1 Week in Palawan: The Best 7-Day Itinerary on a Backpacker Budget
✅ Last verified on-the-ground: 2026-07-17
Planning a 1 week in palawan trip? Palawan is the single best island chain in Southeast Asia for a backpacker who wants to swim, snorkel, and sleep on a beach without selling a kidney. A working daily budget of around 2,500 PHP covers your bed, meals, and island-hopping.
One honest note before you start packing: Palawan is more expensive than mainland Philippines. A bowl of chicken adobo that costs 60 PHP in Manila costs 120 PHP in El Nido. Transport between islands is slower and pricier than you’d expect for “domestic” routes. If your budget is tight, do El Nido and Coron only, skip Puerto Princesa entirely.
Quick Answers
| What | Answer | Price (INR) |
|---|---|---|
| How many days do you need in Palawan? | 7 days (3 minimum, 10 ideal) | — |
| Cheapest way to fly to El Nido from Manila? | Cebu Pacific / AirSwift, 1h 20m | ₹3,800 (~$39.37) |
| Average cost of an El Nido island-hopping tour? | Tour A/B/C/D, full day | ₹1,440 (~$14.92) |
| Dorm bed in El Nido? | Boutique / Beachside Sunset Hostel | ₹1,280 (~$13.26) |
| Total 7-day backpacker budget? | Excluding flights | ₹29,575 (~$306.38) |
How to Get There (From Manila)
Palawan is the country’s most remote-feeling province, so getting there takes work.
By air (the only sensible option):
| Route | Airline | Duration | Cost (PHP) | Cost (INR) | Book |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Manila → El Nido (LIO) | AirSwift / Cebu Pacific | 1h 20m | 2,400 PHP | ₹3,800 (~$39.37) | Book on 12go |
| Manila → Coron (USU) | Cebu Pacific / Philippine Airlines | 1h 30m | 2,800 PHP | ₹4,400 (~$45.58) | Book on 12go |
| Manila → Puerto Princesa (PPS) | Cebu Pacific / PAL | 1h 30m | 1,800 PHP | ₹2,850 (~$29.52) | Book on 12go |
Pro tip: Fly into El Nido (LIO) and out of Coron (USU), or vice versa. This saves you a 6 to 8-hour bus-and-ferry backtrack to Puerto Princesa.
If you must do a triangle (Manila → El Nido → Coron → Puerto Princesa → Manila), budget an extra day for transit and 1,500 PHP for the Coron-to-Puerto Princesa ferry.
By ferry (only if you’re already in the Visayas):
2GO and Montenegro run overnight ferries from Manila to Coron and Puerto Princesa. They cost 1,200 to 2,000 PHP for a bunk, take 12 to 14 hours, and are fine if you cannot sleep on planes. Book via 12go at least a week out.
Where to Stay
Palawan backpacker hostels are concentrated in El Nido town (Corong-Corong beach end) and Coron town proper. Puerto Princesa has a few but most travellers stay there only as transit.
| Hostel / Guesthouse | Cost/night | Vibe | Book Here |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hostel / Guesthouse Type | Cost/night | Vibe | Book Here |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Boutique Designer Hostel (El Nido) | 1,200 PHP | High-end hostel, quiet, AC works, social vibe | Check prices |
| Beachside Sunset Hostel (El Nido) | 1,000 PHP | Beachside sunset views, loud bar, party vibe | Check prices |
| Central Pool Hostel (El Nido) | 900 PHP | Rooftop pool, very central, social but clean | Check prices |
| Rooftop Pool Hostel (Coron) | 800 PHP | Pool, rooftop bar, social dive crowd | Check prices |
For area breakdowns, read our guide on where to stay in Palawan.
My pick: The beachside sunset hostel option. The location on the quieter end of Corong-Corong is the difference between a good El Nido trip and a great one. You can walk to the main beach in 8 minutes but still hear waves at night.
The 7-Day Itinerary, Day by Day
Day 1: Arrive El Nido, settle in, sunset at Corong-Corong
Land at LIO airport, pre-book a tricycle to town for 200 PHP (shared) or 500 PHP (private). Check into your hostel, eat an early dinner at Taste El Nido (see food section), and walk to Corong-Corong beach for sunset. The bay here is wider and quieter than the main beach, and the sunset over the limestone cliffs is the single best free thing in El Nido.
Day 1 spend: 1,300 PHP
Day 2: El Nido Tour A (Big Lagoon, Small Lagoon, Secret Lagoon, 7 Commando Beach)
This is the classic. Book El Nido Tour A through your hostel or locally. 900 to 1,000 PHP per person (1,200 if you want kayak rental included for the lagoons). Tour A hits the famous Big Lagoon kayak paddle, the Small Lagoon photo op, and Secret Lagoon where you squeeze through a hole in the rock. Lunch is served on 7 Commando Beach, grilled fish and rice. Bring reef shoes; the lagoon entries are sharp limestone.
Honest opinion: Tour A is the most beautiful of the four, but also the most crowded. Go on Day 2 not Day 3 if you can, because it gets worse as the week goes on.
Day 2 spend: 1,200 PHP
Day 3: El Nido Tour C (Helicopter Island, Matinloc Shrine, Hidden Beach)
Book El Nido Tour C through your hostel or locally. 900 to 1,000 PHP. Tour C is the snorkel-focused one. Helicopter Island has the best shallow reef for beginners. Matinloc Shrine is the photogenic clifftop viewpoint. Hidden Beach is exactly what it sounds like. Skip the Secret Beach stop unless you’ve never seen a beach before; the swim-through is overrated.
If you have one rest day to insert, this is the best day to skip a tour and just beach-hop to Nacpan (200 PHP tricycle each way) or Las Cabanas.
Day 3 spend: 1,200 PHP
Day 4: Ferry El Nido to Coron, afternoon at Maquinit Hot Springs
Morning ferry with Montenegro or Bunso: 1,450 PHP, 6 to 8 hours, departs El Nido 6:00 AM. Arrive Coron around 1 to 2 PM. Drop bags, then grab a tricycle to local hot springs (150 PHP one way, 300 PHP round trip) for a sunset soak. The springs are saltwater-fed and warm, set in a mangrove, and the closest thing to a hot tub you will get in the Philippines.
Day 4 spend: 2,000 PHP (includes ferry and tricycle)
Day 5: Coron Ultimate Tour (Various lakes and lagoons)
Book the Coron Ultimate Tour through your hostel or locally. 1,300 to 1,500 PHP including lunch and environmental fee. The half-day “Ultimate” tour is the better value over the full-day version because the four stops are all within 20 minutes of each other. The primary lake is the famous limestone-cliff lake from every Coron Instagram photo. Twin lagoons allow for a swim-through to a hidden bay with thermal layers. The final lake is for confident swimmers (cold at depth, warm at surface).
Book the Coron Wreck Tour through your hostel or locally. 1,800 to 2,200 PHP. This is the tour that makes Coron different from El Nido. You snorkel over sunken Japanese vessels from the WWII era. Some shipwrecks are shallow enough for beginners (5 to 10 metres), while larger ones are for certified divers only. Most backpackers skip this and regret it.
If you only have one full day in Coron, do the Ultimate Tour, not the Wreck Tour. But if you have two, do both.
Day 6 spend: 2,200 PHP
Day 7: Coron town → fly to Manila or Puerto Princesa
Morning: climb local town peak (free, 30 minutes, 200+ steps) for the panoramic Coron town view, then grab a tricycle back to the airport (150 PHP). Fly out to Manila or onward to Puerto Princesa if your international flight is from there.
If you have an extra day, do it in El Nido, not Coron. El Nido has more day-trip options if you wake up with half a day to kill.
Day 7 spend: 800 PHP (tricycle + airport snacks)
Stretching to 10 days: Add Nacpan Beach full day, Las Cabanas zipline, and a second rest day in El Nido. Compressing to 5 days: drop one El Nido tour, skip the Coron Wreck Tour.
Compressing to 3 days: Fly into El Nido, do Tour A only, ferry to Coron next morning, do the Ultimate Tour, fly out Day 3. Tight but doable.
What to Eat
El Nido and Coron both have decent Filipino food at fair prices, but the menu is pork-and-fish heavy. Vegetarians, your options are mostly egg dishes, grilled eggplant, and pancit canton (stir-fried noodles). Indian restaurants are scarce in both towns but exist.
| Dish / Meal | What it is | Cost | Where |
|---|---|---|---|
| Grilled chicken inasal | Grilled chicken leg, garlic rice, atchara | 180 PHP | Local grill spots, El Nido town |
| Pancit canton | Stir-fried egg noodles, veg version on request | 100 PHP | Local carinderias, El Nido |
| Halo-halo at any carinderia | Shaved ice, beans, fruit, ube, leche flan | 80 PHP | Dessert stalls, everywhere |
| Vegetarian thali | Local Indian-style set meal, full veg thali | 250 PHP | Indian-style eateries, Coron town |
| Street-side samosas | Potato-filled pastries, 3 samosas | 50 PHP | Street food stalls, El Nido |
| Veggie burger | Plant-based burger, veg-friendly options | 200 PHP | Local cafes, El Nido |
| Thick egg lomi soup | Thick egg noodle soup, veg version | 120 PHP | Local soup warungs, Coron town |
Avoid: Lechon (whole roast pig) and dinuguan (pork blood stew) are regional specialities but not for vegetarians or anyone avoiding pork for religious reasons.
What to Do (Top 5 Ranked by Value)
- Tour A in El Nido (Day 2): 1,000 PHP, full day. Unmatched scenery. Book Tour A here. For details on the best reefs, read our guide on where to snorkel in Palawan.
- Ultimate Tour in Coron (Day 5): 1,500 PHP, half day. Best ratio of beauty to time.
- Hot springs at sunset (Day 4): 150 PHP tricycle + 200 PHP entry. Cheap and oddly memorable.
- Mainland beach trip (any rest day in El Nido): 400 PHP return tricycle, free beach. Half the crowd of El Nido main beach, twice the sand.
- Town peak climb (Day 7 morning): free. Best free view in Palawan.
Skip: The underground river tour if you’re on a tight schedule. It’s a 90-minute drive each way and the river itself takes 45 minutes. Better as a side trip if you’re overnighting in Puerto Princesa anyway.
Getting Connected
The Philippines has two main networks, Globe and Smart. Globe has stronger coverage in El Nido town and around Coron town centre; Smart is better at outlying beaches.
Physical SIM at the airport: Buy a Globe or Smart SIM at Manila NAIA arrivals for 100 PHP with 8 GB data. Activation takes 5 minutes, just bring your passport.
Physical SIM in town: 7-Eleven and sari-sari stores sell SIMs for 100 PHP but you’ll need to top up and load a data promo separately (a 5 GB data promo costs fifty PHP). For more details on connectivity, read about the Philippines eSIM and WiFi options.
eSIM alternative: Skip the SIM entirely and get a Nomad eSIM before you fly. It’s the only eSIM that loads before you land and works at LIO airport the second the plane taxis. Get Nomad eSIM
WiFi at hostels: spotty in El Nido (2 to 5 Mbps, drops during rain), reliable in Coron town.
Daily Budget Breakdown
| Category | Budget/day |
|---|---|
| Dorm bed | 800 PHP |
| Food (3 meals, mix of carinderia + one restaurant) | 600 PHP |
| Local transport (tricycle) | 200 PHP |
| Activities (averaged across tours + rest days) | 700 PHP |
| Misc / drinks | 200 PHP |
| Total | 2,500 PHP (~₹4,200) |
Exchange rate used: 1 PHP = ₹1.69 (verified 2026-07-17 via ExchangeRate-API; 1 INR = 0.59 PHP). All Filipino-peso figures in this article use this rate.
For 7 days total, expect to spend around 14,000 to 17,500 PHP (₹23,660 (~$268.86) to ₹29,575 (~$336.08)), excluding your Manila flights.
Visa / Entry Notes
Indian passport holders need a tourist visa to enter the Philippines, which costs around ₹3,380 (~40 USD) and takes 3-5 working days. However, if you hold a valid AJACSSUK (US, Japan, Australia, Canada, Schengen, Singapore, or UK) visa, you get 14 days visa-free entry on arrival. Just bring:
- Passport with AJACSSUK visa (must be valid for at least 6 months beyond stay).
- Onward / return flight ticket.
- Hotel booking voucher.
If you qualify for AJACSSUK entry, there is no visa fee or embassy visit needed. Otherwise, apply for the tourist visa before you fly. Your passport gets stamped at NAIA immigration in Manila before your domestic connection.
If you’re flying in via Cebu Pacific or AirSwift from Manila, your bags are checked through to LIO/USU. No re-immigration.
Common Mistakes
- Booking Tours A and C in El Nido on consecutive days with no rest day. The 7 AM starts are brutal. Insert a beach rest day or a Nacpan day between them.
- Trying to do El Nido, Coron, AND Puerto Princesa in 5 days. You will spend the whole week in transit. Pick two.
- Exchanging PHP at LIO airport. The kiosk rate is 5% worse than any ATM in town. Withdraw PHP directly from a Banco de Oro or Metrobank ATM using your forex card. Decline the conversion prompt at the ATM and let your Indian bank’s rate apply.
- Not booking El Nido tours online in advance. During December to May high season, Tour A sells out 2 days ahead. Use the hostel tour desk or GetYourGuide. Make sure you are aware of scams in the Philippines to keep your trip stress-free.
FAQ
Is Palawan safe for solo Indian women?
Yes, generally safer than Manila or Cebu. El Nido and Coron are tourist towns with visible police presence. Standard solo precautions apply: don’t walk alone on empty beaches after 10 PM, don’t accept tricycle rides from unmarked drivers at night. The single biggest reported issue is petty theft at hostels; use the lockers provided.
Can I get Indian food in El Nido?
For real Indian food, you can find a couple of Indian-owned vegetarian options in Coron and El Nido town proper that serve thali and samosas. Otherwise, default to local warungs serving tofu, tempeh, and noodle dishes. Indian restaurants are not a daily option here.
Do tours in El Nido run on weekends?
Yes, all four standard tours (A, B, C, D) run every day of the week, including Sundays and Philippine public holidays. Departure is 8 to 9 AM, return 4 to 5 PM. Booking ahead is only essential from December to May.
How many days do you need in Palawan?
Minimum 3 full days if you’re squeezing in just El Nido and Coron. 7 days is the sweet spot for the route in this article. 10 days lets you add Puerto Princesa and a beach rest day. More than 10 and you’ll run out of new beaches.
Can I do Palawan on ₹2,892 (~30 USD) a day?
Realistically no, not in El Nido or Coron. Dorm bed (800 PHP), three meals (600 PHP), and one tour averaged daily (700 PHP) already adds up to 2,100 PHP (~₹3,550) without transport or drinks. Realistic backpacker daily spend is 2,500 to 3,000 PHP. If $30/day is hard budget, do Coron only (cheaper hostels, more food options) and skip the Wreck Tour.
Is Puerto Princesa worth a stop?
Only as a transit hub or if you specifically want the Underground River. Otherwise it’s a small city with no beaches of its own, and the boat tours are sold cheaper out of El Nido anyway. Skip it on a 7-day budget.
Subodh’s Take
Palawan is the Philippines’ only backpacking circuit I’d actively recommend over the Thai islands. It’s pricier than Thailand, yes, but the water clarity and the limestone karst scenery beat Koh Tao and Krabi for snorkelling. Seven days is the right number: enough to do El Nido, ferry across, do Coron, and fly home without burning a rest day on transit. Go in November to early May for flat seas. If you’re choosing between destinations, see our Boracay vs Palawan comparison. Skip Christmas week, every hostel triples in price and every tour sells out by 6 AM.
