One of our happy and surviving customers!
Imagine yourself cast away on a deserted island, far from the noise of modern life, where the only sounds are the gentle waves, the rustling of palm leaves, and the calls of tropical birds. This is no ordinary vacation—this is the ultimate survival challenge, an island survival castaway adventure designed to push your limits, awaken your primal instincts, and reconnect you with nature in its purest form.
A Real Deserted Island Survival Experience
Nestled in the breathtaking waters between El Nido and Coron, this castaway experience offers you the chance to test your survival skills on a remote, untouched island in the heart of Palawan. Unlike luxury getaways, this journey immerses you in an environment where you have the opportunity to build your own shelter, catch your own food from the sea, and cook over an open fire—all while surrounded by some of the most pristine scenery in the world.
We can provide you with all the tools you need, such as a machete and fishing gear, and cooking equipment.
On a deserted island castaway survival experience, you’ll cook using primitive methods and natural materials found on the island. Here’s what you’ll rely on:
🔥 Fire-Making Methods
Since there are no stoves or modern equipment, you’ll need to make fire using one of these techniques:
- Friction Fire – Using a bow drill or hand drill to generate heat.
- Flint and Steel – If available, striking flint against steel to produce sparks.
- Solar Fire – Using a magnifying glass or clear bottle filled with water to focus sunlight.
- Fire Starter Kit – Some excursions allow a lighter or matches as a backup.
🍳 Cooking Surfaces & Tools
- Bamboo Cooking – Bamboo can be split to create natural cooking vessels. You can boil water inside a bamboo segment or use it as a roasting spit.
- Hot Stones – Heat large flat rocks in the fire and use them as a natural stovetop to cook fish, shellfish, and other food.
- Stick Roasting – Skewer fish or meat on sharpened sticks and roast over an open flame.
- Leaf Wraps (Earth Oven Method) – Wrap food in banana leaves and bury it in hot coals to slow-cook.
- Coconut Shells – Can be used as bowls or even for boiling liquids over a fire.
🥘 What Can You Cook?
- Freshly Caught Fish – Spearfishing or using handmade traps to catch fish, then roasting or steaming them.
- Crabs & Shellfish – Easy to cook over fire or steam in leaves.
- Coconuts – Coconut water for hydration, flesh for food, and even making coconut oil.
- Wild Edible Plants – Certain greens, tubers, and fruits can be eaten raw or cooked.
- Foraged Eggs – Seabird or turtle eggs if found (and legal to harvest in the area).
This survival-style cooking turns every meal into an adventure—simple, primal, and deeply satisfying. 🔥🌴🐟
But if your dreams of harsh survival prove too difficult, we can have tents, mattresses, sheets and pillows ready for you to comfortably indulge in for a long and rewarding sleep. And of course a mosquito net if need be. However, to help you get ready…
How to Build a Survival Shelter on a Deserted Island Using Only a Machete and Fishing Line
If you’re stranded on an island with just a machete and fishing line, you can still build a sturdy, protective shelter using available natural materials. Here’s how:
1. Choose the Best Location 🌿🏝️
Before you start cutting, find a good shelter site:
✅ Above the high tide line – Avoid waking up underwater!
✅ Near natural resources – Close to trees, coconut palms, and freshwater sources.
✅ Sheltered from strong winds – Use rock formations or thick vegetation for windbreaks.
✅ Flat, dry ground – Avoid muddy, swampy, or insect-infested areas.
2. Collect & Prepare Your Materials 🔪🌴
Use your machete to cut:
- Sturdy poles (3–6 cm thick) – For the shelter frame.
- Palm fronds / large leaves – For roofing and insulation.
- Flexible branches / vines – To reinforce the frame.
- Driftwood & coconut husks – Can be repurposed for bedding or firewood.
If available, fishing line can be used as a substitute for vines to lash pieces together.
3. Build the Shelter Frame 🏕️
Option 1: Lean-To Shelter (Easiest & Fastest)
- Find a sturdy tree trunk or large fallen log as a base.
- Lean long poles at an angle against the trunk to create a roofed slant.
- Use fishing line or vines to lash the poles together for stability.
- Layer palm fronds or large leaves over the poles to form a waterproof roof.
🔹 Best for: Quick shelter, protection from wind and light rain.
Option 2: A-Frame Shelter (Stronger & More Insulating)
- Set up two forked sticks in the ground, about 5 feet apart.
- Place a long horizontal pole across the top, resting in the forks.
- Lean smaller poles against both sides to form a triangle shape.
- Weave palm fronds, leaves, or vines through the poles to insulate the walls.
- Secure everything tightly with fishing line or twisted vines.
🔹 Best for: More protection from rain and wind, better insulation at night.
Option 3: Elevated Platform Shelter (For Comfort & Safety)
- Cut four thick poles and drive them into the ground to make a raised platform.
- Lay cross beams across the poles to create a strong floor.
- Use tightly woven palm fronds or layers of soft materials as a bed.
- Build a small lean-to roof over it to keep dry.
🔹 Best for: Staying off the ground to avoid insects, dampness, or wild animals.
4. Finishing Touches for Survival Comfort 🏝️🔥
✅ Fire Pit Nearby – Keep warm, cook food, and deter animals.
✅ Coconut Shell Water Collector – Gather rainwater for drinking.
✅ Fishing Line Traps – Set up small fishing traps or use the line to hang food away from animals.
✅ Soft Bedding – Use dried palm fronds or leaves for added comfort.
With just a machete and fishing line, you can build a strong, weatherproof shelter in just a few hours. It won’t be luxury, but it will keep you dry, warm, and safe—and that’s all you need to survive. 💪🏝️🔥
What to Expect from Your Survival Castaway Adventure
This is not just a vacation; it’s a real-life survival trip. Under the guidance of experienced locals, you will learn:
- How to survive on a deserted island using only a machete and your ingenuity.
- Primitive island survival techniques, including fire-making and water sourcing.
- DIY island shelter building tips—crafting a sturdy refuge from bamboo and palm fronds.
- Fishing and hunting on a deserted island—master the art of spearfishing and trapping.
- Cooking seafood on an open fire, learning how to prepare your fresh catch in the wild.
The Thrill of the Challenge
Whether you embark on this solo survival challenge on an island or as part of a group, every moment is an opportunity to learn and grow. Can you live like a castaway for a week? This survival-themed travel experience will test your adaptability, resilience, and resourcefulness in ways you never imagined.
And to get to one of these remote locations you will need a boat, so the ideal option is to combine it with one of our private boat tours between El Nido and Coron. 82 islands off the beaten path in an absolutely beautiful area with crystal clear waters.
As the sun sets, you’ll gather around the fire, enjoying the fruits of your labor, exchanging stories, and gazing at a sky bursting with stars. There are no hotels, no WiFi—just the raw beauty of the wild and the satisfaction of surviving and thriving.
Why Choose This Extreme Survival Castaway Trip?
Palawan is one of the world’s most stunning island destinations, and this adventure allows you to experience it in its rawest form. Unlike typical survival training courses, this excursion offers:
- A genuine castaway deserted island setting, far from tourist crowds.
- Personalized guidance to ensure both safety and authenticity.
- A unique opportunity to learn real survival skills while surrounded by paradise.
- The chance to challenge yourself physically and mentally in an unforgettable way.
Booking and Pricing: Ready for the Adventure of a Lifetime?
There are 82 islands in the beautiful, remote area between El Nido and Coron and hence there are several options for you to sleep overnight on your own beach or deserted island. One way is by taking a private boat tour expedition with us between these two tourist destinations, where on any night of your tour we can set you up with a tent and everything else you need or desire.
But since that distance is over 120km, a second, more budget friendly option are two islands we can take you to closer to El Nido: Maosonon and Deribongan. Both are roughly the same distance from Sibaltan (where we also offer tours and dives), but:
- Maosonon is more beautiful and has a mobile phone signal, but is frequented every day by boat tours, so you would only have the place available to yourselves after light;
- Deribongan you could have to yourselves all the time, but it’s not as beautiful nor does it have a signal (making it potentially risky to leave you stranded there by yourselves for several days.
Price for the boat is as follows (includes drop off and pick up from the island):
- small (5 guests max) – 16,000p (subject to availability)
- regular (8 guests) – 18,000p
- large (16 guests) – 22,000p
* for all boat sizes, additional 1,000p for each extra person above 1
** for regular or large boat, English speaking tour guide an additional 2,000p/day (small boat includes the guide with his small fishing boat)
MACHETE – 100/day
SPEAR GUN – 500/day
TENT – 500/day included pillow and blanket
* other amenities like pots etc can be rented from your guide subject to agreement with them
If you’re looking for more than just a vacation—if you want to test your limits, reconnect with nature, and master wilderness survival skills on a deserted island—this is your chance. Book your island survival adventure in Palawan today and step into the role of a modern-day castaway.
Dare to embark on this extraordinary survival experience on an island. The wild is calling—are you ready to answer? In October 2025 you can even join two people looking for friends to share the experience!
Experience the thrill of
island hopping boat tours in the Philippines
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We are a family operation managing private custom boat tours in the beautiful Palawan area, and are happy to help travelers with their plans through the country, having traveled a lot of it ourselves and planning to visit it all.
[02:54, 09/05/2025]: Hello! My name Roy!. I’m interested in the survival experience. I’ll like to know if there is availability in July for 2 people for around 4 days 🙂
[06:22, 09/05/2025] Island Hopping In The Philippines: yes, so far there is. Here is some info: https://islandhoppinginthephilippines.com/palawan/boat-trips-tours/survive-ultimate-island-survival-experience/
[06:24, 09/05/2025]: Great. If we are only two is the Island deserted or more people may come?
[06:25, 09/05/2025] Island Hopping In The Philippines: So far I’m the only one offering this service, so if you want exclusive that can be arranged. Or choose an island with less traffic (not visited during the day).
[06:27, 09/05/2025]: Okok that’s perfect if it can be arranged ! For 4 days full on the island. What would be the total cost ? Let’s say including machete spear gun and tent
[06:29, 09/05/2025] Island Hopping In The Philippines: Pricing can be found at the bottom of the page I sent you. Which island would you prefer?
[06:29, 09/05/2025]: I’ll prefer one that has no traffic
[06:30, 09/05/2025] Island Hopping In The Philippines: then the one without mobile signal? Would you like the guide to come check up on you every day?
[06:30, 09/05/2025]: Oh Okok ! So would be 16000+100*4+500*4+500*4=20.400?
[06:32, 09/05/2025]: Yes that one. Mmm is there a walky talkie or no signal at all?
[06:34, 09/05/2025] Island Hopping In The Philippines: no signal at all. Plus 1k for extra person, plus more if you want someone to check up on you every day, and smallest boat only if available.
[06:36, 09/05/2025]: Let me ask my couple about the check up on us
[06:38, 09/05/2025]: No extra person we will be only 2. I’ll propose to her after the experience so, want it to be challenging for only both of us 🙂
[06:39, 09/05/2025]: The best way to get there is flying to Manila first ?
[06:41, 09/05/2025] Island Hopping In The Philippines: The 16k you quoted was for the smallest boat, if available, then it says 1k extra for each extra person ABOVE ONE. Yes, to get to El Nido the easiest way is via Manila.
[06:41, 09/05/2025]: Oh ok got it, that’s ok though
[06:43, 09/05/2025]: Perfect
[06:53, 09/05/2025]: Whats the price having someone checking every day ?
[06:57, 09/05/2025] Island Hopping In The Philippines: well it costs gas and the boat and the guide has to reserve his whole day for you, since he cannot go on a multiday day tour, so I imagine it would be not much less than half the regular price to take you out there and back.
[05:07, 14/05/2025]: Hi again! We just booked our tickets from 21st till 4th of August and we know weather isn’t the best. But you could probably tell us if is the right time to do it in that time of the year or better not to due to weather conditions ?
[06:26, 15/05/2025] Island Hopping In The Philippines: Here is our weather forecast page: https://islandhoppinginthephilippines.com/weather-forecast/ August is still rainy season, but mostly rains overnight and often sunny during the day. But if you do come all this way and it is raining, you plan to stay in your hotel room and watch TV?
[15:41, 15/05/2025]: hi thank you for the information. no clearly not hahaha but you will understand that can be more scary for my girlfriend to do a deserted island experience if the weather condition is too intense
[15:55, 15/05/2025] Island Hopping In The Philippines: well, that is part of the deserted island “survival” experience. Obviously I cannot predict the weather.
[16:00, 15/05/2025]: yes i understand, maybe you can share some previous tourist experiences in july? any thoughts they had you know?
[16:01, 15/05/2025]: for me is completely ok, thats exactly what i want to experience, but she needs some sort of idea of how it looks like. is it just heavy rain or there are more dangers for example.
I’ve copied our correspondence into the comments of the webpage because it could answer similar questions from other people. BTW, just noticed you wanted to propose after the experience. Best of luck to you!
To answer your last question, perhaps it is best from my own experience, since I lived in the area for more than two years, in my own self-built bamboo hut right on the beach:
https://islandhoppinginthephilippines.com/palawan/patoyo-kitesurfing-eco-resort/
I built it two stories, with a balcony, and a bamboo wall that can be attached or slid to the side, depending on the weather conditions. Mostly I had it slid to the side and hence opened, facing the ocean so that I would have a lovely, open view while I worked as a digital nomad at my bamboo desk facing the ocean. Solar panel on the roof and all my electronics inside.
During the rainy season (roughly June to December, during when you want to experience this), typhoons would pass through the country about once a month. As if a low pressure zone would build up far in the Pacific and then pulse its way through the country before moving on to the rest of SE Asia. Generally the landmass of the Philippines would push the storm north around the north tip of Luzon before heading down to Vietnam, sometimes south, and occasionally right through the center. But by the time it made it to Palawan, on the western side of the country, the storm would be substantially weakened. It would mostly rain heavily overnight when asleep, sometimes gusts of heavy rain during the day. On one occasion though I saw a tempest brewing so I ran out onto the balcony to slide the bamboo wall into place, to save my electronics inside. The storm developed very quickly and I did not have time to tie the wall into place, so I stood outside on the balcony, holding the wall in position. I was wearing my typical shorts only, but I must say that, for a period of about two minutes, the fierce wind sent the raindrops in a horizontal direction pelting into my bare back and it was quite painful such that I had to scream like a lunatic Tarzan on my porch while holding up my bamboo wall.
That was my worst weather experience in the area for my almost three year stay there. It felt like the tail end of a whip in the long arm of an enraged God, but it lasted perhaps less than a minute and sunshine soon returned.
But that is just part of the survival experience. If you’re staying in a tent, odds that a storm will blow it over are extremely unlikely. This is not the east or north coast of the country and generally the Palawan area is quite sedate. In any case, I found this one experience quite exhilarating. Then again, I fancied myself living like Tarzan for those years and moments like this made it more fun.