Palawan & Coron: Underground Rivers, Snorkelling & Island Hopping (Self-Launched)
9 days · Palawan & Coron, Philippines
G Adventures charges £710
No-markup version: ~£455 per person
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
A self-launched version of the classic Puerto Princesa → El Nido → Coron route, done independently. You'll paddle into the Puerto Princesa Subterranean River, join a shared El Nido island-hopping boat (Tour A or C), and instead of a private two-night expedition boat, take a local bankka/ferry combination or a small-group expedition boat booked direct to reach Coron across the Sulu Sea. Stay in hostels and guesthouses, eat at local carinderias, and travel by shared vans and ferries. Estimates are approximate and based on budget backpacker rates.
Day-by-day
Arrive Puerto Princesa
Puerto Princesa
Fly into Puerto Princesa (PPS). Take a tricycle or shared van from the airport to your hostel near Rizal Avenue (about ₱150-250 / £2-4). Spend the afternoon exploring the Baywalk, the Cathedral and the local market. In the evening eat at a carinderia near the baywalk and plan your Subterranean River trip — book a shared van + boat tour at your hostel or a local tour office on Rizal Avenue for tomorrow morning (₱1,800-2,200 incl. permits and boat).
🚌Tricycle from airport ~£3
🛏Hostel dorm in Puerto Princesa city centre (£8-12)
- →Baywalk stroll
- →Puerto Princesa public market
- →Book Subterranean River shared tour
Underground River, then to El Nido
Puerto Princesa → El Nido
Early pick-up for the shared Subterranean River tour — a 2-hour drive to Sabang, then a paddle-boat into the Puerto Princesa Subterranean River National Park cave system (8km underground river, ~45 min guided boat ride inside the cave). Lunch at Sabang, then return to Puerto Princesa and catch the afternoon shared van to El Nido (5-6 hrs, ₱700-900 / £10-13, book with Daytripper or Cherry Bus). Arrive El Nido late evening and check into your hostel in the town centre.
🚌Shared van Puerto Princesa → El Nido ~£12
🛏Hostel dorm in El Nido town (£10-15)
- →Puerto Princesa Subterranean River boat tour
- →Sabang beach stop
El Nido Island Hopping (Tour A or C)
El Nido
Join a shared bangka island-hopping tour — Tour A (Big Lagoon, Small Lagoon, Shimizu Island, Seven Commandos Beach) or Tour C (Hidden Beach, Secret Beach, Matinloc Shrine, Helicopter Island). Book direct at the El Nido tourism office or via your hostel; ₱1,400-1,800 / £20-26 including lunch and snorkel gear. Boats leave around 8am and return 4-5pm. Bring reef-safe sunscreen, a dry bag, and cash for the eco-fee (₱200).
🚌Walking to pier; shared bangka included in tour
🛏Hostel dorm in El Nido town (£10-15)
- →Tour A or C island hopping
- →Snorkelling at Shimizu Island
- →Big Lagoon kayaking
El Nido free day — Taraw Peak or beaches
El Nido
DIY day. Hike Taraw Peak early (free-ish, guided climb from town ₱500-800 with a local guide, 1.5-2 hrs up, steep but great views over the bay). Alternatively rent a scooter (₱500-700/day / £7-10) and ride to Las Cabanas Beach for sunset or Nacpan Beach (45 min north, one of the best beaches in Palawan, entrance ₱100). Kayak rentals at the lagoon ₱300-500/hr. Eat dinner at a local BBQ stand on the beach.
🚌Scooter rental ~£8 or tricycle
🛏Hostel dorm in El Nido town (£10-15)
- →Taraw Peak hike
- →Nacpan Beach
- →Las Cabanas sunset
Sulu Sea expedition — Day 1 (El Nido → island beach)
Sulu Sea
Instead of a private boat, book a small-group 2-night expedition boat direct with a local operator (e.g. TAO Philippines or El Nido Boutique & Art Cafe's expedition — check availability and book in advance; roughly ₱9,000-13,000 / £125-180 for the full 3-day/2-night El Nido → Coron crossing, including meals, beach huts and snorkelling). Board in El Nido mid-morning, cruise past limestone karsts, swim and snorkel at remote coves, and sleep in a traditional thatch hut on a deserted beach. Bring a headtorch, dry bag and cash.
🚌Expedition bankka boat (multi-day crossing)
🛏Rustic beach hut on a remote island (included in expedition)
- →Sulu Sea island-hopping cruise
- →Snorkelling stops
- →Beach camping in thatch hut
Sulu Sea expedition — Day 2
Sulu Sea
Wake up on the sand, breakfast on the beach, then back on the boat. More snorkelling stops at coral gardens and white-sand coves; keep an eye out for sea turtles, rays and the occasional dolphin pod. Lunch is cooked on board or on shore, and you camp on a second secluded beach in the evening. No phone signal — enjoy it.
🚌Expedition bankka boat
🛏Rustic beach hut on a remote island (included in expedition)
- →Snorkelling coral gardens
- →Beach time
- →Wildlife spotting
Arrive Coron
Coron
Final morning on the boat, arriving into Coron town (Busuanga) by early afternoon. Check into your guesthouse or hostel near the town centre (₱800-1,500 / £12-20). If you're not on a multi-day expedition, the alternative is the public ferry El Nido → Coron (about 4 hrs, ₱1,800-2,400 / £25-33, book with Montenegro Lines or via 12Go). Settle in, catch sunset from the Coron pier, and eat at a local seafood restaurant.
🚌Expedition boat arrival or public ferry El Nido→Coron ~£30
🛏Guesthouse or hostel in Coron town (£12-20)
- →Coron town wander
- →Sunset at the pier
Mt Tapyas, Maquinit Hot Springs & Coron Island Tour
Coron
Hike Mt Tapyas early (700+ steps, free, 30-45 min up) for views over Coron Bay and the surrounding islands. Then hire a tricycle to Maquinit Hot Springs (₱300 entry / £4, saltwater hot springs by the sea). In the afternoon, join a shared Coron Island tour (Kayangan Lake, Twin Lagoon, Skeleton Wreck snorkelling) — ₱1,500-1,800 / £21-26 with lunch. Evening: happy hour at a rooftop bar and dinner at a local grill.
🚌Tricycle to hot springs ~£3; shared boat tour
🛏Guesthouse or hostel in Coron town (£12-20)
- →Mt Tapyas hike
- →Maquinit Hot Springs
- →Kayangan Lake & Twin Lagoon boat tour
- →Skeleton Wreck snorkelling
Depart Coron
Coron
Depart at any time. Shared van to Francisco B. Reyes Airport (Busuanga, USU) takes about 45 min (₱250-400 / £4-6) or arrange a tricycle. If you're flying out of Puerto Princesa instead, take the ferry back or a short internal flight.
🚌Shared van to Busuanga airport ~£5
🛏N/A — departure day
- →Transfer to airport
Self-launched vs. G Adventures
| This itinerary (self-launched) | G Adventures | |
|---|---|---|
| Price per person | ~£455 | £710 |
| Duration | 9 days | 9 days |
| Who books it | You and your group, direct | Tour operator, guided group |
| Savings | £255 per person (36%) | |
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
Want to see more G Adventures-style trips? Check them out here.~£455
estimated per person
You never pay Travel Crew for this — you pay hostels, transport, and activity providers directly, the same as if you'd booked it all yourself.
This publishes your dates so other travellers can find and join you — no tour operator needed.
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Frequently asked questions
How much does Palawan & Coron: Underground Rivers, Snorkelling & Island Hopping (Self-Launched) cost?+
Doing it yourself with this self-launched itinerary costs an estimated £455 per person for 9 days in Palawan & Coron, Philippines. This is an AI-generated estimate based on typical budget-traveller prices — actual costs will vary by season and how you book.
Is this cheaper than booking with G Adventures?+
Yes — G Adventures charges around £710 per person for a similar tour. Doing the same route independently, using the same standard of accommodation and activities, costs an estimated £455 — a saving of roughly £255 (36%) per person.
How long is the Palawan & Coron, Philippines trip?+
This itinerary runs 9 days, covering 9 day-by-day stops through Palawan & Coron, Philippines.
How do I join this trip?+
You can join an existing open departure using this itinerary if one is scheduled, or launch your own departure with your own dates and invite other travellers to join you — no tour operator required.
Isn't it easier to just use a tour operator?+
Well, yes, a tour operator will book all the individual parts of your travel for you and provide a guide. That's obvious, but doing this has the potential to save the group thousands, which can in turn improve your itinerary substantially or save you huge amounts of money. Also, when you launch a departure, Travel Crew has tools in place to help you book the individual sections of the trip or make it easier for you to do this as a group. Really, you do not need a middle man. If you are more comfortable paying more and using a middle man, then you should certainly do this.
Is it safer to book through a tour operator?+
Arguably, there isn't much difference. A self-launched trip runs on the same principle as a group travel crew: collective responsibility, everyone looking out for each other, the same way it would if a group of friends organised the trip themselves — because that's exactly what's happening. You should always take out travel insurance before you go, self-launched or not; that doesn't change either way. Every open departure is published publicly with real dates and a real trip organiser, so it's never an anonymous arrangement, and our support team is reachable any time you need help, including in an emergency while you're away. Longer-term, we're building direct relationships with ground DMCs in popular destinations, offered as an optional paid add-on for extra on-the-ground support. Ultimately, though, the group is responsible for its own conduct and safety on a self-launched trip, same as on any trip you plan yourself.
What kind of trip is this?+
This is a adventure, beaches, backpacker trip through Palawan & Coron, Philippines, self-launched rather than run by a tour operator — you organise it with a group you find or bring yourself.
Would you like to name the operator, name the trip, or have any suggestions about how to improve this itinerary?
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