ADVENTURE

Palawan resorts review and top dives around the islands

A Palawan resort guide for the intrepid from top-end luxury and child-friendly family resorts to Palawan dives and footprints in white sand. More on El Nido Town and the area.

by Vijay Verghese

updated by Jane McLean with original reporting by Bruce Curran

SEE ALSO Cebu resorts and Bohol romance | Manila fun guide | Boracay | Manila business hotels | Phuket fun guide | Bali resorts review | Sanya | Asian resort weddings | Vietnam resorts | Maldives resorts review | Mergui island guide | El Nido fun guide and resorts review

Gin clear waters beckon banca catamarans that glide between the islands revealing hidden lagoons and charming sandbanks teeming with marine life. Much of this is around the limestone karst hills of the El Nido area.

JUMP TO Flights to Palawan | Busuanga Island and Coron resorts | Calauit game park and wildlife | Resorts near El Nido town | Budget hotels | Family resorts Honda Bay, Mindoro, Puerto Princesa | Palawan luxury resorts | Hotel Contacts

FLYING TO PALAWAN used to be a weighty decision. Your baggage got weighed. Your camera got weighed. You gott weighed, in front of everybody, as people gasped and politely looked the other way. Those extra calories could mean the difference between flying to Palawan and rowing. Miscalculate and your baggage could be on the next flight. Why? Because small propeller planes operate on the basic laws of physics – thrust, drag, weight and lift. If your weight is going to drag the craft down – always a bad idea in shark-infested waters – you will be lifted up and thrust out speedily.

I weighed just 85kg WITH MY BAGS. So I was one of the fortunate few who witnessed the safety demonstration. This was conducted in the small rustic airline lounge by a pretty stewardess who pointed out what to do in the event of decompression or ditching. If you are unaware of what to do in the event of an airline lounge landing in the water or suddenly losing altitude, this drill is for you. On my return I was pleased to see the airline lounge was still intact. Safe lounges are the future of travel. Some of that whimsy has been lost with the transfer. El Nido is still being robustly served by AirSWIFT (formerly Island Transvoyager). Its tiny Dorniers have been replaced by more modern ATR 42-600s. AirSWIFT also flies to Boracay, Bohol, Cebu and Coron. El Nido's Lio Airport - a mini island hub - is 12km from the town.

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Palawan is a wondrous lost paradise. One of the first islands you pass en route from Manila to El Nido, is Lubang. It was here in 1974 that Hiroo Onoda became the very last Japanese Imperial Army officer to surrender. He was genuinely lost unlike the actors in the TV drama of the same name. Lacking access to CNN, he simply assumed Japan had taken over The Philippines and would soon send across glad tidings along with some Hello Kitty souvenirs.

He was mistaken. Japan had not taken over The Philippines. It had in fact, taken over the world, and while everyone else was driving Toyotas and taking pictures of Godzilla, such was not Hiroo’s luck, until he was “discovered” and the Japanese embassy informed him he would need a new passport and a shave. Mr Onoda wrote his story, straight up and unadorned, in a charming book, No Surrender – My Thirty Year War. We’re guessing your trip will be briefer though some alluring Palawan resorts may tempt you to stay on.

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Below your aircraft the shimmering blue sea stretches out like tarpaulin as far as the eye can see, dotted with dramatic limestone outcroppings fringed by white sand. You’ll spot banca catamarans cutting gracefully through the water and, if you have binoculars, occasional zebras and giraffes along with endangered species like Tourists Who Have Not Entirely Lost Their Minds.

Hang on. What the heck are giraffes doing here? Well, in 1976 President Ferdinand Marcos created the Calauit Game Preserve and Wildlife Sanctuary, a protected national park in the Busuanga region and a whole bunch of animals were shipped across from Africa becoming perhaps the second most famous animal tourists since those on Noah’s Ark.

While Marcos indeed managed to save these animals from deforestation, poachers and tortuous Zimbabwean elections, he was unable to save himself, proving conclusively that animals, no matter how well fed or protected, are not much use as a voting bloc without proper education and assimilation into modern society.

A sprinkling of Palawan luxury resorts, laid back child-friendly family resorts, and budget cottages are to be found along this broad swathe of sea and along the bays of Palawan Island. The understated yet luxurious Amanpulo resort occupies Pamalican Island in the Cuyo group. It offers a superb stretch of beach and water. And El Nido Resorts runs two spectacularly-sited properties off northwest Palawan Island and Apulit Island Resort farther south. Miniloc is a Robinson Crusoe escape with rustic villas on stilts backed by soaring limestone crags looking over a sandy coral cove and startlingly blue waters. Not far away is Lagen with a similar, but more concrete, construction and the luxury of a swimming pool.

While I was visiting, the lights were turned off 8pm-9pm on 29 March to celebrate “Earth Hour”, an Australian fad fast catching on around the world. As the power abruptly disappeared I looked up at the star spangled night sky realising that it is at primeval moments like these, listening to the waves, the murmur of the wind, the harmony of strolling minstrels and the screech of long tailed macaques under a star-sequinned night sky that a deep longing wells up in a man’s heart – a longing for electricity, air-conditioning and the Internet. But I jest.

I lay back and savoured the moment, realising that there would be many more. Not in El Nido, alas, but elsewhere in The Philippines, and in India, where enlightened governments joyously pursue “Earth Year” with perpetual power cuts and sudden blackouts, leading their citizens firmly back to nature, in touch with their Inner Child, if not Wall Street. On with our Palawan fun guide.

Palawan remains one of Asia’s last real escapes for dives, snorkelling, kayaking, rock climbing and much more. Trawl the rainforest to find your very own Japanese, surrendering, in droves, this time to the pleasures of sun, sand and sea. They might even have some Hello Kitty souvenirs for you. Then enjoy your flight back. The airport lounge will NOT depressurise and all aircraft display this reassuring sign next to the joystick –“No acrobatic manoeuvres, including spins.” Quite right.

With more picture-postcard beaches than you could shake your flip-flops at, the 1,780 islands that make up Palawan, have put the “wow” back into travel (Department of Tourism, www.tourism.gov.ph) Everything goes “wow” in The Philippines 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 coral sand. A Palawan beach resort is just that. A resort on a genuine white sand beach.

The Palawan grouping comprises 25 percent of all the national islands yet it hosts just a fraction 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 a lot easier with several airlines offering island flights. But by far the best way to explore, is by banca (catamaran). Here’s our Palawan resort guide along with some Philippines diving where-tos and how-tos. Start by perusing a Palawan Map.

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Flights to Palawan, bancas and ferries

Airlines and their subsidiaries flying in and out of Palawan change frequently, as do schedules, but travellers might explore Philippine Airlines’s PAL Express (www.philippineairlines.com), Cebu Pacific Air (www.cebupacificair.com), Skyjet Airlines (www.flyskyjetair.com/) and possibly Seair, which did charters at one time and then moved exclusively to cargo.

For flights from Manila to El Nido at the far north of the long and stretched Palawan Island Island Transvoyager Inc has changed to the boutique Air Swift and operates now from Terminal 4, no longer from the small hangar near the Amanpulo shack. The old twin-prop 19-seater Dorniers have been replaced by the ATR 42-500, which is a 50-seater turboprop. Charter a plane if you like and create your own timetable. The flight is around 75 minutes and an informative in-seat map points out your route markers in minutes, highlighting islands and spots of interest.

The plane passes Mindoro, Busuanga (Lubang is far to your right and Cuyo several minutes flying time to your left), Culion, and Linapacan, before dipping over Bacuit Bay for an eye-popping touchdown. Pick a seat in the first rows in front of the propellers to get the best views in this narrow single aisle configuration. Pack economically as there will be a strict limit on baggage. Flights are also offered from Manila to Taytay for guests heading to the Apulit Island Resort.

The old rustic El Nido Transvoyager lounge used to face the Amanpulo Lounge, but operations have moved to NAIA Terminal 4. Or peruse the informative and lively travelife magazine. The Amanpulo Lounge serves refreshments, offers books and games and a shower room. Flights to Amanpulo, also on Dorniers, but serviced by Island Aviation Inc, cost upwards of US$500. The baggage allowance is a more lenient 20kg per adult (including carry-on bags). The scheduled charter flights from Manila to Amanpulo take an hour. In Palawan, Island Aviation also offers flights to El Nido, Cuyo and Busuanga.

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Busuanga Island and Coron resorts

We’ll roll out our Palawan guide by region, starting at the top. Do check our Palawan Map. Coron is a delightfully rustic Palawan resort area. Absolutely nothing happens here save for regular “brown-outs”, or power cuts. Here, every day is “Earth Day”. Bring along a good torch. For city-slickers, this is the next best thing to camping out.

If you're tearing out your hair searching for child-friendly Palawan resorts, rest your fingers and explore the whimsically name The Funny Lion resort on Coron by One-Of Collection where Cub rooms from 20sq m in a twin-bed set-up to King or Pride rooms with 25sq m of stretch space await with hot and cold showers, coffee/tea facilities and in-room safes. A King room can accommodate two adults and two kids under six, or three adults. Seems fair.

The simple yet appealing hardwood-and-antiques Hunt Restaurant serves Asian fare and seafood (think fusion), while the Pride Rock Deck serves up 'cocktail safaris' for sundowners. Just 30 minutes from Busuanga Airport, The Funny Lion is set up a rise in a jungle setting looking over mangroves and tropical foliage across a bay with kayaking and more. This is a rustic escape for the family, unpretentious yet serving up a distinctive Filipino welcome where everyone will feel at home.

For a luxe escape into the blue there's the seemingly alluring Two Seasons Island Resort & Spa, Coron perched on a forelock of hill and white sand, its tip connecting with a picture-postcard island and sandbar for endless photo-ops and selfies. In recent months guests will have a noticed a substantial slip in service and management standards. Be aware of this caveat.

This is a shame, as with 42 smart bungalows, each with gleaming timber floors and a woody feel with woven-frond roofs, balconies and stunning views, this is an island idyll for weddings (yes, there's an attractive chapel) and family-friendly Palawan getaways.

There is a restaurant, gym, a spa, and a free-form pool. The island's eco-friendly approach will appeal to many and among its numerous green features is the emphasis on private generators and desalination plants that make the complex self-sufficient but not in a too Robinson Crusoe way.

If the 600sq m pool and turquoise see-through waters are not sufficient, there's a conference room for suits. Enjoy snorkelling, diving, and a submersible "scooter" with sealed head bubble for an eye-popping acquaintance with marine life. This interesting spa resort private peninsula in Malaroyroy is a 40-minute speedboat transfer from Coron town.

Also mark down the posh Busuanga Bay Lodge by Aura Hotels & Resorts that opened in December 2013. The 14 launch private villas get a 24-villa addition mid-2014. This upscale retreat is a 45-minute boat ride from Coron.

The beach is regularly sanded but not really set up for swimming. For breathtaking dives and white sand underfoot head out just five minutes by speedboat to neighbouring islands. It's all part of the resort's can-do attitude. Wreck dives? Sure. Those too.

Enjoy jet skis, fishing or more upscale pursuits should you decide to bring your yacht as there is a marina with a good jetty. The white-pillar villas lend a mansion appeal to the place with a range of Casitas and Suites. Expect breezy verandahs, bright bed runners and colourful cushions, twin vanities in Suites, 325-thread count linen, iPod docks, Bose sound, 42-inch flat-screen TVs, en suite bathrooms, locally made furniture, open views, a smart sea-edge infinity pool, wine cellar, sports bar, a fitness centre and a spa. Quite an ensemble. For small meetings there is even a 12-person conference room. Perfect spot for an annual board meeting - toss out late comers and may a shark take the hindermost. Mark this address for an eco-adventure without compromising on fine nosh.

The latest addition to Palawan luxury hideaways is the Huma Island Resort & Spa (mid 2014), a stylish construct off Busuanga with an array of Maldivian-style water villas perched enticingly on stilts. The private island resort is an hour's flight from Manila with a boat transfer from the airport. Those with the money and the moxie can book the resort's private seaplane for a touchdown at their doorstep.

The 81 thatch-roof villas serve up contemporary decor with the de rigueur mod-cons like flat-screen telly, iPod dock, DVD player and complimentary WiFi, plus iron, rain shower, soaking tub and coffee-making facilities.

The 64 Water Villas offer ceramic tile floors, sunning timber-deck patios, and bright tropical prints and hues from green to pink. This is 102sq m of prime rumpus area. There is a spa, and food ranges from Italian and Lebanese to seafood of all stripes. Diciligan Island with its small sandy cove and azure waters is a 10-minute seaplane flight from Busuanga Airport or about 80 minutes firectly from Manila. Most guests will do the Busuanga-Huma transfer by boat.

Two other resorts are a standout. Sangat Island Dive Resort is about an hour by a small banca from Coron town pier. It will arrange pick-ups. The setting – below massive limestone cliffs amidst lush coastal forest – is spectacular, and the beach is probably some 300m long.

Local wood cottages with thatched roofing are the norm. Sangat is a simple eco resort offering rustic cottages and even a secluded villa with 220V power (from the resort generator) and a rock pool. The villa is intended for honeymooners and families. At Sangat, expect Western-style tiled toilets with showers.

Ornithologists take note – the island is a bird reserve with a colourful community of kingfishers, swifts, swallows, sandpipers and parrots. If not bird watching, head to the sand. The beach is good for swimming although it can get choppy.

Kayaking and island-exploring are activities that attract those who are not entirely focused on diving. The diving fixation is understandable. Sangat Island Resort offers a perfect base for exploring several Japanese wrecks in the area. For Palawan dive resorts read on.

Dive Link Island Resort is about ten minutes from Coron town by banca or “pump boat” as locals sometimes call it. Correspondent Bruce Curran reports it is on a rocky coastal strip and, alas, possesses no beach. A freshwater swimming pool provides a modest 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 and simple, rustic furniture is liberally employed.” 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. It works out cheaper and includes the jeepney ride from Busuanga Airport, banca transfer, two nights’ accommodation, full board, island-hopping and resort sports activities like kayaking and fishing.

There is a bar and restaurant area, though the music can get a tad loud if you’re looking for a contemplative moment. Bungalows start at around US$100. Expect air-conditioning (fan-cooled rooms are available), and hot showers. The resort has WiFi if required.

About two hours away from Dive Link, en route by banca to El Nido, is another Palawan eco resort, Coral Bay Beach and Dive Resort, with a handful of fan-cooled cottages (with balconies), a dining pavilion and a number of well-placed hammocks. Adds Bruce Curran, “It is an impressive sight from the sea, lying as it does in a protected island within a mini-archipelago.” The resort likes things low key and small. As it says, here you “listen to ocean music and monkeys yelling”. Activities include bird-watching (there are over 60 species on the island), enjoying primate antics, photographing anteaters, diving, spotting sharks, dugongs (sea cows), dolphins, and dragging your screaming mother-in-law on a terminal hike to the lair of a king cobra or giant lizard. There is decent snorkelling within the reef and wreck dives in the vicinity to marvel at sunken coral-clad Japanese ships like the forlorn Olympia Maru, Nanshin Maru and Kyokuzan Maru.

On the north coast of Busuanga is a retreat regarded among the best Palawan resorts. Club Paradise more than lives up to its name, with an arsenal of sport and leisure options. Beachside and hillside cottages are of high standard, and with air-conditioning. This self-contained island offers nature lovers a 20-minute walk to Eagle’s Lookout, and a wildlife information centre. There are two good swimming beaches and a house reef for snorkelling or diving. Wreck dives are nearby. The ambience at the resort is relaxed, and prices cover full board.

Club Paradise is the sole occupant of Dimakya Island, and a walk around the place will offer a host of unexpected encounters – local Calamian deer, monitor lizards awkwardly scuttling about, bright yellow orioles flitting between the trees, and giant fruit bats. Expect a clubhouse, restaurant, conference room for a small meeting, a sari-sari boutique shop, tennis, volleyball, billiards, satellite TV, reflexology centre, and the usual water diversions such as hobie-cats, canoes and glass-bottom boats.

About 30 minutes by boat from Busuanga, its sister-hotel, El Rio Y Mar Resort (earlier the Maricaban Bay Marina Resort) is, writes Bruce Curran, “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, on-site library and air-con cottages. The resort caters for weddings as well.

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Calauit Game Park and wildlife

No Palawan guide would be complete without mention of the Philippines Serengeti. The Calauit Game Preserve and Wildlife Sanctuary (find out more at the Calauit Island websit) lies 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 some 2,000 local Calamian deer, perhaps mixing Swahili with Tagalog. Overhead the Philippine fish eagle’s cry echoes across this unlikely game reserve. Animals brought here by Marcos still roam free, along with the tourists, and trips 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.)

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El Nido resorts, Miniloc, Lagen

Eighty miles from Coron town, past Linapacan Strait, is El Nido, set on the emerald west coast of North Palawan Island. This is picture-postcard country of limestone karst outcroppings, rocky crags jutting proudly from the sea blanketed by primeval rainforest, birdsong, and quick-snapping Japanese. If you don’t own a 20 megapixel camera with a rocket-launcher-size lens to shoot a frog’s tonsil at 200 yards, don’t bother to come.

The Ten Knots group runs El Nido Resorts – four splendid hideaways, two of them 15 minutes apart, on facing islands, and the other two on Apulit and Pangulasian islands near Taytay town. These are Palawan eco resorts that are just that. Resort life dovetails fairly seamlessly – and painlessly – with Mother Nature and great care is taken not to upset the balance. No picking up shells, unless they’re unexploded shells. Well, not really. Feel free to leave your footprints in pristine sand and stick a toe into endless azure. The staff works hard to keep things spotless and a staggering 1,000kg of non-biodegradable junk is collected each year, not including mother-in-law flotsam. Guests are encouraged to do the same and limit their own litter. In-room there’s an informative chart detailing local marine life and fauna with pictures. Tick off your sightings along with time and location to help keep track of the area’s unique underwater and overwater diversity.

Lagen Island Resort covers four hectares and has 51 rooms in a variety of styles, from its 18 Water Cottages, 20 Forest Rooms and four Forest Suites, to nine west-facing Beachfront Cottages that get the full cinemascope blast of the sunset. The spacious air-conditioned rooms at Lagen are comparatively upscale by Palawan standards, if not in the Amanpulo bracket, and guests will enjoy a comfortable residential feel. There is no blaring TV in-room or safe (your stuff will be fine). There’s hot and cold water, shower, a balcony for people-watching, hair-drier, and a large bed. WiFi can be accessed from the clubhouse for a small fee though you can log on to the Internet free at a computer terminal at the library. Annoyingly, your mobile phone WILL work and, yes, your wife and boss will track you down with that pneumatic blonde. We know she’s the finance expert from Credit Lyonnais but... “Dagnabbit, a monkey just hoicked my phone.” Ah, finally, peace.

Lagen’s attractive swimming pool fronts a small curving strip of beach leading into a shallow coral-and-pebble bay behind the breakwater. Tasty alfresco dinners are staged around here with wandering minstrels singing everything from Harry Belafonte to Happy Birthday. At other times things are quieter, just waves and the rustle of leaves, enlivened by a shrill commotion whenever a praying mantis lands on someone’s wine or, more rarely, a sleepy snake slithers out to gawp at the tourists. The accommodation fringes the forest that rises abruptly up the cliffs. The other side of the island is bird nest country (think expensive soup) and scaffolds are visible as you boat around.

For a romantic Palawan resort or a Palawan family resort, this is a good bet as is its sister property, the more rustic Miniloc Island Resort, a supremely laid-back affair with 43 rooms including seven Water Cottages and five Seaview Rooms on stilts. The thatch-roof cottages have an indigenous Filipino feel employing local materials and motifs. While not as spacious or solid as the Lagen digs, all rooms are air-conditioned with a mini-bar on tap, and powder white sand underfoot along a small arcing beach – unless you happen to be over water. Stunning, sheer, limestone cliffs provide a breathtaking backdrop.

If your camera battery has died by the time you get here you’ll kick yourself. Brace your legs on the prow of your banca and start clicking as you approach the stunning blue bay. The best light is in the morning as the rising sun ferrets out every stunning detail. The Miniloc idyll is popular with Europeans while Asians tend to enjoy the creature comforts of Lagen. Here, as on Lagen, enjoy vast meals and breezy cocktails. A conference room here can accommodate up to 40 persons. Mark this down as a fun Philippines child-friendly resort.

Located in Taytay, set within a coconut-fringed cove and framed by limestone cliffs, is Apulit Island. The resort has 50 water cottages, and offers plenty of swimming and snorkelling at the resort’s house reef, alfresco dining, a massage cabana, swimming pool, a beach bar and the ‘Octagon Pier’ – a scenic platform for private cocktails and weddings. For those more inclined to a spot of adventure, abseil the limestone cliffs, explore the island’s water caves or take to the deeper seas for a scuba dive.

The fourth El Nido resort, Pangulasian Island in El Nido’s Bacuit Bay, is El Nido’s most luxurious property, with 42 towering canopy villas perched on 80m stilts and clusters of luxury villas with private lap pools. Resort staff will meet you with snacks and drinks upon your arrival in the El Nido Airport, a touch that augurs well for the rest of your stay. Expect neutral palettes, canopied beds and warm woods bathed in natural sunlight. The Pangulasian competes with Amanpulo among the top tier Palawan luxury resorts.

Much of the surrounding area is protected and El Nido does its bit with a “conservation fee” of P20 per night for all guests over 12. The El Nido Marine Reserve offers stunning scenery, clear waters and a wonderfully secluded location. As if this distracting smorgasbord were not enough there are 45 islands in the vicinity to explore. Kayak through hidden lagoons (Miniloc has its own Big Lagoon and Small Lagoon), swim, dive, snorkel, enjoy bird-watching, explore mangroves, picnic on the powder-white beach of Pangalusian Island or dine on a private sandbank behind Lagen. A word of caution: Big Lagoon is getting crowded with tour boats from El Nido town, so pick your time carefully.

Those more seriously inclined and whose phones have not been commandeered by monkeys can explore the possibility of small meetings and corporate get-togethers at these resorts and set up on pontoon rafts in the centre of a coral bay. And, for tired limbs, all four resorts offer a variety of spa services from Shiatsu and Swedish to aromatherapy.

Across the bay around Corong Corong lies correspondent Bruce Curran’s favourite 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” or send an e-mail. Once you have savoured this Robinson Crusoe hideaway “you may not bother with any others”.

Lush, grassy lawns spread out underfoot inviting you to stride barefoot to the alfresco restaurant and bar area, or swimming pool. Tasteful cottages with sliding doors and windows are on offer set within a sunset-facing palm grove. Garden Rooms start at around P4,000 (twin sharing) per person.

There are no fans so lie back and pray for breeze. “The food is superb,” reports Bruce. Italian Edo Flisi 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.

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Hotels and resorts in El Nido town

More recent updates on El Nido Town and area here. For those on the tightest of budgets looking for a cheap hotel in Palawan there are some beachfront choices in the El Nido town area. The town used to be a quaint rural coastal village with a few alleys, dive shops, seafront bars, and island-hopping operators along the beachfront. By mid-2023 the place had fresh bustle and had gentrified sufficiently for the opening of several new eateries and bars. It's quite a happening place now.

Those that don’t want to fly can embark on the 12 to 14 hour journey from Puerto Princesa by jeepney, the more-colourful-than-comfortable public transport mainstay.

Top of the pops in this fast growing town is The Funny Lion El Nido (opened December 2022, www.thefunnylion.com/el-nido) that is beginning to hit its stride. This is a compact and cosy modern construct around an alfresco pool that is looked onto by encircling courtyard style rooms. The 50-key escape is more for couples and romantics and lacks adjoining linked rooms and space for brawling families with kids (though there's much to do outside). Expect modern 26sq m rooms neatly laid out with TV, shower, hairdryer, coffeemaker, and WiFi. Rooms look over the central pool but some on the walk-up fourth floor offer a peek at the majestic bay dotted with karst outcrops and catamarans. While not on a beach (this is a fishing village), the hotel can get you to Papaya Beach for a romantic tryst or carouse and the soothing Sea Tree Spa is running in a separate building open to all visitors.

The El Nido Boutique & Art Café (tel: [63] 92-0902-6317, www.elnidoboutiqueandartcafe.com) has a friendly pair of owners at the helm – Swiss and Thai. Swiss national Judith, is the epicentre of all activity.

She knows a thing or two about the area and can organise boats, tours, flights and anything else for you while you munch on savouries from their little kitchen. A three-day two-night kayaking package is priced at around P2,500 (single) including breakfast, island hopping, and snorkelling gear.

For cheerful beer-in-hand bottom-feeders in search of the cheapest hotel deals the Rossanas Beach Cottages (tel: [63] 920-847-7674) offer simple, rustic huts on the beach from about P1,000 (air-con P1,500). The Tandikan Beach Resort (tel: [63-2] 437-9386) starts at around P600 with electric fans. Tandikan has seven rooms and is in El Nido town.

Also in town, El Nido Sands Inn is P600 for a fan-cooled room (P1,100 for aircon) and there’s the reinvigorated eight-room Marina Garden Beachfront Inn (tel: [63] 917-624-7722, P1,200 for a Native Cottage or P1,890 up for a Country Villa), a family-run establishment – three generations of the Ordonez family.

Several El Nido budget hotels and inns are listed by the El Nido Palawan website (www.elnidopalawan.com). Note that many of these numbers are for mobile phones and since reception can be patchy at best of times there’s no guarantee you’ll get through. Also bear in mind that several cheap hotels may not accept credit cards. Meanwhile the El Nido Tourism Office tweets visitor information occasionally that might be of interest (@elnidotourism).

El Nido budget hotel choices continue with Greenviews Resort, a quaint, woody set of double or family-size cottages, each with separate balconies and aircon if required. There is a second-storey restaurant where you can enjoy the striking sunsets. The intriguing Og's Beach Pension (tel: [63] 917-850-29948, P300-P800) 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.

Diving, island-hopping, hiking, swimming and snorkelling 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.

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Taytay, Port Barton, Honda Bay, Mindoro

An hour's flight south from El Nido and a short boat trip from the air strip is El Nido Resorts' 2010 acquisition, the aforementioned Apulit Island Resort in Taytay, Palawan (at one time Noah). A 17th century Spanish fortress sits brooding over Taytay, the original capital of Palawan. Guests can fly to the area (Taytay) directly from Manila too on a 19-seater Island Transvoyager Dornier aircraft.

A swank jump-off with rustic back-to-nature overtones off the northeast coast of Palawan, is the Flower Island Resort, a 40-minute speedboat ride from Taytay (which is served by a small airport on the northwest shores of Palawan Island). This is a pearl farming area rich in variety. Room rates will be in the region of around US$100, for a single fan-cooled room and around US$150 for an aircon pad, but rates vary according to season.

Bancas 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.

Another romantic Palawan resort off Puerto Princesa in scenic Honda Bay is the Dos Palmas Island Resort & Spa, Palawan. Puerto Princesa is a one-hour flight from Manila. Guests can enjoy day trips, overnight packages and dive packages. The basic package includes airport and boat transfers (a 15-minute drive to Sta Lourdes Wharf and an hour’s boat ride) all inclusive meals and free run of the facilities. Guests planning on staying for two or more nights also score their choice of a massage or dive and a lunch on an outlying island. Dos Palmas is a well regarded Philippines family-friendly resort and also handles seminars and workshops for small company meetings.

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 and divers can explore Helen’s Coral Garden nearby. Check the website for renovation updates on amenities such as the lap pool.

About an hour and a half by car from the airport at Puerto Princesa, is the family-friendly, conference-catering Sheridan Beach Resort and Spa. Set in between mountain ranges and a boat ride away from the Underground River National Park, this sprawling resort has rooms that range from superior to deluxe, and offer modern amenities but slightly lack for character. No matter though, there is a gigantic pool, a restaurant and three bars, outdoor fitness centre, business centre, and babysitting facilities.

Outdoor pursuits (kayaking, snorkelling, ATV rides, river tours) can all be arranged through the concierge. Sheridan provides airport transfers by van. Buses and jeepneys are cheaper though (albeit slightly less comfortable) and leave daily from Puerto Princesa to Sabang (check www.sheridanbeachresort.com for the timetables and turn up early).

Just a few minutes' drive from Puerto Princesa airport is the whimsical and friendly Deep Forest Garden Hotel - actually a small pension house - that will raise both pulse and eyebrows with its fairy lights and ecclectic decor ranging from giant giraffes and grazing zebras in the garden to wall-mounted turtles and eagles. There are ramps in public areas and facilities for the disabled and, while guide dogs are welcomed, pets are discouraged.

Rooms are set around a small cobalt-blue pool and feature engaging wood carvings by the owner, airconditioning, ceiling fans, tile floors, clean toilets with toiletries, flat-screen TV and free WiFi. There's a decent wine cellar too. It's a steal at US$20 a night.

For a more rustic, natural and intimate experience, Secret Paradise Resort & Turtle Sanctuary is just the ticket. You’ll need to get to Sabang before hopping on a boat to reach the resort, but for turtle-lovers, it’ll be worth it. Set in a secluded bay and surrounded by tropical forest, the resort has four beaches and its own turtle sanctuary, protected for almost a decade. With only six cottages and three rooms, there are a maximum of 16 guests at any one time, so there’s plenty of room to enjoy 70 hectares of natural playground right on the doorstep. From November to April, turtles are laying their eggs, and from December to May, the babies are hatching.

Last but certainly not least, on a private resort island off the west coast of Mindoro, Pandan Island Resort is a laid-back option with good rates, a few family bungalows, and excellent diving options. It offers transfers from San Jose (Mindoro) and a few other areas by banca and jeepney. The price will depend on the party size. There is also a sea plane option. Dives in the area include a beginner's house reef up to 20m, a “Coral Garden” going down to 25m, 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 whimsical Frenchman Dominique, and his parrot. The other inhabitants of the island are birds and butterflies.

Crusoe might have been more at home here. Rooms are open and airy, water is filtered seawater and lighting is powered by solar panelling. “But the beer is cold and the buffet dinner superb,” says Bruce. The pleasant beach setting faces the mainland of Mindoro and is thus protected from the open sea.

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Luxury resorts, Pamalican Island

Around 200km to the east of Palawan Island is the private sun-dappled hideaway of Pamalican in the Cuyo group of islands. Here a broad fringe of white sand, clear blue water teeming with marine life and healthy coral reefs await visitors. Pamalican Island is the home of Amanpulo, a five-star yet exquisitely understated Palawan luxury resort run by Amanresorts with 42 swish air-conditioned “casitas” set along the beach and into the hill.

You might think you’re getting a slice of castaway island life, but Robinson Crusoe may disagree. Something to do with the king-size beds, window divans, sun-loungers, crimson bursts of bougainvillea, Cebu marble sunken baths and twin vanities perhaps? Or maybe it’s the Beach Club, the fabulous clubhouse restaurant with views of misty islands across the bobbing waves, the Lagoon Club, a 30m swimming pool, complimentary WiFi, or the muscle-unknotting aromatherapy. Guests also get to zip around in their own battery-operated buggies. All rooms have satellite flat-screen TV and DVD/CD players. And there are a few private villas for larger parties.

If you start feeling a bit waterlogged, the hotel is stocked with dry-land entertainment options. Sample some wellness pampering at the Aman Spa. The resort also has a library with books, magazines, music and board games as well as two tennis courts. Guests arrive on privately chartered planes – it takes about an hour from Manila – after a brief stretch at the Amanpulo Lounge in Manila. Refurbishments include the addition of natural timber ceilings to Casitas, new bathrooms and upgraded in-room technology.

Swimming pools have been added to two of the Treetop Casitas. A three-night package stay in a Beach Casita (including accommodation, daily breakfast, ala carte dinner, and a bottle of wine on arrival) starts at US$4,680. Additional nights start at US$1,560. Yes, send that wallet for an aromatherapy massage. It’ll need it.

Amanpulo is easily among the top tier Palawan romantic hideaways. Let’s be honest: it’s the best Philippines resort, period.

As my chattering banca left El Nido the septuagenarian Japanese diving group could barely control itself. When staff swung out their guitars to sing goodbye, one lady got up, weeping. “Romero I love you,” she wailed while everyone clapped. Romero, the dive master, grinned from shore.

Then old Mrs Matsushita (“same as electric company”) turned to me. “You are Indian,” she said. It was a statement, not a question. “I think Indians are very kind. What do you think?” The question hung in the air as I considered Japanese tourists being shamelessly bilked by taxi drivers and touts in New Delhi. “Yes,” I responded, “but you should always be careful when travelling.”

She was pleased and slapped my back. “I really like Romero.” Then the sea spray hit us and we ploughed through the misty morning, past brooding islands and glistening sea, to the airport.

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FAST FACTS / Hotel Contact List

The Philippine peso exchange rate is around US$1=P46. Palawan is a long, narrow, island that runs roughly north-south with an extensive archipelago made up of 1,780 islands. Some of the southern islands are closer to Malaysia than the main body of the Philippines. Spread-out Palawan is also the country’s largest province.

The temperature is warmest from March to May, with colder months between December and February. Though this province doesn’t see much typhoon action the occasional storm will hit during the rainy season in July and August. Many hotels charge a lower rate for Philippine residents, but expats living here can often receive the same discount.

Check Web rates: Visit hotel websites for updates on special rates and promos. Always check with your travel agent or online for the Best Available Rates (BAR). Several hotels offer a best rate guarantee and prices will fluctuate depending on season. Often room rates do not include taxes, which include 12 percent for hotel tax and 10 percent for service charge. In general room prices may range from about US$500 (full board) for a quality upscale villa per night to US$650 (with roundtrip airport transfers to outlying island resorts), and US$30-US$60 for budget accommodation in Puerto Princesa or El Nido town.

Two world heritage sites can be found in Palawan – the Puerto Princesa Subterranean River National Park and the Tubbataha Reef National Marine Park in the Sulu Sea. Some areas require visitors to pay a small nightly conservation fee.

For more information try: Department of Tourism site at www.tourism.gov.ph.

Below is our list of Palawan hotels and guesthouses, arranged by municipality or island. This is not an exhaustive list of Palawan resorts, just a guide to some of the better family resorts, child-friendly establishments, eco-friendly inns and budget hotels.

Busuanga and Coron dive resorts

Busuanga Bay Lodge, Manila. Tel: [63-2] 625-8627, (e-mail: reservations@busuangabaylodge.com or www.busuangabaylodge.com).
Coral Bay Beach and Dive Resort. Tel: [00-45] 2246-2348, (www.coralbay.ph).
Club Paradise Palawan. Dimakya Island. Tel: [63-2] 719-6971/6972/6973/6988, (e-mail: cp.reservations@discovery.com.ph or www.clubparadisepalawan.com).
Dive Link Resort, Uson Island. Tel: [63-2] 433-7127/[63-918] 926-1545 (e-mail: divelinkresort@yahoo.com or www.divelink.com.ph).
El Rio y Mar Island Resort Palawan, San Jose. Tel: [63-2] 838-4956, (e-mail: rooms@elrioymar.com or www.elrioymar.com).
Huma Island Resort & Spa. Tel: [63-2] 553-0119, (e-mail: reservation@humaisland.com or humaisland.com).
Sangat Island Resort, Coron Island. Tel: [63-908] 896-1716, (e-mail: info@sangat.com.ph or www.sangat.com.ph).
The Funny Lion. Tel: [63-2] 856-1443, (e-mail: inquiries@thefunnylion.com or thefunnylion.com/).
Two Seasons Island Resort & Spa. Tel: [63-2] 410-2075, (e-mail: bliss@twoseasonsresorts.com or www.twoseasonsresorts.com).

Cuyo Islands, Pamalican

Amanpulo, Pamalican Island. Tel: [63-2] 976-5200, fax: 976-5204 (e-mail: amanpulo@amanresorts.com or www.amanpulo.com).

El Nido Resorts and Hotels

Dolarog Beach Resort. Skype Internet Telephone, VOIP, User Name: Dolarog, (e-mail: info@dolarog.com or www.dolarog.com).
El Nido Boutique & Art Cafe. Tel: [63] 920-902-6317 or [63] 917-560-4020, (www.elnidoboutiqueandartcafe.com).
El Nido Pangaulasian Island. Tel: [63-2] 813-0000, fax: 750-3957, (e-mail: holiday@elnidoresorts.com or www.elnidoresorts.com/elnido/pangulasian-island-resort/).
El Nido Resorts, Lagen Island. Tel: [63-2] 813-0000, fax: 750-3957, (e-mail: holiday@elnidoresorts.com or www.elnidoresorts.com).
El Nido Resorts, Miniloc Island. Tel: [63-2] 813-0000, fax: 750-3957, (e-mail: holiday@elnidoresorts.com or www.elnidoresorts.com).
El Nido Sands Inn. Tel: [63] 917-773-3324, (www.elnidosandsinn.com).
The Funny Lion El Nido (opened December 2022, www.thefunnylion.com/el-nido)
Greenviews Resort El Nido. Tel: [63] 921-586-1442, (e-mail: info@palawan-greenviews.com or www.palawandg.clara.net).
Lally & Abet Beach Resort. Tel: [63] 917-850-2948, (e-mail: info@lallyandabet.com or www.lallyandabet.com).
Marina Garden Beach Resort. Tel: [63] 917-624-7722, (e-mail: marinagarden.elnideo@gmail.com or www.mgelnido.com).
Og's Beach Pension. Tel: [63] 916-707-0393, (e-mail: ogspensionne@yahoo.com.ph or ogspension.weebly.com).
Rossanas Beach Cottages. Tel: [63] 920-847-7674.
Tandikan Beach Resort. Tel: [63] 947-324-1969, (www.tandikanbeachresort.palawanshore.com).

Mindoro area

Pandan Island Resort. Tel: [63-919] 305-7821, fax: [63-2] 525-1811, (e-mail: info@pandan.com or www.pandan.com).

Taytay, Puerto Princesa, Honda Bay

Deep Forest Garden Hotel. Puerto Princesa. Tel: [63-48] 4341-702, (deepforestinn.com).
Dos Palmas Island Resort & Spa. Tel [63-48] 434-3118, fax: [63-48] 434-5362, (e-mail: info@dospalmas.com.ph or www.dospalmas.com.ph).
El Nido Resorts, Apulit Island Resort. Tel: [63-2] 813-0000, fax: 810-3620, (e-mail: apulit@elnidoresorts.com or www.elnidoresorts.com).
Flower Island Resort. Tel: [63] 917-504-5567, (e-mail: rowena.santos@flowerisland-resort.com or reservation@flowerisland-resort.com or www.flowerisland-resort.com).
Secret Paradise Resort & Turtle Sanctuary. Tel: [63] 999-880-2480, (e-mail: inquire@secretparadiseresort.com or www.secretparadiseresort.com).
Sheridan Beach Resort and Spa. Tel: [63] 908-880-8509, (e-mail: reservations@sheridanbeachresort.com or www.sheridanbeachresort.com).

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