your travel concierge to Philippine holidays...
your travel concierge to Philippine holidays...
Palawan is known to be the Philippine’s last ecological frontier because of its lush virgin forests and cliffs, crystal-blue seas, and the diversity of endangered species living in its fertile habitat. This precious place in the western part of the archipelago, consists of more than 1,700 islands making it the largest province in the Philippines.
Palawan is where you’ll discover the richness of the Philippine underwater. It is where you get awed by its unique and abundant flora and fauna. Most excitingly, Palawan brings in an experience of exclusive escapes to private islands while enjoying a personalized and an all-inclusive holiday.
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El Nido – is a group of hidden island paradise of azure crystal clear-water seas and powder white sandy shores. El Nido will lead you to more than 50 enclosed beaches, secret lagoons, limestone-formed caves, and over 30 scuba diving sites. Food connoisseurs will be interested to know that the famously delicious Nido soup sources its main ingredient from this place. Truly heaven for the taking!
Puerto Princesa – the Subterranean River National Park is one of the Seven Wonders of the World that offers a fantastic exploratory boat ride of the world’s longest navigable underground river inside the most complex cave systems that stretches to 8.2 km. The cave features beautiful stalactites and stalagmite formations that resemble interesting images of vegetables, a long highway or religious images that is reflective of the Filipinos’ Catholic faith. The cave also boasts of its great scientific value following the discovery of a 20 million year old Miocene age serenia fossil, 11 new minerals found nowhere else, and crystal and egg shape rock formation. It is also a jump-off point to the Tubattaha Reef which is a UNESCO World Heritage Site where some of the most beautiful corals in the world can be found here. The Tubattaha Reef is an abundant diving site of marine life diversity.
Puerto Princesa - You can spend five days or more in order to explore the capital of Palawan. With the variety of breathtaking nature, we would recommend for you to savour the beauty and the special moment they bring.
El Nido - For a week’s time, you can experience the heavenly grounds of El Nido. Aside from diving, there are several water activities to choose from, as well as a lot of adventures and explorations to do. This place is definitely a traveler’s journal of enthralling attractions.
Private Island - It is recommended that you stay for at least three days in order to savour the life of the one on an exclusive paradise island. If you would like to try more activities like diving, staying there for five days is ideal. Enchanted guests would even want to stay for two weeks or more for an idyllic stay in the island.
After 1.5 hours direct flight from Manila, a ride to your hotel or resort could take about 30 minutes if staying within Puerto Princesa or 1.5 hours of scenic ride if staying in Sabang where the attractions are located.
After 1.5 hours direct flight from Manila, a ride to your hotel or resort could take about 30 minutes if staying within Puerto Princesa.
Brief info on public transportation
If you are already staying in Sabang, main attractions are within proximity and more accessible. It will only take a short boat ride going to the location of the underground river, a short 30 minute ride for some caving activities, trek to the zipline, visit to the waterfalls and a jump off to the magical mangrove tour.
Exploring El Nido is done mostly by use of water transportation such as a boat ride for island hopping tours or trip to the town center of El Nido. Kayak is also very handy to explore the private coves of your exclusive island resort or some nearby islands that offer privacy and seclusion. Exclusive resorts also offer island hopping tours, including visits to farther coves or to an affiliate exclusive resort.
Maogma could arrange your transportation needs as part of your itinerary to ensure you experience a safe, and pleasurable journey all throughout Palawan.
List of recommended accomodations
Palawan has progressed in its tourism thrust by welcoming the presence of boutique resorts and high end resorts and hotels to discerning guests. Some of them are located in the capital city of Puerto Princesa, Sabang where the underground river is located or private islands exclusive for the luxurious resorts and its guests. Palawan has a variety of accommodations that would suit your comfort, service expectations and privacy for your total holiday pleasure.
Some of the best accommodation providers include the Arena Island Resort, and the Ariara Island - both are exclusive island resorts. Sheridan Beach Resort and Spa in Puerto Princesa, and other luxury El Nido resorts in its various secluded islets.
Own an island for a weekend, a whole month, or a year! Striking the perfect balance between rustic charm and modern living (with your very own luxurious casitas equipped with modern facilities), Arena Island is indeed a travel haven. Arena Islan...
Dining options
Puerto Princesa - This is a place of mouth-watering seafood dishes cooked to gourmet perfection. One popular dining place is Kaluis where prior reservation is necessary to get a table. This restaurant serves only seafood and vegetable meals to its guests. Diners are requested to remove their footwear upon entrance to the restaurant, a Filipino customary gesture. Badjao restaurant is also a good seafood restaurant on stilts above the water surrounded by mangrove trees.
El Nido - El Nido has international dining options in the town center such as a French restaurant, and a very good pizza place. High end resorts in their own exclusive island, serve variety of seafood, meat vegetables, fruits cooked and/or served in authentic Filipino style or international either in ala carte or buffet. Arranged island-hopping tours, usually include a festive picnic lunch in an island of including fresh sea foods and tropical fruits for your gustatory pleasure.
Recommended activities
Underground River Tour - The Puerto Princesa Underground River is the longest navigable underground river in the world. It is navigable up to 4.3km. Its main features are the different rock formations displayed like vegetable shapes and religious images in a cathedral, among others. Inside the cave are living nocturnal species like bats and swiflets. Trained Park staff operate paddle boats to take visitors on a 45 minute tour of the cave.
Island Hopping Tours in El Nido and Puerto Princesa - A private, packaged island-hopping tour includes hotel transfers, buffet lunches, and land to boat trips going to the popular Honda Bay and Pandan Island, to name a few. This type of travel offers you with water-sports activities like snorkeling , kayaking, and a fun fish-feeding experience as well. Resorts in El Nido also arrange tours to nearby secluded islands to visit. One may discover secret coves and waterfalls that are simply breath-taking.
Zipline Adventure in Puerto Princesa - Aside from the Underground River, Puerto Princesa also has several zip line parks. Among these are the Ugong Rock zip line and spelunking at Tagabenit, Puerto Princesa; and the Irawan Eco Park which is to launch the longest zipline in Asia (1.2km zipline canopy adventure). Other activities here include bird watching, hiking the river trail and a carabao cart ride.
Diving and Snorkeling at El Nido - El Nido is a popular scuba diving spot because of its highly diverse marine life reserve. Diving and snorkeling activities can be done right in front of your private island accommodation, where colorful school of fishes will come to greet you. El Nido has over 30 scuba diving sites to choose from.
Adventure Caving and Trekking to Waterfalls and Lagoons - El Nido has 45 islands and islets to choose your adventure from. Maogma can arrange guided eco-tours to visit spectacular natural attractions like the Cathedral Cave, Cudugnon Cave, Snake Island, and the Big and Small Lagoons. One can also go on trekking to visit the Makinit Hotspring and the Nagkalit-kalit Waterfalls.
What to buy?
South Sea pearls Palawan is proud to be one of the few sources of this precious natural gems of the sea. A shopping trip could be arranged by Maogma as part of your itinerary.
Local crafts - Palawan has native furnishings, and home decors that are made of wood or shells. A visit to these places could be arranged by Maogma.
Local delicacies - Cashew nuts and other sweets and pastries such as nougats, candies, and polvoron. These are packed according to airport standards for your great convenience. Maogma can arrange a shopping tour if you so wishes or have them shopped for you while you are enjoying other activities.
Only Puerto Princesa, has ATM machines so it is best to carry ample cash with you for giving tips, paying terminal fees in the airport or buying small items from small local vendors. In exclusive island resorts and high-end hotels, credit cards are mostly accepted.
Electrical supply can be limited in some parts of Sabang, El Nido, and Puerto Princesa. However you can be sure that the exclusive resorts usually have generators to supply the necessary electric power needed.
Be ready for a lot of beach so bring your swim wear and sun creams. Snorkeling equipment and other water equipments such as kayak are usually provided by high end resorts.
Apply your mosquito repellent in preparation for the mangrove and underground river tours.
Most Palaweños (locals of Palawan) will tell you that their land is travel-friendly all year round. Indeed, Palawan is seldom visited by typhoons even during the monsoon season because it is not facing the Pacific. Most of the time you will enjoy a fine weather to explore, dive, snorkel, and do island-hopping in Palawan. It is also a place devoid of strong quakes as Palawan is made of continental rocks, not oceanic. There are no active fault lines in this region, making it the most geologically stable part of the Philippines.
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