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Philippine travel guide: Palawan

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Exploring Palawan’s resorts:
Sea, sand, sun and … giraffes
By Bruce Curran
With more picture-postcard beaches than you could shake your flip-flops at, the 1,780 islands that make up Palawan are recklessly putting the "wow" back into Philippine travel. Everything goes "wow" in the Philippines these days from ad campaigns and websites to bug-eyed tourists negotiating Manila’s legendary traffic. But rest assured, there's no Photoshop touch-up on that creamy white Palawan coral sand that you might easily pour into your coffee as a sugar substitute.
The Palawan grouping comprises 25 percent of all the Philippine islands yet it hosts just one percent of the population. Consequently, nature enjoys an ample run. Peace and privacy are the currency in this region of gin-blue seas and magnificent ocean vistas punctuated, of an evening, with cold San Miguel and impromptu barbecues in hideaway coves.
Getting there is becoming a lot easier with several airlines offering island flights (although by far the best way to explore is by banca, the local catamaran boat).
Asian Spirit and South East Asian Airlines, or Seair fly to Busuanga island in northern Palawan daily from Manila, during the “dry” season (November to April). This is the largest bit of protruding land and is at the very heart of the Calamian islands. Seair also flies from Puerto Princesa, the capital of Palawan, to Busuanga. Air Philippines serves Puerto Princesa, connecting it with Manila from around 2,000 pesos. For flights to El Nido’s Lio Airport use Seair or Island Transvoyager which offers 19-seat charter flights.
By sea, the big WG&A Superferry boats leave every Friday afternoon from Manila, for a Saturday morning arrival in Coron and an evening arrival in Puerto Princesa (27 hours away). Return trips leave Sunday.

Highly rated accommodation in Palawan
Following are the 20 highest rated resorts, hotels and and inns in Palawan. These are ranked in order, based upon reviews by travelers who have stayed there (travelers of various types with varying preferences and budgets). They're listed in the popularity index of TripAdvisor, myPH's partner in exploring the Philippines:
1.  Niko's Cabanas (average price US$54).
2.  Lagen Island Resort (average price $180).
3.  El Nido Resort Miniloc Island (price from $202).
4.  Amanpulo (average price $790).
5.  Club Paradise Resort (average price $205).
6.  Hotel Fleuris (price from $75).
7.  Discovery Divers Resort (price from $35).
8.  Club Noah Isabelle (average price $165).
9.  Summer Homes Beach Resort (price from $10).
10. Kawayanan Resort (prices on request).
11. Coco Loco Island Resort (price from $50).
12. Liberty Park Pension (price from $24).
13. Puerto Pension (average price $15).
14. Dolarog Beach Resort (price from $71).
15. Sea Dive Resort (price from $11).
16. Sangat Island Reserve (price from $71).
17. Princessa Holiday Resort (price from $40).
18. Asturias Hotel (average price $62).
19. Dos Palmas Arreceffi (average price $193).
20. Marina Garden Beach Resort (average $25).

Coron itself is delightfully hick. Absolutely nothing happens there save for regular “brownouts”, or electricity cuts. For city slickers, this is the next best thing to camping out.
Two resorts stand out above the Coron crowd. Sangat Island Resort (from US$60 per person including all meals and airport transfers) is about an hour by small banca from the Coron town pier. It will arrange pick-ups. The setting — below massive limestone cliffs amidst lush coastal forest — is spectacular, and the beach is about 300 meters long. Local wood cottages with thatched roofing are the norm. Sangat is tasteful and relaxing.
Ornithologists take note – the island is a bird reserve with a colorful community of kingfishers, swifts, swallows, sandpipers and parrots. The beach is good for swimming although it can get choppy if the winds swing around to the east. Kayaking and island exploring are activities that attract visitors who are not entirely focused on diving. The diving fixation is understandable, however, since Sangat is a perfect base for boating out to the seven Japanese wrecks in the area under the eagle eye of Englishman Andy Pownall.
Dive Link Resort (from $88 with fan, $386 air-con) on Uson island is about 10 minutes from Coron town by banca, or “pump boat” as locals sometimes call it. It is on a rocky coastal strip and, alas, possesses no beach. A freshwater swimming pool offers a reasonable substitute with a raised terrace halfway up the fringing hills that makes a good viewing platform. The modern cottages are a little cramped but adequate with simple, rustic furniture. The place is run by Noel and Cristina Matta, two Filipinos who have had an enduring interest in the area for many years. Try a three-day, two-night package or the weekend dive package. There is a bar and restaurant area, though the music can get a tad loud if you’re looking for a contemplative moment. The Frangie Panie wellness spa offers Thai, Swedish and Shiatsu massage, and there’s WiFi access.
About two hours away from Dive Link, en route by banca to El Nido, is its sister property, Coral Bay Resort (4,480 per per person including airport transfers and meals), comprised of four cottages, a dining pavilion and a number of well-placed hammocks. It is an impressive sight from the sea, lying as it does on protected Popototan island within a mini-archipelago.
On the north coast of Busuanga is a resort to beat all resorts. Club Paradise (from $170) more than lives up to its name, with an arsenal of sport and leisure options. Beachside and hillside cottages are of top standard, and come with airconditioning. This self-contained island offers nature lovers a 20-minute walk to Eagle's Lookout, and a wildlife info center for pre-hike research. There are two good swimming beaches and a house reef for snorkeling or diving. Wreck dives are nearby. The ambience at the resort is inviting and relaxed, and prices cover full board.
Club Paradise is the sole keeper of Dimakya island, and a walk around the place will offer a host of unexpected encounters – local Calamian deer prancing silently through the undergrowth, monitor lizards awkwardly scuttling across the ground, bright yellow orioles flitting between the trees, and giant fruit bats chirruping in the trees.
About 30 minutes by boat from Busuanga, Club Paradise’s sister resort, El Rio y Mar (from $130 per person) is in a sheltered cove facing inland with a beach and freshwater pool. The waters are calm enough for some water sports, with wakeboarding among the more popular options. It’s a very pleasant place to unwind in with a nice location and air-con cottages. Facilities there are being expanded.
The Calauit Game Preserve and Wildlife Sanctuary is just over an hour’s boat ride from Club Paradise and is home to an extraordinary mix of African wildlife. Giraffes, zebras, impala and waterbuck mix freely with about 2,000 local Calamian deer. Overhead the Philippine Fish Eagle’s cry pierces the “African” scene. The original animals were brought here in 1977 during the Marcos administration. They still roam free, along with the tourists, and trips in can be booked through most nearby resorts. (Wildlife lovers should also check out the Ursula Island Game Refuge and Bird Sanctuary down in Tuba Village near the southern tip of Palawan, best visited along with most of its feathered inhabitants two hours before sunset.)
Eighty miles from Coron town, past Linapacan Strait, is El Nido, set on the emerald west coast of North Palawan Island. There are the two comfortable resorts belonging to the same Ten Knots group that runs El Nido at Lagen, and at Miniloc. Each resort is tucked away in a picturesque cove on its own private island. All modern conveniences are available and at the beach everything is provided – at a price.
Miniloc Island Resort (from $200) is a supremely laid-back affair with 43 rooms including seven water cottages and five sea-view rooms on stilts. The thatch-roof cottages have an indigenous Filipino feel and local materials and motifs are abundant. All rooms are airconditioned with a mini-bar on tap, and powder white sand underfoot – unless you happen to be over water. Stunning, sheer, limestone cliffs provide the amazing backdrop. Lagen Island Resort (from $270) covers four hectares and has 51 rooms in a variety of styles, from its 18 water cottages and 20 forest rooms to nine beachfront cottages that get the best of the sunset. The rooms at Lagen are comparatively upscale and guests will enjoy a comfortable residential feel. WiFi can be accessed from the clubhouses at both resorts.
Romantics will be pleased to note that both the Miniloc and Lagen resorts can rustle up tables-for-two around the bay, from spots in garden clearings to perches on floating rafts in the middle of the lagoon. Those more work-inclined can explore the possibility of a small meeting at either of these resorts and set up on pontoon rafts in the center of a coral bay. Distracting, though. Both Lagen and Miniloc offer a variety of spa services, including Asian and European massage therapies.
A special Manila round-trip air fare for El Nido guests is available with Island Transvoyager at US$190 for adults and $141 for children. Much of the surrounding area is protected and El Nido does its bit with a "conservation fee" of 20 pesos per night for all guests over 12 years of age. The El Nido Marine Reserve offers stunning scenery, clear waters and a wonderfully secluded location. As if this were not enough there are 45 islands in the vicinity to explore. Kayak through hidden lagoons, swim, dive, snorkel, watch birds, explore mangroves, or picnic on powder-white sandbanks and private coves.
Across the bay around Corong Corong lies my personal favorite getaway – Dolarog Beach Resort which is so laid back it doesn’t even man a telephone, though you can reach reception on Skype internet telephone at “dolorog.” Once you have savored this one, you may not bother with any others. Lush, grassy lawn spreads out underfoot inviting you to stride barefoot to the alfresco restaurant and bar area. Very tasteful cottages with sliding doors and windows are on offer.
There are no fans so lie back and pray for breeze. The food is superb. Edo Flisi from Italy is the maestro behind this chic back-to-nature resort and his Filipina partner manages the busy kitchen. The place is about a 90-minute walk from El Nido town, although a tricycle may be available along the dusty road. It now offers northern island tours too, taking in attractions such as Bacuit Bay and Sabang’s underground river.
For those on the tightest of budgets there are some beachfront choices in El Nido town itself. The town is a quaint rural coastal village with a few alleys, dive shops and island-hopping operators along the beachfront. Those who don’t want to fly can embark on the 12- to 14-hour journey from Puerto Princesa by jeepney, the more-colorful-than-comfortable public transport mainstay. The Art Café has a friendly pair of owners at the helm – one Swiss, one Thai. Swiss national Judith, is the epicenter of all activity. She knows a thing or two about the area and can organize boats, tours, flights and anything else for you while you munch on savories from their little kitchen.
On the northern edge of El Nido town you’ll find the Lally & Abet Beach Cottages, with various accommodation choices – fan or air-con, beachfront or back-terraced rooms. Prices range from US$60 per person for a duplex room and include all meals, boat transfer and island-hopping tours. A little open restaurant serves adequate fare. There are 32 rooms in all and this place is by far the most organized along the beach. All the other accommodations are simple family-run affairs with small plots of land catering for serious beach slumming from out-at-elbow to marginally better.
For those in search of serious slumming, the Rossanas Cottages offer simple, rustic huts on the beach from 700 pesos . The Tandikan Cottages are currently being redeveloped. The Dara Fernandez Cottages are a very simple alternative and there’s the eight-room Marina Garden Cottages. Several of these are listed by the El Nido Tourism Office (www.elnidotourism.com). Note that many of the numbers listed are for mobile phones and since reception can be patchy there’s no guarantee you’ll get through.
El Nido budget hotel choices continue with Gloria's Beach Cottages where rooms go for 350 to 500 pesos. A walk-in rate here would be about 600 pesos. The intriguing Og's Lodging House is up some concrete stairs where Og and the missus will be found, with four fan-cooled rooms and one air-con room. These are clean and tidy and cozy indeed and the Ogs, despite their Ogre-ish name, are friendly to a fault. The Marber’s Beach restaurant is downstairs.
The Palawan Sands Inn has replaced the New Bayview Inn, though little has changed in terms of décor or prices. Fan-cooled rooms in a concrete block cost around 250 pesos, or 500 pesos with the luxury of air-conditioning. It only accepts walk-in guests.
Diving, island-hopping, hiking, swimming and snorkeling are the main activities in the El Nido area. There are a few restaurants and eateries in town and even a disco – but they pull the plug on the electricity at 1am, usually in the middle of the best song!
Banca boats can be individually chartered farther south in Port Barton for private trips to El Nido, and there are large seagoing bancas capable of making the passage from Busuanga to El Nido, again on private charter. Banca travel along the coast is by far the best way to see the beauty of this incredible coastline.
A short plane hop from El Nido, Club Noah Isabelle (from 6,000 pesos per person) in the Taytay area is an eco-friendly resort with 50 stilted water cabanas – some duplexes – each with private showers. Rates here include the short roundtrip jeepney rides from Cesar Lim Rodriguez Airport, Sandoval (a 90-minute flight from Manila), banca transfers plus all meals. Club Noah has northern Palawan’s obligatory, but entirely charming limestone hill backdrop.
Further south towards the provincial capital Puerto Princesa, another good spot in scenic Honda Bay is the Dos Palmas Arreceffi Island Resort(from $188 per person). Puerto Princesa is a one-hour flight from Manila. The transfer includes a 15-minute drive to Santa Lourdes Wharf and an hour’s boat transfer. Dos Palmas is a highly regarded Philippine family resort and also handles seminars and workshops. It is set in 20 generous hectares with a three-hectare mangrove forest at one end. Accommodation is in a variety of cottages, some in garden settings, and others on stilts above the water. Massage and treatments are available at the Tropical Spa and divers can explore Helen’s Coral Garden nearby.
Last but certainly not least, on a private island off the west coast of Mindoro, Pandan Island Resort is a laid-back option that offers good rates (from $13, single) and a few one and two-family bungalows. It offers transfers from San Jose in Mindoro and a few other areas by banca and jeepney for about $200 per seven people, so the price will depend on your party size. There’s also a sea plane. Dive options in the area include a beginner's house reef up to 20 meters, a "Coral Garden" going down to 25 meters, a "Napoleon Wall" with ample sightings of Napoleon wrasse, tuna and trevally, and Apo Reef that hosts more coral species than the whole of the Caribbean. The resort is run by Frenchman Dominique, and his parrot.
Crusoe might have been more at home in Pandan. Rooms are open and airy, water is filtered seawater and lighting is powered by solar paneling. But the beer is cold and the buffet dinner is superb. The extremely pleasant beach setting faces the mainland of Mindoro and is thus protected from the open sea.
Around 200km to the east of Palawan island is the private sun-dappled hideaway of Pamalican in the Cuyo group of islands. Here a wealth of white sand, clear blue water and healthy coral reefs await visitors. Pamalican island is the home of Amanpulo, a five-star luxury resort run by Amanresorts with 40 airconditioned “casitas” (from $575) set along the beach and into the hill. You might think you’re getting a slice of castaway island life, but Robinson Crusoe would not agree – something to do with the king-size beds, window divans and sunken baths in all the luxury cottages perhaps. Guests here also get to zip around in their own battery-operated buggies. All rooms have satellite TV and CD players. There are two private villas for larger parties.
If you start feeling a bit waterlogged, the hotel is stocked with dry-land entertainment options. There’s a library with books, magazines, music and board games as well as a beach club, spa casita, swimming pool and two tennis courts. Guests arrive on privately chartered planes – it takes about an hour from Manila – and there’s an Amanpulo lounge in Manila’s international airport too.
Book a banca, set sail and soon you’ll be saying "WOW!" too.
•  The author, Manila-based Bruce Curran, runs varying-itinerary banca safaris through the Palawan islands, which provide the inspiration for books he is currently authoring. His recent coffee-table, Combing the Coral Carpet, is a complete guide to water adventures in the Philippines.

•  For good deals in Palawan, plus price comparisons and reviews by other travelers, check out TripAdvisor.

•  More information, tips and advice about traveling around the Philippines can be found in the myPH Explorer Forum.