Philippines Palawan 5-Day Itinerary — Quick Answer
As of 2026- Trip length
- 5 days
- Est. cost / person (mid, ex-flights)
- $1,480
- Budget–luxury
- $720–$3,200
As of 2026, the recommended Palawan 5-day route runs Day1 Arrival + Underground River · Day2 Honda Bay + Iwahig Firefly · Day3 Van shuttle to El Nido (6 hours) + Maremegmeg sunset · Day4 El Nido Tour A (Big + Small Lagoon) · Day5 El Nido Tour C + departure, grouping the must-see sights with minimal backtracking. Estimated cost per person (excluding flights) is around $1,480 on a mid-range budget. Days 1-2 cover Puerto Princesa (Underground River UNESCO, Honda Bay, Iwahig Firefly). Day 3 transfers to El Nido by 6-hour van shuttle. Days 4-5 are El Nido Tour A (Big and Small Lagoon) and Tour C (Helicopter Island, Hidden Beach) before flying out via AirSWIFT.
5-Day Total Budget at a Glance
Budget
$720
Per person, flights excl.
Mid-Range
$1,480
Per person, flights excl.
Luxury
$3,200
Per person, flights excl.
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Day-by-Day Detailed Schedule
Arrival + Underground River
Puerto Princesa startActivities
- 08:00 Arrival + Underground River + KaLui dinner 12 hours
Same as 3-Day Day 1.
Cost: $60-280 flight + tour TIP: Pre-book Underground River 1+ weeks ahead.
Meal Recommendations
Breakfast
Manila flight
Flight · Included
Light.
Lunch
Hotel Filipino
Puerto Princesa · PHP 250-800
Quick lunch.
Dinner
KaLui Restaurant
Puerto Princesa · PHP 400-1,500
Reserve ahead.
Tricycle + day tour van.
DAY 1 Estimated Spend (per person, flights excl.)
Honda Bay + Iwahig Firefly
Island hopping + fireflyActivities
- 08:00 Honda Bay 3-island tour + Iwahig Firefly Watching 14 hours
Same as 3-Day Day 2 + Day 3 evening combined into one full day.
Cost: $50-100 tours TIP: Pre-book both.
Meal Recommendations
Breakfast
Hotel
Puerto Princesa · Included
Early start.
Lunch
Honda Bay BBQ
Honda Bay islands · Included
Beach BBQ included.
Dinner
Iwahig pre-firefly
Iwahig · Included
Filipino set.
Tricycle + day tour boat + van.
DAY 2 Estimated Spend (per person, flights excl.)
Van shuttle to El Nido (6 hours) + Maremegmeg sunset
Transit + El Nido arrivalActivities
- 07:00 Puerto Princesa → El Nido van shuttle (6 hours) 6 hours
Air-conditioned van shuttle north on the Palawan main highway — 6 hours with one or two rest stops. The cheaper alternative to AirSWIFT.
Cost: PHP 600 ($12) shuttle TIP: Pre-book through Klook for 15-20% off. Bring snacks and motion-sickness medication if needed. - 13:00 El Nido hotel check-in + town walk 2 hours
Check into your El Nido town hotel and walk the strip — a small grid of restaurants, dive shops and souvenir stores along the beach.
Cost: Variable TIP: El Nido town is very walkable — most things are within 10 minutes' walk. - 16:00 Maremegmeg Beach Club sunset 3 hours
Beach club on Marimegmeg Beach, 15 minutes from El Nido town — one of the best sunset spots in the area. Bean bags on the sand, beach bar atmosphere.
Cost: PHP 400-1,200 TIP: Reserve Fri-Sat. Tricycle from El Nido town PHP 150-250 one-way. - 19:30 Dinner — Trattoria Altrove 2 hours
El Nido town's standard Italian — wood-fired pizza, homemade pasta, casual setting. Queues form most evenings.
Cost: PHP 350-1,200 TIP: Reserve Fri-Sat. Walk-in usually fine with a 20-minute wait.
Meal Recommendations
Breakfast
Puerto Princesa hotel
Puerto Princesa · Included
Early start.
Lunch
Van shuttle stop
Shuttle · PHP 100-200
Light.
Dinner
Trattoria Altrove
El Nido · PHP 350-1,200
Wood-fired pizza.
Klook van shuttle 6 hours + tricycle in El Nido.
DAY 3 Estimated Spend (per person, flights excl.)
El Nido Tour A (Big + Small Lagoon)
El Nido lagoonsActivities
- 08:30 El Nido Tour A — Big Lagoon + Small Lagoon + Secret Lagoon 8 hours
The signature El Nido island hopping route — Big Lagoon (kayak through the karst-walled lagoon), Small Lagoon (swim through a narrow rock opening to the inner lagoon), Secret Lagoon, Shimizu Island for snorkeling, beach lunch.
Cost: PHP 1,400-2,000 ($25-40) TIP: Pre-book. Reef-safe SPF 50+ mandatory. Kayak rental at Big Lagoon is separate (PHP 500-700). - 18:00 Republica Sunset Bar 1.5 hours
El Nido town beachfront bar — sunset cocktails with the bay view.
Cost: PHP 200-600 TIP: Beach-edge tables go first; arrive 17:00. - 20:00 Dinner — Republica or El Nido seafood 2 hours
Filipino fusion small plates and grilled seafood at Republica, or one of the El Nido town seafood spots.
Cost: PHP 400-1,200 TIP: Cards and cash. Tip 10%.
Meal Recommendations
Breakfast
Hotel
El Nido · Included
Early start for Tour A.
Lunch
Tour A beach BBQ
El Nido boat · Included
Beach BBQ on Shimizu Island.
Dinner
Republica El Nido
El Nido · PHP 400-1,200
Town sunset spot.
Tour boat from El Nido pier. Walking the town.
DAY 4 Estimated Spend (per person, flights excl.)
El Nido Tour C + departure
Hidden Beach + farewellActivities
- 08:30 El Nido Tour C — Helicopter Island + Hidden Beach + Matinloc 8 hours
The harder-to-reach El Nido sites — Helicopter Island (the rock looks like a helicopter from the boat), Hidden Beach (only accessible at low tide through a narrow rock opening), Matinloc Shrine, Secret Beach, Tapiutan Strait for snorkeling.
Cost: PHP 1,400-2,000 ($25-40) TIP: Pre-book. Reef-safe SPF 50+ mandatory. The Hidden Beach access depends on tides — confirm with the tour operator. - 18:00 Maremegmeg sunset + final dinner 3 hours
Last El Nido sunset at Maremegmeg Beach Club, then dinner at one of the El Nido town restaurants.
Cost: PHP 400-1,500 TIP: Reserve sunset spot at Maremegmeg. - 21:30 Departure — El Nido Airport (ENI) via AirSWIFT 30 min
AirSWIFT direct from El Nido to Manila — 1.5 hours, $200-500. The fastest way out; book 2-3 months ahead.
Cost: $200-500 AirSWIFT to Manila TIP: Pre-book AirSWIFT 1-3 months ahead. Cheaper alternative is the morning van back to Puerto Princesa (6 hours) and a Manila flight from PPS.
Meal Recommendations
Breakfast
Hotel
El Nido · Included
Early start for Tour C.
Lunch
Tour C beach BBQ
El Nido boat · Included
BBQ on Helicopter Island.
Dinner
El Nido farewell
El Nido · PHP 400-1,500
Last Filipino dinner.
Tour boat + tricycle to airport + AirSWIFT to Manila.
DAY 5 Estimated Spend (per person, flights excl.)
Book Palawan Tours & Tickets
Packing Checklist
- ✓ Reef-safe SPF 50+ sunscreen (mandatory)
- ✓ Swimwear + cover-up + light cotton
- ✓ Reef shoes for rocky beach access
- ✓ Cash PHP (cards limited)
- ✓ Type A/B/C plug (220V)
- ✓ Travel insurance with medical evacuation
- ✓ Dry bag for boat tours
- ✓ Underground River + AirSWIFT booking 1+ weeks ahead
Palawan 5-Day Itinerary FAQ
Worth doing the El Nido add-on? ▼
5 vs 3 days? ▼
Van shuttle or AirSWIFT? ▼
Looking for Different Trip Lengths?
Why you can trust 5-day itinerary
Based in Chiang Mai for 8+ years, with 30+ countries visited across Southeast Asia, Japan, and Europe. Every detail in this guide is primary-source verified as of April 2026, with prices auto-refreshed via live exchange rate APIs. This isn't AI-generated boilerplate — it's written from the perspective of someone who has actually been there.