Puerto Princesa to El Nido Land Trip + Stopovers

The overland trip from Puerto Princesa to El Nido is legendary among Palawan travellers. The 240 km journey crosses the island's spine through jungle mountains, rice fields, and remote villages — and with this guided tour, the drive becomes an adventure in itself rather than a slog.

Your air-conditioned van departs early from Puerto Princesa. The first stop is the Natatalia Rice Terraces near Roxas — a hillside mosaic of small-scale paddies that the local Tagbanua community has farmed for generations, less visited than Banaue but serene and photogenic. A roadside lunch at a family-run carenderia introduces you to Palawan's own flavour of Filipino home cooking before continuing north through the National Highway.

As you approach El Nido, the limestone karst cliffs that have made Palawan world-famous begin appearing on the horizon. Arrival at El Nido's town centre in the late afternoon gives you the evening to book your island-hopping tours, pick a sunset cliff bar, and settle into paradise. A shared transfer, this is the most eco-friendly and economical way to connect Puerto Princesa and El Nido while catching slices of real Palawan life along the way.