Palawan

Currency

Exchange in Puerto Princesa or El Nido town rather than at the airport. Rates in El Nido are noticeably worse than in the city, so bring what you need. Much of Palawan runs on cash, including many resorts.

ATMs & cards

BPI, BDO and Metrobank in Puerto Princesa and El Nido. Machines run empty at weekends and in high season, cap withdrawals around 10,000 pesos and charge a fee each time. Withdraw before heading to Coron or the smaller islands.

Withdraw in Puerto Princesa or El Nido town before heading anywhere smaller. Caps are around 10,000 pesos with a fee each time, and much of Palawan is cash only.

Wherever you are: if the machine offers to charge you in your home currency, decline. That is dynamic currency conversion and the rate is set by the ATM's operator, not your bank.

Safety

Palawan is relaxed and crime against visitors is rare. The real risks are on the water: boat safety is inconsistent, life jackets are sometimes an afterthought, and tours go out in weather they should not. Look at the boat before you board. Typhoon season runs June to November, and jellyfish are seasonal on some beaches.

Our own assessment, not a sourced index.

Entry & visa

Health & emergencies

Required to enter

• Yellow fever certificate, but only if you are arriving from a country where yellow fever is present

Worth having

• Hepatitis A
• Typhoid
• Tetanus up to date
• Rabies — the Philippines has a significant rabies problem
• Japanese encephalitis for long rural stays

Getting treated

Manila and Cebu have genuinely good private hospitals. Standards drop sharply on the smaller islands, where a clinic may be a nurse and a room — Palawan in particular means a flight to Manila for anything serious. There is a recompression chamber in Cebu and one in Coron for diving injuries.

Dengue is common and there is no prophylaxis. Do not drink tap water. Any animal bite means a clinic the same day. Divers should confirm their insurance covers the chamber and an evacuation flight.

Orientation, not medical advice. Entry rules change and what you need depends on your own history and where you have been — check with a travel clinic or your national health service four to six weeks before you go.

Food tip

Grilled fish and kinilaw — the local ceviche — are what to eat here. Adobo and sisig everywhere. Try halo-halo at least once, and buy fruit from the market rather than the resort.

Getting around

• Bangka boat — the outrigger that does every island tour and every transfer between beaches
• Van from Puerto Princesa to El Nido — 5-6h on a road that is better than it used to be but still long
• Tricycle — the local taxi for short hops, a hundred pesos or so
• Ferry to Coron — 4h by fast craft, or a short flight
• Airport: Puerto Princesa (PPS), El Nido (ENI) for small aircraft, or Busuanga (USU) for Coron

Must-see

Things to do

• Do Tour A and Tour C from El Nido on different days
• Dive the Japanese wrecks at Coron
• Swim Kayangan Lake early before the boats arrive
• Spend a day on Nacpan rather than in town
• Take the Underground River tour from Puerto Princesa, booked in advance

Nearby day trips

Say a few words

Filipino

• HelloKumustaku-MUS-ta
• PleasePakiusappa-ki-U-sap
• Thank youSalamat posa-LA-mat po
• Yes / NoOo / HindiO-o / hin-DEE
• Excuse meExcuse poeks-KYUS po
• How much is it?Magkano?mag-KA-no
• DeliciousMasarapma-sa-RAP
• GoodbyePaalampa-A-lam

English is official and universal, so nothing here is necessary — but po, added to any sentence, marks respect and changes how you are treated immediately.

Religion

Catholic

Around 79% Catholic, the largest Christian-majority country in Asia, with a Muslim population concentrated in Mindanao. Religion is genuinely central to daily life — expect Mass to be full and Holy Week to stop the country.

Do's and don'ts

Do

• Use po and opo when speaking to anyone older — it is the mark of respect and costs nothing
• Accept food when offered; refusing outright is a slight
• Do the mano, touching an elder’s hand to your forehead, if it is offered to you
• Smile and stay light in tone — confrontation is genuinely uncomfortable here

Don't

• Do not raise your voice or criticise someone in front of others; losing face matters enormously
• Do not expect a direct no — "maybe" and "we will see" often mean it
• Do not use the finger to beckon; use the whole hand, palm down
• Do not joke about religion in a country where it is central to daily life