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Before booking a trip to Balabac, please make sure you and your companions understand that this is an expedition to the most remote islands of Palawan.
This trip is NOT A LUXURY TOUR where everything is comfortable and itineraries are fixed!
If you are ready to ROUGH OUT THE ISLAND LIFE, THEN THIS TRIP IS FOR YOU 🙂
Balabac is Philippines’ last paradise found in the southernmost part of Palawan, the same province that brings you Coron and El Nido; but unlike the latter, it has not been discovered by many tourists yet. Sometimes we even enjoy the islands to ourselves. However, due to its pristine beauty, more travelers (including v/bloggers) are starting to reach it already, and began sharing it to the worldwide web. Basically, to go to Balabac, you have to go to Puerto Princesa first.
The islands in Balabac are privately owned, some by politicians, and some by locals who have gain rights by living there for a long time. Owners who are starting to see the potential of Balabac are making moves to make their islands more accessible to more tourists. Airstrips are already in place, with airports in included in future development. Docking ports are also being developed for cruises. Due to this, Balabac may start becoming crowded like El Nido and Coron, but for now you can still enjoy serenity and quiet life in the islands.
Travel time between islands varies from 45 mins to 2 hours, depending on the condition of the waves and weather. If we’re going with the waves, it will be faster. If we are going against the waves, it will be slower and splashy. Bring a good book to read, or load up your playlist and bring a good headset.
There is no strict itinerary to be followed in this expedition. Although we have a list of target islands to visit, the itinerary will depend on tide and wave conditions. The boatman is the captain! You have to trust his discretion.
It is possible that you visit a sandbar during a high tide, so you will not actually see the sand base, but experience a shallow pool instead. It is possible that big waves will hinder you from visiting/enjoying the infinity pool. It’s possible that it will rain hard so you don’t get sunny photos.
Don’t expect a perfect itinerary.
Weather in Balabac is very different and unpredictable from the rest of the country, even from the rest of Palawan mainland. It is highly affected by the two wind patterns in the Philippines. Prepare for sun and rain! Click here to read more about Best Time To Visit Balabac.
Visiting Balabac is a unique experience for many of our guests, which is why our tours run on all weather conditions, as long as the Coast Guard permits public access to the seaboards.
Mar-May (Summer, with weak Amihan monsoon winds) is the best time to visit since it will be mostly sunny. More people in the islands, though.
Jun-Nov (Weak to strong Habagat monsoon winds, Rainy season) will have mix of sun and rain, as well as calm to wavy sea depending on the weather. This period is still recommended to travel.
Dec-Feb (Weak to Strong Amihan winds, Rainy season) is windiest with chances of rain. Although it is not the best time to go at this season, it is still possible to travel to Balabac and have sun. The bonus is you can have the islands to yourself since few people travel here at this season.
Boat will adjust to wind and weather conditions. Don’t expect it to perform like a speedboat
Many people, both local and foreign, have a misconception about Balabac’s safety because of what’s already been published online by bloggers. This section aims to give you a peace of mind if you want to visit Balabac but afraid of the “threats.” If you want to read a more about safety in Balabac, you can read more here.
If you have done some research, you will see that previous travelers to Balabac had to ride the passenger van to Rio Tuba, sleep there for a night, ride the passenger ferry the next morning for a 4-5 hour ride to Balabac mainland before you can start island hopping in the afternoon.
You don’t have to do that with us. Our driver will pick you up from your Puerto Princesa lodge at 3am of Day 1 of your tour. You arrive in Buliluyan Port at 9-10am and start island hopping right away. The first island is only 45 mins from the port.
While many tour operators in Balabac provide small boats without roof especially if you are a small group or a couple only (see first photo), all the boats we use are outrigger boats with tarp roof (see second photo) as shield from the sun while you do island hopping. Our outrigger boats are best for navigating the shallow reefs and waters of Balabac, unlike larger boats which struggle to get close to shore during low tide. We’ll provide the right boat capacity depending on your group size. For your peace of mind, life vests are always provided on board.
PS: During intense wind conditions (when there is typhoon or strong monsoon), the roof has to be removed so that the wind will not overturn the boat.
All highlight islands in Balabac are private properties. Onok Island, the most beautiful and expensive of them requires every visitor to be given oral permit first by the management before coming. There are some tour operators banned from visiting some islands, too. If Onok is not in their itinerary, that’s because they’re not allowed to visit. Our local team has developed a good relationship with these owners/managers that is why our guests were allowed to visit even when others are not.
We’ve got your meals covered for the whole trip! From breakfast on Day 1 to breakfast on the last day, you can look forward to unlimited rice,
1 seafood or fish dish,
1 pork or chicken dish,
1 vegetable dish,
and fruits plus mineral drinking water.
Please note that we’ll be serving delicious Filipino cuisine, and the specific menu will depend on what’s available from Brooke’s Point Public Market (which is about 3-4 hours away from the island) and the local fishermen’s catch.
Just a heads up, there’s no wet market here like in Coron or El Nido, and our boat doesn’t have grills to cook your food. But no worries, we’ll take care of lunch by bringing it pre-cooked from our campsite for you to enjoy on the island.
If you’re a vegetarian or vegan, we’re happy to serve you! Just keep in mind that you’ll have rice and one vegetable dish each meal. Pls book us only if you are happy with this.
For guests with allergies, we’ve got you covered! After booking with us, we’ll ask you to fill out a form where you can indicate your allergies. However, we won’t be able to cater to picky eaters. Please note that food is prepared in a big batch for all guests each day, so we won’t be able to adjust the recipe for those who don’t like garlic, onions, or tomatoes.
Our campsite sits along the stretch of Punta Sebaring beach. Its sand? The kind of sand so white, fine and soft that beats Boracay’s. This long stretch of around 5 kilometer white beach is one of the longest in the country.
A 30-minute stroll by the beach to the right of the campsite will let you experience the whitest, finest, softest sandbar which becomes so wide when lowtide. The sand base creates ripples and feels like marshmallow when you step on it. Punta Sebaring sandbar is also perfect for just taking a walk to watch the sunset.
Our beachfront faces the East giving you an everyday chance to wake up to the sun rising from the horizon while enjoying a cup of coffee. Bring your cameras to capture candy-colored clouds during dusk, weather-permitting.
Whether you are on a private tour or joining a group, expect to have nights to remember while camping in Balabac. Bring a portable tripod because a clear sky when the moon is out, the milky way is visible, perfect for photographers. Enjoy a drink or two on our designated bonfire, or simply lay flat on the beach to stargaze.
For group tours and private tours, the default accommodation is tent camping with a mat and pillow. If you are a solo joiner, we will provide a single person tent. If you are a couple, you will have your own tent.
Open cottages are also available for our guests for free. You can leave your big bags here securely, hang out during meals or hang your hammock.
Use of our tent with mat and pillow is free in our packages so you don’t need to bring your own tent. We also have cottage upgrade options for travelers who want a more comfortable sleeping arrangement. All TP Huts have mattress, pillow, mosquito net and electric fan inside. These are limited so advanced booking is required!
Our trusted boatmen serve as the captains of the expedition. They have lived in Balabac their entire life and know when is best to go where. While we have an itinerary set, the captain’s discretion will be followed.
Our cook and assistants make the very good LOCAL food! She makes sure you start, go along, and end your adventures with a happy tummy.
CLICK HERE to meet our team!