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A Balabac Private Tour with Van Transfer is for you if:
This is best for families or group of friends who want to visit Balabac together. Although there is a standard itinerary, we can customize it a little bit to fit your needs. Still, we cannot customize the weather and waves to fit a perfect itinerary.
However, if you want to spend less, then you can join our Balabac Group Tour where we pool adventure-minded travelers together on a fixed tour schedule! Note that whether a private or joiner tour, the campsite and its facilities will not be exclusive to your group, and will be shared with other guests.
Note: our tours run on all weather conditions, as long as the Coast Guard permits public access to the seaboards.
Pick between 3D2N and 4D3N
3D2N – For travelers who have limited time. Visiting all islands in the inclusions is not guaranteed, but you still get to go to the most beautiful ones like Onok Island, Patawan Island, Mansalangan Sandbar and Punta Sebaring. If you want to visit all destinations in the inclusions, then you should go for 4D3N.
4D3N – Ideal length of time to travel the highlights of Balabac. You get to visit all the top destinations in Balabac.
| Private Tour with Van | 4 people | 5-10people |
| 3D2N | 16,000/person | 14,000/person |
| 4D3N | 17,500/person | 15,500/person |
Notes:
*While only your group will be in the van, supplies and crew will hitch if there is space.
*All prices are in Php and are subject to change without prior notice
We will pick you up from your hotel in Puerto Princesa. We suggest you to book any of the accommodations on the list below for faster pick up. Other hotels are also possible as long as it is within the PPS town center and are visible in Google Maps.
There is no fixed menu since the food we serve depends on what is available from Brooke’s Point Public Market (Mainland Palawan), and the local fishermen’s catch. There’s no wetmarket here unlike in Coron or El Nido. If you’ve been to boat trips in North Palawan, pls don’t expect that the way we serve food is similar to how it’s done in more developed tourist spots. It will be hard for us to cater to vegans and vegetarians unless they’re happy with a veggie and rice meal every lunch and dinner. Pls consider this before booking us.
Since it is difficult for guests to arrange their own transportation from Puerto Princesa to Buliluyan port where all guests should ride the passenger boat, we are including the van transport in this package. We outsource the van and driver, and coordinate/mediate between guest and driver for the pick up.
Note: Loading and unloading of your bags in the van will be the passengers’ responsibility and our team will not be liable for any damages that may occur to the item during the land travel. Meanwhile during the island hopping, you can leave your luggage in the campsite. It is safe there; but make sure to always have your valuables such as phone, wallet, cameras, etc, with you. During drop off back to PPS, you are responsible to bring all your items with you and the driver will not be liable if you left any item inside the van.
Our Balabac Private Tour itineraries are rough estimates only. It is highly subject to change due to weather, wind, wave condition. Don’t expect a perfect itinerary in Balabac.
Before reading below, make sure you have read the difference of 3D2N and 4D3N here.
This is just a sample! Please confirm your final pick up time before your trip.
Day 0 Arrival in Puerto Princesa
Check in to your preferred hotel in PPS and take time to complete your things to bring such as insect repellent, some snacks for the long rides, etc.
Day 1 Travel to Balabac, Island Hopping (B / L / D)
3am – Pick up from your hotel in Puerto Princesa.
6-6:30am – Hosted Breakfast
9:30am – Depart Buliluyan port via Passenger Boat
10:00am – Arrival at Patawan Island. Transfer to our tour boat, lunch
12:00nn – Arrival at Tangkahan Island
3-4pm – Arrival at Campsite, orientation, settle down
7pm – Dinner
Day 2 Island and Sandbar Hopping (B / L / D)
6am – Catch the sunrise by the beach
7am – Breakfast. Prepare for island hopping
8am onwards- Start of Balabac island/sandbar hopping with lunch on board/island
4pm – ETA campsite. Snacks. Free time
7pm – Dinner
Day 3 Relax at the Beach. Travel from Balabac back to Puerto Princesa (B / – / – )
6am – Catch the sunrise while relaxing by the beach. Early breakfast (last meal)
8am – ETD for Buliluyan port, with stopover in Canimeran island if hightide
11am – ETA at Buliluyan. Ride back to PPS
6pm – ETA at Puerto Princesa
Day 0 Arrival in Puerto Princesa
Check in to your preferred hotel in PPS and take time to complete your things to bring such as insect repellent, some snacks for the long rides, etc.
Day 1 Travel to Balabac, Island Hopping (B / L / D)
3am – Pick up from your hotel in Puerto Princesa.
6-6:30am – Hosted Breakfast
9:30am – Depart Buliluyan port via Passenger Boat
10:00am – Arrival at Patawan Island. Transfer to our tour boat, lunch
12:00nn – Arrival at Tangkahan Island
3-4pm – Arrival at Campsite, orientation, settle down
Day 2 Island and Sandbar Hopping (B / L / D)
6am – Catch the sunrise by the beach
7am – Breakfast. Prepare for island hopping
8am onwards- Start of Balabac island/sandbar hopping with lunch on board/island
4pm – ETA campsite. Snacks. Free time
7pm – Dinner
Day 3 Island and Sandbar Hopping (B / L / D)
6am – Catch the sunrise by the beach
7am – Breakfast. Prepare for island hopping
8am onwards- Start of Balabac island/sandbar hopping with lunch on board/island
4pm – ETA campsite. Snacks. Free time
7pm – Dinner
Day 4 Relax at the Beach. Travel from Balabac back to Puerto Princesa (B / – / – )
6am – Catch the sunrise while relaxing by the beach. Breakfast and pack up (last meal)
9am – ETD for Buliluyan port, with stopover in Canimeran island if hightide
11am – ETA at Buliluyan. Ride van back to Puerto Princesa with stopover for lunch.
6-7pm – ETA to Puerto Princesa
Note starting February 2024 we can only accommodate you if you arrive one day before your target start of tour. This is because the coast guard has required all guests to ride the PASSENGER BOAT from Buliluyan port. The passenger boat leaves at 9:30am. Thus, you have to be in Puerto Princesa a day before your trip so that we can pick you up at 3am on Day 1.
Name of sender:
Schedule desired:
Method of payment:
Amount sent:
For Private tours, in the event that your group size has changed on the actual tour date, the price indicated in our price matrix will apply.
a. If the cancellation by coastguard was made before the scheduled trip, the guest has 2 options:
a.1. Rebook their trip to the next available tour dates, and pay a re-booking fee of 2000 per person.
a.2. Cancel their booking entirely and receive a refund of what was paid less than the 2000 per person non-refundable fee. This will be through GCash or Bank transfer for local guests, and Wise for international guests.
b. If the cancellation by coastguard was made while guests are already in the campsite in Balabac, preventing them from doing island tours, no refunds will be issued.
The Host shall not be liable for any changes, cancellations, or delays caused by circumstances beyond our control, including but not limited to natural disasters, acts of God. government actions, or other unforeseen events
All payment transfers for our Balabac tours, whether local or abroad should be done in any of the following methods.
Once ready to pay, kindy message us in FB messenger (this is where we monitor bookings) so we can send you the account details.
Message us your preferred method so we can send you the recipient account details.
Our 4 day expedition to Balabac was the highlight of our Philippines trip. The whole trip was well organized from start to finish and you didn’t have to worry about anything anymore. The whole community at the camp and the other visitors are super nice and very dedicated, you feel very welcome. Especially our guide Jeremy did a great job and tried to get the best out of the 4 days. As a vegetarian you have no problems and the portions were always more than sufficient for everyone. You can’t expect a luxury holiday as the conditions in the camp are very simple, but you really experience pure paradise as it’s really much nicer than in all the pictures and without the mass tourism, as in many other places in Palawan 🙂
We had a nice trip to Balabac! Our guide, Mark, and his team were very nice and took good care of us. We visited several islands, including Onok Island and Canimeran Island. These were incredible nice places, with turquoise water and white beaches. Maybe one of the finest places we’ve ever seen. The camp we stayed in had a simple standard, so be prepared that the toilet and shower facilities are limited.
Otherwise it takes quite a while to get to camp and the various islands. The boat doesn’t go very fast and the engine is noisy. So bring earrings.
But overall this was a wonderful experience and memories we will have for life. Thank you for a nice trip!
The Balabac Tour by the Wanderwalkers was well organized! I got a hold of them through Facebook and booked a private tour for my family. I had absolutely no problem communicating with the company, they were very helpful and friendly. Yes, we did have to separately book and pay for our flights to get to Puerto Princesa and accommodation for one night. We stayed at Hostel Privado, which is a budget friendly option, but the hosts were very friendly and welcoming. It is also located on a strip full of restaurants and convenience stores, which is great if you needed to pick up last minute things before the trip. The van picked us up early at 4am in the morning the next day, and everything after that was provided for and coordinated by the tour company (i.e. meals, transportation, accommodations). The tour was not a luxurious experience, it’s really more like camping on an island. But trust me, the experience is worth it! I also strongly recommend upgrading to a teepee hut if you can. The people at the basecamp were great! We definitely enjoyed the food! Our tour guide and boat crew were amazing companions throughout our entire trip. They really went above and beyond to ensure that our island hopping experience was to the fullest! You can also purchase wifi at the camp if you really needed it, but the reception is only strong by the dining hall. But I recommend staying offline to really enjoy the island life. And, of course, the views, the islands, the ocean, the white sand were unlike any other! This tour is truly one of those hidden gems that you must see at least once before the place gets even more developed and overcrowded with tourists. Be warned though, the boat rides are long (average 1 to 2 hours) and the motors are loud. So I recommend bringing earphones or earplugs for the trip. The boat seats aren’t very comfortable, so your butt will get sore after sitting a long time, but they had extra life jackets that you could sit on, which helped a bit. Lastly, bring bug spray (You can also purchase some at the basecamp)!! There are sand mites at the basecamp. While they’re completely harmless, the afterbites are incredibly itchy. I got bitten quite a bit, but I think it depends on each person because my dad was barely bit. Anyways, we hope to come back someday!
Overall the tour exceeded our expectations and was excellent value for money. Very well organised. Our favourite experience in the Philippines. A great crew including our tour guide Jeremy. We ate well. We upgraded to the beach hut and were comfortable. We visited amazing islands and saw amazing wildlife. We were very lucky with good weather in October.
Accommodation – Our beach hut was glamping. Comfortable mattress + pillow + sheet with a good mosquito net. Solar power allows phone charging. Also a ceiling fan which really helps keep you cool. Our friends stayed in the tent which is also comfortable with a mattress etc.
Campsite – wow! Beautiful campsite with hammocks, big sheltered dining hall, bathrooms, on the beach!
Food – excellent and good portions. Options for veggie , meat, fish. Plenty of drinking water provided.
Bathroom – better than expected. The bucket shower works well and there are 5 bathrooms.
Before the trip – Easy to book through Instagram and good communication. Group chat created with all participants and pick up organised from our hotel (Best Western Ivywall).
Day 1 We were picked up at around 4am and it took around 6 hours in a van to get to Bulilyan port. We stopped off for a nice breakfast included. At the port you can buy snacks / drinks. We visited the beautiful islands of Patawan and Tangkahan and then the campsite for a nice supper.
Day 2 – We travelled for 2 hour by boat to Onok island. We spent the day here which was amazing. The water is pristine and we swam with turtles. 2 hours back. Supper and drinks / games.
Day 3 – We travelled to candaraman reef, starfish sandbar, mansalagan sandbar. The sandbar was our personal favourite – 1km of walking on the sand through the sea! Total of around 4 hours on the boat. A good supper and drinks/ games.
Day 4- Early start and breakfast. 2 hours back to port. 6 hour van with a stop for lunch.
Advice – bring mosquito repellent , sun cream, sun top, hat, games, medications.
This 3 nights/4 days trip was absolutely amazing. Well organised: the camp is well kept, cleaned, bathrooms nicer that I imagined, the whole location and surroundings are stunning. The food was very very nice, they even made us snacks between the main dinings. The crew members are also great, made sure we had some fun during the nights and day. The islands are more beautiful than I can describe, just absolutely stunning. There were no tourists besides us, it was a very peaceful vacation, we totally enjoyed not having signal and internet, electricity. We had everything we needed. I recommend this trip to everyone needing a little getaway to paradise, you won’t regret it! 100% worth the price.