Where to go in the Philippines – Which island to choose?

For your next trip to the most beautiful beaches inAsia, you don't know where to go in the philippines, which island to choose ? To help you out, here's a guide that tells you which islands are home to the Philippines' most beautiful beaches and scenery.

If, like me, you are considering a trip that combines tourism and a stay by the sea, here is the information I gathered to prepare for my two-week trip to the Philippines.

So I could check if the period I chose is favorable to enjoy the sun and avoid the rainy season. And above all, I could choose the island in the Philippines that best fits my expectations: The most beautiful beaches, activities and sights to discover.

But the Philippines is an archipelago of more than 7000 islands with lush nature, hundreds of heavenly beaches, typical small villages, rice terraces, jungle-covered mountains and many sights to visit.

So if you only have 10, 12 or 15 days, it's hard to choose just one island in the Philippines!

Monsoon in the Philippines

Monsoons are very important rainfall events in Asia. So, if there is one season that you should avoid for a trip to the Philippines, it is the monsoon season!

Or, The monsoon season in the Philippines starts in May and lasts until October. During the monsoon season, the temperature can vary between 20 °C and 30 °C, but the rains are numerous, abundant and frequent.

So To avoid the rainy season in the Philippines, it is better to travel there from the end of November and the end of April. This is the best time to travel to the Philippines and therefore the most touristy one as well. If you leave at this time, you will actually have dry weather with average temperatures of 29 to 34 ° C.

Paradise islands of the Philippines

To better localize and understand the makeup of the Philippines, we need to distinguish 5 main parts:

• Luzon or Luzon : Located north of the archipelago, it is the main island where the capital of the Philippines is Manila.
• The Visayas : Located in the center of the archipelago, the Visayas have a hundred islands, the most famous of which are the islands of Negros, Bohol, Panay, Samar, Cebu, Leyte and Masbate.
• Mindanao : Located south, this large island in the Philippines is not recommended for tourists due to local political and social problems.
• Sulu Islands: small archipelago located at southwest Mindanao therefore quite remote, but where there are magnificent beaches.
• Palawan : Located west of the Philippines, Palawan is a province with about 1 islands. Palawan is almost 700 km long and holds wonders and has been voted the most beautiful island in the world for several years now!

Where to go in the Philippines?

If you want to travel to the Philippines for a week or two, be sure not to choose just any island. Although the Philippines is considered safe for tourists, there are actually islands and areas in the Philippines that should be avoided.

In fact, in 2022, many governments (French, Canadian, Belgian, American) recommend travelers to avoid certain islands and places in the Philippines due to crime, terrorism and kidnappings. See my post: places to avoid in the Philippines

Where to go for a short stay in the Philippines?

If you only have 10, 12 or 15 days to go to the Philippines, it might not be a good idea to join an island hopping tour. In fact, transportation times are long and domestic flight schedules are not very flexible and restrictive. So it's silly to spend so much valuable time changing hotels, airports, ferries, transfers, etc. to waste.

If we visit (for example) 3 islands, taking into account transportation and transfer days, we will spend only 2 or 3 days in each island, which is not enough to enjoy them on the spot.

My priority for a short trip is to choose only one island where I can Enjoy the sun, beautiful landscapes, sightseeing excursions and the best beaches in the Philippines.

On the other hand, for those who have 3 or 4 weeks on the ground, it is more interesting to make a round from island to island.

Which island to choose in the Philippines?

When I compared the most beautiful islands in the Philippines, it is thePalawan island that I chose for my 2 weeks trip. In fact, there are many islands or small paradise islets in the Philippines, but Palawan is the island that has the most tourist interest and is easily accessible from Manila (see info below).

If you stay in Palawan, you can enjoy sensational landscapes (jungles, waterfalls, small villages), the most beautiful beaches, especially in El Nido, and incredible places for diving and snorkeling.

What is the most beautiful island in the Philippines?

For several years Palawan has been among the most beautiful islands in the world by travel specialists Edreams.co.uk, travelandleisure.com, tourscanner.com or the American magazine Conde Nast Traveler.

In fact, the most beautiful places in the Philippines are located in Palawan and in the whole island: A El Nido, in the islands of North Palawan, in theBacuit Archipelago and in the magnificent Coron Island.

Know that there is a tour of Palawan and the most beautiful islands around Palawan in 10 days from Manila:

Why choose the island of Palawan in the Philippines?

With its tropical jungle, steep limestone cliffs, mangroves, turquoise lagoons and dream beaches, Palawan is a true little paradise!

And Palawan is ideal for a short stay of 10, 12 or 15 days in the Philippines, because you will not get bored there. There are many activities to do, beautiful places to discover, nice hikes or trips to the sea.

We will find this out in more detail by listing all the benefits of this island in the Philippines.

Where to go in the Philippines – Palawan Island for the most beautiful beaches

If you stay in Palawan, you will have access to paradise beaches, you will swim in a turquoise sea, in crystal clear water and surrounded by wild and protected nature.

In fact, the dreamy and portal beaches of the Philippines are found everywhere Northern Palawan, Around El Nido, on theBacuit Archipelago right next to El Nido and onCoron Island.

L 'Bacuit Archipelago andCoron Island are easy to discover from ElNido island hopping (boat ride from island to island). In the city of El Nido, many agencies offer day or multi-day trips.

Otherwise you can book them in advance and visit beaches like z Hidden Beach, Talisay Island, Secret Beach or Helicopter Island.

Where to go in the Philippines – Palawan Island for its landscapes

Indeed, besides the magnificent beaches, Palawan offers incredible landscapes that can be explored during the day. There are places on Palawan Island that you can discover "off the beaten path" and away from mass tourism!

In fact, in Palawan you can do many hikes to enjoy the beauty of its surroundings jungle of waterfalls from rugged peaks like Estrella Waterfall in southern Palawan and its 64 plains!

You will be able to meet many animals such as giant monitor lizardsof monkeysof binturongs endemic to Palawan or flying foxes. Ornithologists from all over the world come here to admire rare species like the writhing Palawan Hornbill or Cockatoo of the Philippines.

Finally in Palawan you can discover one of the most amazing natural wonders of the Philippines: underground river 8.2 km is the longest navigable underground river in the world. In fact, the Puerto Princesa Underground River meanders under a mountain range through the st. Paul's Underground River Cave and flows into the South China Sea. It is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and one of the new 7 Wonders of Nature!

If you go to Coron, you can discover the Kayangan Lake is considered as the lake with the clearest water in the whole Philippines. You can also admire the famous twin lagoons or CYC beach which is one of the most beautiful beaches surrounded by mangroves.

Where to go in the Philippines – Palawan Island for diving and snorkeling

The coasts around Palawan offer divers a great underwater scenery with great biodiversity. The best place is at Tubbataha Reef National Park only accessible by cruise ship from Palawan. It is a partially submerged atoll in the middle of the Sulu Sea, also called the Jolo Sea.

Between the end of March and the middle of June you can see hammerhead sharks, dolphins, turtles and manta rays. Tubbataha Reefs is said to be home to the most beautiful coral reefs in the world. It is considered the best diving site in the philippines.

Moreover, the clear water around Palawan offers a magical spectacle that you can even enjoy while swimming with mask, fins and snorkel.

How to get to Palawan?

To get from Manila (airport where you land with your international flight) to Palawan Island, you need to book in advance a domestic flight Manila – Puerto Princesa with Air Asia, Cebu Pacific Air ou Philippine Airlines.

How to get to El Nido?

If you have taken a domestic flight Manila – Puerto Princesa is the capital of Palawan, you can take Puerto Princesa bus or cab to El Nido (5 to 6 hours drive).

But the fastest solution is to take a direct flight to El Nido from Manila. In fact, there is a small airport called Lio Airport 4 km away from El Nido. But there is only one company serving this airport with 3 daily rotations: air fast. Flights take 1h30 but are often delayed. In addition, the luggage for travelers is limited, as they are allowed only 12 kg of luggage.

The coolest solution is to take a boat between Manila and Coron, then another boat that will take you from Coron to Palawan. If you have time, the boat is ideal to enjoy an exceptional scenery on all the islands and islets of the archipelago. However, the journey takes 2 days.

Where to choose your hotel?

For my trip to the Philippines I naturally chose my hotel in Palawan, in the northwest of the island.

I wanted it to be on a dream beach, but also not too far from the city center and the El Nido Jeepney ferry terminal (for sea trips) and close to the city center (for restaurants and entertainment).

Which hotel in Palawan?

So this is the Hotel Cadlao Resort and Restaurant that I finally chose and that I recommend to you. In fact, it has an ideal location to discover Palawan Island, enjoy the beautiful beaches of El Nido and the entertainment, but above all, its location allows you to go out to sea without having to plan transportation!

Other destinations for change of scenery and exoticism?

Discover Martinique, the French Polynesiengruppieren the San Blas islands in Panama or on the small island Schleimhaut en Colombia.