Palawan is one of the most visited islands in the Philippines thanks to the paradisiacal beaches and lagoons of El Nilo. Although it is not the only essential place to see in Palawan. Puerto Princesa, the underground river, Corón, Port Barton… are some of the most incredible places to see in the Philippines.
To visit Palawan I recommend about 7 days. And if you can't make it that long, spend at least 2 days in Puerto Princesa and El Nido. In this post I tell you about the 7 essential places to see in Palawan.
7 BEST PLACES TO SEE IN PALAWAN, PHILIPPINES
1. Puerto Princesa
Although it is possible to get to Nido without going through Puerto Princesa, I recommend that you spend at least 2 days getting to know the capital of the island of Palawan. The Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception Mary, the Plaza cuartel, the Palawan Special Battalion WW-II memorial Museum, its beaches such as Sabang beach, the butterfly farm...
2. The Underground River
Visiting the Puerto Princesa Underground River is an essential thing to do on any trip to the Philippines. The Puerto Princesa Subterranean River is considered one of the 7 natural wonders of the world and a World Heritage Site.
It is located in Sabang, about 80 km from the capital and within the national park with the same name. The river runs 25 km, of which the last 8 are completely underground. For this reason, it bears the distinction of being the longest underground river in the world.
The water course goes under a mountain range, through the cave of the underground river of San Pablo, to finally flow into the China Sea.
It is home to 800 species of plants, of which 300 are types of trees. In addition, there are about 195 species of birds, 30 mammals, 8 species of bats and 19 reptiles.
To visit the Río Subterraneo I recommend you book an excursion that includes transportation, the entrance fee, the boat ride on the river, and a guide.
3. Honda Bay, one of the most beautiful places to see in Palawan
Honda Bay is one of the most beautiful places to see in Puerto Princesa. It is known for its white sand beaches, its coral reefs and its turquoise blue water. There you will find a series of islands, islets and sandbars that you can visit on a day trip. If your idea is to do a little diving and snorkeling, you will be lucky to discover the beauty of the marine ecosystem of Puerto Princesa.
The most popular islands to visit from Bahía Honda are Tabuan Island, Star Island and Luli Island.
4. El Nido, the most essential place to see in Palawan, Philippines
El Nido is one of the most beautiful places in the world. It is an authentic paradise surrounded by blue lagoons of different shades, limestone cliffs, lush vegetation and a wide variety of marine fauna.
Visiting the Nest you will be able to know the Bacuit archipelago. El Nido is the ideal starting point to explore the more than 50 hidden beaches, islands and lagoons of this corner of the Philippines.
The beauty of El Nido is indisputable. If you are looking for the meaning of paradise, without a doubt, a photograph of the Nest should appear next to it.
5. The beaches of El Nido, Palawan
Some of the beaches around El Nido are considered the most beautiful in the Philippines. Its kilometer-long sandbanks are immersed in paradisiacal landscapes. Therefore, I recommend that you spend some time exploring the nearby places of El Nido by walking, swimming and enjoying these wonderful places. Among them is Papaya Beach, Duli Beach, Nacpan Beach…
6. Coron, a paradise to see in Palawan
Corón is an island located to the north of the island of Palawan, it belongs to the same province and if you have time I advise you to add two or three days to enjoy this paradise.
The Twin Lagoon on the island of Coron, are a pair of beautiful lagoons divided by a stone wall, considered one of the best places you can see in Palawan.
7. Port Barton
The fishing village of Port Barton has grown in recent years thanks to tourism. Its beautiful and calm beaches make this place a perfect area to stay for a couple of days and disconnect. Port Barton is located halfway between Puerto Princesa and El Nido. So if you don't want to do the whole journey at once, you can make a stop in Port Barton.
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I hope you enjoy your trip to the Philippines very much and that this article has been useful to you. You can continue reading many more related articles on the blog.
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A hug and see you soon!