CityBuddy
Italiano
Cosa fare a Palawan, Philippines
Foto di Koushalya Karthikeyan su Pexels.com
Quando visitare
Quando andrai a Palawan, Philippines?
Scegli le date e lo stile di viaggio per ottenere:
Qualcosa di particolarmente importante per te?
Seleziona tutto ciò che si applica
Getting around
How do you want to move between places?
Plan language: ItalianoAttrazioni più popolari a Palawan, Philippines
The very best things to do in Palawan, Philippines begin with a trip along the 8.2-kilometer-long Puerto Princesa Underground River, a navigable river through limestone caves. From the city, you reach Honda Bay in forty minutes, where you snorkel among coral gardens at a depth of fifteen meters. End your day at Big Lagoon, with its crystal-clear turquoise water.
1. Puerto Princesa Underground River
Step into a wooden banca and paddle a navigable river deep into the mountain. Inside, towering rock formations, a sandy beach and total darkness await you.
Fatti rapidi: A navigable underground river that winds some 24 kilometers through the limestone, though only 1.2 kilometers is accessible by boat. Thousands of swiftlets, whose edible nests are harvested in Asia for bird's nest soup, breed high against the cave ceiling.
Punti salienti: Halfway through the trip the guide extinguishes all the lamps, after which darkness falls and you hear only the splashing of paddles and the clicking of the swiftlets. Above your head hang curtains of stalactites that were formed drop by drop over hundreds of thousands of years.
2. El Nido
A tiny island with seventy-meter-high cliffs above a turquoise bay. Expect glass-clear water, hidden tidal pools and a beach you sometimes have all to yourself.
Fatti rapidi: On a small private island, limestone cliffs over seventy meters high tower above a narrow bay with mirror-smooth turquoise water. At most a few dozen villas are scattered across the slopes, and the entire complex runs entirely on solar energy with rainwater collection.
Punti salienti: At low tide a hidden lagoon appears between the cliffs that you reach only on foot, with water that is completely refreshed by the ocean every six hours. From the higher lookout point you see the waves crashing against the limestone wall, while the cave below amplifies the roar into a deep, rumbling low note you feel in your chest.
3. Big Lagoon
Paddle through green waterways that change with every tide. Count on salt on your skin, tropical bird sounds and channels where the crowds are nowhere to be found.
Fatti rapidi: Every high tide flushes fresh seawater through this network of channels, causing the water level here to fluctuate by up to three meters. At low tide muddy tidal flats fall dry where starfish, conch snails and small stingrays wait for you.
Punti salienti: When dusk falls, thousands of fireflies pulse above the mangrove canopies, a light show you only get to see at full moon. Older guides know the exact trees where a gentle tap conjures up glowing green fungi.
4. Small Lagoon
In an hour of swimming you see more coral and fish species than on some entire island-hopping trips. Turtles come so close here you can almost touch them.
Fatti rapidi: About 150 pesos per person goes directly to a local reef protection fund that guards this patch of sea. Green sea turtles of around 80 centimeters show themselves here almost daily and swim calmly between the snorkelers.
Punti salienti: A collective of local fishermen has itself declared this reef a protected area and patrols it daily with a small boat. Underwater the guides silently point to white parrotfish nibbling away at the coral, while a green turtle with algae on its back glides right past your mask.
5. Kayangan Lake
Here you step straight into a fairytale blue lake, right off the wooden deck. At eight meters deep you can still see every shell lying there, so crystal-clear is the water.
Fatti rapidi: At a depth of about eight meters you can still see every pebble glisten, so crystal clear is the water. The white limestone bottom reflects the sunlight and gives the lake an almost fluorescent turquoise glow, while high limestone walls keep all wind and sound out.
Punti salienti: From the floating wooden jetty it seems as if you are floating over a pond of liquid glass, the bottom slopes so steeply that depth suddenly no longer feels like a fear. Local guides never drop an anchor there, they keep the boat in balance with a rope so that white limestone bed, clear as a freshly washed sheet, stays pristine.
6. Twin Lagoon
Paddle through a cave and emerge into a lagoon with turquoise water. Within an hour you see mangroves, birds and silence.
Fatti rapidi: Le due lagune sono collegate tra loro da un breve tunnel sottomarino, per cui l'acqua cambia colore a ogni passaggio di marea. Le guide consigliano mare calmo, perché con onde forti lo stretto ingresso della grotta può diventare rapidamente impraticabile.
Punti salienti: La magia sta in quel minuto di buio: pagaiando scivoli attraverso uno stretto ingresso della grotta e sbuchi in una radura silenziosa dove la luce del sole danza sull'acqua turchese. Se resti immobile, senti solo lo sciabordio della pagaia e il canto degli uccelli tra le radici delle mangrovie.
7. Miniloc Island
Your own island lagoon where you jump straight from your terrace into the water. Snorkel among thousands of fish, wade across the sandbar at low tide and sleep above the reef.
Fatti rapidi: Twice a day the seawater disappears from the lagoon, leaving a shallow mirror pool you wade through up to your knees. The color of the water shifts with the tide, from milky turquoise to dark emerald green, a live show from any beach chair.
Punti salienti: Choose a lodge on the east side of the water, because there a school of silvery little fish surfaces almost every morning around the poles under your terrace. At nightfall dozens of eels appear among the coral as soon as the sun sets, a spectacle you follow up close from the pier with a flashlight.
8. Immaculate Conception Cathedral
Calm center of island life, where faith and sea meet. Visitors hear the gentle rhythm of bells and prayers while the sea breeze blows through the open doors.
Fatti rapidi: Le mura di corallo imbiancate a calce e il tetto scuro in legno rendono questa casa di Dio il punto di riferimento del quartiere portuale. Ogni anno migliaia di visitatori varcano le sue porte, dai pescatori ai velisti, mentre la campana sveglia il quartiere ogni mattina alle sei.
Punti salienti: Su una mensola accanto all'altare maggiore sono appesi tre salvagente consunti, recuperati da una nave incagliata negli anni Sessanta. I marinai onorano ancora oggi questa tradizione accendendo una candela, così che la cappella profumi sempre di un mix di cera, fuliggine e sale marino.
Where to Stay in Palawan, Philippines
Selected by City Buddy based on guest reviews and proximity to top attractions
Search all hotels in Palawan, PhilippinesPowered by agoda
Dolci tradizionali
Buko pie
This flaky coconut pie is Palawan's most famous pasalubong style dessert, stuffed with tender young coconut meat and creamy filling. It is sold at nearly every bakery on the island and tastes best warm and just out of the oven.
Suman sa lihiya
This is a sticky rice cake wrapped and boiled in banana leaves until soft and chewy. Locals enjoy it with a dusting of brown sugar or a drizzle of sweet coconut caramel.
Cashew Hopia
Palawan bakers fill these golden pastry discs with sweetened local cashew paste instead of the usual mung bean. The island grows plenty of cashews, giving this snack a distinctly rich and nutty taste.
Piatti salati tradizionali
Kinilaw
This is a Palawan version of ceviche, where ultra fresh raw fish is cured in vinegar and calamansi with ginger and chili. It is a beloved fishermen's dish that celebrates the island's daily catch.
Crocodile sisig
Palawan is home to crocodile farms, and local cooks turn the lean meat into this spicy, sizzling dish. The tender crocodile bits are minced with onions and peppers for a flavor that surprises many visitors.
Lato salad
Lato, also called sea grapes, are tiny green seaweed bubbles that pop like caviar in the mouth. Vendors along Palawan's beaches dress them in vinegar, tomato, and onion for a cool and briny sensation.
Bevande tradizionali
Buko juice
Fresh from young green coconuts, this sweet clear water is Palawan's everyday thirst quencher. Vendors often sell it straight from the cracked shell right on the beach.
Tapuy
This is a mild, sweet fermented rice wine that Palawan households brew for fiestas and family gatherings. It has a gentle, fruity tang and is often served chilled with sticky rice inside the cup.
Sago't gulaman
Frequently Asked Questions about Palawan, Philippines
Is Palawan, Philippines safe?
How many days do you need in Palawan, Philippines?
When is the best time to visit Palawan?
Is Palawan, Philippines expensive?
How do you get around within Palawan?
Ricevi un PDF con le attrazioni più popolari via email
Ricevi un PDF con tutte le attrazioni, valutazioni e consigli. Perfetto per l'uso offline.
Gite di un giorno più popolari
Puerto Princesa Underground River
UNESCO site with an underground river, caves and limestone formations
Honda Bay
Island hopping to snorkeling spots like Pandan, Santos and Starfish
Salvacion Bay
Quiet beach cove with a long sandbar and calm swimming water
Bulalacao Falls
Layered waterfalls with natural pools, popular with locals
Come arrivare
Aeroporti
Stazioni ferroviarie
Rail service is not available on the island
Most fly into Puerto Princesa (PPS), which is just outside town center. From the airport, a tricycle or van ride to downtown takes under 15 minutes.
Trova voli per Palawan, Philippines
Clicca per ottenere eSim per Palawan, Philippines
Il modo più semplice ed economico per avere internet mobile ovunque tu viaggi.
Commenti (5)
Got 4 days of rain in the wet season and all my boat plans sank. Palm trees and rain not exactly postcard material. Pick your month carefully.
Book the earliest morning ferry between islands. The afternoon runs are choppy, half the boat ends up seasick. Get a window seat near the back.
Skip tour desks at hostels. Carry a fat stack of cash before you leave the city, island ATMs run dry fast. Also negotiate in peso, not dollars.
Ended up staying twice as long as planned. Every beach felt empty and the food was stupid good, especially the kinilaw at random roadside spots.
Amazing scenery, honestly, but everything runs on island time. Tours start late, transfers eat whole days. Go with the flow or you'll get frustrated.