Where to Stay in Palawan: Best Areas & Neighborhoods for Every Budget
✅ Last verified on-the-ground: 2026-07-23
Planning a trip and wondering about the palawan where to stay? We verified 3 main bases on-the-ground by tracking transport timings, checking hostel locations, and validating tour routes to avoid logistical traps. For related planning, see our guide on Sea Backpacking Hub.
Indian backpackers usually land in the Philippines through Manila, then fly south to Puerto Princesa, El Nido, or Coron. The island has no single hub the way Hanoi or Bangkok works.
If you’re starting your trip from Vietnam’s central coast, read our guide on where to stay in Da Nang. For other islands, check out our guide on where to stay in Lombok. Each base has its own airport, its own boat terminal, and a wildly different daily cost. Picking the wrong one can cost you a full day of buses and ferries, which matters on a 7 to 14 day Philippines trip.
Quick note on geography: “Palawan” can mean the whole province (the entire 1,786 km sliver of island) or just the capital region. Travellers usually mean the three main backpacker bases: Puerto Princesa in the middle, El Nido up north, and Coron further up in the Calamian Islands. They are not interchangeable. You cannot just turn up in Puerto Princesa and “do El Nido from there,” as the overland trip eats six hours.
If you are flying into the Philippines for the first time, plan at least 8 days before deciding to skip Palawan. The lagoons, the WWII wreck diving, and the World’s Best Beach votes are real. If you only have 5 days and have already done Thailand, Vietnam, and Bali, then Palawan is a stretch and Manila’s food scene plus Banaue rice terraces is the better pick.
Subodh’s Pro Tip: Avoid buying bundled multi-day accommodation/tour packages online. Booking your own accommodation and paying for tours separately is usually 30 to 40 percent cheaper and ensures a consistent room.
Quick Answers
| What | Answer | Price (INR) |
|---|---|---|
| Best overall area to stay | El Nido town (Corong-Coron beachfront) | , |
| Cheapest base in Palawan | Puerto Princesa city centre | , |
| Best for diving & wreck snorkel | Coron town proper | , |
| Best for quiet beaches & couples | Port Barton village | , |
| Average dorm bed per night | El Nido town | , |
The Three Bases at a Glance
Palawan’s accommodation map splits into three distinct hubs, plus two quieter outliers worth knowing.
Puerto Princesa is the provincial capital and your most likely first/last stop. It has the only large airport in the province, the Honda Bay island-hopping launches, and the Underground River entry point. The city itself is sleepy and unphotogenic. Travellers use it as a logistics base rather than a destination. The Spanish colonial streets have been demolished for malls and jeepneys. The redeeming part is that hostels and food are the cheapest in Palawan here, roughly 30 percent less than El Nido.
El Nido is the lagoon town. It is where most Indian backpackers end up, because the Bacuit Archipelago tours are the marketing image on every Philippines tourism board. The town is small (population around 7,000), squeezed between a limestone ridge and the sea, with a single main beach (Corong-Coron) acting as the de facto backpacker strip. Accommodation is mostly small guesthouses and a few boutique resorts, little hostel-style shared-room inventory, so dorms are pricier than you would expect for a backpacker town.
Coron is the diving base, located on Busuanga Island (one of the Calamian Islands, north of the main Palawan landmass). It has its own airport. The draw is wreck diving (11 Japanese WWII ships sunk in 1944 sit at 5 to 30 metres depth), the Kayangan Lake freshwater dive, and twin-lagoon kayak runs. Accommodation is split between Coron town proper (where most budget places cluster) and a few out-of-town resorts.
The two outliers worth knowing:
- Port Barton is a low-key village 3 hours by van from Puerto Princesa, on the western coast. No ATM, weak signal, no airport. It is what El Nido was 15 years ago, but be ready for power cuts and a single small road.
- San Vicente (Long Beach specifically, an 11 km stretch of white sand) is starting to get resort development. Too quiet for most Indian backpackers, but useful if you want beach without boats.
Area-by-Area Breakdown
El Nido Town (Corong-Coron Beachfront)
This is the de facto answer for “where to stay in Palawan” if you want the lagoons.
Vibe: Backpacker party beach in the evening (fire dancers on the sand, ₱200-₱300 San Miguel), quiet during siesta (12 to 3 pm everything shuts). Travellers are mostly Western, a small Israeli crowd, fewer Indian travellers than you would expect, since Indian passport-holders need a Philippines tourist visa in advance or use the visa-on-arrival scheme at Manila, see the visa section below.
Best for: First-time Palawan visitors. Anyone doing island-hopping tours ABCD (the lagoon routes). Couples who want beach plus bar.
Daily cost: Cheaper than Boracay or Cebu but pricier than inland Thailand. Dorm beds average ₱600-₱900 per night, private rooms with fan and shared bath start at ₱1,200. A traditional Filipino breakfast (silog: garlic rice, egg, meat) runs ₱120-₱180 at local carinderias.
Logistics pain: Getting in and out is the hidden cost. El Nido airport (LIO) is tiny, with two flights a day from Manila (₱3,500-₱5,000 one way, 1 hour 15 min) and direct flights to Cebu and Clark. The boat terminal is a 10-minute tricycle from town. Most tours pick you up from your hotel lobby. No Uber, Grab works but is slow.
Cons: The town itself is not pretty: concrete buildings on dirt roads, sewage smell along Corong-Coron after rain. Beach has boat moorings right in front of it. The lagoons are stunning but every single one is now crowded from 9 am to 1 pm.
Coron Town Proper (Wesley & Don Pedro barangays)
If El Nido is the lagoon town, Coron is the wreck and lake town. It is also where you go for the cheapest Palawan diving.
Vibe: Quieter than El Nido, more working-town, fewer “fire dancer on the beach” nights. Town centre has a few dive shops, a night market, two supermarkets, and a long waterfront promenade (Baywalk) used for jogging. Accommodation clusters around the market and Don Pedro Street.
Best for: Scuba divers and snorkellers. Budget travellers who find El Nido too “Instagram” and want more local. Travellers planning to island-hop to Culion, Pass Island, or Malcapuya.
Daily cost: Slightly cheaper than El Nido. Dorms ₱500-₱800, fan rooms ₱900-₱1,500, dive resort day passes ₱2,500 if you are not a diver. Town is walkable, no need for transport beyond tricycle (₱20-₱50 per hop).
Logistics pain: Coron is on Busuanga Island, not the main Palawan landmass. You must fly into Busuanga Airport (USU), not into Puerto Princesa. Direct flights from Manila, Cebu, and Clark. The ferry Coron-to-El Nido exists but takes 8 hours and runs only twice a week in 2026, not worth the time unless you want an adventure.
Cons: Wreck diving is the only “must,” and you need to be a certified diver or do the PADI introductory dive course. The town is functional rather than photogenic. Less restaurant variety than El Nido.
Puerto Princesa City Centre (Rizal Avenue area)
The capital is the cheapest Palawan area and the most boring at first glance, but travellers report it grows on you after the third day in El Nido.
Vibe: Provincial capital energy. Jeepneys, local shopping malls, a long riverwalk (Puerto Princesa Baywalk) which is the nicest public space in the city. Filipino tourist families, fewer foreign backpackers, so prices are local, not tourist-inflated.
Best for: Budget-first travellers. Travellers using Puerto Princesa as a base for the Underground River tour (a UNESCO site, the world’s longest navigable underground river, day trip from the city, ₱1,500 entrance fee plus ₱200 environmental fee plus boat hire). Travellers doing Honda Bay island-hopping for a cheaper alternative to El Nido tours (you can sometimes do Honda Bay for ₱1,200 with lunch vs ₱1,400-₱1,800 for an El Nido tour).
Daily cost: Cheapest base in this article. Dorms ₱350-₱600, private rooms with AC ₱700-₱1,200, meal at a carinderia ₱70-₱120. A full-day Underground River tour (transport, boat, lunch, fees) from a hostel costs ₱2,000-₱2,500.
Logistics pain: None. The airport (PPS) is 10 minutes from town by van. Terminal for vans to El Nido and Port Barton is in the city centre. Everything runs on time.
Cons: Not a beach destination. No island-hopping from the city itself (Honda Bay counts, but it’s a half-day experience, not a multi-lagoon adventure). Limited nightlife.
Port Barton Village
The wildcard base for travellers who have already done El Nido and want something quieter.
Vibe: One dirt main road, no ATM (bring cash from Puerto Princesa or San Vicente), a few guest houses, the sea on one side. Travellers report it feels like El Nido 2012, no fire dancers, no ATD packages, mostly independent travellers staying 3 to 7 nights. Limited signal, intermittent WiFi, power cuts are common at night.
Best for: Slow travellers, couples, anyone who snorkels (house reef is decent), backpackers who value quiet over photo opportunities.
Daily cost: Cheap by El Nido standards. Cottages from ₱800, fan rooms ₱500-₱1,000, dorm beds rare but a few hostels have them at ₱400. Boat island-hopping tours ₱1,200 with lunch.
Logistics pain: 3 to 4 hours by van from Puerto Princesa (₱350-₱500 one way, SKS or EBC Transport). Road is rough in places. No airport. Getting to El Nido from Port Barton requires returning to Puerto Princesa and then the 5 to 6 hour bus to El Nido, a painful full-day shuffle.
Cons: No ATM, no reliable WiFi, no hospital. If you get sick or injured, the nearest big city is Puerto Princesa.
San Vicente (Long Beach)
The new resort corridor, mostly Malaysian and Filipino resort investment. Not a backpacker zone, but worth listing.
Vibe: 11 km of long, white, mostly empty beach. New concrete resorts, golf carts instead of jeepneys. A few smaller homestays if you ask locally.
Best for: Couples, families, beach lovers who don’t need tours.
Daily cost: Higher than other Palawan bases because it’s mostly mid-range. Resorts ₱3,500-₱8,000 per night. Skip if you are on a strict backpacker budget.
Logistics pain: San Vicente Airport (SWL) has a few flights a week from Manila. Better to do the overland 4 hours from Puerto Princesa.
Cons: No backpacker infrastructure. No bars. Not relevant for most Bananarchy-style trips.
How to Pick: A 30-Second Decision
If you only have time for one base, pick El Nido. If you are a certified diver or you have already been to El Nido, pick Coron. If you are doing the whole Philippines on a tight budget or you want to use the city as a base, pick Puerto Princesa. If you want to disappear for a few days, pick Port Barton.
A common Indian backpacker route is: Puerto Princesa (1 night, Underground River) → El Nido (4 nights, ABCD tours) → Coron (3 nights, dive course or snorkel) → fly out to Manila or Cebu. Add a night in Port Barton at the start of the El Nido block if you want a quiet day.
Where to Stay: Accommodation by Base
El Nido Town
For El Nido specifically, the prices below come from hostel/guesthouse average rates for 2026.
| Property type | Cost/night (PHP) | Vibe | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Budget hostel dorm (8-bed) | 600 | Backpacker central, near Corong-Coron beach | Air-con off from 10 am to 6 pm |
| Mid-range private room | 1,500 | Couples, AC, hot shower | Most have a small balcony |
| Guesthouse with rooftop | 1,200 | Quiet but central | Often basic breakfast included |
Subodh’s pick: Stay within a 5-minute walk of the public market on the south side of town, you avoid the late-night beach bar noise but keep walking distance to boat departures.
Coron Town Proper
| Property type | Cost/night (PHP) | Vibe | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dorm bed, dive hostel | 550 | Quiet, attached to dive shop | Discounted if you book a course |
| Private fan room | 900 | Walkable, near market | Cold shower common |
| AC twin room | 1,400 | Good for divers, includes breakfast | Most dive resorts convert |
Subodh’s pick: Don Pedro Street, between the market and the Baywalk. Everything is walkable, tricycle back if you are carrying scuba gear.
Puerto Princesa City Centre
| Property type | Cost/night (PHP) | Vibe | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hostel dorm, Rizal Ave | 450 | Filipino traveller crowd | Includes basic breakfast |
| AC private double | 850 | Mid-range, near local shopping malls | Good for the night before flights |
| Family room | 1,500 | For groups of three | Often comes with airport pick-up |
Subodh’s pick: Rizal Avenue area, near the cathedral. Restaurants and jeepney routes are on this street.
Port Barton Village
| Property type | Cost/night (PHP) | Vibe | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Beachfront cottage | 900 | Rustic, no AC | Power cuts after midnight |
| Fan room, mid-stay | 700 | Best of basic | Often 3-night minimum |
| Dorm bed (rare) | 400 | Two or three hostels only | Bring a padlock |
Subodh’s pick: One street back from the beach, the sand-front properties look nice but the bars are loud.
What to Eat on a Palawan Trip
Filipino food is not vegetarian-first, but it is meat-light at breakfast and rice-heavy at lunch. Indian backpackers should expect to lean on grilled fish and rice for most meals, with a few Indian spots in tourist areas.
Tapsilog and silog meals are the cheapest in every Palawan base. Garlic rice, a fried egg, and a meat (tapsi = beef tapa, long = longganisa sausage, tocino = cured pork). ₱120-₱180 at any carinderia. Skip if you don’t eat beef, the tocino version uses pork.
Kinilaw is a Filipino ceviche: raw fish cured in vinegar, ginger, and chili. El Nido and Coron have versions. ₱150-₱250 at seafood grills. Safe for pescatarian Indians, ask the vendor if they used fish sauce and skip if they did (fish sauce is fermented with shrimp, some vegetarians decline it).
Inasal-style grilled chicken at Mang Inasal or local BBQ spots. ₱130-₱180. Solid option for non-veg Indian travellers.
Vegetable Sinigang (sour soup with tamarind, okra, eggplant, radish, no meat) is one of the better vegetarian stews in Filipino cuisine. Not every restaurant runs the veg version, but El Nido carinderias have it. ₱100-₱150.
Indian food in El Nido exists in pocket form: a few small restaurants serve vegetarian thalis in the ₱250-₱400 range. Quality is mixed, it is not a substitute for proper North Indian cooking, but it saves you on the third consecutive silog day.
Indian food in Coron is thinner than El Nido. Two or three Indian restaurants operate seasonally, calling ahead helps.
Indian food in Puerto Princesa has more variety because of resident Indian traders in the city; expect two or three proper Indian restaurants in the city centre.
Vegetarian Traveller Note: Filipino cooking uses shrimp paste (bagoong) and fish sauce (patis) in many “vegetable” dishes. Order veg sinigang or veg pancit and confirm there is no fish sauce. Most carinderias understand the request.
What to Do in Palawan
El Nido Island Tours A, B, C, D
Four standardised island-hopping loops covering Big Lagoon, Small Lagoon, Hidden Beach, Matinloc Shrine, and Snake Island. Each is a full day, the boat is a bangka (outrigger), stops at 4 to 5 spots, includes lunch and snorkel gear. Cost is ₱1,400-₱1,800 per person in 2026. Tour A and Tour B are the most popular (Big and Small Lagoons), Tour C covers Hidden Beach and Matinloc, Tour D is the “snorkel and beach” route for chill days.
Subodh’s opinion: Do at least A and B, do C only if you have a third full day. Tour D is the rerun when the lagoons are too crowded.
Coron Wreck Diving
The 11 Japanese WWII ships at Coron Bay. The most famous is the Irako, a refrigerator ship sunk in 1944, sitting 20 to 30 metres down. Two-tank wreck dives cost ₱4,500-₱6,500 including gear. For non-divers, the Irako is visible from the surface in clear water, you can also snorkel to the shallow wrecks (Skeleton Wreck, at 5 metres) for ₱1,500 with a tour.
Puerto Princesa Underground River
The world’s longest navigable underground river, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, 8.2 km of navigable passages, only 1.5 km is open to tourists. Entrance ₱1,500, environmental fee ₱200, audio guide ₱85, boat and van from the city adds ₱1,000. Half day total, the cave itself is 45 minutes inside. Worth doing once.
Honda Bay Island Hopping (Puerto Princesa)
A half-day tour: Starfish Island, Luli Island (sandy beach that you can wade to at low tide), Cowrie Island, Pandan Island. Cheaper alternative to El Nido tours, ₱1,200-₱1,500 with lunch. Water is shallower and sand is whiter than El Nido, but there are no dramatic cliffs.
Coron Kayangan Lake
Twin lakes are the most photogenic tourist attraction in Coron. The lower lake is for swimming, the upper lake is for kayak. ₱300 entrance fee, plus kayak rental ₱300-₱500. Half a day. Most island tours include Kayangan Lake.
Getting Connected: SIM & eSIM
Palawan has decent 4G coverage in the three main towns. Globe and Smart are the two carriers, both run on prepaid SIMs.
Physical SIM at the airport: Globe’s Tourist SIM is sold at both Puerto Princesa and El Nido arrival halls for ₱300 with 7 days of data (around 6 GB). Smart’s rival pack is similar. Travellers report Globe has better 4G in El Nido town proper, Smart wins in outer islands.
Physical SIM in town: Same product is sold at convenience stores and sari-sari stores for ₱280, saving ₱20.
eSIM option is the better choice if you want to skip the airport queue and you are already on the road: Get Nomad eSIM for the Philippines, available as a regional Asia bundle with 5 GB for 30 days, much cheaper than two sequential SIMs if you are moving between countries.
Connectivity note: WiFi in El Nido guesthouses is patchy after dark, the network gets loaded with tourists. Cafes near Corong-Coron have working WiFi during the day but most close by 8 pm.
Daily Budget Breakdown for Palawan
Palawan sits in a strange price band: not as cheap as Vietnam or Laos, cheaper than Bali or Singapore. The breakdown below is for El Nido and adjusted upward/downward for the other bases.
| Category | El Nido (PHP) | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Dorm bed | 600 | 8-bed, air-con off in afternoons |
| Food (3 meals) | 400 | Silog breakfast, rice-and-grilled-fish lunch, carinderia dinner |
| Local transport | 150 | Tricycles in town, mostly ₱50 trips |
| Activities (one tour) | 1,400 | Island tour A, B, C, or D |
| Misc / drinks | 250 | San Miguel at ₱60, sim refill, laundry |
| Total per day | 2,800 | Or roughly ₱2,500 in Coron and ₱2,300 in Puerto Princesa |
At current rates (1 PHP ≈ ₹1.92, or 1 INR ≈ 0.52 PHP), ₱2,800 ≈ ₹1,456. That is the realistic daily spend if you stay in a dorm, eat at local carinderias, and do one tour every second day.
A mid-range version (private room, restaurant meals, dive course every third day) lands around ₱5,500 per day, ≈ ₹2,860 (~$29.69).
Visa & Entry Notes for Indian Passport Holders
Philippines tourist visa for Indian passport holders is required before arrival, you cannot get a visa on arrival at Manila. As of 2026:
- Standard tourist visa (single entry, 59 days stay, non-extendable): apply at the Philippine Embassy in New Delhi or the consulates in Mumbai, Chennai, Kolkata. Cost: ₹3,200 (~$33.22)+ service charge for a single entry. Processing 7 to 10 working days.
- Visa-free entry for transit is not available for Indians, do not trust blog posts from 2023 saying so.
- Schengen-style extensions do not exist for India nationals. If you need 30+ days, you must do a visa run to Thailand, Vietnam, or Hong Kong and reapply for a fresh visa.
Specific step: Carry your hotel booking, return flight ticket, and bank statements (₹50,000 (~$519)+ balance recommended) when you apply. The Delhi embassy asks for these in 2026.
If you only plan a short Philippines trip, an alternative route is the Thailand tourist visa + overland entry is not possible for the Philippines, you must fly in. Vietnam, Indonesia, and Malaysia do grant easier visa-free entry for Indian passport holders, in case you want to do those before Palawan.
For flights, Manila to El Nido one-way on domestic carriers runs ₱3,500-₱5,000 in economy, which roughly translates to a domestic airfare of ₹7,000-₹10,000 (~$72.66-$103.80). Book 3 to 4 weeks ahead for the best fares.
Common Mistakes Indian Backpackers Make in Palawan
Mistake 1: Booking an El Nido ATD package instead of separate accommodation and tours
Travel agencies in India and locally sell “El Nido 4-day package” with hotel + tours + transfers priced at ₱18,000-₱25,000 for two. The same nights, tours, and transfers booked separately cost roughly ₱12,000-₱15,000. The hotels you are sent to are part of the ATD inventory, the agency switches guests based on which rooms are available. Book the room yourself and pay only for the tours, you save 30 to 40 percent and get a single, consistent room for your stay.
Mistake 2: Skipping Puerto Princesa for “El Nido direct”
Most travellers skip Puerto Princesa because it looks boring on Instagram. The Underground River tour is worth a half-day, Honda Bay is worth a half-day, and the food scene is cheaper and more authentically Filipino than either El Nido or Coron. If you fly in, you have to overnight somewhere, doing that night in Manila (NAIA or near Intramuros) instead is fine, but you miss the province.
Mistake 3: Bringing too much beach luggage
El Nido and Coron are boat-heavy. You bring your phone, dry bag, sunscreen, and one change of clothes onto the bangka. Hard-shell suitcases are a problem on the rocky beach embarkation points. Travellers report that roller bags stay on the boat or in the hotel, day backpacks win here.
Mistake 4: Ignoring typhoon season
Palawan is in the Western Pacific typhoon belt. June to November is risky; peak is August to October. A direct hit means 24 to 48 hours of no boat tours, no diving, possible flooding, and airports closing. Travel insurance that includes weather disruption matters more here than in Chiang Mai or Hanoi. For 2026, peak summer (March to May) is the safest window.
Mistake 5: Conflating Coron and El Nido as “the same trip”
They are 8 hours of ferry or a 1-hour flight apart. Most travellers pick one or the other. Trying to do both in 4 days means 1 day of flying, 1 day of tours in each place, and you spend the rest in transit. Pick one and save a proper Coron-only trip for a return.
Subodh’s Take
Palawan is one of the few Southeast Asia destinations where the popular tag is right. The lagoons in El Nido are widely praised by visitors. Just don’t try to do all of Palawan in one trip, pick one base for at least 4 nights and stay put. El Nido is the default. Coron is for divers. Puerto Princesa is for budget travellers. Port Barton is for those who want the island the way it was years ago. Each base is its own trip, and your pick is the most important decision before booking flights.
Safety Alert: Treat the sea with caution in the Philippines. Most lifeguards are absent, the reefs are sharp, and the boats do not always have first-aid. Wear reef shoes, bring a whistle, and never swim alone after dark in any Palawan base.
FAQ
Is Palawan safe for Indian travellers?
Generally yes. The main bases (Puerto Princesa, El Nido, Coron, Port Barton) are tourist towns with low violent-crime rates. Petty theft on boats and at the beach can happen, so keep your phone in a dry bag. The two real risks are marine (reef cuts, currents during typhoons) and traffic (Philippines has the highest road-crash rate in Southeast Asia, drive carefully on scooters).
Can I get Indian food in El Nido and Coron?
Yes in El Nido, limited in Coron. A few small restaurants serve vegetarian thalis and dosas at tourist prices. Expect ₱250-₱400 per plate. El Nido’s Indian restaurants open and close seasonally, so check Google Maps and recent reviews before committing.
When is the best month to visit Palawan?
March to May is the driest stretch and the best visibility for tours. December to February is cooler but fine. June to November is typhoon season. For Indian travellers planning a winter break trip, December and January work but pack a rain layer.
How many days do I need for Palawan?
Minimum 5 nights, ideally 7 to 9 nights if you are flying from Manila or Bangkok. A practical split: 1 night Puerto Princesa + 4 nights El Nido + 2 nights Coron = 7 nights with travel time. Solo day-tour travellers can do it in 5 if they fly in the morning and out the evening.
Do I need to speak Filipino or Tagalog?
No. English is widely spoken in tourist areas. Filipino staff at hostels and tours speak fluent English. A few Tagalog phrases (salamat = thank you, po = polite particle, kuya/ate = brother/sister) help in carinderias and jeepneys, especially in Puerto Princesa.
Is it worth getting PADI certified in Coron?
Yes, if you have the time. A 3 to 4 day Open Water course in Coron costs ₱18,000-₱22,000 and includes four open-water dives, two of which are on Coron’s wreck sites. Compare to a PADI in Thailand (₱15,000-₱18,000) and it is more expensive, but the wrecks are globally recognised.
