Korean Job Discussion Forums

RuffledFeathers · Joined: 16 Oct 2008

I'll be spending a month on Palawan in January....any advice/tips from people who have been there?

Tiger Beer · Joined: 07 Feb 2003

I love Palawan, one of my favorite places in all of Asia.

Advice...ahmm...it's fairly straight-forward.

Here's one...if you go to EL NIDO...the beach in the town is mediocre (but still good for beaches in general though) , all of those amazing photos you see of El Nido, are actually short boat rides away to other islands. El Nido is just a very convenient base to get to those photogenic areas.

RuffledFeathers · Joined: 16 Oct 2008

Cool thanks! Everyone I tell that I'm going here, is like "why aren't you going to Boracay?" It gets a bit annoying. I've heard Palawan is secluded, a perfect spot for a honeymoon Wink

Tiger Beer · Joined: 07 Feb 2003

Where all are you planning on going? (Which towns/islands?) How are you going to go about it? (bus/boat)?

RuffledFeathers · Joined: 16 Oct 2008

No plans, just showing up on the island, then we have 4 weeks to see it. Think we'll go to the south first, then up to the north where it seems to be more expensive....

michaelmichael · Joined: 08 Jul 2007 Location: Seoul, Korea / Philippines

I really enjoy palawan. in puerto princessa have a meal and kinabuch and ka lui, both good dining experiences and across from each other. there is a one day tour you can do if you're burning time, but it's sorta bullshit. the cave in sabang is worth a look and a short trek to the waterfall. we stayed at mary's, cheap nipa huts at the end of the beach. clean but very basic. try the fish curry. there is a place next door with 24hr elec/ac if that's what you need. we also enjoyed coconut island resort on Cacnipa Island close to Port Barton. nice cottage good for two. the place is good for couples. the beach is nice there. Beaches in Palawan get better the more north you go. definitely time in el nido is worth it. depending on where you stay or if you go with the tours from the art cafe, there are nice beaches to visit. do tour A and B from the cafe (maybe c too..trekking). your resort may also offer banka tours. next days rent a sea kayak or go by banka to individual beaches you missed or want to spend more time at. most banka tours bbq fish and stuff on the beach for you. on the beach at night try eating at the place next to ric sons...cant remember the name, but ric sons is ok too. squidos has some good things on the menu too. last time we were there we stayed at lally and abbet at the end of the beach. pretty quiet with a room facing the water. no ac just fan. there are places on both sides of the resort that are more modern. one has a pool too. both have a ac. i think both are owned by koreans. (koreans tend to vacation on miniloc though). miniloc is nice btw if you can budget it.

ive gone to el nido by boat and land. both can suck but in different ways, but 10ft ocean waves and a canoe with lawnmower engine is an experience. have fun.

michaelmichael · Joined: 08 Jul 2007 Location: Seoul, Korea / Philippines

I really enjoy palawan. in puerto princessa have a meal and kinabuch and ka lui, both good dining experiences and across from each other. there is a one day tour you can do if you're burning time, but it's sorta bullshit. the cave in sabang is worth a look and a short trek to the waterfall. we stayed at mary's, cheap nipa huts at the end of the beach. clean but very basic. try the fish curry. there is a place next door with 24hr elec/ac if that's what you need. we also enjoyed coconut island resort on Cacnipa Island close to Port Barton. nice cottage good for two. the place is good for couples. the beach is nice there. Beaches in Palawan get better the more north you go. definitely time in el nido is worth it. depending on where you stay or if you go with the tours from the art cafe, there are nice beaches to visit. do tour A and B from the cafe (maybe c too..trekking). your resort may also offer banka tours. next days rent a sea kayak or go by banka to individual beaches you missed or want to spend more time at. most banka tours bbq fish and stuff on the beach for you. on the beach at night try eating at the place next to ric sons...cant remember the name, but ric sons is ok too. squidos has some good things on the menu too. last time we were there we stayed at lally and abbet at the end of the beach. pretty quiet with a room facing the water. no ac just fan. there are places on both sides of the resort that are more modern. one has a pool too. both have a ac. i think both are owned by koreans. (koreans tend to vacation on miniloc though). miniloc is nice btw if you can budget it.

ive gone to el nido by boat and land. both can suck but in different ways, but 10ft ocean waves and a canoe with lawnmower engine is an experience. have fun.

Tiger Beer · Joined: 07 Feb 2003

I really liked PUERTO PENSIONNE in Puerto Princesa. Has a very cool design, all bamboo, very clean, with some good views from the little restaurant on top.

Puerto Princesa is pretty small, and very walkable. I also really enjoyed the restaurants that were on the main road out towards the airport. Some of them are also designed in a very cool way - lots of bamboo and very clean and it makes you wish you owned one of them, and could just live out your life there!

Two places that I skipped in Palawan and would really love to visit, would be Port Barton, as well as CORON. There seem to be some real interesting things up in CORON, such as a little island where they imported African Serenghetti animals and they roam free, kind of a little taste of free Africa plains mammals on a little island of the Philippines. I gotta see that someday.

SeoulMan6 · Joined: 27 Jul 2005 Location: Gangwon-do

* Ditto what was said about El Nido.

* The boat ride to El Nido was hell. But they say if the sea is calm it's not so bad.

* Port Barton has nicer beaches than El Nido town. You can find a cheap place with the beach right in front of you. Very nice, quiet place to chill. But the islands off El Nido have great beaches.

* The seafood was fresh and cheap. The curry vegetables were awesome too. After a week, though, the menu got a bit monotonous.

* Palawan was definitely a bittle more rustic than other islands.

* Buy cheap rum. Mix with cheap orange soda. Watch sunset. Drink. Repeat.

dannylelievre · Joined: 11 Nov 2006

I don't think anybody mentioned it, but one of the most secluded places I went to was Sabang. It was cool, nobody there, a couple of huts on the beach about 30 minutes walk from the little port, a nice nature reserve made by the US Peace Corps, what i think was the world's longest cave, or close to it.