Published 10 Oct 2026
A seven-day Palawan trip means three nights in El Nido for lagoons and island-hopping, two in Coron for wreck snorkelling and lake swims, and a night in Manila at each end. Indians can enter the Philippines without a visa for up to 14 days, and a mid-range trip costs roughly ₹94,000 to ₹1,45,000 per person.
Visa and entry rules for Indians
Indian passport holders do not need a visa for a short tourist stay, but there are conditions. The Philippine Embassy in Tokyo’s visa-free entry page, which we checked on 10 October 2026, says the following for Indian nationals under a policy effective 8 June 2025:
- 14 days visa-free, non-extendable and non-convertible to any other Philippine visa category.
- 30 days instead of 14 if you hold a valid visa or permanent residence permit from the US, Japan, Australia, Canada, the Schengen area, Singapore or the UK.
- Documents to show: a passport valid for at least six months beyond your stay, a confirmed hotel booking, proof of financial capacity and a return or onward ticket.
- No derogatory record with the Bureau of Immigration.
- Transit: the page says Indians passing through the Philippines to a third country need a Philippine transit visa before entering.
The Bureau of Immigration’s home page carried an advisory dated 5 October 2026 reminding arriving foreign passengers to register or update their information on eTravel at least 72 hours before travel. The eTravel site says it is free. We could not open the Philippine Embassy in New Delhi’s website, and the older notice we found there described a different version of the rule, so check with your airline or the Embassy before booking.
Beware of agents selling a “Philippines visa for Indians” or charging to file eTravel for you. Neither is required for this trip.
What it costs in rupees
Per person, two sharing a room, mid-range, seven days and six nights. These are our estimates. Pesos convert at roughly ₹1.5, but check the day’s rate. The Delhi flight figure comes from fare-comparison sites; the rest are our own estimates, not quotes.
| Item | Approx. cost |
|---|---|
| Return flight, Delhi to Manila (non-stop) | ₹45,000 – ₹65,000 |
| Visa | None |
| Domestic flights, Manila to El Nido and Coron to Manila | ₹9,000 – ₹15,000 |
| Hotels, 6 nights (half the room cost) | ₹15,000 – ₹27,000 |
| Food, about ₹1,500 – ₹2,200 a day | ₹10,500 – ₹15,000 |
| Island-hopping tours, fees and activities | ₹7,000 – ₹11,000 |
| El Nido to Coron fast ferry | ₹2,500 – ₹4,000 |
| Airport transfers and local tricycles | ₹2,000 – ₹3,500 |
| Travel insurance, eSIM, tips | ₹3,000 – ₹4,500 |
| Total | ₹94,000 – ₹1,45,000 |
The cheap end takes shared-boat tours and fan or basic air-conditioned rooms; the high end adds private boats, beachfront resorts and flights between the two islands. Tour prices, ferry timetables and baggage allowances on small domestic airlines change, so confirm each before paying.
Getting there from India
Air India flies non-stop from Delhi to Manila in roughly 7 hours. Philippine Airlines has announced Delhi and Mumbai flights from December 2026, subject to approvals, so more choice may arrive. From Mumbai, Bengaluru or Chennai, expect a one-stop route.
Palawan is a separate flight from Manila. Book it within the same trip: you can fly to El Nido directly, or to Puerto Princesa and take a van of five to six hours, and to Coron via Busuanga airport. Because domestic airlines enforce tight baggage limits, pack a soft bag and check the allowance before you buy.
Day-by-day itinerary
Day 1: arrive in Manila
Land, clear immigration with your hotel booking, return ticket and funds proof ready, and sleep near the airport. Do not squeeze a domestic connection into the same evening; a delayed international flight would cost you the onward seat.
Day 2: fly to El Nido
Take the morning flight to El Nido and check in near the town or Corong-Corong beach. Walk to Las Cabanas or Nacpan if energy remains, and book your tours for the next two days.
Day 3: island-hopping, lagoons
Tours in El Nido are sold as lettered routes. A typical day covers the Big Lagoon, Small Lagoon and Secret Lagoon, with a grilled-fish lunch on a beach and snorkelling stops. Kayaks are usually included at the lagoons. Go on an early boat to beat the crowds.
Day 4: a second route or a rest day
Take a different tour route for other beaches and snorkelling spots, or hire a scooter or tricycle for Nacpan Beach, a long stretch of sand on the west coast. If seas are rough, boats do not sail, so keep one spare day.
Day 5: ferry to Coron
Take the fast ferry from El Nido to Coron, a journey of several hours, and settle in Coron town. Check the operator’s timetable for the season, since sailings are cancelled in bad weather. In the afternoon, climb the steps to Mount Tapyas for sunset and soak in the Maquinit hot springs.
Day 6: Kayangan Lake and wrecks
Spend a day on the water around Coron: Kayangan Lake, Twin Lagoon and the Japanese wreck sites where snorkellers swim over sunken ships. Basic snorkelling is enough for the shallow wrecks, and boats provide life vests.
Day 7: fly home via Manila
Fly from Busuanga to Manila and connect to Delhi. Leave a buffer of at least four hours between a domestic arrival and an international departure, or sleep a night in Manila to be safe. Airline baggage and weather delays are the usual causes of missed connections.
Eating in the Philippines as an Indian traveller
Rice is the base of most meals, and menus lean on pork, chicken and fish. Vegetarians can ask for sautéed vegetables, egg dishes, fried rice without meat, and fruit shakes; confirm that sauces do not contain shrimp paste or fish sauce. Jain travellers will find it harder, so carry dry snacks for boat days. Manila has North Indian restaurants, and El Nido has a few, so a lunch of dal and roti is possible.
Best time to go
December to April is the dry season with calm seas and the best conditions for island hopping; it is also the busiest and priciest period. May is hot and still mostly dry. June to October is the rainy and typhoon season: tours are cancelled on rough days and flights are delayed, so avoid it for a short, fixed-date trip.
Practical tips
- Money: carry some pesos and withdraw more at ATMs in Manila, as El Nido and Coron have fewer machines and many tour operators want cash. Use a forex card for hotel bills and enable international use on your bank app. Do not count on UPI working at tour desks or small shops, so keep cash and a card as backup.
- Connectivity: buy an eSIM before you fly; coverage on boats and remote beaches is patchy.
- Plugs: sockets are mostly flat-pin, so Indian round-pin plugs will not fit; carry a universal adapter.
- Insurance: buy cover that includes weather cancellations and medical care on islands.
- Reef-safe habits: tour operators collect environmental fees; do not touch coral and use reef-safe sunscreen.
- Safety: use licensed boat operators with life jackets and avoid sailing when the coast guard suspends trips.
Related guides
For another warm-water trip, see our Bali first-timer itinerary, the Malaysia honeymoon plan or the Thailand 6-day guide. Entry rules and facts are collected on the Philippines hub.
Frequently asked questions
Do Indians need a visa for the Philippines?
Not for a short tourist trip. The Philippine Embassy in Tokyo's visa-free entry page, which we checked on 10 October 2026, says Indian nationals can enter without a visa for 14 days, non-extendable and non-convertible, under a policy effective 8 June 2025. You must show a passport valid six months beyond your stay, a confirmed hotel booking, proof of funds and a return or onward ticket.
How many days are enough for Palawan?
Seven days works: one night in Manila, three nights in El Nido and two in Coron, with domestic flights at the start and end. The visa-free stay is capped at 14 days, so there is room to add Puerto Princesa's underground river or a few beach days.
How much does a Palawan trip cost from India?
Roughly ₹94,000 to ₹1,45,000 per person for seven days, two sharing a room. Most of the swing is the Delhi to Manila return flight, which we saw quoted between about ₹49,000 and ₹64,000, plus whether you take the island tours in a shared boat or a private one.
Is El Nido or Coron better?
El Nido is better for lagoons, beaches and kayaking; Coron is better for wreck snorkelling, Kayangan Lake and a quieter town. Most first-timers should do both, and a fast ferry or a short transfer connects them.
What is eTravel and do I need it?
eTravel is the Philippines' free online arrival registration. The Bureau of Immigration advises foreign travellers to register or update it at least 72 hours before travel, and the eTravel site states that it is free. Do it yourself on etravel.gov.ph and do not pay an agent.
What is the best time to visit Palawan?
December to April is the dry, calm-sea season and the best window for island hopping. May is hot, and June to October is typhoon and rainy season, when boat tours are often cancelled for weather.
Can vegetarians eat well in Palawan?
It is manageable but not effortless. Filipino cooking leans on pork, fish and shrimp paste, so ask for vegetable and egg dishes explicitly. El Nido's tourist strip has vegetarian-friendly cafes and a few Indian restaurants, and Manila has many more.
