5-Day Palawan Tour: Puerto Princesa & El Nido Island Hopping

Two cities, one Underground River, and the lagoons that made El Nido famous

A 5-day tour of Palawan combining Puerto Princesa's capital highlights with two days of island hopping in El Nido. Day one covers the Immaculate Conception Cathedral, Plaza Cuartel, the Palawan Wildlife Rescue and Conservation Center, and Mitra Farm overlooking Honda Bay. Day two is the Puerto Princesa Underground River (one of the seven wonders of nature) followed by transfer to El Nido. Days three and four explore the Big Lagoon, Small Lagoon, Secret Lagoon, and named beaches by boat, with guide, meals and accommodations throughout.

Step-by-step itinerary

Day 1: Arrival and Puerto Princesa City Tour

• Pickup at hotel
• Visit Immaculate Conception Cathedral
• See Plaza Cuartel
• Visit Palawan Wildlife Rescue Center
• Try treats at Baker’s Hill
• Drive to Mitra Farm for Honda Bay views
• Return to hotel

Day 2: Underground River Tour and Transfer to El Nido

• Pickup for Underground River tour
• Explore Puerto Princesa Underground River
• Lunch at Sabang Wharf
• Leisure time at Sabang Wharf
• Return to Puerto Princesa
• Transfer to El Nido

Day 3: El Nido Island Hopping Tour A

• Visit Secret Lagoon
• Snorkel at Shimizu Island
• Kayak or swim in Small Lagoon
• Explore Big Lagoon

Day 4: El Nido Island Hopping Tour C and Return

• Stop at Helicopter Island
• Visit Matinloc Shrine
• Lunch
• Visit Secret Beach
• Visit Star Beach
• Visit Hidden Beach
• Return to Puerto Princesa

Day 5: Departure and Airport Transfer

• Travel to El Nido or Puerto Princesa Airport

The experience

Puerto Princesa comes first. You start at the Immaculate Conception Cathedral and Plaza Cuartel, a former military fort with a complicated history from the Japanese occupation in World War II. The Palawan Wildlife Rescue and Conservation Center, locals call it the crocodile farm, holds hundreds of Philippine crocodiles, an endangered species found nowhere else. The morning wraps at Mitra Farm, a hilltop stop with a veranda overlooking Honda Bay, horses and cattle grazing below. This opening day is a 4-hour tour with hotel pickup and drop-off.

Day two is the Puerto Princesa Underground River, the centerpiece of the whole trip. You leave at 7am, travel to Sabang Wharf, and spend the morning exploring the river's cave system by boat with a guide who narrates the geology and wildlife. Lunch is a buffet at the wharf, then you drive back to Puerto Princesa by 5:30pm and transfer that evening to El Nido, a coastal town three hours south.

El Nido's two island-hopping days are the reason most travelers book this tour. Tour A takes you to the Secret Lagoon (a collapsed cave surrounded by limestone cliffs), then Shimizu Island, where your guide prepares a meal while you snorkel the nearby reef. The Small Lagoon sits inside a cove on Miniloc Island. You kayak or swim through a narrow opening into turquoise water lined with orchids and limestone walls. The Big Lagoon is a breeding ground for fish and crustaceans. Tour C covers Helicopter Island (named for its shape, though locals debate whether it looks more like a camel or dolphin), the abandoned Matinloc Shrine on a hilltop, and three beaches (Secret, Star, and Hidden) with lunch between stops. Both days are full-day boat tours with your guide and crew.

Day five is your departure. El Nido has its own airport, closer than Puerto Princesa. The tour notes that getting to Puerto Princesa airport would mean several hours of driving. Accommodations run from budgeted to high-range hotels in both cities, and you choose your tier at checkout. Transport between cities, all boat tours, meals on the river and island days, and hotel stays are included. Gratuities are separate.

What’s included

• Tour fees, accommodations in your chosen hotel tier, all vehicle transport between cities and to attractions, and boat transport for the island-hopping days and the Underground River tour.
• meals are included on the river tour and island-hopping days.

Options for this experience

4 options

Tour package only, without roomsGuide in 9 languages · 7 departure times: the first at 06:00, the last at 09:00On selected tours in Puerto Princesa and El Nido, transport by car, van or boat, and pickup is included.

Budgeted HotelGuide in 9 languages · 7 departure times: the first at 06:00, the last at 09:00Budget accommodation tier (1-star or unrated hotels): 2 nights in Puerto Princesa and 2 nights in El Nido, with vehicle transportation, city tour, island hopping, a tour guide, lunch on a selected day, and the Underground River tour. Pickup is included.

Mid-range option for Puerto Princesa and El NidoGuide in 9 languages · 7 departure times: the first at 06:00, the last at 09:00Middle-class accommodation: 2 nights in Puerto Princesa and 2 nights in El Nido, with vehicle transportation, city tour, island hopping, a tour guide, lunch on a selected day, and the Underground River tour. Pickup is included.

High-range option for Puerto Princesa and El NidoGuide in 9 languages · 7 departure times: the first at 06:00, the last at 09:00High-class accommodation: 2 nights in Puerto Princesa and 2 nights in El Nido, with vehicle transportation, city tour, island hopping, a tour guide, lunch on a selected day, and the Underground River tour. Pickup is included.

You pick the guide language when booking.

You'll see the exact price of each option when you check availability.See dates and prices

Before you book

Days and timesEvery day7 departure times: the first at 06:00, the last at 09:00

Book up toStart time

AgesAdult (12 to 59 years) · Senior (60 and older) · Child (2 to 11 years) · Infant (under 2): free

GroupUp to 1000

Live guideEnglish, Spanish, French, German, Italian, Arabic, Chinese, Filipino and Japanese

Audio guideEnglish

Meeting point and pickupHotel pickup included.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 6 days before the start.Between 2 and 6 days before the start, 50% refund.After that, no refund.It may be canceled due to bad weather. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund.

Prices and times updated 2 days ago

Good to know

Low physical effortWheelchair accessiblePublic transport nearby

Operated by Rio Travel and Tour

Is this one for you?Choose the high-range hotels if you want more comfort after full days of touring and boating. The budgeted option keeps costs down without cutting the main experiences. The five-day length gives you the Underground River, both El Nido island tours, and Puerto Princesa's city sites without rushing. A three-day version would skip one of the island days, and a week-long tour would add other regions of Palawan.

Top questions

What languages is the tour guided in?

Live guide in English, Spanish, French, German, Italian, Arabic, Chinese, Japanese and Filipino.

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Child (2 to 11 years); Infant (under 2): free.

What happens if it rains?

It may be canceled due to bad weather. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund. Free cancellation up to 6 days before the start.

What is the Puerto Princesa Underground River actually like to explore?

The Puerto Princesa Underground River is a cave system you travel through by boat with a guide, who explains the geology and wildlife as you move through. It was named one of the seven wonders of nature and is the main reason many visitors come to Palawan. The full tour from pickup to return takes about ten hours, with lunch included at Sabang Wharf.

Can I choose which island-hopping tour I do in El Nido, or is it set?

The itinerary includes both Tour A and Tour C on separate days. Tour A visits the Secret Lagoon, Shimizu Island (where you snorkel), and the Small and Big Lagoons. Tour C covers Helicopter Island, the Matinloc Shrine, and three beaches (Secret, Star, and Hidden) with lunch between stops. Both are full-day boat tours with your guide.

Do I stay in the same hotel for both Puerto Princesa and El Nido?

No, you stay in Puerto Princesa for the first two nights, then transfer to El Nido for nights three and four. You choose your accommodation level at checkout (budgeted, mid-range, or high-range), and the same tier applies in both cities.

What happens on the first day in Puerto Princesa?

Day one is a 4-hour city tour with hotel pickup. You visit the Immaculate Conception Cathedral and Plaza Cuartel, then the Palawan Wildlife Rescue and Conservation Center to see Philippine crocodiles, and finish at Mitra Farm on a hilltop with views across Honda Bay. You return to your hotel by afternoon.

Is the transfer between Puerto Princesa and El Nido included?

Yes, transport between the two cities is included. After your Underground River tour on day two, you transfer to El Nido in the evening. On day five, you depart from whichever city suits your flight: the itinerary notes El Nido airport is closer, avoiding a long drive to Puerto Princesa.