Palawan · Philippines
Palawan is not a single place. It is a slow ribbon of jungle, limestone and sea that stretches for nearly 500 kilometres, and every stretch has its own light, its own rhythm, its own way of being remembered.
From Puerto Princesa in the middle of the island, you can head north toward turquoise lagoons and hidden beaches, or drift south into the wilder, quieter archipelagos where the days are barefoot and the phone rarely rings.
This page is not a catalogue. It is simply a shortcut into the Palawan we know — the places we send our friends and family to, and the ones we still love talking about after all these years.
Bearings
From the Underground River in the centre to Coron in the far north and Balabac in the deep south — a rough compass for the journey ahead.
Eight windows into Palawan
Read them as chapters, not as a checklist. Most travellers pick two or three, take their time, and let the rest quietly wait for a next visit.
The gentle capital
This is where most journeys begin — a low-rise city of tricycles, roadside cafés and warm evenings. Neither showy nor touristy, Puerto Princesa is a place to arrive, breathe, eat well and get your bearings before heading north or south. La Petite Pension is here, in the quiet San Pedro neighbourhood.
A river inside a mountain
A UNESCO World Heritage site an hour and a half from the city: an underground river that flows for kilometres through a vast limestone cave, past cathedral-like chambers and colonies of sleeping bats. You reach it by paddle boat, in near-total silence, and it is the kind of place you talk about for years.
Jungle meets the sea
The small village that serves as the gateway to the Underground River, but so much more than that. A long, quiet beach where the mountains fall straight into the water, a zip-line through the canopy, a mangrove river paddled at dawn. Perfect for one or two slow nights before or after the cave.
The one that stayed small
A sleepy fishing bay a few hours north-west of Puerto Princesa, and one of our personal favourites. No big resorts, no boulevard, no rush — just wooden boats at anchor, an island-hopping trip to almost-empty reefs, and the kind of sunsets that make people quiet.
The cathedrals of stone
Palawan's most iconic silhouette: towering limestone karsts, hidden lagoons, secret beaches you enter by kayak. El Nido is more travelled than the rest, and for a reason — the landscape here truly is on another scale. We can help you plan it so it still feels like yours.
Deeper waters, older stories
Further north, reached by fast boat or plane: a different world of jagged black cliffs, jade-green lakes and Second World War shipwrecks resting in impossibly clear water. Coron is for travellers who want to swim, dive, and disappear for a few days.
The end of the map
In the far south of Palawan, an archipelago of white sandbars and near-deserted islands that still feels like a rumour. Getting there takes patience and the right partners on the ground — which is exactly the kind of trip we like helping people organise.
The longest quiet beach
Long Beach, at San Vicente, is one of the longest white-sand beaches in the Philippines — fourteen kilometres of almost nothing. A perfect in-between stop for travellers heading up to El Nido who want a real pause, without the crowds.
How we can help
We are a small family-run guesthouse, not a tour operator. But after many years on the island, we have gathered a network of trusted local partners and a lot of quiet, hard-won knowledge.
Whenever you need it — before your trip or once you've arrived — we're always happy to sit down with a coffee and help you shape your journey. No hard sell, no fixed packages, no commissions guiding what we suggest.
Just ask at reception, or write to us before you arrive. It really is our favourite part of the job.
Read further
For deeper guides, honest inspiration and travel stories across the whole island, we recommend palawan.live. It is founded and edited by Olivier himself, drawing on many years spent exploring Palawan and helping travellers plan their trip.
Visit palawan.liveAlongside palawan.live, Olivier runs a small family of destination-specific websites covering Balabac, Port Barton, El Nido–Coron expeditions and speedboat transfers. Most of these specialist resources are currently written in French, reflecting his long-standing work with French-speaking travellers.
“The best trips to Palawan are not the ones with the longest list of stops. They are the ones with the right rhythm.”
— La Petite Pension
