Last updated on August 4th, 2022 at 11:45 pm
San Vicente Palawan is a peaceful destination known because of the long beach. We spent a few days and there are many things to do in San Vicente Palawan from staying in the long beach, enjoying the sunsets to try amazing local food.
If you have time during your visit in Palawan is worth it to visit a couple of days. Or why not you can start your trip in San Vicente Palawan since there are daily flights from Manila and Clark in Pampanga. You will also find flights with stopover from Singapore, Cebu and South Korea. We will give you all the information in our San Vicente Palawan Travel Guide.
Read here best beaches in El Nido and best beaches in Palawan and 10 Days Palawan Itinerary
Read here El Nido tourist spots, Port Barton Travel Guide and 3 Days El Nido Itinerary!
SAN VICENTE PALAWAN TRAVEL GUIDE
HOW TO GET TO SAN VICENTE PALAWAN
GETTING TO SAN VICENTE PALAWAN BY PLANE
If you are getting to San Vicente Palawan by plane. There is a new Airport in San Vicente since June 2017. There are daily flights available from Manila and Clark International Airport with Philippine Airlines. One way costs around 2000 PHP for an hour flight.
To reach San Vicente Palawan from the airport is only 3 kilometers distance. It will be longer if you go to the long beach. There are tricycle available and it can costs around 250 PHP or 80 PHP per person if you share the tricycle.
GETTING SAN VICENTE FROM PUERTO PRINCESA
There are vans from Puerto Princesa leaving every hour and the price is 300 PHP. We went by local bus 180 PHP. The departure is supposed at 6 am but it´s leaving when is full. The trip lasts around 5-6 hours with a long stop in Roxas. The bus journey is long but great. All the trip surrounding of nice beaches and palm trees everywhere.
Read here how to get from Puerto Princesa to San Vicente Palawan!
GETTING TO SAN VICENTE PALAWAN FROM EL NIDO
If you are getting to San Vicente Palawan from El Nido. There is a bus going to Roxas. It takes 3 hours and a half. From Roxas you have to get a local bus going to San Vicente Palawan that can take another 1 hour and a half. To make this is possible you have to catch the first bus going to Roxas from El Nido.
The local bus going to San Vicente leaves around 11 am and you have to be on time to get it. Once you are close to San Vicente Palawan the road is in really bad conditions.
There are also vans leaving from El Nido to San Vicente Palawan a few of them during the day 4 am, 1 pm and 6 pm. But you will have to ask the schedule and prices in the El Nido Bus Terminal since they don’t have daily departures.
GETTING SAN VICENTE PALAWAN FROM PORT BARTON
If you are getting to San Vicente Palawan from Port Barton by boat. There are private boats going to San Vicente from Port Barton. Prices are around 2000 PHP per boat good enough for 4-5 people and travel time is around one hour. You have to ask the boatmen and as much people can go on the boat it will be cheaper. As much people you can join your trip will be cheaper.
Read here how to get to San Vicente Palawan!
BEST TIME TO VISIT SAN VICENTE PALAWAN
San Vicente Palawan is a great destination to visit when traveling in Palawan. The best time to visit San Vicente Palawan is during summer. Summer in the Philippines starts from March to mid-May. Just expect the prices to be high because it is peak season. Also expect the number of tourists to be high during this time.
You can also visit San Vicente Palawan from December to February as the skies are clear and rain is minimal. Being the months of June to October the rainy season in Palawan we would say is better to avoid. But even in those months you can get sunny days.
Click here to know more about the weather in San Vicente Palawan!
TRANSPORTATION AROUND SAN VICENTE PALAWAN
As we mentioned previously the best way to move around is the tricycle. From the town to long beac expect to pay 50 PHP for a ride. Obviously will be more expensive if you go to the end of long beach at Alimanguan Beach. If you are coming from the airport 80 PHP if you join to a share tricycle if not it will be 250 PHP.
If you want to rent a motorbike prices are going from 500-700 PHP also depending on how many days you rent the motorbike.
For island hopping tours the price is 1200 PHP for joining a tour. It can be 5000-7000 PHP for the whole boat. But to do the island hopping you have to reach Port Barton first. Maybe it will be 2000 PHP share boat ofr one hour ride. It’s depending on how many people are joining you can go down your expenses.
ATM’S AND CURRENCY IN SAN VICENTE PALAWAN
There are no ATM’s in San Vicente Palawan so if you are coming by plane make sure that you are bringing cash. If you are coming or heading from Puerto Princesa, El Nido or Port Barton you will find ATM’s in those places. The country uses the Philippine Peso for monetary transactions, where $1 USD = 54 PHP, more or less.
Click here to check the exchange rate between your country and the Philippines.
INTERNET AND WIFI CONNECTION IN SAN VICENTE PALAWAN
Wifi is weak in most of the accommodations and very intermittent. The best way to have internet in San Vicente Palawan is using your own data. We always recommend you in these places to have Globe and Smart if you are working online.
If Globe has a problem you can always connect to Smart to finish a few tasks. You will find spots with 4G but in general intermittent and weak connection.
Click here if you want to know the best Filipino sim for tourist!
DAILY BUDGET TRAVEL IN SAN VICENTE PALAWAN
You can visit San Vicente Palawan even with a limited budget. There are plenty of food, accommodations and activities that you can try in Palawan during your trip. A decent meal in the island in a local eatery can go for as low as 70 PHP while eating at a restaurant can cost around 230 PHP a meal with drinks. A bottle of local beer like San Miguel Pale Pilsen or Red Horse goes for 40-80 PHP.
If you’re planning to go on tours only cost 1,200 PHP per person a day tour of island hopping. If you rent a motorbike 500-700 PHP. And the tricycle ride going around long beach 50 PHP.
No matter the budget, you’re sure to find a local spot you’ll love. There are guest houses, hostels and inns that cost around 500-800 PHP. There are nicer establishments that rent rooms at 1,500 PHP while bigger resorts cost around 5,000 PHP.
CLICK HERE TO BOOK YOUR ACCOMMODATION BEFORE YOU TRAVEL TO Palawan WITH BOOKING!
CLICK HERE TO BOOK WITH AGODA!
THINGS TO DO IN SAN VICENTE PALAWAN
1. LONG BEACH
Long Beach is divided in 3 parts. Long Beach 1 close to San Vicente Palawan town where we were staying. At Part 2 there are luxury resorts and Part 3 is Alimanguan Beach.
The best way to move around is with a motorbike or with the tricycle. You can go walking from San Vicente Palawan to part 1 but it will be far for moving around to the other parts.
The beach is calm and quiet. And we loved it is full of palm trees!
2. ISLAND HOPPING
It’s a must Island Hopping of things to do in San Vicente Palawan even you did in El Nido or Coron. You have to get to Port Barton and join a tour. The price was 1200 PHP per adult and our kid Han free. You will have to add the enviromental fee which is 50 PHP per person.
The tour was lunch, masks and entrance fee included. Tours are from 9 am to 4 pm. We really liked it and we did snorkeling in Twin Reef, Fantastic Reef (our favorite one). We also visited the turtle spot and we were lucky to see a turtle.
We had a lunch at Blue Cove Resort. Nice place and nice lunch! We visited Exotic Island. And our last stop before heading to Port Barton was Star Fish Island the sand bar where you can see many star fishes. In our opinion a must to visit is Twin and Fantastic Reef, turtle and star fish and sand bar.
Check below the tours that operators offer in Port Barton with fixed price of 1200 PHP. Many of the operators are offering already a mix of the places to visit instead the fix itinerary.
TOUR A
Wide Reef
German Island
Twin Reef
Turtle Spot
Paradise Island
Star Fish and Sand Bar
TOUR B
Turtle Spot
Maxima Island
Reef 5
German Island
Aquarium Reef
Star Fish and Sand Bar
TOUR C
Bigaho Waterfalls
Turtle Spot
German Island
Twin Reef
Wide Reef
Star Fish and Sand Bar
TOUR D
Fantastic Reef
Capsalay Island
German Island
Turtle Spot
Lagoon Reef
Star Fish and Sand Bar
Prices of the tours are 1200 PHP and they include island fees, lunch and masks for snorkeling. But if you include German Island there is an entrance fee of 100 PHP extra that you will have to pay on your own.
It’s easy to agree with the people in the boat and combining the places in the tour. And tour companies are mixing the places to visit. No need to adjust to the itinerary of one tour.
If you want to do a private tour prices can go 6000 PHP for 3 people with food and masks included. If you add more people the price will increase. Just ask the boatmen around and try to negotiate the best price.
3. SNORKELING
It’s a must in the things to do in San Vicente Palawan. We did during our island hopping. Our favorite spots where Twin Reef and Fantastic Reef where you can see fishes and corals. They allow you to stay more than 30 minutes as we considered enough.
For the turtle spot also same time to try to spot the turtle. So if you think that you would love to spend more time snorkeling maybe you organize a trip on your own.
4. GLAMPING
There are places around Long Beach where you can try Glamping. It’s like camping but having more luxury. It’s perfect if you want to relax and enjoy around long beach. We didn’t try in San Vicente but we loved our experience in Camiguin Island.
5. DAY TRIP TO PORT BARTON
If you stay longer in San Vicente Palawan apart from the island hopping in Port Barton. It’s a nice place to visit for a day trip. Since you can visit waterfalls, Port Barton White Beach and enjoying magical sunsets in the beach. There are few restaurants and the atmosphere is also very relax in Port Barton.
6. ERAWAN BEACH
If you love visiting beaches as we do. You have to go at the end of the White Beach around 20 kilometers distance from San Vicente Palawan you will find Erawan Beach. You can rent a motorbike or getting a tricycle. There are tricycles available for the whole day around 700 PHP. It will be great if you are moving around!
7. BATO NI NINGNING
If you want to get the best views of Erawan Beach you have to go to Bato ni Ningning. The best time of the day is for sunset. You will have to go with your motorbike or renting a habal habal for 300 PHP round trip for 2 people. It takes 20 minutes to reach there.
8. KAYAKING AT INANDENG RIVER
You can do kayaking at Inandeng River and see the mangrove. It’s close to long beach and San Vicente Palawan town. You have to go New Agutaya village and rent a kayak. Or if you prefer you can have a guide tour in the mangroves. It’s a great activity to spend your day around.
9. TRY LOCAL FOOD
There is a local market where you can to eat local food with views to the port. Prices are starting from 40 PHP and there is a lot of variety for food and drinks. We got addicted once and again to Buko juice (coconut).
10. HANGING OUT
There are also restaurants at night and places where you can have a drink. San Vicente is very quiet but this place become busy after the sunset. It’s a perfect way to end the day.
11. RENT A MOTORBIKE
You can rent a motorbike and explore around the 14 kilometers of beach. It was great going around the beach and we didn´t see anyone. that´s not happening in El Nido. Every place has magic in Palawan!
WHERE TO STAY IN SAN VICENTE PALAWAN
Our choice was sleeping in Peace and Love apart from good location close to long beach and the town and awesome views. You can enjoy their infinity pool and at night, there is a band on live. The atmosphere is very relax, small place with a friendly Filipino staff.
Click here to check prices and availability!
CLICK HERE TO BOOK THE ACCOMMODATION BEFORE YOUR TRIP WITH AGODA!!!
CLICK HERE TO BOOK WITH BOOKING.COM!!!
Hope it’s useful our things to do in San Vicente Palawan and let us know in the comments below if we are missing something in our San Vicente Palawan travel guide.
Feel free to use our links with discounts for Booking, Agoda, Airbnb and Klook. Using our links you will help us to continue with the maintenance of the website and it will not cost you anything. Thanks for the love guys
Happy Travels!
About the Author: Ruben, co-founder of Gamintraveler.com since 2014, is a seasoned traveler from Spain who has explored over 100 countries since 2009. Known for his extensive travel adventures across South America, Europe, the US, Australia, New Zealand, Asia, and Africa, Ruben combines his passion for adventurous yet sustainable living with his love for cycling, highlighted by his remarkable 5-month bicycle journey from Spain to Norway. He currently resides in Spain, where he continues to share his travel experiences alongside his partner, Rachel, and their son, Han.