Why an island hopping tour through Palawan?
El Nido and Coron are famous for their island hopping boat tours (for which we provide private custom tours as well), and the spots are truly magnificent, but they are inundated with tourists and there are 52 paradise white sand beach islands between the two and which are mostly almost empty and only occasionally frequented by one of the multiday boat tours.
Most visitors are not aware of this and simply take the ferry between the two, missing all the jewels in between. Budget travelers can join a group, or the more savvy can hire their own boat, so that they can go at their own pace, to where their preferences lie, and without the intrusion of strangers. Either way, just contact us and we’ll find the perfect solution for you.
Private tours are ideal for romantic couples who want their own space away from the crowds, whereby we’ve actually organized a few marriage proposal tours! Or for families, or a group of friends. You can even meet people on your way to form your own group and reduce per person costs, as birds of a feather flock together, because if you are forced to move to the next location based on a set schedule and spend time with people you do not know, there is a chance it will end up less than a perfect experience.
You can check out our standard island hopping itinerary, which of course you can alter according to your tastes. Most of the time though, it is sufficient to just say what your general preferences are and your boatman will choose something for you, as they live in the area and have been captaining these tours for decades.
You can also choose from a wide range of accommodation, from ultra top class resorts (mostly around Coron and El Nido), to a modest hotel with aircon, to a hut with fan on an island beach, to camping in tent on a secluded beach, or even camping on your own, deserted island. The world is your oyster! Again, you can choose specifically which places you’d like to stay at, or just state your general preferences and your boatman will pick out something based on his own experiences. The key to a successful vacation is to relax stress free.
Our tours include three square meals a day of your preference (fresh local fruits and seafood if you like), snacks, softdrinks and water, a welcome case of beer gratis (or if you prefer a bottle of wine – lots of shops selling drinks along the way), accommodation and entrance fees. Generally for around $2,500 for a four day tour for two people. Prices depend on the number of people and number of days, but you can use our calculator on our main page or contact us for specific details. You also have the option to rent a speargun, kayaks, wakesurf board and wakeboard, while some of our boatmen have a longboard.
And finally we should mention that Palawan was voted the most beautiful island in the world, for two years in a row, and the area having the clearest waters in the world. So you can imagine the snorkeling is absolutely awesome, with a wide variety of beautiful coral reefs. And in case you get bored of that or enjoying white sand beaches to yourselves, there is cliff diving into the sea, some caves to explore and jungle trails to remote villages to venture. The idea of a vacation to forget about work and let yourself get lost in the beauty of paradise.
If you would be interested in a stress free vacation, off the beaten path, away from the tourist crowds and to explore this beautiful part of the world at your own pace, just send us a note through our contact form so that we can begin to formulate the best possible tour for you.
Experience the thrill of island hopping in the Philippines
Home » Palawan » v »
recommendsGérard Benoit2023-02-08I was looking for a personalized excursion to the beautiful bay of Bacuit. Seeing the comments, I contacted Mel. Very responsive, very efficient and perfect organization. The crew were very friendly and very helpful. And I'm not even talking about the meal on board...a marvel. In all fairness, this excursion will remain an excellent memory and I can recommend Mel and his team highly enough. A big thank-you.recommendsAndré Mardoñal2019-10-22⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ The island world of Linapacan between Coron and El Nido with the clearest waters in the world is truly a dream for itself! Without a boat you won't be able to see it! But what this boat trips makes so amazing is the crew! Once you come on board they might be shy in the beginning but will make you feel welcome and home from the first moment. Not only that they are looking that you sit comfortable all the time, they will prepare fresh and delicious food what the buy from local markets. They know the best spots and most beautiful islands and will bring you to places where you get this "Robinson Cruisoe feeling". Every day you visit 3 to 5 spots for snorkeling, enjoying a beach or exploring a little island. The accommodation we had was good and simple. We slept in bungalows and tents right at the beach. Sheets and towels were always provided and sometimes towels. After a while you feel like a family on board. We loved living the boat life didn't wanna leave! If you doubt take a longer than shorter trip! For any questions please message me.recommendsSarah Uhan2019-01-31All in all it was a really great experience. It's a once in a lifetime thing to do and you won't get more authentic and basic Philippino experiences anywhere else. We were not so lucky with the wind and waves so we couldn't do all the stops we wanted to unfortunately. So be aware that especially the months from January to May can be very rough on water. But we still saw some great places Benji took us. Benji and his family was very nice and they did everything they could. The food was amazing - always freshly made in authentic Philippino style and way too much for the 2 of us. Make sure to bring enough cash - many of the islands cost extra (entrance fee) and be aware that any kind of accommodation and food (200php per meal) is not included in the boat fee. Also the deposit and commission fee for the agency are a little over the top, especially since the crew does not get any of it. The costs all in all are rather high for phillipino circumstances especially given the basicness of it all. However if you think about that all 5 boat people (in our case) live off of the boat fee alone, you spent the money willingly. Be aware though that accommodation and sanataries are very basic if even existant. So you gotta have the right mindset. Bring tissue, sanatiszer and earplugs to get some better sleep. Another feedback I have concerning the size of the boat. I don't think it is sufficient for more than 4 people. If the weather is like it was these days, you always have to sit on top and it was already a little squeezy with us 2 and 5 boat people. So I guess 4 guests can be fine but more than that won't have the space. There is different boat sizes but make sure to talk about that with Karel in advance. Other than that it was really worth it and we got to see so many great beaches and reefs which we could have never been able to visit without the tour.recommendsEric Liu2018-03-15It was scary to book a 5 day trip with no places to stay confirmed or a strong itinerary. And in the Philippines, communication is difficult. But that is part of changing mindsets to a rural island mindset. In the end, everything worked out. We had some tough moments with bugs. But we also had some amazingly beautiful secluded beaches, the best snorkeling in the world, relaxing on the beach, and freshly made food on the boat while docked at beautiful places (better than being on land). Note, we went with Benji. Recommendations: - you must get a local SIM when you arrive to make sure pickup and everything works out - some islands have bugs - use bug spray! Pros: - a fraction of the cost - away from the crowds - can customize what you want - just ask! - a truly local experience - saw a REAL rural town Cons: - locals aren't really polished tour guides - if you don't ask for it, you won't get it, need to be pretty proactive - pretty simple "activities" - no frills like bathrooms or kayaks etc.recommendsÁngela Deand2017-04-26We can't be more grateful to have had the opportunity of experience the peace in Patoyo Kitesurfing Camping! Spending two weeks in Dimancal Island, gave us the chance to experiment the rural and traditional way of life, in touch with the nature and people. We have learnt how to cook with fire, how to open a coconut and how to survive in an environment where for a time we forget about unnecessary needs, just to focus on enjoy the small details and pleasures of life. Mentioning too the amazing snorkeling and beautiful islands around this place, which make it unique and special. It is a lovely option if you are running away from tourists and overcrowded places in the Philippines. You will find yourself in the middle of virgin beaches and nature, surrounding by charming people. We will definitely come back!recommendsCaroline Danielle2017-02-13We haven't done a Tao tour, but I would suspect that this is a cheaper version of the same thing. Our boat operator (Benji) and the entire crew were were fun, friendly and made an effort to ensure we had a good time. If you get a large group of people together it can be a really inexpensive alternative to other Coron-El Nino and vice versa island hopping tours. The food was good, but more expensive than as advertised by Karl. The price quote we got was 100 php a meal, but the boat charged us 200. Since the food was good we didn't mind the extra expense, but it is important to keep in mind if you're on a budget. Definitely plan for some incidental spending. Our boat did have some mechanical issues and as a result we ended up being stuck in the same place for longer than we wanted to be. That being said, little could have been done about it and the trip was fun nonetheless.recommendsHauk Are Fjeld2017-01-01If you believe that doing the touristic tours in El Nido and going to "The hidden beach" takes you off the beaten path, you are wrong. There are lots of beautiful places in Palawan, but few of these places are without any other tourists. If you want to spend some extra effort on getting away from the tourist places, and don't mind a little "primitive" living, Island Hopping in the Philippines is definitely something you should check outrecommendsArnold Cabiguen2015-05-08The snorkeling in this area is phenomenal. Clearest waters in the world. I guess it's because there is relatively such lower tourist traffic through here, and the locals really protect the reefs!recommendsKarel Kosman2015-05-08Love it so much, just had to say it twice!
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.