We don’t want to miss the summer hype so, last month, my travel buddies and I decided to push through with our scheduled trip to the paradise island of Palawan.

It was a fantastic decision!

We’ve booked our Airplane tickets one year ahead which cost us Php1,099 per head (one way). Not bad for a wonderful experience. Then I thought, maybe someday, I’ll book a one-way ticket.

Note, Palawan is very popular with backpackers so we easily found cheap places to stay in.

Here’s the secret.

You can simply register at Airbnb.com, select the cheapest deals for home rentals, pay via your Visa Card or Mastercard and boom! You’re now ready for a great adventure of your life!

We explored the magical islands for 8 days and our home rentals cost us around Php2,700 each for the whole duration. Fantastic right?

Airbnb saved us!

While in Puerto Princesa, we stayed at Nelly’s Nipa House in Abueg Street and at Lolo Bob’s Bed and Breakfast during our stay in El Nido.

You can search for them at Airbnb.com. Both provide access to the Internet. But don’t expect too much on their speed. We travel during the day and work for a few hours at night but it wasn’t sensible because of the slow Internet connection.

Anyway, just make sure to book your place 1-2 months ahead because your rivals to the most affordable home rentals are the travelers from across the world.

I tell you, you will encounter people from different races walking in the main streets and beach of El Nido and Puerto Princesa (PP).

The slogan says it all,

“IT’S MORE FUN IN THE PHILIPPINES!”

Likewise, we have received hospitality from our cool hosts both in PP and El Nido. To our surprise, our host at PP is also an Ilongga, a native of Negros Occidental.

While in PP, don’t ever miss the Underground River tour, one of the 7 Wonders of the World.

Prepare the amount of Php1,500 for the tour package.

This might be your once in a lifetime experience so be sure to secure a budget for this tour. You can ask your host to book the tour for you or you can reserve a booking online.

Whatever is convenient for you.

You may also want to see and shop at Baker’s Hill!

They sell Palawan’s delicious delicacies like hopia in various flavors. Who doesn’t want a ‘pasalubong’?

Moreover, you will totally enjoy the place which is also ideal for picture taking.

From PP to El Nido, the fare is usually Php500 for each air-conditioned van trip. The journey will take 5-6 hours with a stop in between for lunch or refreshment.

On our first day in El Nido, we took the day easily. We strolled down the streets to buy our food and thought there’s nothing special in here.

Not until sundown, because people were just like ants starting to gather around the beachfront for dinner, partying or chilling out. Just like in Boracay, El Nido’s nightlife is vibrantly accompanied by music scenes.

We’ve had our dinner by the seaside and I was just amazed by the giant sizes of crabs, shrimps, squid, etc. which prices are very affordable for a group.

Let’s proceed to the most exciting part.

The island hopping!! Yay!

So, where do you book them?

You can book with your host ahead or shop for tour packages at the beachfront market.

There’s a ton of choices from there. We availed 2 packages (Tour A and Tour C) at around Php1,300 per head for every tour, inclusive of lunch and sometimes with snorkel gear. Each tour will allow you to visit 5 – 6 wild and beautiful islets of El Nido.

With so many small islands we have explored, I can only remember the following destinations:

• Small Lagoon
• Big Lagoon
• Secret Lagoon
• Shimizu Island
• Secret Beach
• Hidden Beach
• Helicopter Island
• Matinloc Shrine

Don’t miss the kayak experience. There are kayak rental services in Small and Big Lagoons fit for 2 or 4 seaters. The rental fee ranges from Php400 – Php600 for every group. So far, Tour A is the most popular package so don’t miss it.

I suggest planning your budget earlier so you don’t have to feel guilty of your adventure. Stick with them so you won’t lose track of your finances even after this amazing trip.

Below, is a short footage of our ultimate island hopping adventure.