Palawan has always been one of those places I dreamed of visiting.

With its turquoise waters, dramatic limestone cliffs, white-sand beaches, hidden lagoons, and beautiful islands, it’s easy to understand why Palawan is considered one of the most beautiful destinations in the Philippines.

So, in 2016, my husband and I finally decided to make it one of our first destinations together.

There was just one little problem.

We went during October, which is part of the rainy season.

As Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs), we don’t always have complete freedom when choosing our vacation dates. Our annual leave has to fit around our work schedules, so we couldn’t simply wait for the perfect summer weather.

Instead, we decided to make the most of whatever weather we were given.

And honestly?

It turned out to be quite an adventure.

We booked a 4-day, 3-night Palawan package through a friend who worked for a travel agency. Our itinerary included El Nido, Puerto Princesa, island hopping, and the famous Underground River.

We had planned everything.

But, as we learned during this trip, nature always gets the final say. 😄

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Our 4-Day, 3-Night Package

The package we booked included:

• Return flights from Manila to Puerto Princesa
• Two nights of accommodation in El Nido at a 3-star hotel
• One night of accommodation in Puerto Princesa at a 3-star hotel
• Round-trip van transfers between Puerto Princesa and El Nido
• Island hopping with buffet lunch
• Underground River tour with buffet lunch
• Daily breakfast at the hotel
• Boat transfers
• Bath towels and snorkeling equipment for the island-hopping tour
• Environmental and entrance fees
• Permits and tour guide services

Our Proposed Itinerary

Day 1: Arrival at Puerto Princesa Airport, followed by shared van transfer to El Nido

Day 2: El Nido island hopping

Day 3: Transfer back to Puerto Princesa and Underground River tour

Day 4: Free time before heading to the airport

Everything looked perfect on paper.

But…

The weather had other plans for us.

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Day 1: Arrival at Puerto Princesa and the Long Drive to El Nido

Our flight from Manila to Puerto Princesa took only about an hour and a half, so the flight itself was quite easy.

Before we knew it, we had already arrived in Palawan.

At the airport, our tour guide picked us up and we joined a shared van with several other passengers.

And that’s where our real adventure began.

The drive from Puerto Princesa to El Nido was long—approximately 5 to 6 hours, depending on road and traffic conditions.

For someone who isn’t used to long road trips, it can definitely be tiring.

Fortunately, we had a stop along the way at a local restaurant where we were able to eat lunch, stretch our legs, and take a short break before continuing the journey.

Eventually, we arrived in El Nido at around 3 or 4 in the afternoon.

And guess what?

It was raining heavily.

After spending hours on the road, we were already tired. But instead of staying inside the hotel, my husband and I decided to explore a little.

We walked through the streets, checked out the local shops, and looked around to see how people lived in this beautiful coastal town.

We eventually found a food cart selling one of our all-time favorites, siomai.

Of course, we couldn’t resist.

Our all-time favorite siomai as merienda after the long drive from Puerto Princesa

After our snack, we checked out the souvenir shops to look for something we could bring home as pasalubong for our loved ones.

Later, we looked for a seafood restaurant for dinner.

There were plenty of restaurants close to the beachfront, so finding one wasn’t difficult.

We had a seafood dinner and paid less than ₱500 for our meal at the time.

Dinner by the beach

Our first day ended with a relaxing evening walk along the beach.

We watched tourists enjoying their drinks, restaurants grilling fresh seafood, and the little town slowly settling into its evening rhythm.

Despite the rain, I already had a feeling that this trip was going to be memorable.

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Day 2: An Unexpected Detour to Nacpan and Las Cabanas Beach

According to our original itinerary, Day 2 was supposed to be our island-hopping day.

Unfortunately, the weather had other plans.

The rain became so heavy that the coastal authorities prohibited boat and sea activities for safety reasons.

That meant:

NO island hopping.

NO snorkeling.

NO boat tour.

Nothing.

We were honestly disappointed.

Imagine traveling all the way to El Nido for the first time and then finding out that the main activity you were excited about had been cancelled.

We didn’t know what to do.

So, after spending some time thinking about our options, I approached the hotel concierge and asked whether there were any other places we could visit.

Fortunately, she introduced us to a local tricycle driver who offered to take us to two popular beaches, Nacpan Beach and Las Cabanas Beach, for around ₱1,500.

We agreed.

At least we’d still get to explore something!

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Nacpan Beach, El Nido, Palawan

Nacpan Beach is known for its long stretch of sand, beautiful landscape, and surrounding greenery.

We had seen photographs of the beach under sunny skies, so naturally, we were hoping for something similar.

But this was rainy-season Palawan.

And this was our version of Nacpan.

Still beautiful, right? 😊

Getting there, however, was a completely different story.

Because of the rain, the road became extremely muddy.

Our tricycle couldn’t continue all the way to the beach because the muddy road had become too difficult for a small vehicle to pass.

So we got out and walked through the mud for roughly half a kilometer.

And yes, it was an experience!

We eventually found a pickup truck that was transporting other passengers toward the beach, so we joined them.

Riding a pickup truck with other passengers heading to the beach

The entire journey was messy, muddy, and exhausting.

I even slipped several times and ended up with a few bruises.

But looking back, it’s one of those travel memories that still makes me laugh.

Sometimes, the unexpected problems become the most memorable parts of a trip.

We finally reached Nacpan and spent a little time enjoying the scenery.

The wind was strong, the skies were dark, and we could see the storm approaching.

Honestly, it was cold.

But it was still beautiful in its own way.

We couldn’t stay for very long because the weather wasn’t improving and we still had another beach to visit.

So after about half an hour, we packed up and headed to our next destination.

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Las Cabanas Beach, El Nido, Palawan

Our next stop was Las Cabanas Beach.

We again shared transportation with other travelers before eventually reaching the beach.

By the time we arrived, we could see plenty of tourists trying to make the most of the stormy weather.

The waves were stronger than usual, and according to our driver, the sea conditions were becoming rougher.

There was a restaurant nearby where we could sit, enjoy some food and drinks, and watch the sea.

At that moment, there wasn’t much else to do.

So we simply sat back, relaxed, enjoyed the view, and had a drink.

Enjoying the beach despite the storm

We also tried taking a few photos despite the strong wind.

It wasn’t exactly the tropical vacation we had imagined.

But we still enjoyed ourselves.

And that’s one of the lessons we took from this trip:

Sometimes, you don’t need perfect weather to have a great experience.

Even though our original tour was cancelled, we were grateful that we still had the chance to explore two other beautiful beaches in El Nido.

Now we just had to hope that the following day would be better.

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Day 3: Island Hopping — Thank Goodness the Sun Came Out!

And thankfully…

It did! ☀️

The weather finally improved enough for us to go island hopping.

At the time of our trip, local agencies offered several different island-hopping routes. The packages varied depending on the beaches and lagoons included.

Some of the popular destinations were:

Tour A	Tour C
Small Lagoon	Helicopter Island
Big Lagoon	Matinloc Shrine
Secret Lagoon	Secret Beach
Shimizu Island	Star Beach
7 Commando Beach	Hidden Beach

Tour B	Tour D
Snake Island	Ipil Beach
Pinagbuyutan Island	Cadlao Lagoon
Entalula Beach	Paradise Beach
Cudugnon Cave	Pasandigan Beach
Snorkeling Site	Natnat / Bukal Beach

Before arriving in Palawan, I honestly didn’t know these tour packages existed.

I only discovered them after seeing local travel agencies displaying their different itineraries.

Based on the places we visited, we most likely went on Tour A, although some stops were changed because of the weather.

We were instructed to meet our tour guide by the beach.

And there we were, waiting with huge smiles on our faces.

Finally, the sun was shining!

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A Small Change to Our Tour

Although the weather had improved, it wasn’t completely perfect.

Our guide told us that the Secret Lagoon had strong waves and currents because of the storm that had passed through the area.

For safety reasons, we decided not to go.

We were disappointed, of course, but we knew it was the right decision.

Travel is about having fun, but safety should always come first.

So we continued with the other stops.

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First Stop: 7 Commando Beach

According to the stories we heard at the time, 7 Commando Beach got its name from a legend involving seven soldiers who were said to have become stranded there during World War II.

Whether the story is fact or legend, the name certainly makes the place memorable.

The beach itself was beautiful.

The water was clear, the surroundings were peaceful, and there were plenty of activities.

Some tourists were swimming, others were playing beach volleyball, while some were taking photos or relaxing on the sand.

We stayed there for about an hour or two before returning to our boat for lunch.

And that’s when we started smelling something amazing.

Our guides were grilling seafood!

It smelled so good that we were suddenly starving.

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Buffet Lunch on the Island

Our buffet lunch was included in the tour package.

We had:

• Plain rice
• Grilled bangus (milkfish)
• Grilled pork
• Steamed tahong (mussels)
• Ensaladang talong (eggplant salad)
• Ensaladang mangga (mango salad)
• Cucumber
• Fresh fruit
• Drinking water

Everything tasted even better because we had spent the morning swimming, walking, and exploring.

If you’re craving coconut juice or beer, local vendors may also be available around the beach.

After lunch, we rested briefly before heading to our next destination.

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Second Stop: Small Lagoon

The Small Lagoon was another highlight of the trip.

Located around towering limestone cliffs and lush greenery, the lagoon looked almost unreal.

Visitors could rent kayaks to explore the area.

At the time of our visit, I believe the kayak rental was around ₱200–₱300, although current rates will obviously be different.

Once we rented our kayak, we headed inside the lagoon.

And yes…

It required some energy! 😂

We swam in the cool water, took plenty of photos, and tried to capture those dramatic “jungle adventure” shots.

It was actually our first time kayaking, so we were excited.

We enjoyed it so much.

Until…

It started drizzling again.

The tour guides instructed everyone to return to the boats.

So we paddled back as quickly as we could.

The rain eventually stopped again, and thankfully, we were able to continue to our next destination.

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Third Stop: Big Lagoon

The Big Lagoon was another breathtaking part of our Palawan adventure.

The lagoon is surrounded by dramatic limestone cliffs and beautiful blue-green water.

The entrance is relatively shallow, while the deeper sections become darker and more intense in color.

When we arrived, however, the weather was becoming cloudy again.

The wind was stronger, and the waves were noticeably rougher.

My husband and I decided not to go deeper into the lagoon with the other tourists.

Instead, we stayed near our boat and enjoyed swimming there.

Of course, I was disappointed.

I had traveled all the way to Palawan and wanted to see everything!

But again, we chose safety first.

While waiting for the other tourists to return from the lagoon, we took plenty of photos.

Even with the cloudy weather, the scenery was still incredible.

It made me want to return someday during better weather and see the lagoons at their brightest.

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Our Island-Hopping Day Comes to an End

Our tour ended at around 5:00 in the afternoon.

We were exhausted, but incredibly happy.

We had missed some destinations because of the weather, including Shimizu Island, where the waves were becoming too strong.

Still, we were grateful for what we managed to experience.

And then reality hit us.

Remember that our original Day 3 schedule also included our transfer back to Puerto Princesa?

Because our island-hopping tour had been moved from Day 2 to Day 3, our schedule became even more complicated.

After our island-hopping tour, we had to travel back to Puerto Princesa.

The drive took approximately 6 to 7 hours.

By the time we arrived at our hotel in the evening, we were completely exhausted.

We barely had the energy to do anything else.

We simply went to bed.

Our Underground River tour had now been moved to Day 4.

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Day 4: Visiting the Underground River

Our final major activity was visiting the Puerto Princesa Subterranean River National Park, home to the famous Underground River.

The protected park is located in the Saint Paul Mountain Range, on the western side of Palawan.

The Underground River is actually in Sabang, more than an hour’s drive from Puerto Princesa City.

So once again, we had another long road journey ahead of us.

After traveling for about an hour, we arrived at the port where tourists waited for their boat transfers.

Waiting at the port for our boat

From there, we boarded a boat shared with other visitors.

The boat ride took approximately 30 minutes, if I remember correctly.

Once we reached the island, we registered, followed a short trail, and eventually arrived at the entrance to the Underground River.

There was a queue of tourists waiting for their turn, but thankfully, it moved along quite quickly.

Before entering, we were provided with safety equipment including:

• Helmet
• Life vest
• Audio guide / headset

The helmet was particularly useful because of falling debris and, of course…

bat poop! 😂

Inside the cave, camera flashes were restricted and visitors were encouraged to keep noise to a minimum to avoid disturbing the bats and other wildlife.

The audio guide explained the different formations and sights we encountered throughout the journey.

It was fascinating.

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After the Underground River

Our Underground River tour finished around noon.

We then had another buffet lunch at a local restaurant near the port, which was also included in our package.

After lunch, we returned to Puerto Princesa City, collected our luggage from the hotel, and headed to the airport.

And just like that…

Our Palawan adventure was over.

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What We Learned From Our Rainy-Season Palawan Trip

Looking back, our trip definitely didn’t go according to plan.

Our island-hopping tour was cancelled on the day it was originally scheduled.

We slipped in the mud.

We got caught in storms.

We changed our itinerary.

We missed several destinations.

We became exhausted from long van rides.

And yet…

It was still one of our most memorable trips together.

That’s the beauty of traveling.

Not everything will go according to plan, but sometimes the unexpected moments become the stories you remember the most.

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Tips for Visiting Palawan During the Rainy Season

Don’t Forget:

• Check the weather forecast, especially if you’re planning an island-hopping tour.
• Always listen to local authorities and tour guides when sea conditions are unsafe.
• Bring enough drinking water.
• Bring waterproof bags for your phone, camera, and other valuables.
• Carry extra clothes in case you get wet.
• Bring a power bank because you may spend long hours away from your hotel.
• Wear appropriate footwear, especially when visiting muddy or rocky areas.
• If you’re snorkeling or swimming, follow the instructions of your guides and always use appropriate safety equipment.
• Keep the environment clean and take your rubbish with you.
• Be flexible with your itinerary. Weather conditions can change quickly.
• Most importantly, never prioritize a tour over your safety.

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Final Thoughts

Our Palawan trip wasn’t the perfect tropical vacation I had imagined.

We didn’t get endless sunshine.

We missed several planned destinations.

Some of our photos were dark and blurry because of the rain.

And there were moments when we wondered whether coming during the rainy season had been a mistake.

But you know what?

I wouldn’t change the trip.

Because Palawan taught us that beautiful memories don’t always come from perfect circumstances.

Sometimes they’re found while walking through muddy roads.

Sometimes they’re created while hiding from the rain.

Sometimes they’re made on a boat while watching dark clouds gather overhead.

And sometimes they’re simply created by sitting beside the person you love and saying, “Well, this wasn’t what we planned!” before laughing about it.

“Life isn’t about waiting for the storm to pass. It’s about learning to dance in the rain.”

“He has made everything beautiful in its time.”
— Ecclesiastes 3:11

If you’re planning a trip to Palawan during the rainy season, don’t automatically cancel your plans.

Just prepare differently.

Keep your expectations flexible, check the weather, listen to local authorities, and always prioritize safety.

You may not get the sunny postcard-perfect photographs you’ve seen online.

But you might get something even better:

an unforgettable story. ❤️

And for us, that’s exactly what happened.

See you again, Palawan! We’ll definitely be back. 🌴🌊

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Sources

1. https://www.elnidoofficial.com/
2. https://www.tourism.gov.ph/
3. https://www.puertoprincesa.ph/
4. https://whc.unesco.org/en/list/652/
5. https://www.pna.gov.ph/
6. https://www.tripadvisor.com/
7. https://www.travel-palawan.com/

Note: The itinerary, tour packages, prices, transportation arrangements, and activity conditions described in this post are based on our 2016 trip. These details may have changed significantly, so readers should check current tour operators and official tourism sources before planning a similar trip.

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Originally Published: May 18, 2020
Updated: August 2026