Philippines Palawan Island Getaway

Philippines Palawan Island Getaway

6,159 Views
8 Days From

$2256

$2030

Philippines Palawan Island Getaway

8 Days Starting in Manila and ending in El Nido

Visiting: Manila, Puerto Princesa, San Rafael Beach, El Nido

Tour operator:

Intrepid Travel

Tour code:

TOSH

Guide Type:

Fully Guided

Group size:

1 - 12

Physical rating:

Low

Age range:

15-99 years

Tour operated in:

English

Trip Styles:

Adventure Tours

From: $2256 $2030 Operator discount: -$226

NB: Prices correct on 21-Nov-2024 but subject to change.

Tour Overview

Be mesmerised by the nature and people of the Philippines on this eight-day adventure from Manila to Palawan. Explore one of the greenest cities in the country, trek to the Batak tribe to meet some locals, stroll white-sand beaches and island hop around El Nido. Snorkel in the sapphire waters, discover the limestone caves of Sabang and see fireflies dancing at dusk at the Iwahig River. With plenty of free time to travel your own way, this is a beach getaway abounding with natural beauty, stunning landscapes and vibrant culture.

Highlights

  • Contrast the chaos and bustle of city life in Manila with the relaxed way of life in Palawan. With an option to extend your trip on either end, you can focus on the stuff you want.

  • Take an evening adventure to the Iwahig River where you’ll see swarms of fireflies dancing at dusk. The natural beauty of the Philippines continues to shine, whatever time of day.

  • Enjoy a full day of island hopping and snorkelling off the coast of El Nido. Look to the bottom of these clear waters, and glide among the coral and tropical fish.

  • Have plenty of free time beachside to choose your own adventure – day trip to the pristine Nacpan Beach, self-guided kayaking adventure or a spot of shopping? You choose!

  • Experience a unique meeting with one of Palawan's great indigenous groups – the Batak tribe. Interact with the locals of the village and witness daily life as it is today.

  • Enjoy a full day of island hopping and snorkelling off the coast of El Nido. Look to the bottom of these clear waters and glide among the coral and tropical fish.

  • Have plenty of free time beachside to choose your own adventure – daytrip to the pristine Nacpan Beach, self-guided kayaking adventure or a spot of shopping? You choose!

Itinerary

Expand All

Day 1: Manila

Location: Manila

Accommodation: Hotel

Maligayang pagdating! Welcome to Manila, Philippines. Your adventure begins with a welcome meeting at 6 pm today. If you arrive early, Manila is an intriguing city with surprises around every corner. Packed full of things to see, do, taste and experience, you might like to head out and take a self-guided walking tour. After your meeting, perhaps head out with the group in the evening to sample foods like lechon (whole roasted pig) and longganisa (Philippine sausage).

Day 2: Puerto Princesa

Location: Puerto Princesa

Accommodation: Hotel

Meals Included: breaksfast, lunch

In the morning, take the short flight from Manila to Puerto Princesa. When you arrive, you'll instantly see the slower pace of this island compared to the busy capital. Puerto, as the locals call it, is the capital of Palawan and has been internationally recognised as the cleanest and greenest of all cities in the Philippines. Head onto a local community eco farm where you'll get to learn how local snacks are prepared with herbs and spices, and enjoy a delicious farm-to-table lunch. Later, travel out of Puerto Princesa to the Iwahig River, where you'll see fireflies glowing among the mangroves by the river. It's a truly magical experience and the perfect way to spend an evening.

Included Activities:
-Puerto Princesa - Iwahig River Firefly Boat trip with dinner
-Puerto Princesa - local farm visit

Day 3: San Rafael Beach

Location: San Rafael Beach

Accommodation: Beach Chalet

Meals Included: breaksfast

Head out this morning in a private minivan and drive to Sabang. Sabang is most famous for its Subterranean River that's 8 km in length and passes through a limestone cave that opens onto the ocean. Jump into a boat with a local guide and explore this great cave complex. After lunch, you may want to embark on an optional mangrove boat trip which gets you into the heart of the thick mangrove forests. You'll travel in small traditional boats down the river with plenty of opportunity for wildlife spotting. Tonight, drive to your private beach for the next two nights.

Included Activities:
-Sabang - Puerto Princesa Subterranean River boat trip

Optional Activities:
-Sabang - Mangrove River Tour

Day 4: San Rafael Beach

Location: San Rafael Beach

Accommodation: Beach Chalet

Meals Included: breaksfast

This morning you meet up with your local guide who'll be walking with the group to meet the Batak Tribe – one of about 70 indigenous communities of the Philippines. If you're lucky enough to be there in the right season, you may be able to eat the fruit directly from the cashew trees. After finishing the hike, drive back to the beach chalets in San Rafael Beach. There's plenty of free time for a swim or to read a good book and relax into the evening.

Included Activities:
-Sabang - Batak tribe hike

Day 5: El Nido

Location: El Nido

Accommodation: Hotel

Meals Included: breaksfast

Say farewell to San Rafael Beach today and travel to El Nido in a private minivan. With a backdrop of marble cliffs and white sandy beaches, El Nido is the base for many island adventures. There are over 50 beaches to discover that are all accessible by the boats docked. It's easy to pick an isolated beach, book a local boat, pack some food and drinks and head out on your own adventure. The afternoon is free for you to wander around town, have a drink at one of the many beachside restaurants, do a spot of shopping or count how many different coloured tricycles you can spot on the streets.

Day 6: El Nido

Location: El Nido

Accommodation: Hotel

Meals Included: breaksfast, lunch

This morning, head off on a full-day snorkelling trip, island hopping off El Nido. Pass by jagged limestone islands, rocky coves, virgin rainforest and white sandy beaches. The snorkelling is just as spectacular, with beautiful coral and many different species of colourful fish. After an included lunch, venture out on various trips to lagoons throughout the afternoon. Your evening is then free to do as you wish.

Included Activities:
-El Nido - Island hopping boat trip & snorkelling

Day 7: El Nido

Location: El Nido

Accommodation: Hotel

Meals Included: breaksfast

You'll have plenty of free time today in El Nido for beach activities. If you feel like some more adventure, maybe hire a kayak from El Nido town or jump on a boat out to one of the lagoons. You'll kayak on turquoise waters and lagoons with dramatic cliffs, surrounded by a plethora of tropical fish. If you want to see a picture-perfect beach, take an optional trip to Nacpan Beach. White sand and lined with palm trees, this is another beach in paradise and worth the drive out of town. Your leader can help you organise transport here if you are interested. Otherwise, hire a bike and get pedalling around El Nido town.

Optional Activities:
-El Nido - Kayak Hire
-El Nido - Bike hire

Day 8: El Nido

Location: El Nido

Meals Included: breaksfast

With no activities planned for today, you are free to leave the accommodation at any time. This doesn’t mean your Philippines adventure has to come to an end! If you would like to spend more time in El Nido, we’ll be happy to organise additional accommodation (subject to availability).

What's Included

  • Accommodation
    Hotel (5 nights), Beach chalet (2 nights)

  • Puerto Princesa - Iwahig River Firefly Boat trip with dinner

  • Sabang - Puerto Princesa Subterranean River boat trip

  • Sabang - Batak Tribe trek

  • El Nido - Island hopping boat trip & snorkelling

  • Meals

    7 breakfasts, 1 lunches, 1 dinners

  • Puerto Princesa - local farm visit

  • Sabang - Batak tribe hike

What's Not Included

  • Tipping and Gratuities

  • International Travel

Included Activities

  • Puerto Princesa - Iwahig River Firefly Boat trip
  • Sabang - Puerto Princesa Subterranean River boat trip
  • Sabang - Batak Tribe trek
  • El Nido - Island hopping boat trip & snorkelling

Transport

  • Boat , Jeepney , Private Minibus , Plane

Accommodation

  • OCCASIONAL ALTERNATIVE ACCOMMODATION
  • The style of accommodation indicated in the day-to-day itinerary is a guideline. On rare occasions, alternative arrangements may need to be made due to the lack of availability of rooms in our usual accommodation. A similar standard of accommodation will be used in these instances.
  • TWIN SHARE
  • Accommodation on this trip is on a twin basis.
  • CHECK-IN TIME
  • Throughout the trip we request that our hotels prepare rooms in time for our arrival, especially if we're arriving prior to normal check-in time. However this isn't always possible which means we won't be able to check-in immediately on arrival at some hotels. Instead, we can store our luggage and explore our new destination.
  • PRE/POST TRIP ACCOMMODATION
  • If you've purchased pre-trip or post-trip accommodation (if available), you may be required to change rooms from your trip accommodation for these extra nights.

Important Information

  • 1. A single supplement is bookable for this trip, excluding Day 3&4, and is subject to availability. Please speak to your booking agent for more information.
  • 2. Please provide your full name exactly as per passport at the time of booking for the flight ticket on this trip. Ticketing fees may apply for amendments to details within 45 days of departure, and in some cases you will be required to cover the cost of issuing a new ticket.
  • 3. Internal flight includes 20kg checked luggage plus 7kg carry on.

Mode of Transport

  • Boat , Jeepney , Private Minibus , Plane

Check out our Q&As

  • Is this trip right for you

    The Island of Palawan is less developed than other South East Asian countries, so you might experience delays when ordering food at local restaurants and major festival periods can cause a hold-up in travel journeys. Despite the possibilities of delays, the laidback nature of this destination is well worth the wait.

  • What policies are in place for Covid-19?

    Please contact us for latest COVID-19 policies

  • How long has the tour company been trading?

    Intrepid Travel has been taking travellers around the world for over 30 years

  • Will the accommodation included meet local health and safety regulations?

    Yes

  • What Ethical Travel credentials does the tour company have?

    Since 2002, The Intrepid Foundation has supported over 130 organisations across the world. We’re creating positive impact through the joy of travel, community and connection.

  • Do you operate a “single share” option and how does it work?

    Over 50% of traveller travel solo with Intrepid. You can choose to share a room with another solo travelle of the same sex for no additional charge, or choose to pay a single supplement if you’d like your own room. Please request this when booking, and we will secure you a single supplement wherever possible. Please note, if you are booking a last-minute trip, it may be harder for us to secure a single room

Reviews of this operator

Maroochy Dazza (Google Reviewer)  

Just leaving a review to...

24-Aug-2023

Just leaving a review to share how much I enjoyed my Central America trip. I thought the guide, Aura was so knowledgeable and organised and clearly a great ambassador for Intrepid. She gave us lots of information on each region, helped us organise anything we needed and dealt with queries from passengers very well and diplomatically. She made the trip run smoothly. She was also keen to explain the Intrepid vision and how the company values making a difference to locals and is a credit to your company. I did Guatemala and beyond and thoroughly enjoyed it - very fast paced, lots to see and do and a great overview of the region. I would definitely recommend 👍

LivvyGrace 4 (Google Reviewer)  

I just completed my first...

15-Jul-2024

I just completed my first Intrepid tour which was 33 days travelling around Central America - I had the time of my life! It was great to have the benefit of a guide (Fluffy was amazing!) and be able to ask questions at any point, but I also liked the freedom that you were permitted throughout. The group tour made boarder crossings seamless and the whole process felt easy - there was never one hiccup. As a solo female traveller, I felt safe throughout, and I cannot recommend Central America enough - the people, the food, the sun and the activities were just amazing :) Can't wait to book my next adventure soon!

V Open (Google Reviewer)  

I have just come back...

26-Oct-2022

I have just come back home after doing Intrepid's 10-day Vietnam Express Northbound tour. What a SUPERB tour. We saw lots and did lots, it was jam-packed full of sights and activities. Our tour leader, Tam, was the best ever. Very knowledgeable, organised and lots of fun too. The other 10 people on the group were all lovely. The places we visited were very interesting. We even visited local homes and ate just like the local people do. I highly recommend Intrepid to anyone considering touring a new country. This was my 5th tour with them and they have consistently been fantastic.

Jack Edwards (Google Reviewer)  

I have travelled with Intrepid...

03-Jun-2024

I have travelled with Intrepid a number of times now and can't recommend them enough. The trips are always exciting, full of history and immersive in the culture and environment. The office staff are great too and always happy to help with any questions you might have. Everywhere I have gone with the company has been different but the guides and itinerary have always been excellent and full of knowledge and passion for their country. Add in the social responsibility angle the company has and it top quality ethical practice and you can't go wrong

Jo Clayton (Google Reviewer)  

I recently went on an...

15-Mar-2024

I recently went on an 11 day tour of India with Intrepid and was impressed with every aspect of the tour, the tour leader and the organisation behind the scenes. I always travel alone so it was a big deal to join a tour, I didn't want to feel less independent or ferried about. I loved being part of a group and the things we saw and did on the tour, I would never have known about or seen if I had been by myself. I loved it from start to finish. Yes the overnight trains were not easy to sleep on, but I managed. Meeting locals on board was a high light for me. English is widely spoken in India and its amazing who you strike up a chat with. I had two problems on the tour - one my own fault and one hotel related. The support from Intrepid was amazing. I cannot thank them enough for going the extra mile to support me. I recommend Intrepid 100% and have gone from thinking an organised tour is for people who don't know about Lonely Planet and can't do solo stuff, to realising its a faster, better, more fun way to get to know a country truly and deeply whilst on a bit of a budget. I will book again and again with Intrepid. I loved it that much! Big thanks to tour leader Daddy H. Devender for his help on day one, and Nick in the Oz office for his fab customer care skills. Also the person who staffed the emergency whatsapp in India - you saved my sanity helping me get there a day late! THANK YOU ALL X

Nicole  

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12-Oct-2021

This was my first international solo trip, but I never felt “alone” - there was always someone to go shopping, hike, or grab a quick bite with. The itinerary was a great balance between organized activities, while still allowing free time for exploring. Each location was unique and charming in its own way. Spending the night in the holy city of Moulay Idriss and wandering the winding streets of Chefchaouen were especially memorable. Thank you Mustapha and Intrepid for an incredible adventure!

Alice Norton (Google Reviewer)  

I have just completed a...

29-Feb-2024

I have just completed a 12 day food tour of Vietnam, and had an amazing time. Our tour leader was great, knowledgeable and kind, who helped throughout the trip with recommendations for places on our free days, and spas. All the food we tried was delicious. It is a very fast paced tour, and Bon tried to maximise our experiences for the best.

Henry Guy Robinson   United Kingdom

Cambodia Discovery

22-Jan-2024

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08-Mar-2024

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Alan Perrott (Google Reviewer)  

We had a fantastic time...

13-Aug-2024

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Operator discount: -$258

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Operator discount: -$237

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Operator discount: -$226

Thursday - Thursday

Mar 20, 2025 - Mar 27, 2025
$2344 $2110

Operator discount: -$234

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$2256 $2030

Operator discount: -$226

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Operator discount: -$226

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Apr 06, 2025 - Apr 13, 2025
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Operator discount: -$226

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Apr 10, 2025 - Apr 17, 2025
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Operator discount: -$226

Thursday - Thursday

Apr 17, 2025 - Apr 24, 2025
$2524 $2272

Operator discount: -$252

Thursday - Thursday

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$2256 $2030

Operator discount: -$226

Thursday - Thursday

May 01, 2025 - May 08, 2025
$2256 $2030

Operator discount: -$226

Thursday - Thursday

Nov 27, 2025 - Dec 04, 2025
$2256 $2030

Operator discount: -$226

Thursday - Thursday

Dec 04, 2025 - Dec 11, 2025
$2344 $2110

Operator discount: -$234

Thursday - Thursday

Dec 11, 2025 - Dec 18, 2025
$2344 $2110

Operator discount: -$234

Sunday - Sunday

Dec 14, 2025 - Dec 21, 2025
$2344 $2110

Operator discount: -$234

Thursday - Thursday

Dec 18, 2025 - Dec 25, 2025
$2625

Sunday - Sunday

Dec 21, 2025 - Dec 28, 2025
$2625

Sunday - Sunday

Dec 28, 2025 - Jan 04, 2026
$2625

Thursday - Thursday

Jan 01, 2026 - Jan 08, 2026
$2755

Thursday - Thursday

Jan 08, 2026 - Jan 15, 2026
$2555

Thursday - Thursday

Jan 22, 2026 - Jan 29, 2026
$2555

Thursday - Thursday

Jan 29, 2026 - Feb 05, 2026
$2555

Thursday - Thursday

Feb 05, 2026 - Feb 12, 2026
$2555

Thursday - Thursday

Feb 12, 2026 - Feb 19, 2026
$2555

Thursday - Thursday

Feb 19, 2026 - Feb 26, 2026
$2650

Thursday - Thursday

Feb 26, 2026 - Mar 05, 2026
$2460

Thursday - Thursday

Mar 05, 2026 - Mar 12, 2026
$2460

Thursday - Thursday

Mar 19, 2026 - Mar 26, 2026
$2365

Thursday - Thursday

Mar 26, 2026 - Apr 02, 2026
$2365

Thursday - Thursday

Apr 02, 2026 - Apr 09, 2026
$2650

Sunday - Sunday

Apr 05, 2026 - Apr 12, 2026
$2650

Thursday - Thursday

Apr 09, 2026 - Apr 16, 2026
$2365

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Apr 16, 2026 - Apr 23, 2026
$2365

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Apr 23, 2026 - Apr 30, 2026
$2365

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Apr 30, 2026 - May 07, 2026
$2365

Thursday - Thursday

Nov 26, 2026 - Dec 03, 2026
$2365

Thursday - Thursday

Dec 03, 2026 - Dec 10, 2026
$2365

Thursday - Thursday

Dec 10, 2026 - Dec 17, 2026
$2555

Sunday - Sunday

Dec 13, 2026 - Dec 20, 2026
$2555

Thursday - Thursday

Dec 17, 2026 - Dec 24, 2026
$2755

Sunday - Sunday

Dec 20, 2026 - Dec 27, 2026
$2755

Sunday - Sunday

Dec 27, 2026 - Jan 03, 2027
$2755
Prices last published on 20-Nov-2024

Book with Confidence

  • Free Date Changes

    Intrepid Travel allows you to make 10 free date changes, as long as the change is made at least 56 days before the start of the tour.

  • Transfer as credit to Future Tours

    Intrepid Travel allows you to transfer existing payments to a future tour to avoid cancellation fees if you can't travel and inform intrepid travel, 56 days before departure.

  • Low Deposit

    Intrepid Travel requires a minimum deposit of 400 USD per person or the full booking value, whichever is less, with the final balance not due until 56 days before departure.

  • Cancellation Policy

    We don't charge a cancellation fee, here is a summary of intrepid travel charges.

    Up to 56 days before tour starts: Forfeit 100% of deposit.

    At 55 days before tour starts: Forfeit 30% of booking price.

    At 30 days before tour starts: Forfeit 60% of booking price.

    At 14 days before tour starts: Forfeit 100% of booking price.

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