Carry-On Only for Palawan: The World's Best Island Guide

Palawan has been voted the world's best island by Travel + Leisure and Condé Nast Traveller readers so many times that the accolade almost goes without saying. The limestone karst landscapes of El Nido, the crystal-clear lagoons accessible only by outrigger boat, the world-class wreck diving at Coron, and the eerie beauty of the Puerto Princesa Underground River (a UNESCO World Heritage Site) make a compelling case for the title.

What this means for packing: Palawan rewards travellers who pack radically light. The boats you'll rely on — traditional outrigger bangkas — have almost no luggage storage. Hard-shell cases simply don't work here. The infrastructure varies from polished to genuinely remote. And the heat means your wardrobe requirements are minimal.

Getting There: Airports and Routing

Puerto Princesa International (PPS) is the main gateway. It handles regular flights from Manila with Cebu Pacific, Philippine Airlines, and AirAsia, as well as connections from Cebu. Flight time from Manila is under an hour. From Puerto Princesa, travellers typically take a 5–6 hour shared van transfer to El Nido (the vans are cramped but efficient and cost around PHP 700–900 per person).

El Nido Airport (ENI) exists but is small, weather-dependent, and served by limited turboprop flights. It's convenient if your schedule aligns and weather cooperates, but unreliable enough that most experienced Palawan travellers default to Puerto Princesa and the overland transfer.

Busuanga Airport (USU) serves Coron. Flights from Manila are available with multiple carriers. Coron is worth visiting independently or combining with El Nido via fast ferry.

The Hard Rule: Soft Bags Only

This is not a suggestion — it's a practical necessity. Bangka outrigger boats are the primary transport for island hopping tours, inter-island moves, and transfers to resorts on smaller islands. These boats have outriggers on each side, a narrow hull, and luggage is stacked in the front or back of the boat, covered with tarpaulin, exposed to spray.

Hard-shell carry-on suitcases:

• Don't fit in bangka storage areas
• Can crack or break being loaded onto boats at beaches (no docks in many locations)
• Roll badly on sandy and rocky approaches to the water
• Mark you immediately as an inexperienced traveller and create genuine logistical problems

Pack in a soft-sided carry-on bag, ideally a 30–40 litre backpack or duffel that can be compressed. Separate your day kit into a small dry bag (10–15 litres) that you carry on the boat and keep your valuables in.

Dry Bag: The Most Important Item You'll Pack

The dry bag is not optional in Palawan. You will:

• Board bangka boats from beaches (getting wet in the process)
• Encounter spray and waves on open-water crossings
• Snorkel from the boat with your bag sitting exposed on deck
• Transfer to smaller boats (pumpboats) that ride lower in the water

Inside your dry bag: phone, camera, passport, cash, sunscreen (squeeze tubes, not glass), and anything that would be ruined by saltwater. Roll it properly (three folds at the top minimum) before clipping it.

A 10 litre dry bag (from brands like Sea to Summit, ITIWIT/Decathlon, or similar) weighs almost nothing and takes minimal space in your main bag when not deployed. It is the single most useful item you'll bring to Palawan.

Clothing: Minimise Everything

Palawan's tropical heat (28–33°C year-round) and constant proximity to water mean your wardrobe requirements are genuinely minimal.

What to pack:

• 3–4 lightweight quick-dry tops or T-shirts
• 2 swimsuits or boardshorts (one drying while you wear the other — you're in the water daily)
• 2–3 rash guards (excellent for sun protection during long boat days; better than sunscreen alone)
• 1 pair of lightweight linen or quick-dry trousers (for Puerto Princesa and modest settings)
• Lightweight shorts
• Flip flops for beaches and guesthouses
• Water sandals if you plan significant walking on rocky beaches or reef areas
• 4–5 pairs of moisture-wicking underwear

Leave anything heavy at home. You're in saltwater, on boats, and at beach guesthouses. The only time you'll want a real outfit is in Puerto Princesa, which is an actual city with restaurants and shopping.

El Nido Island Hopping Tours

El Nido organises its island hopping into four standard tours (A, B, C, and D), each visiting different lagoons, snorkeling spots, beaches, and limestone formations. Tour A covers the famous Big and Small Lagoons. Tour B includes Shimizu Island and Cathedral Cave. Tours C and D venture further to more remote islands.

Each tour is a full day on a bangka with a crew and fellow passengers. Bring:

• Your dry bag with valuables
• Reef-safe sunscreen (some tour operators request it; conventional sunscreen is damaging to coral)
• Snorkeling mask if you have your own (fins provided on tour)
• Water (carry more than you think; sun exposure on the water is intense)
• Snacks (meals are often provided, but the local packed lunch is basic)
• Motion sickness tablets if you're susceptible (open-water crossings can be choppy)

Coron: Wreck Diving

Coron is a different experience from El Nido — quieter, less tourist-infrastructure-heavy, and centred around the wreck diving left by Japanese warships sunk in 1944. Coron's wrecks are among the most accessible and beautiful in the world; you can encounter them at relatively shallow depths with moderate open-water certification.

Kayangan Lake is Coron's other headline attraction — a freshwater lake surrounded by dramatic limestone cliffs, consistently photographed for its clarity.

For diving: rent all equipment locally from Coron's well-equipped dive shops. Fins, BCD, regulator, wetsuit — all available. Bring your dive certification card (PADI C-card or equivalent) and your own dive computer if you have one. Don't attempt to pack dive gear carry-on.

Puerto Princesa Underground River

The Underground River tour is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and a Philippine national park. It requires a permit (usually arranged through your accommodation or a tour operator in Puerto Princesa) and involves a boat ride into a cave system navigating 8.2 km of underground river.

The tour is accessible and doesn't require special equipment — wear clothes you don't mind getting wet from drips and bring a waterproof case for your phone. The cave is dark; photos with a standard phone camera work adequately.

Health Essentials for Palawan

• Insect repellent with DEET: dengue fever is present throughout the Philippines; use repellent especially at dusk and dawn
• Antihistamines: jellyfish and sea lice are occasional issues during island hopping; minor stings are common
• Oral rehydration sachets: dehydration risk is real after a day in the heat on a boat
• Motion sickness tablets: strongly recommended for anyone susceptible; some crossings are genuinely rough

Medical facilities are adequate in Puerto Princesa but minimal in El Nido and Coron. Pack a personal first-aid kit covering cuts, blisters, and sun exposure.