Island Explorer
Coron and El Nido, Philippines
20 -28 March 2026
A$2495 (twin share)
*THIS IS A WOMEN'S ONLY TRIP
Ladies! Are you ready for a Tropical Island Escape?
Come join me on an unforgettable adventure in the World’s Newest Hot destination, The Philippines.
On this 9 Day/8 Night adventure we will visit the spectacular area of Palawan, recently voted the most beautiful island in the world by Conde Nast Traveller.
We will explore palm-fringed beaches with dramatic limestone cliffs as a backdrop, kayak on stunning lagoons while scanning for turtles, and snorkel in exquisite, clear water with vibrant marine life to gawk at.
Back on land, we will sample the delicious local eating style of Inasal (Filipino style grilled chicken, pork or fish), climb 720 steps up Mt Tapyas to enjoy spectacular views over Coron Island, enjoy a sunset cocktail on one of the most beautiful beaches in the Philippines and get back to simplicity with an overnight stay in a beachfront hut on a remote island.
Sounds like something you’d be into? Then read on for the details…
WHAT IS INCLUDED
Ferry
- One-way ferry between Coron and El Nido
Accommodation
- 2 nights in basic beachfront accommodation
- 5 nights in mid-range hotel-style accommodation
- 1 night in a beach hut on beautiful Darocotan island
Meals
- 6 Breakfasts
- 3 Lunches
- 4 Dinners
- 1 Sunset Cocktail at Nacpan Beach
- 1 Local Beer with our farewell dinner at Inasal Eats
Transfers
- All Airport transfers in air-conditioned vans in Coron and El Nido
- Van and boat transfer to and from Darocotan Island
- All transfers to and from activities included in the itinerary (sometimes tuk-tuks, sometimes vans)
Activities
- Climb the 720 steps up Mt Tapyas for a beautiful sunset view over the surrounding islands
- Half day Coron Island private boat tour, incl snorkelling
- Full day Island Escape private boat tour, incl snorkelling
- Full day boat tour exploring the best islands, beaches and lagoons around El Nido, incl snorkelling
- Escape to beautiful Darocotan Island for a glamping experience
- Canopy walk in El Nido for spectacular views over the bay
- Afternoon trip to beautiful Nacpan beach
Local Taxes
- Coron Island conservation fees and local tax for site visits
- El Nido Island Hopping conservation fees
WHAT IS NOT INCLUDED
- International flights and domestic flights to Busuanga (arrival point ) and from El Nido (departure point)
- Comprehensive Travel Insurance (Compulsory)
- Any Visa requirements (some countries may require a visa for the Philippines)
- Meals and drinks not specified in the itinerary
- Airport arrival taxes
- Optional and extra activities and transport not specified in the itinerary
- Spending money and tips
Please read our full Terms and Conditions before completing your booking. By paying your deposit you agree to the
Terms and Conditions.
THE ITINERARY
Day 1 – Coron Town
Today you arrive on Busuanga Island, the starting point for our Palawan adventure. You will be greeted at the airport by our driver and taken to the accommodation to settle in. It is preferable you plan your flight arrival to Busuanga Airport before 3pm, to ensure you are on-time for our 5pm group briefing.
After our briefing we’ll get ready to walk into town for an informal welcome dinner at a local restaurant. After dinner we return to the hotel for an early night.
Meals: Dinner
Day 2 – Coron Town
We have an early start this morning. We will head down to the dock at 7.30am after breakfast at the hotel, where we will meet our boat and crew for the day.
This morning we will explore Barracuda and Kayangan Lakes, Twin Lagoon, snorkel at a couple of beautiful reefs, and visit a beach or two, where we’ll have a picnic style lunch prepared for us by the boat crew.
Back at the hotel after a shower, we will meet around 4.30pm, to climb the 720 steps up Mt Tapyas for sunset views over town and the surrounding islands, after which you can head into town or back to the hotel for the evening.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
Day 3 – Coron Town
After breakfast, we will be picked up by our boat for the day around 7am and head off to some further laying islands. We will visit beautiful Malcapuya Island, Bulog Dos Island, Banana beach and Ditaytayan sand bar. We will have lunch served on the boat or on one of the beautiful beaches.
If time and weather allow, on our way back to town, we will stop off at the beautiful Smith Coral Garden for some snorkelling action.
Once back in town you have the evening at leisure to explore the bustling streets of Coron Town.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
Day 4 – Ferry to El Nido
This morning, after breakfast, we say goodbye to Coron Town and hop in our prebooked tuk-tuks to the port for the early morning ferry to El Nido.
Once we arrive in El Nido, we will grab a few tuk-tuks at the port and head straight to our hotel for the next two nights.
Once settled in, you have the evening at leisure to find dinner at one of the many international and local restaurants in town, and experience the vibrant street life of El Nido by exploring the many little shops and street vendors while soaking up the vibe. Make sure it is not a very late night though, as tomorrow we have a very big day ahead with another early start.
Meals: Breakfast
Day 5 – El Nido
This morning we will be greeted nice and early, by our pre-booked tuk-tuk drivers to take us to Vanilla Beach, which is the starting point for our Big Island Hopping day. Today you will see some of the most spectacular scenery you have ever seen in your life. Our special tour is carefully curated to include up to 10 of the best islands, beaches, caves, lagoons and snorkelling spots in all of Palawan. Most other day tours visit a maximum of 5 spots, but due to our early start it is possible for us to visit more. Lunch will be served on a secluded beach in the middle of the day.
We return to Vanilla Beach around 4pm and make our way back to El Nido Town via tuk-tuk, where you will have a free evening to spend whichever way you like.
Meals: Lunch
Day 6 – Darocotan Island
Ever wanted to stay on a beautiful beach on a secluded island? Well, today is the day we do! After finding a quick bite to eat for breakfast, we set off to our pick-up point for the transfer to beautiful Darocotan Island. An air-conditioned van will drive us the 45min distance to the jetty where a local banka boat will pick us up and ferry us to the island.
Once on the island, it is time to relax and enjoy the island life. No organised activities here, just beaching, walking, exploring, snorkelling…whatever you choose for the next 24hrs. Tonight you will spend the night in a cute beach hut right on the beach and we dine in the on-site restaurant for dinner.
Meals: None
Day 7 – El Nido
After waking up to the sound of the waves, you can enjoy a leisurely breakfast of
your choice and enjoy the last few hours of island life before starting our return
journey back to El Nido around midday.
Once back in El Nido, we will settle into our new hotel and you will have the rest of the day to enjoy at your own pace. Perhaps you will go for a swim on the beach, explore some more of the little shops in town, or grab a tuk-tuk back to Vanilla beach for sunset drinks at one of the many upmarket bars.
Meals: Breakfast
Day 8 – El Nido
This morning after breakfast we will walk the short distance to the start of the
Canopy Walk, where we will get harnessed up for our adventure to the top of the Canopy Walk for spectacular views out over El Nido town and the bay. This is an easy climb, so no need to be concerned about fitness level.
After lunch of your choice in town, we will get our swimmers on for our trip to Nacpan beach. Once at Nacpan you have some free time to swim, relax or go for a walk along the 4km stretch of palm-fringed beach. We will meet again back at the bar for a sunset cocktail before catching our van back to El Nido.
For our last night, we will go to the popular local restaurant, Inasal Eats. Here you can try a local Inasal meal of grilled meat (chicken or pork) served with steamed rice and condiments, and a cold local beer.
After dinner, we will enjoy some farewell drinks at a local bar before heading back to our hotel.
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner
Day 9 – Departure day
After a final breakfast with the group, we say our sad goodbyes and get ready for your transfers to El Nido Airport.
Important things to note:
-
Accommodation is booked on Twin Share basis. Please ensure you are comfortable with this before proceeding with a booking. Alternatively, you can opt for the single supplement to have a room all to yourself.
2. Our accommodations will vary in comfort levels, from basic to unique (but always clean and tidy). Please ensure you are comfortable with this. If you expect high-end, luxurious accommodations, sadly, this trip is not for you.
3. This adventure is designed to ensure a good mix of activity and relaxation, but will be more on the active side with boat trips, island hopping, snorkelling and a few easy walks. If you are looking for a lie-by-the-pool kind of holiday, this trip is unfortunately not for you.
4. It is essential that you have a suitable Travel Insurance policy for the duration of the trip, before you head off to the Philippines. I am happy to assist with recommendations. Unfortunately you will not be able to join the group without personal Travel Insurance.
5. International flights and 2 short domestic flights are not included in this itinerary. International flight costs will vary depending on which city you depart from, but as an indication you can expect domestic flight costs as follows:
-
Manila to Busuanga OW: A$150 OR Cebu to Busuanga OW: A$110 (incl luggage)
-
El Nido to Manila OW : A$240 OR El Nido to Cebu OW: A$210 (incl luggage)
*Assistance with booking tickets is available and will incur an inclusive $80 booking fee (for the 2 domestic OW flights) per person.
6. It is essential that your arrival flight into Busuanga is on or before the start date of our group trip. Should you wish to arrive a day earlier to start relaxing in the little town of Busuanga, I’d be happy to assist with booking accommodation.
7. Apart from drinks specified in the itinerary, all other drinks with meals and on daytrips will be at your own cost.