The hook
A long, thin island of jungle-topped limestone cliffs and hidden lagoons, where you hop by boat between turquoise coves, and, further south, sunken WWII wrecks and one of the world's longest navigable underground rivers.
01Why it's worth it
Palawan is the Philippines at its most postcard-perfect. Around El Nido in the north, sheer karst islands rise from clear water, and boat tours thread into hidden lagoons you enter by kayak or by swimming through gaps in the rock, stopping at empty beaches for lunch. Near Coron, the same dramatic limestone scenery is paired with crystal lakes and a cluster of Japanese warships sunk in the war, now among the finest wreck dives anywhere. Down the coast at Puerto Princesa, a river runs for kilometres through a cave system, one of the longest underground rivers you can boat into. The scenery is spectacular enough that the honeypots have grown crowded and a little overdeveloped, but the sheer number of islands means a boat and a bit of effort still find empty water.
02How to experience it
Island-hop by boat from El Nido or the quieter Coron, going out early to beat the tour flotillas to the best lagoons. Divers should prioritise Coron's wrecks. Fit in the Puerto Princesa underground river if it's on your route. Trade the busiest tours for private or small-group boats where you can.
The honest note
The most-upvoted comment in the r/travel Philippines thread is someone who has travelled the country for years answering the question everyone actually asks first. "Is it safe? Yes. Sure, there are all those travel advisories, and sure, you may get unlucky. But if you can take care of yourself in your other travels, you'll be fine." Their measured version of the risk is worth more than the advisories: "generally, our biggest safety concerns have been mosquitoes and adverse weather conditions — e.g. floods."
That second clause is the real planning constraint here. Palawan sits in the typhoon belt, sea conditions cancel island-hopping boats at short notice, and a washed-out day is far likelier to shape your trip than anything in a government warning. Build slack into the itinerary rather than booking a tight chain of connections.