At around 33C all year round, it is a wonderful place to visit, but the rainy season does kick in from May until around end November, although often only for a short while during the day, or only at night when you are sleeping. The winds and waves can get a bit rough from December through to the end of February, but you can wear a snorkel mask to protect your eyes from any salt water splashing in your face.
For your belongings there is a watertight compartment under the hull, space in the captain’s chamber, and above, with plenty of plastic tarps to keep your stuff dry. In any case, it is always advisable to bring water bags for your sensitive electronics and which are readily available for a few bucks in Coron and El Nido.
The following are weather reports for the Linapacan area, half way along our regular route between Sibaltan (El Nido) and Coron. The section between Linapacan and Coron is generally more open ocean and rougher than the section between El Nido/Sibaltan and Linapacan, where there are a lot more islands.
You can check out the seven day forecast for the Qi Palawan weather station, north east of El Nido. The winds are generally calmer there, but it can serve as a guideline for a seven day forecast.
If the boat operator feels that the conditions are too extreme and unsafe, you will get your deposit back in full. The boat is their lifeblood and they will not risk losing it for a little income. They get a steady stream of tours from us and do not need to take such risks.
Another option is to do a google search for “typhoon philippines”, go to the News link at the top, and at the bottom of that page subscribe to a google news feed/alert based on this search. This will send you an email about news articles which have those two keywords in it.
Generally though the typhoons go around the north tip of the country and hit the east coast the hardest. By the time they get around to the Palawan area, they are generally tame and you only get the tail end of them, the main body moving on towards Vietnam and mainland China. I survived 8 typhoons last year and only about two of them actually went straight through this area, or nearby, but even then it was quite manageable and even invigorating. However, after planting trees for seven summers in Canada, I find wild nature quite invigorating and nothing to fear.
For an indication of annual trends:
From May until October the Habagat trade winds blow from the southwest. They are rather sporadic and unpredictable, but can produce strong winds.
From November until April the Amihan trade winds blow from the northeast but are much more consistent and stronger. They flow around the island to produce onshore winds on the west side but which are generally subdued and ideal for beginners and intermediates. This is generally the best time of year to come, as it is the tourist high season, it almost never rains and there are no bugs. Many of our guests sleep on the beach under the clear stars.
You can join or book one of our private custom Palawan boat tours between El Nido and Coron. Tons of paradise beach islands to see along the way, excellent snorkeling in crystal clear waters, caves to explore, Spanish fortress and much more. Completely off the beaten path!
I give 5 stars because they actually helped me to arrange the tour to Balabac in last minute. However, because the money wired through the local bank in my country took time to be processed, so i missed the boat due to peak season as many people paid before my money was received by the tour guide.As most of people usually feel, once your money has been transferred out to someone you do not know, you probably frustrated that your money would not be able to be refunded.But not in my experience. I dont need to be worry, the owner refunded me the money he has received (minus the bank fees). He promised to refund me and he did it. It was around 18.700 Pesos.So, eventhough i didn't manage to go with the tour, but i am really satisfied with their legitimate and great business practice. Hopefully, people will try their services and not worry about their legit business!Thanks a lot!
The most wonderful experience from booking to beach! Karel and Mel were so fast and responsive to my very last minute trip over the holidays. We booked a private boat for two and could not have been happier with our four day trip! We didn’t think about anything other than snorkeling the entire time. Linda, our captain, cooked wonderful meals and took us to totally empty beautiful beaches. We loved staying the night in Pical especially! Wonderful to experience the Philippines this way! Will come back again and would recommend to anyone!
We booked the 3 day 2 night expedition, from Coron to Sibaltan.First of all the booking part was really simple. I organized this trip to the Philippines last minute for my family (my parents and my uncles) but Karel answered all my questions very quickly and really made everything easier for me. It was an incredible experience. Albert, our tour leader, is a wonderful guy, always smiling and ready to help us. They assisted us in everything and really took care of making everything go smoothly. The accommodation on the islands is as spartan as you expect but the location of each hut alone is worth the trip. The wonder of nature was then added to the goodness of cuisine. It's really difficult to argue how you can cook all that goodness on a boat.If you are looking for an authentic experience, in contact with nature, off the beaten track, this company's private expedition is certainly for you.
What an unforgettable experience! We did a two night (3 day) island hopping tour from Sibaltan to Coron. Everything was so well organized and the boat crew were amazing and really made sure we had a great time. The accommodation was rustic, but added to the authentic experience of the Philippines. Karel always responded to any queries we had promptly. Our boatman, Albert, was the most amazing chef and we enjoyed every meal. The crew taught the kids how to fish with a line which was their highlight of the trip. They took us to the most unbelievable snorkelling spots along the way. Would highly recommend this trip.
This is a must to do!!Super ultimate tour is the best with Kayangan and barracuda lake, twin lagoons (my favorite), coral garden (blue fabulous coral) were the best. It’s really worth it to pay for private tour (3500 to 4000 PHP). You will also have to pay for entrance fees (150 to 200PHP by location) and eventually shopping at the market - must do (count 300 for 2 for fish, pork, fruits and vegetables, water).
I was looking for a personalized excursion to the stunning Bacuit Gulf.Based on the comments, I contacted Mel.Very responsive, very efficient and perfect organization.The on-board staff 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 cannot recommend Mel and his team highly enough.A big thank-you.
This tour went well above all our expectations! I couldn't recommend this enough! The boat crew, captain and tour guide were nothing but amazing, everyone was so kind, helpful and friendly. The crew knew the best spots to visit that weren't overcrowded with tourists, 3 times we were lucky enough to have whole islands to ourselves! It was my partner's birthday while away and everything went above and beyond, bonfire, cake, birthday card, singing and celebrating with us.If you love camping this is definitely a tout you should do, it has been the highlight of our trip!!
