Self-Launched Philippines Palawan Adventure
9 days · Palawan, Philippines
G Adventures charges £1,750
No-markup version: ~£402 per person
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
A DIY, book-it-yourself version of the classic 9-day Manila–Palawan loop: Puerto Princesa's Subterranean River, El Nido's limestone karst island-hopping and snorkelling, and the laid-back beach village of Port Barton. You'll swap the group bus and tour leader for domestic flights, public vans and bangka boats — all easily self-bookable. Costs are approximate backpacker/budget rates in GBP and exclude international flights to Manila.
Day-by-day
Arrive Manila
Manila
Land at NAIA and make your own way to a hostel in Ermita, Paco or Makati. Yellow airport metered taxis cost roughly £6-8; Grab ride-hailing works well if you have data. Settle in, grab your first halo-halo or a bowl of adobo at a neighbourhood carinderia, and sort out tomorrow's domestic flight and cash (ATMs are reliable in Manila but scarce in Palawan).
🚌Airport taxi/Grab ~£7
🛏Hostel dorm in Ermita/Makati (£10-15)
- →Arrival and settling in
- →Evening walk in Intramuros or Baywalk area
Manila to Puerto Princesa
Puerto Princesa
Fly Manila–Puerto Princesa (Cebu Pacific, AirAsia or PAL Express; book ahead for the cheapest fares, around £30-50 one way; baggage over 7-10kg costs extra). In the afternoon DIY the town sights the tour includes: hire a tricycle driver for a couple of hours to visit Baker's Hill bakery viewpoint and the Iwahig Penal Colony (open-air 'prison without walls' where inmates sell handicrafts). Evening at a bayfront seafood spot.
🚌Domestic flight ~£40 + tricycle ~£3
🛏Guesthouse/budget hotel in Puerto Princesa city centre (£12-18)
- →Flight to Puerto Princesa
- →Baker's Hill
- →Iwahig Penal Colony
- →Baywalk dinner
Subterranean River, then north to El Nido
Puerto Princesa to El Nido
Take the early Underground River tour to Sabang — book a join-in day trip online (GetYourGuide/Klook) or arrange direct with a local operator, roughly £20-30 including boat, permit and lunch. You paddle/ride a bangka into the two-tiered cave system, one of the world's longest navigable underground rivers. Back in town by early afternoon, then catch a shared van or bus north to El Nido (5-6 hours, £8-10; Cherry Bus or a van transfer).
🚌Shared van Puerto Princesa–El Nido ~£9
🛏Hostel/guesthouse in El Nido town or Corong-Corong (£10-18)
- →Puerto Princesa Subterranean River National Park tour
- →Sabang beach stop
- →Van journey to El Nido
El Nido island-hopping: Tour A
El Nido
Book one of El Nido's famous join-in bangka island-hopping tours — Tour A is the classic, covering the Big Lagoon, Small Lagoon, Secret Lagoon and Shimizu Beach with a beach barbecue lunch included (£18-25). Rent snorkel gear for a few pounds if you don't have your own. This is the same experience the group tour includes, just on a boat of fellow travellers you book with yourself.
🚌Walk/tricycle to boat terminal
🛏Hostel/guesthouse in El Nido (£10-18)
- →Tour A island hopping (Big Lagoon, Small Lagoon, Secret Lagoon, Shimizu Beach)
- →Snorkelling
- →Beach BBQ lunch
Free day in El Nido
El Nido
Pick your own adventure: kayak into the Big Lagoon at sunrise before the crowds (£8-10), do a second island-hopping route (Tour C to Hidden Beach and Matinloc Shrine, ~£20), try a discovery scuba dive (£35-45), or hike the Taraw Cliff viewpoint with a local guide for sunset (£10-15). Alternatively just lounge at Las Cabanas Beach and watch the sunset with a mango shake.
🚌Walking/tricycle ~£2
🛏Hostel/guesthouse in El Nido (£10-18)
- →Optional Tour C island hopping
- →Big Lagoon kayaking
- →Taraw Cliff viewpoint hike
- →Las Cabanas sunset
El Nido to Port Barton
Port Barton
Travel south to sleepy Port Barton — shared vans run El Nido–Port Barton in about 3-4 hours (£7-9); some routes require a change in Roxas. Once there, it's a short bangka or tricycle ride to your beachfront guesthouse. Port Barton is delightfully undeveloped: power can be limited, so charge devices early and bring a power bank. Afternoon swim and sunset on the sand.
🚌Shared van + short boat/tricycle ~£10
🛏Beach guesthouse/cottage in Port Barton (£10-18)
- →Scenic van ride through Palawan
- →Beach time and sunset
Port Barton chill day
Port Barton
Slow morning on the beach, then choose your own activities: a join-in island-hopping and snorkel trip to turtle spots and German Island (£15-20), a short hike through rainforest to Pamuayan Falls, or kayak hire along the bay (£5-8). Some of the best coral and marine life in Palawan is right off these beaches.
🚌Walking/kayak hire
🛏Beach guesthouse/cottage in Port Barton (£10-18)
- →Island hopping and snorkelling with turtles
- →Pamuayan Falls hike
- →Beach relaxation
Port Barton to Manila
Port Barton to Manila
Take an early boat/tricycle out and a shared van or bus back to Puerto Princesa (3-4 hours, £5-7), then an afternoon domestic flight to Manila (£30-45). Check in to a Manila hostel and enjoy a final evening — a rooftop bar in Makati or a laid-back night in Poblacion.
🚌Van + flight ~£45
🛏Hostel in Manila (£10-15)
- →Return journey to Puerto Princesa
- →Flight to Manila
- →Evening out in Poblacion/Makati
Depart Manila
Manila
Breakfast at a local café, one last wander if your flight allows, then taxi/Grab to NAIA for your international departure. International departure tax is normally included in your ticket now, but keep a little cash on hand.
🚌Airport taxi/Grab ~£7
🛏—
- →Departure
Self-launched vs. G Adventures
| This itinerary (self-launched) | G Adventures | |
|---|---|---|
| Price per person | ~£402 | £1,750 |
| Duration | 9 days | 9 days |
| Who books it | You and your group, direct | Tour operator, guided group |
| Savings | £1,348 per person (77%) | |
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
Want to see more G Adventures-style trips? Check them out here.~£402
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 £402 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 £1,750 per person for a similar tour. Doing the same route independently, using the same standard of accommodation and activities, costs an estimated £402 — a saving of roughly £1,348 (77%) 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 adventure, beaches, backpacker 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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