Self-Launched Philippines Palawan Adventure
9 days · Palawan, Philippines
G Adventures charges £1,350
No-markup version: ~£620 per person
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
A 9-day self-launched version of G Adventures' Palawan loop, from Manila to El Nido, Port Barton and Puerto Princesa. Book your own domestic flight to El Nido (or fly into Puerto Princesa and shuttle north), join a public island-hopping boat in Bacuit Bay, take shared vans down the coast to Port Barton, and self-book the Puerto Princesa Subterranean River tour. Same karst cliffs, coral reefs and beach time — roughly a third of the group-tour price. All costs are approximate per-person estimates in GBP.
Day-by-day
Arrive in Manila
Manila
Land at NAIA and make your own way to a hostel in Makati or the Ermita/Malate backpacker belt. Grab a SIM card at the airport (Globe or Smart, ~£2 for a data package), withdraw pesos, and use Grab (the local Uber) rather than unmetered airport taxis — expect ~£4-6 to Makati. Evening: walk the Makati food streets or hit the Robinson's Place food hall for your first lechon and halo-halo. Book tonight's stay near the airport if your onward flight is early.
🚌Grab from NAIA T3 to Makati ~£4-6
🛏Z Hostel Makati or Malate Pensionne, dorm £8-14 / private £22-30
- →Settle in, SIM card and cash run
- →Makati or Malate evening food walk
Fly Manila to El Nido
El Nido, Palawan
Book your own one-way flight — AirSWIFT flies Manila–El Nido (Lio Airport) direct in about 1h20 (~£70-110 one way, buy early for the lower end). The cheaper alternative is Cebu Pacific/AirAsia Manila–Puerto Princesa (~£30-45) then a 5-6h van up the coast (~£13). Arrive at Lio, take a tricycle to El Nido town (~£4), and check into a guesthouse in the town proper — walkable to everything. Sunset beers at a beachfront bar on Corong-Corong.
🚌AirSWIFT Manila–El Nido ~£70-110 (or budget routing via Puerto Princesa with van, ~£50 total)
🛏El Nido town guesthouse or hostel, dorm £10-16 / private £25-40
- →Ride a tricycle into El Nido town
- →Corong-Corong sunset
Bacuit Bay Island-Hopping & Snorkelling
El Nido, Palawan
This replaces the tour's included snorkel trip and beach barbecue. Walk the waterfront in the morning and join a public bangka island-hopping tour — Tour A (Big Lagoon, Secret Lagoon, Shimizu Island, Seven Commandos Beach) is the classic, ~£22-28 including lunch, entrance fees and snorkel gear. Book direct with one of the many boat operators or online via Klook/GetYourGuide a day ahead. Go early: boats leave around 9am and Big Lagoon gets crowded by 11. Bring reef-safe sunscreen and a dry bag.
🚌Walking / tricycle to the pier, £1-2
🛏El Nido town guesthouse or hostel, dorm £10-16 / private £25-40
- →Public Tour A island-hopping boat (~£25)
- →Snorkelling at Shimizu Island
- →Big Lagoon and Secret Lagoon
- →Beach barbecue lunch on board
El Nido Free Day — Beaches & Optional Boat Trips
El Nido, Palawan
Lazy day. Options: a second island-hopping route — Tour C (Hidden Beach, Matinloc Shrine, Helicopter Island) is the other favourite at ~£25; kayak rental at Las Cabanas Beach (~£6/hour) with its famous zipline over the water (~£8); or a tricycle to Nacpan Beach, 45 minutes north, one of the Philippines' best long white-sand beaches (tricycle ~£8 each way, beach entrance ~£1). Cheap grilled fish and rice dinners in town run £4-6.
🚌Tricycle to Nacpan ~£8 each way (or stay local)
🛏El Nido town guesthouse or hostel, dorm £10-16 / private £25-40
- →Optional Tour C island-hopping (~£25)
- →Kayak or zipline at Las Cabanas
- →Nacpan Beach day trip
El Nido to Port Barton
Port Barton, Palawan
There's no direct boat, so do it how locals do: shared van El Nido–Port Barton takes roughly 3.5-4h and costs ~£10-14 (book the day before through your guesthouse or at the van terminal). You'll arrive at Port Barton village, then take a short outrigger boat or walk to your beachfront accommodation depending on where you've booked. Afternoon swim, then sunset from the sandbar and dinner at one of the small beach restaurants.
🚌Shared van El Nido–Port Barton ~£10-14 (3.5-4h)
🛏Port Barton beachfront guesthouse, dorm £9-15 / private £22-35
- →Beach arrival and swim
- →Port Barton sunset
Port Barton — Snorkelling, Waterfalls & Island Trip
Port Barton, Palawan
Port Barton's version of the tour's 'laid-back day in paradise', self-booked. Join a local island-hopping/snorkelling bangka tour (~£18-25) to German Island, Exotic Island and the turtle snorkelling spots in the Marine Protected Area — far quieter than El Nido. Alternatively hike or pay a tricycle (£5) to Pamuayan Falls, a 30-40 minute rainforest walk to a small waterfall and swimming hole. Dinner: fresh catch, garlic rice, and a £1.50 rum-and-coke on the beach.
🚌Tricycle to trailhead £4-6
🛏Port Barton beachfront guesthouse, dorm £9-15 / private £22-35
- →Local Port Barton island-hopping/snorkelling tour (~£20)
- →Turtle spotting in the marine sanctuary
- →Pamuayan Falls rainforest hike
Port Barton to Puerto Princesa via the Underground River
Puerto Princesa / Sabang
Leave Port Barton in a shared van (~£8-12, 3-4h) heading south. The Subterranean River tour — the tour company's included experience — is self-bookable: permits are capped daily, so reserve through the official booking portal, a Puerto Princesa tour agency or Klook/GetYourGuide a few days ahead (~£25-30 including boat and guide; entry permit alone is ~£10). From Sabang Wharf a bangka takes you to the cave mouth for a 45-minute paddle into the underground river. Continue by van to Puerto Princesa city (~2h, £5-8) and check in.
🚌Shared van Port Barton–Sabang/Puerto Princesa ~£15-20 total
🛏Puerto Princesa budget hotel or hostel, dorm £8-14 / private £20-32
- →Puerto Princesa Subterranean River National Park tour (~£25-30)
- →Underground river paddle boat
- →Sabang mangrove and beach stop
Puerto Princesa City Tour & Iwahig
Puerto Princesa
Do the city highlights on your own schedule rather than a coach group. Rent a scooter for the day (~£8-10 plus fuel) or hire a tricycle driver for a half-day (~£15 total). Hit Bakers Hill for views and its bakery, then Iwahig Prison and Penal Farm — the 'prison without walls' where inmates run farms and a souvenir shop (free to enter, donations welcome; note the site is a working facility, so behave respectfully and check current visiting conditions locally). Round off with the Palawan Heritage Centre or the Baywalk for sunset and seafood.
🚌Scooter hire ~£9 (or tricycle half-day ~£15)
🛏Puerto Princesa budget hotel or hostel, dorm £8-14 / private £20-32
- →Bakers Hill viewpoint
- →Iwahig Penal Farm visit
- →Baywalk sunset and seafood dinner
Depart Puerto Princesa
Puerto Princesa
Fly out from Puerto Princesa International Airport — Cebu Pacific, AirAsia and Philippine Airlines all run multiple daily services to Manila (~£30-55, 1h15) and Cebu. Allow two hours at the airport for domestic check-in, and check the terminal fee is included in your ticket (it usually is now). If you're extending, Puerto Princesa is the gateway for onward travel to Balabac, Coron (ferries via El Nido) or back up to Manila for Cebu, Bohol or Siargao.
🚌Tricycle to airport ~£1-3; domestic flight Puerto Princesa–Manila ~£30-55
🛏—
- →Departure flight
Self-launched vs. G Adventures
| This itinerary (self-launched) | G Adventures | |
|---|---|---|
| Price per person | ~£620 | £1,350 |
| Duration | 9 days | 9 days |
| Who books it | You and your group, direct | Tour operator, guided group |
| Savings | £730 per person (54%) | |
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
Want to see more G Adventures-style trips? Check them out here.~£620
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 Self-Launched Philippines Palawan Adventure cost?+
Doing it yourself with this self-launched itinerary costs an estimated £620 per person for 9 days in Palawan, 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 £1,350 per person for a similar tour. Doing the same route independently, using the same standard of accommodation and activities, costs an estimated £620 — a saving of roughly £730 (54%) per person.
How long is the Palawan, Philippines trip?+
This itinerary runs 9 days, covering 9 day-by-day stops through Palawan, 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 beaches, adventure, budget trip through Palawan, 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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