Palawan has topped international 'best island' rankings so consistently that the accolade has become part of its marketing, and the underlying scenery justifies it, a subterranean river system long enough to be a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and the limestone-studded lagoons of El Nido and Coron, formed from ancient coral reefs pushed up out of the sea.
The Underground River
Puerto Princesa Subterranean River, one of the New Seven Wonders of Nature, runs for over eight kilometres through a limestone cave system, of which visitors typically travel around 1.5 kilometres by paddleboat past cathedral-sized cavern chambers and rock formations resembling religious icons.
Book the tour permit in advance through official channels, daily visitor numbers are capped to protect the cave ecosystem, and walk-up availability during peak season is unreliable.
El Nido and Coron
El Nido's lagoons, reached by boat tours threading between towering limestone cliffs, include the Big and Small Lagoon, both requiring a swim or kayak through narrow rock openings to access the turquoise water enclosed within, genuinely some of the most striking marine scenery in Southeast Asia.
Coron, to the north, is known for wreck diving among Japanese ships sunk during WWII, alongside Kayangan Lake, frequently cited as the cleanest lake in the Philippines, reached via a steep but short climb over limestone rock.
Recommended Stay · Palawan · El Nido
El Nido Resorts Pangulasian Island
A private-island resort accessible only by boat, with villas set among tropical forest and direct access to a protected reef and beach.
