited to stay overnight.

In the afternoon, you will go on a tour around the town, you will have the opportunity to swim in a natural hot spring (Maquinit) and you will enjoy the overview of the town and its bay from the top of Mt Tapyas. The sunset is just marvelous.

After this tour, it will be time to take your dinner, either in the hotel or in the town. (a shuttle is available upon request)

You will be able to get a broad overview of the magnificent karst landscapes that characterize Palawan and the reason why it was awarded as the most beautiful island in the world between 2015 and 2018. Many islands surround Coron, so we will take a banca, the traditionnal fishermen's boat with its two bamboo outriggers and go on an island hopping to visit some of them.

Today, you will make several stops, including Lake Kayangan, the twin lagoons, and Siete Pescados.

After this wonderful day at sea, you will go back to the hotel where you can rest, refresh or enjoy the pool until diner time.

Coron was the scene of major battles during World War II between the Americans and the Japanese. These sea battles left a mark as many ships were torpedoed and sunk. They are still visible today, especially since the region is not known for its great depths. It is therefore possible to observe some of these wrecks without special equipment, but with a simple snorkeling gear.

Today, if you choose to go on another island hopping, you will embark again for a day at sea during which you will have the opportunity to either observe a few of these Japanese wrecks only a few meters deep (Reef and Wrecks tour) or very beautiful beaches such as Malcapuya and Banana island and bulog dos island.

Depending on your flight or boat schedule, a driver will pick you up at your hotel to send you to the airport/port bound to your next destination.

From Coron, we strongly recommend to head to El Nido and discover the rest of Palawan...