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If you’re planning to visit Palawan with kids in 2025, you have come to the right place. In this article, we’re going to tell you everything you need to know to plan an amazing trip to Palawan with your family.
We first visited Palawan a few years ago as a couple (it was a kind of belated Asian honeymoon after we got married). And we loved our trip so much, we returned recently with our kids. We are very excited to share the highs and lows of Palawan with kids. Just a heads up: Palawan can be a difficult destination to travel – even if you don’t have kids! So you can probably imagine that travelling Palawan with kids can be very tough at times.
In this article, we will give you lots of practical tips and information to plan an awesome family holiday to Palawan. The Philippines is a truly epic country, but it does have its challenges, and if you’re getting out of your comfort zone with kids, careful preparation and planning is imperative. We hope that this article can help you plan your trip and prepare for some of the more challenging aspects, as well as give you some inspiration to help you plan an amazing itinerary in Palawan.
PALAWAN OR CEBU? – Which destination is best to visit – Palawan vs Cebu
Is it worth visiting Palawan with kids?
Palawan is genuinely one of our favorite destinations in Southeast Asia. It is stunningly beautiful, and there are plenty of amazing things to see and do, so we definitely think that it is worth visiting Palawan with kids. However, there are some challenges that you need to be aware of. Palawan is a fantastic destination if you’re traveling with slightly older kids, or you have already explored a lot of Southeast Asia, and you’re looking to travel somewhere beautiful outside of your comfort zone. (It is not the most intrepid and off the beaten track destination, but it is quite challenging for family travel, so we don’t recommend it for newbies to Asia)
PLAN YOUR TRIP – How long should you spend in Palawan?
The challenges of Palawan with kids
Hope that we adore Palawan, we want to be honest about some of the challenges. Firstly, accommodation in Palawan can be relatively expensive, and you don’t tend to get a lot for your money (particularly if you compare Palawan to other destinations in Southeast Asia). Depending on your budget, you may find it challenging to find an option with sufficient space and comfort for your family. We will share more about accommodation in this article, so keep reading.
Another challenge in Palawan is the unreliable electricity (which is particularly bad in El Nido). Many areas of Palawan experience regular power cuts, and this can be both very uncomfortable and frustrating (find out more about common challenges of travelling the Philippines). We recommend finding a hotel or guest house that has a backup generator. It’s important to make sure electronic devices are kept charged as much as possible. We also recommend traveling with a portable power bank and a head torch.
ATM machines in the Philippines can be very unreliable. They are often out of stock. If you’re traveling to Palawan with kids, we recommend that you always have at least three or four days of surplus money. Don’t leave it to the last minute to take out cash. Many places in Palawan are still unable to take card payments, so you will need to be prepared to pay for a lot of things in cash. If possible, try to pay for your accommodation online in advance to avoid running into problems.
LEARN MORE – Philippines with a baby – Everything you need to know
Things to do in Palawan with kids
Palawan is a stunningly beautiful destination with plenty of amazing things to see and do. Here are the best activities in Palawan with kids:
1 Visit Puerto Princesa Baywalk
LEARN MORE – Puerto Princesa Baywalk
If you’re planning to spend a few days in Puerto Princesa, we highly recommend a visit to Baywalk, which is situated on the seafront. This is a beautiful promenade with a variety of restaurants, including seafood, barbecue restaurants, and Filipino street food. Baywalk is best to visit in the evening. You can also rent a bicycle with a cart, which is a lot of fun for kids. It is FREE to visit the Baywalk area of Puerto Princesa and food in the area is very affordable.
2 Ride the Palawan Zipline Adventure
LEARN MORE – Palawan Zipline Adventure – Full Guide
If you have adventurous kids, we highly recommend the Palawan Zipline Adventure, which is situated on Las Cabanas Beach. This unique zip line starts on the top of the hill overlooking Las Cabanas Beach and finishes on a small uninhabited jungle island. This zip line is truly exhilarating. It costs 600 pesos per person. Kids 5 years and older are allowed to ride the zipline accompanied by an adult (providing that the harness fits). We recommend arriving around 5 PM. This experience is particularly beautiful late in the afternoon when the sun is low in the sky. Riding this zip line with my 5-year-old boy was genuinely one of my personal highlights in Palawan.
3 Try sea kayaking
If you’re traveling with adventurous and active kids and you are looking for a coastal adventure, why not rent a kayak in El Nido and explore the beautiful coastline? You can rent a kayak for 300 – 350 pesos per hour. Make sure that you and your kids wear life jackets and only attempt this if you are experienced and confident. We particularly enjoyed kayaking to the south tip of Cadlao Island, where you can find a secret secluded beach (allow at least 2 hours if you are planning to do this).
FIND OUT MORE – don’t miss our Full guide to Kayaking in El Nido
4 Play on the beach
If you’re traveling to Palawan with young kids, make sure you schedule some time to play on the beach. El Nido beach is particularly beautiful! Palawan has some very beautiful beaches, and you can genuinely spend hours relaxing on the beach whilst your kids build sandcastles and play. Always supervise kids very carefully on the beach and consider sun protection. We recommend using SPF 50 sun cream and SPF 50 rash guards if you’re playing on the beach during the day. Be aware that the waves can be quite big at times.
5 Visit the Subterranean River
Don’t miss our super-helpful Mini-Guide to the Underground River
Claim to fame: UNESCO World Heritage Site and one of the New Seven Wonders of the Natural World.
We highly recommend taking a trip to the Subterranean River system. This is one of the most unique and beautiful attractions in Palawan. It is also a very kid-friendly trip. Traveling through the underground river system is a great way to incorporate some world schooling into your travels. Kids can learn about the unique geology and physical geography of Palawan. You can visit the Subterranean River system as a day trip from Puerto Princesa. It takes a couple of hours to travel to the underground river from Puerto Princesa. When you arrive, you can take a guided boat ride through a spectacular cave system.
We recommend booking the Underground River trip on Klook. They include your Underground River Visitor’s Entry Permit (VEP) and it only costs £25 or $33 per person including transport, entry & guide.
6 Take an Island Hopping Trip in El Nido
IN DEPTH GUIDE – Full Guide – Island hopping in El Nido
Taking an island hopping trip in El Nido is a must-do activity if you’re planning to visit Palawan. There are four different options featuring different destinations. If you are not sure which island hopping trip to choose, we recommend taking Trip A, which includes a visit to Big Lagoon, Secret Lagoon, and some other beautiful islands. The lagoons are extremely beautiful. If you’re traveling with younger kids, make sure they can provide a child-sized life jacket.
Island hopping trips typically start at around 1,200 pesos. You will also need to pay 200 pesos for entry to the Big Lagoon and a 200 peso environmental fee. If you want to go kayaking in the lagoon, you will probably need to pay around 300 pesos to rent a kayak. So, overall, an island hopping trip is likely to cost around 1,900 pesos. For a family, the cheapest option is to book your trip through a local tour operator in El Nido. Generally speaking, you can find tour operators who will be willing to give a free trip to kids under 12 years old. (Kids 5 years and older need to pay environmental fees)
There are plenty of places to ask around in El Nido. In contrast, if you book your trip online, kids 3 years and older generally need to pay full price for an island hopping trip. So the cheapest option is to travel to El Nido and find a local tour operator to book your trip. (There are plenty of tour operators around.) Before you agree to book a trip, make sure you check exactly what is included in the price. An island hopping trip should also include lunch and drinks.
BOOK IT ON KLOOK – Book your El Nido island hopping trip on KLOOK
Can You Find Kid-Friendly Food in Palawan?
You can find kid-friendly food in Palawan, especially if you are traveling in Puerto Princesa and El Nido. Local Filipino food does not tend to be too spicy. However, we don’t recommend street food with kids, unfortunately. (The street food in Palawan is not particularly hygienic, and if your kids are not used to the local microbes, they will probably get a tummy upset from eating street food in Palawan.) However, there are still plenty of good food options in Palawan. Firstly, you can find lots of convenience stores around where you can buy snacks like bread, cakes, biscuits, and noodles.
You can also find supermarkets selling a wide range of kid-friendly food. If you like fast food, you can also find several Jollibee outlets. (This is one of the big fast food chains in the Philippines.) Bakeries are very common in the Philippines, where you can buy freshly baked bread and cakes. You can also find plenty of international food restaurants selling things like pasta, pizzas, kebabs, chips, and burgers. You can also find some markets selling fresh tropical fruits. (However, tropical fruit markets are not very common in Palawan.)
What Are the Best Places to Stay with Kids in Palawan?
Finding family-friendly accommodation in Palawan can be quite challenging. Accommodation is relatively expensive (and the quality is not consistent with the price). If you are traveling on a low budget, you will need to be willing to make some compromises. Budget hostels in Palawan are often called pension houses. Most pension houses only offer double and twin rooms, but in some cases, you can find triple rooms. If you are willing to share space, you can generally fit a family of four in a triple room, but this does rely on bed sharing. Palawan is challenging for accommodation, even if you are cramming into a triple room, you will still find the price is relatively high.
Puerto Princesa Family Hotels
1 Andrew n Sophia’s Guesthouse
Great value and lots of space. Large entire holiday home can sleep up to 6 people with one double bed and two bunk beds. Generally ranges between £50 – £70 or $60 – $80
2 Hibiscus Garden Inn
Beautiful, central and an outdoor pool. Large family room starting at around £70 or $90 per night. Can sleep up to 6 people – great for large families. Stylish, clean and nice vibes.
3 OYO 1063 Manuela’s Suites
Manuela’s Suites is a clean, comfortable, stylish and affordable guest house. Central location and a family triple room for £25 – £40 or $30 – $45
4 H Hotel El Nido
Stylish fun hotel in the centre of El Nido close to the beach. Good vibes – lots of places to eat and drink nearby. They have a Family Room with balcony that can accommodate a small family of 3
5 J Boutique Hotel
Great option for a large family – superior family room can sleep up to 7 people (2 double beds and 3 single beds). Situated on Rizal street close to the supermarket, 5 – 10 minute walk to the beach.
6 Cadlao Resort
Stylish, luxurious and tranquil resort to the north of El Nido. Lovely outdoor pool. Large family bungalow can comfortably accommodate a family of 4. Great if you’re splashing out on a lux family holiday.
Top tip: When you book accommodation in the Philippines with kids, make sure that you take a print screen showing that you have made your booking for your entire family (including all of your kids). If your kids are below the chargeable age, they may not be listed on the booking confirmation. This means that your host may not be aware that you are arriving with kids. In some cases, this can cause a problem. Having a print screen of your booking page can prove that you have booked with kids. We also recommend dropping your hostel or guest house a message to confirm that you are traveling with kids and planning to share beds.
What Is the Best Way to Travel around Palawan with Kids?
For long journeys around Palawan, we will need to rely on minibuses. This is a relatively cheap and convenient way to travel around. However, many bus journeys can be quite challenging, especially if you’re traveling with young kids. We recommend bringing plenty of snacks, drinks, and entertainment. For example, the minibus journey from Puerto Princesa to El Nido can take 5 or 6 hours and only includes one stop. If you are traveling with young kids, you may need to request additional toilet stops along the way. Find out more – Puerto Princesa to El Nido
Don’t be concerned about doing this; Filipino culture is very family-friendly. Generally speaking, you will need to pay a full adult price for a bus ticket if you require a seat. However, in some cases, you may be able to get a slightly reduced price for young children (for example, kids under 5 years old). If your kid is included for free, you will not be allocated a seat. Also, be aware that they generally fill minibuses up to their full capacity, so if you do not pay for a seat, there will probably not be a free seat available. In our opinion, it is worth booking seats for all of your kids.
If you are doing short local journeys, you can take a tricycle (Tuk Tuk). This is a fun, affordable, and convenient way to travel around Palawan. Tricycle Tuk Tuks are widely available. Make sure that you agree on the price with a driver before you jump in. If you are traveling a few kilometers, it should cost you around 50 – 100 pesos. This is already a slightly higher tourist price, so we do recommend bartering if drivers are trying to charge more than this.
Top tip: Before you get in a tricycle (Tuk Tuk), make sure that you check that the price applies to the whole group (rather than a price per person). If you do not clarify this, some drivers may try to charge per person.
Things to Bring to Palawan with Kids
In this section, we will share some things that you may want to bring with you if you are visiting Palawan with kids. This is not intended to be a comprehensive or personalized packing list; rather, we are hoping to share some things that we think might be worth bringing—things that you may otherwise not think about.
- Portable power bank: Remember, Palawan experiences regular power cuts. We recommend having a portable power bank so that you can charge your phone if the power drops out.
- Head torch: It is very helpful to have a head torch, especially if the power goes out at night.
- Sun cream: The tropical sun in the Philippines is very intense. We recommend having factor 50 sun cream (sun cream is quite expensive and low quality in the Philippines).
- Umbrella: An umbrella can be surprisingly useful if you’re traveling in the Philippines. It is a great way to protect your young child from a rainstorm and also protect them from the sun.
- Dry sack: We recommend that you travel with a high-quality dry sack to keep your valuables dry. Palawan can experience sudden and intense tropical downpours which can soak all of your belongings. Keeping your valuables in a dry sack will protect them in the event of a storm. It is also a very good way to protect them from theft. We also recommend using a high-quality dry sack to keep your valuables safe and dry if you take an island hopping trip.
- Baby milk: If you’re traveling with a baby, make sure that you bring plenty of baby milk. It is unlikely that you will find your preferred brand or type of baby milk in the Philippines.
- Nappies: Just like baby wipes, you will be unlikely to find your preferred brand of nappy in the Philippines. However, if you are not fussy, you can buy nappies from supermarkets and pharmacies around Palawan.
- Swimming goggles: If your kids are able to swim underwater, we recommend bringing along swimming goggles. If you take an island hopping trip, they are unlikely to have kids size masks or goggles, so having your kids’ own swimming goggles will enable them to experience the beautiful reef and fish.
Remember, this is not meant to be a comprehensive list; this is just a few select items which we think are very valuable when you are traveling Palawan with kids.
How to Prepare for a Trip to Palawan with Kids
1 Check visas and immigration
Before you arrive in the Philippines, you will need to fill out an online immigration form on the Official Philippines eTravel Website. This applies to everyone visiting the Philippines, and you will need to provide information for your entire family (including kids of all ages). If you do not do this in advance, you will need to do it at the airport (which is very unreliable, slow, and frustrating with airport Wi-Fi). Therefore, we highly recommend that you take some time to fill out your online immigration form in advance. You can do it a day or two before you depart. We also recommend that you check out the visa requirements for the Philippines for your country.
2 Book your accommodation
It is also important to make sure that you book your accommodation in advance. We recommend using platforms like Agoda and booking.com to find the best deals and look for properties that suit your needs as a family. In general, the earlier you book, the better. If you are unable to commit to your travel date, you can reserve a place with a free cancellation policy. It is not essential to book activities or transportation in advance; both of these things can be arranged when you arrive in Palawan. However, if you do want to get your ducks in a row, we recommend booking your activities on Klook. This platform has a very good range of activities in Palawan and competitive prices.
