Snorkeling and Sea Kayaking in Palawan

If the wonders of the underwater world capture your imagination, join us for a dream journey to the southwest Philippines’ remote Palawan province, a stunning archipelago in the heart of the famed Indo-Pacific Coral Triangle, the world’s most biologically diverse marine region. With Trip Leader and marine biologist Lee Goldman, we discover the bounty of Palawan, a naturalist’s paradise of pristine beaches, soaring limestone cliffs, sea caverns, and miles of spectacular coral reefs teeming with jewel-bright fish, graceful rays, and other exquisite sea creatures. We snorkel and sea kayak these inviting waters each day, with incredible opportunities to swim with whale sharks, the largest living fish species in the world. In the evenings, Lee’s informal talks on marine biology and coral reef conservation offer us an ongoing natural history education from a man who knows these waters well. Accommodations are in lovely seaside lodges and award-winning resorts. We offer a post-trip extension to a wonderful resort on Dimakya Island, where we can swim with the endangered dugongs that graze in Palawan’s bountiful sea grass beds

Itinerary at a Glance

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Days 1-4
Manila, Philippines / Donsol / Whale Shark Encounters

From Manila, we head to the tiny fishing village of Donsol. This tropical hamlet has the largest numbers of recorded sightings of whale sharks anywhere in the world. From our beachside resort, we snorkel among shallow coral gardens in Donsol Bay, then head out by outrigger boat for a chance to swim among these gentle giants as they congregate in the shallow waters to feed on plankton. We also boat along the Ugod River to visit local fishing communities and drive up the lush slopes of Mt. Mayon (8,077') for views from the world’s most perfect stratovolcano.

Days 5-8
Palawan / El Nido Marine Reserve

The El Nido Marine Reserve is a little-visited ecological wonderland on the northwestern tip of Palawan. The reserve includes Bacuit Bay and its 45 majestic karst-limestone islands. From our beach lodge on Miniloc Island, we explore the reserve on snorkeling and kayaking excursions in pristine aquamarine waters that are a virtual aquarium of tropical fish, corals, and sea turtles. Our days are spent paddling among the islands to discover hidden lagoons and fantastic reefs, enjoying beautiful Pacific sunsets, and star-gazing under a brilliant tropical sky. On some nights, we may try a night snorkel to search for nocturnal reef creatures.

Days 9-12
Apulit Island

Heading to the east side of Palawan gives us the opportunity to explore the Sulu Sea, the shallow waters between the main archipelago and Palawan. Here we snorkel the spectacular reefs that surround the island, many just minutes from our resort. One of our excursions is Noa Noa, a small deserted island where we explore shallow reef flats and steep, sloping, fringing reefs that plummet into the crystal-clear blue waters. On neighboring Green Cake, a towering limestone island, we snorkel among shallow coral gardens to see rare and delicate species of coral. In the sea grass below, dugongs can sometimes be seen. Our home base here is the charming Apulit Island Resort, the only resort on this gorgeous island. Depart Day 12 via Manila.

For a more complete description, Download Full Trip Brochure

What the Trip is Like

This trip is rated a Level 3, Moderate. It is relaxed enough to allow ample time for photography, snorkeling, extra paddling, and beach combing. Days are spent paddling on “sit-on-top” kayaks, ideal for these crystal-clear turquoise waters, plus snorkeling, hiking to sites of interest, birdwatching, or swimming. On most days, we paddle for two to five hours, although usually not more than an hour at a time, interspersed with snorkeling and other activities. There is ample time for both scheduled snorkels and free snorkeling, and for the most part the water time is at your own pace. You need not have done any previous kayaking. On any given trip, however, it is impossible to predict what the weather will have in store and it often varies with each successive day. The Trip Leader will present each day's combination of paddling, snorkeling, and hiking activities based on the prevailing conditions. In general, we choose routes that are largely protected from high winds and strong currents.

Explanation of Trip Levels