THE Province of Palawan is the largest in the Philippines and home to Palawan Island, previously named by National Geographic Traveler as “the best island destination in East and Southeast Asia.” There are near 1800 islands and islets in the province, stretching white sandy beaches along approximately 1,200 miles of coastline. A large variety of wildlife and mountainous jungles are found on Palawan Island.

1

Basketball

Basketball was introduced to the Philippines during the American colonial period (1898-1946) and Filipinos are crazy about it. They have a professional league -- the Philippines Basketball Association (PBA), the first in Asia and second longest running pro league in the world behind the NBA.

2

Just one of many white sand beaches

There are many gorgeous stretches of sand near San Vicente; Long Beach is 14km of a so-far undeveloped stretch, one of the most beautiful in the Philippines. Go and enjoy the solitude while there is still time. A new airstrip has already led to the development of large resorts, and it won’t be long before package tours start rolling in.

3

Corong Corong beach at dusk

Corong Corong beach is the best place to stay if you want to escape the hectic action of El Nido Town. It’s also a great location to view Palawan's epic sunsets.

More like this

Photo + Video + FilmAn aerial tour of beautiful Palawan in the Philippines
4

Sabang River

Cruising along the Sabang River you can explore centuries-old mangroves in a forest that is free from industrial activities. The mangroves are integral in supporting a rich and diverse marine life.

5

Sunset from San Vicente pier

San Vicente's popularity as a tourist destination is increasing as improvements to infrastructure are made. There will always be brilliant sunsets like this though.

6

Explore by kayak

There are variety of ways you can explore the many islands and islets around El Nido. Organized island hopping and diving tours head out in the early mornings from town. Kayaking around can also be very rewarding and many secret beaches can be found with spectacular snorkeling. Steep limestone cliffs plummet into these crystal clear waters and these Karst formations produce a similar, but even more spectacular scene than the popular Halong Bay in Vietnam or Krabi in Thailand.

7

El Nido

Almost 150 miles to the northeast of Puerto Princesa — Palawan's capital — is El Nido, named by CNNGo as the "best beach and island destination in the Philippines."

Intermission

Travel

The optimal road trip to see all the US national parks, mapped

Aug 2, 2021Morgane Croissant
Sponsored

4 seasons of Vermont: A year-round travel guide to the Green Mountain State

Jul 22, 2021Charu Suri
Outdoor

The 10 least-visited national parks in the US, and why you should go

Jul 2, 2021Matthew Meltzer
8

Seafood in Sabang

The small village of Sabang is typically used by visitors as an access point to the Puerto Princesa Subterranean River National Park. It's also a great place to buy some fish from the locals and let them prepare it for you in their home.

9

Fishermen on Alimanguan Beach

Sleepy fishing villages like Alimanguan near San Vicente still remains hidden to travelers.

10

Port Barton

Between Palawan's capital of Puerto Princesa and the uber-popular El Nido, you can find some remoteness and relaxation in Port Barton. The peaceful nature of this seaside village mostly attracts shoestring backpackers and is not as popular as other areas due to the rough and unpaved road that doesn’t make it quite as accessible to luxury seeking vacationers. There are many islands to explore nearby for diving and snorkelling.

11

Jeepney

The most authentic way to move around on Palawan is to hop on a Jeepney with the locals. These vibrant vehicles with their kitsch decorations are modifications of the US Army Jeeps that were left behind after World War II.

12

Fishing as a way of life

Aside from farming and hunting, fishing has historically been one of Palawan's main economic activities. Around 45% of Manila's fish supply comes from this area.