Philippines · Asia

맞춤 여행 Palawan

El Nido and Coron — the Philippines' most beautiful lagoons.

1인 €2,200부터·추천 시즌: December–May·★★★★★ 500명 이상 여행객 매칭

맞춤 여행 안내 — Palawan?

Palawan is best visited from November to May (dry season). El Nido for island-hopping — arrive at Small Lagoon before 7 a.m. to avoid groups. Coron for WWII wreck diving and Kayangan Lake. Puerto Princesa for the Underground River (UNESCO). Book the Underground River permit 2 weeks ahead — limited daily entries. Fly into Puerto Princesa (PPS) or El Nido (ENI). Use Palawan Pawnshop or Cebuana remittance for cash — ATMs are unreliable in remote areas.

Palawan is the final frontier of the Philippines — a 450 km-long limestone island province that contains a third of the country's total coastline, UNESCO World Heritage Sites at both its northern and southern ends, and biodiversity that includes 600 bird species, 8 endemic large mammals, and coral reefs that supply fish protein to 20 million Filipinos. El Nido and the Bacuit Archipelago in the north hold 45 limestone islands with turquoise lagoons enclosed by 200-metre karst walls. Coron in Calamian Islands has World War II Japanese shipwrecks in 18–42-metre depths, colonised by hard coral and schooling fish. Puerto Princesa Subterranean River — a UNESCO World Heritage underground river running 8.2 km through cave systems before emptying into the South China Sea — was named one of the New Seven Wonders of Nature.

El Nido's tours are structured as island-hopping circuits labelled Tour A through Tour D, each visiting different lagoon and snorkel combinations. Tour A (Secret Lagoon, Big Lagoon, Small Lagoon) is the most visited — arrive at the Small Lagoon by 7 a.m. on a private boat before the 50 bangka boats of the group tours arrive by 9 a.m. The Big Lagoon is navigable by kayak: a 2-km enclosed turquoise corridor between 150-metre limestone walls with no current, the water 4 metres deep and clear to the bottom. Tour C covers the east coast and Cadlao Island — fewer visitors, more wildlife (monitor lizards on the beaches, sea eagles overhead). The crowds at El Nido are real and concentrated in a small area from late morning to 3 p.m.; departure from the town pier before 7 a.m. transforms the experience.

Coron Town in the Calamian Islands is primarily a wreck-diving destination — the Japanese fleet bombed on September 24, 1944, by US carrier aircraft left 24 vessels on the seabed. The Okikawa Maru (180 m long, 18 m depth to the deck), the Kogyo Maru (aircraft parts visible in the hold, 20–38 m), and the Olympia Maru (the most colourful, 18–30 m, hard coral covering the entire hull) are extraordinary historical dives. Non-divers can snorkel the shallower wrecks, kayak the karst lakes (Kayangan Lake — the Philippines' clearest lake, a 5-minute climb over a limestone headland), and swim the Barracuda Lake (thermocline at 15 m where cold freshwater meets warm saltwater in a visible shimmering boundary).

최적 방문 시기 — Palawan?

추천 월은 December–May. 월별 계획 메모를 확인하세요.

Jan

비수기 — 최고의 가용성과 가성비.

Feb

비수기; 조용하고 보통 더 저렴함.

Mar

준성수기; 날씨가 좋아짐.

Apr

준성수기; 이상적인 날씨 시작.

May

주요 체험 — Palawan

현지 파트너가 엄선한 여행 경험들. 모든 맞춤 여행에 이 중 일부 — 또는 더 좋은 것이 포함됩니다.

체험 1

El Nido Bacuit Bay private boat

The Small Lagoon at 7 a.m. in a private bangka: 100-metre limestone walls above you, turquoise water below, complete silence — 90 minutes before the flotilla of group tour boats arrives.

체험 2

Coron WWII wreck diving

Kayaking the Big Lagoon: 2 km of enclosed turquoise water between karst cliffs with no motor noise, the paddle echo the only sound, the bottom visible 4 metres below through water the colour of a swimming pool.

체험 3

Underground River (UNESCO)

Kayangan Lake at 7 a.m.: the Philippines' clearest lake reflecting limestone walls, the submerged karst topography visible from the surface — geology you can swim over.

체험 4

Kayangan Lake hike and swim

The Okikawa Maru at 25 metres: a 180-metre oil tanker lying on its side, the hull entirely covered in 80 years of hard coral growth, a school of barracuda turning in formation over the bow.

체험 5

Private island day at Cadlao

Barracuda Lake's thermocline at 15 metres: swimming through the visible shimmering boundary between warm saltwater and cold freshwater, a physical sensation like passing through gelatin.

체험 6

Twin Lagoons kayak

Secret Beach at Tour D: a 5-minute underwater swim through a tunnel in the limestone cliff opens into a completely enclosed white-sand beach with no other exit — only accessible to those willing to swim into the rock.

샘플 일정

두 가지 출발점 — 실제 일정은 완전 맞춤형입니다. 여기서 구성합니다.

7일 클래식

1
일차 1: El Nido Arrival — Bacuit Bay at Sunset
Fly to El Nido (ENI) from Manila (1.5 hours) or overland from Puerto Princesa (6 hours scenic coastal road). El Nido town is a compact barangay of concrete shophouses, tricycles, and dive operators. Check into a beachfront guesthouse on Corong-Corong (the bay east of town, quieter). Sunset from Las Cabañas Beach — a 15-minute tricycle ride west of town — where the limestone towers of the Bacuit Archipelago turn silhouette-black against a sea-and-sky gradient that begins gold and ends violet. Dinner: fresh tuna tartare and grilled barracuda at Trattoria Altrove (Italian-Filipino kitchen using morning market fish) or calamari grilled over coconut at a local ihaw-ihaw (grill) warung on the main street.
2
일차 2: Tour A — Private Boat, Lagoons Before 7 a.m.
Hire a private bangka (300–600 PHP more than group tour) to depart at 6:30 a.m. from the El Nido pier. First stop: Small Lagoon (also called Hidden Beach Lagoon) at 7 a.m. — a keyhole entrance at low tide reveals a pool surrounded entirely by 100-metre limestone cliffs. You are alone here. By 9:30 a.m. the group tour boats arrive in a flotilla of 50. Second: Big Lagoon by kayak — 2 km of enclosed turquoise water between karst walls, no motor boats allowed, the silence is absolute. Third: Secret Lagoon — swim through a 1-metre gap in the rock to reach a completely enclosed turquoise pool. Snorkel at Shimizu Island for live coral and trevally schools. Return by 2 p.m. as the midday heat peaks.
3
일차 3: Tour C — Cadlao Island and East Coast
Tour C is the least visited circuit — the east coast of the Bacuit Archipelago, away from the main lagoon clusters. Cadlao Island (the largest island in the archipelago, 1,026 m high) has a lagoon on its eastern face: calm, shallow, few boats. A beach on the east side of Cadlao faces open sea at sunrise — monitor lizards the size of small crocodiles bask on the sand in the morning. Papaya Beach is deserted at this hour. Snake Island (named for its S-shaped sandbar exposed at low tide) connects two reef flats — walk the sandbar while it's above water. Helicopter Island (shaped like a crouching helicopter) has the best hard coral snorkel in Tour C.
4
일차 4: El Nido to Coron — Scenic Ferry or Flying Boat
The El Nido to Coron ferry (FastCat or 2GO, 4 hours) passes through the Calamian Islands — limestone formations rising from perfectly flat sea, uninhabited, photographable from the upper deck. Or: 35-minute light aircraft (Air Juan or Island Transvoyager) above the archipelago. Arrive Coron Town, a fishing community on Busuanga Island. Coron market at 5 p.m. — the freshest tuna belly, green mango salads, and freshly-smoked tinapa (dried fish) that Calamian fishermen bring in every afternoon. Sunset from Coron Town viewpoint over the Coron Bay.
5
일차 5: Kayangan Lake and Barracuda Lake — Then Wreck Snorkel
Day boat departure at 7 a.m. Kayangan Lake: a 5-minute climb over a limestone headland reveals the clearest lake in the Philippines — a submerged karst topography visible from the surface, 40 metres deep in places, freshwater overlying ancient marine geology. The climb is worth doing early — by 10 a.m. the wooden decks are crowded. Barracuda Lake: thermocline at 15 metres where a shimmering layer marks the boundary between warm saltwater (top) and cold freshwater (bottom) — swimming through it is a physical sensation like passing through gelatin. Afternoon: snorkel the Kogyo Maru wreck in 5–8 metres — the aircraft parts in the hold are visible without scuba. Return by 4 p.m.
6
일차 6: Wreck Diving — Okikawa Maru and Olympia Maru
Scuba divers: the Okikawa Maru is the largest wreck — a 180-metre oil tanker at 18–30 metres, its hull encrusted with 80 years of hard coral growth. Inside the engine room, the gauges are still readable. Propeller at 32 metres. The Olympia Maru at 18–30 metres has the most coral coverage — the entire stern is a reef, barracuda schooling above the stern gun, glassfish filling the hold. Dive 3: East Tangat Gunboat, a small patrol vessel in 10–18 metres with a gun still aimed at the surface. Non-divers: Twin Lagoon (an outer lagoon connects to an inner lagoon through a gap swimmable at low tide), CYC Beach (uninhabited), and Black Island coral gardens.
7
일차 7: Puerto Princesa Underground River — Return
Fly or ferry to Puerto Princesa. The Underground River permit (100 PHP) must be booked ahead through the City Environment and Natural Resources Office or through tour operators — daily entries are limited. The 8.2-km river runs through the Karst Mountains UNESCO World Heritage Site in a narrow boat with a headlamp guide. The cave contains stalactites the height of apartment buildings, a cathedral chamber 800 metres wide, and a passage where bats roost in the millions overhead. The mouth of the river at the South China Sea is a beach accessible only by boat — macaque monkeys wait here for tourists to drop food, which they do. Overnight in Puerto Princesa. Return flight to Manila the following morning.

14일 심층 코스

1
일차 1: Puerto Princesa Arrival — City Palawan
Puerto Princesa is a proper city (300,000 residents) and the gateway to Palawan. Honda Bay island-hopping on arrival afternoon: Starfish Island, Luli Island (disappears at high tide), Cowrie Island — the bay has healthy coral and no current, ideal for first-day snorkel.
2
일차 2: Underground River UNESCO
8.2-km navigable underground river. Cathedral chamber. Bat colony. Mangrove boardwalk approach. Permit essential — book 2 weeks ahead.
3
일차 3: Puerto Princesa to El Nido — Scenic Coastal Drive
The 6-hour coastal road north to El Nido passes through the Honda Bay coast, then enters the limestone karst interior. Stop at Port Barton (halfway) — a sleepy fishing village with a beach guesthouse and a snorkel site in the cove — for lunch and a swim. Arrive El Nido by evening.
4
일차 4: El Nido — Tour A Private Boat at Dawn
Small Lagoon, Big Lagoon kayak, Secret Lagoon — all before 9 a.m. crowds. Shimizu Island snorkel. Return 2 p.m.
5
일차 5: El Nido — Tour B (Remote Beaches)
Tour B covers the southern Bacuit Archipelago: Entalula Island (white beach, no resort), Pinagbuyutan Island (towering karst with a hidden cove), Cathedral Cave (paddle a kayak into a cave with a natural skylight).
6
일차 6: El Nido — Tour C at Dawn
Cadlao Island east face. Monitor lizards on Snake Island sandbar at low tide. Helicopter Island coral snorkel.
7
일차 7: El Nido — Tour D (Matinloc Shrine and Secret Beach)
Tour D is the most physically demanding: a 5-minute swim through an underwater tunnel at Matinloc Shrine reveals Secret Beach — a completely enclosed sand beach accessible only underwater. Matinloc Shrine (a ruined chapel on a limestone ledge, 10-minute climb) has the most dramatic Bay view in El Nido.
8
일차 8: Nacpan Twin Beach Trek
Nacpan Beach (45 minutes north of El Nido by motorbike) is a 4-km arc of white sand with a coconut plantation backdrop. The 'Twin Beach' headland connects Nacpan to Calitang Beach — a 15-minute walk over the headland. Both are undeveloped by Palawan standards.
9
일차 9: El Nido to Coron Ferry
Morning ferry through Calamian Islands limestone formations. Arrive Coron by afternoon. Sunset from town viewpoint.
10
일차 10: Kayangan and Barracuda Lakes
7 a.m. departure. Kayangan clarity and karst topography. Barracuda thermocline swim. CYC Beach. Return by 4 p.m.
11
일차 11: Wreck Diving — Three Dives
Okikawa Maru, Olympia Maru, East Tangat Gunboat. 80 years of coral growth on steel hulls.
12
일차 12: Twin Lagoon and Black Island
Twin Lagoon low-tide connection. Black Island coral gardens — the reef here is one of the healthiest in Coron Bay. Snorkel only (no dive needed — the coral is shallow).
13
일차 13: North Busuanga — Calauit Safari Park
Calauit Game Preserve and Wildlife Sanctuary: African animals (giraffes, zebras, impalas) relocated by Marcos in 1976 to an island off Busuanga, now coexisting with Philippine endemic species (Calamian deer, mouse deer). A safari in Southeast Asia — genuinely strange and somehow working.
14
일차 14: Coron to Manila — Departure
Fly from Coron Francisco B. Reyes Airport (USU) to Manila (1.5 hours). Or Manila via Puerto Princesa. Palawan is the Philippines at its most complete: culture, wildlife, history, and the most extraordinary seascape in Asia.

여행 실용 정보

비자

30 days visa-free for most travelers

통화

Philippine peso (PHP)

언어

Filipino, English

시간대

PHT (UTC+8)

자주 묻는 질문

When is the best time to visit El Nido and Palawan?+

November to May is the dry season and the best time to visit. December to February has the calmest seas and best visibility for island-hopping. March to May is hot (32–35°C) but reliable. June to October is the wet season — typhoons can reach Palawan, seas can be rough, and some island-hopping routes are suspended. November is transitional — usually fine but check forecasts weekly. El Nido itself (northern Palawan) is slightly more sheltered than the central islands.

How do I avoid the crowds at El Nido?+

Book a private bangka (hired for your group only) rather than the group island-hopping tours. Depart the pier by 6:30 a.m. to reach the Small Lagoon by 7 a.m. — the group tours leave at 8:30–9:30 a.m. and arrive together. The Big Lagoon is accessible by kayak only (motor boats prohibited), which naturally limits crowds. Tour C (east coast, Cadlao) and Tour D (Matinloc) are less popular than Tour A — visit them on separate days. Mid-week visits are significantly less crowded than weekends.

Can I visit the Underground River without a guide or permit?+

No. The Puerto Princesa Underground River requires a permit (100 PHP) and a licensed guide who operates the boat. Permits are capped at 900 per day and can sell out during peak season — book 2 weeks ahead through the Puerto Princesa City Tourism Office website or through tour operators. The boat trip into the cave is 45 minutes; a headlamp is provided. The 7-km accessible section (only 1.5 km is navigated) takes approximately 90 minutes total including the boat approach through Cleopatra's Needle lagoon.

Is Coron or El Nido better for a first visit to Palawan?+

El Nido for non-divers and first-time visitors: the island-hopping lagoon scenery is uniquely spectacular and accessible. Coron for divers: the Japanese WWII wrecks are among the world's top 10 dive sites, and Kayangan Lake is a non-dive highlight. Both for longer trips (7+ days): ferry or fly between them (El Nido to Coron ferry, 4 hours, or 35-minute light aircraft). Puerto Princesa is the practical gateway to both — fly in, bus to El Nido, work south, fly out.

Are the Coron Japanese shipwrecks safe to dive?+

Yes, the Coron wrecks are well-established recreational dive sites at 18–42 metres, diveable on air (no specialised gas required). The most popular wrecks (Okikawa Maru, Olympia Maru, Kogyo Maru) are between 18–35 metres — within standard Open Water certification limits with a guide. Advanced divers can reach the Lusong Gunboat (10–18 m, excellent for beginners) and the deeper sections of Okikawa. Dive operators in Coron Town are experienced and provide full equipment rental. The wrecks are not overhead environments requiring cave or wreck certification to enter — most penetration is through open deck hatches.

함께 검색한 질문

Is El Nido worth visiting in 2024?
How many days do I need in El Nido?
What are the best diving spots in Palawan?
How do I get to Palawan from Manila?
Is Palawan safe for tourists?
What is the difference between El Nido and Coron?
Can I visit the Puerto Princesa Underground River on my own?
What is the best island to stay on in Palawan?

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AI 컨시어지와 채팅하세요 — 꿈의 여행을 설명하는 데 2분이면 충분합니다.