Palaui Island Travel Guide 2017 – the Almost Batanes
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Palaui Island. Who has heard of this place? Last year, when Nestee invited the rest of the Wander Junkies to book flights to Tuguegarao City, I thought, what can we do there? Apparently, there’s a hidden gem in the northern most part of Cagayan Valley, and it’s Palaui Island. If you’re an avid fan of Survivor, then you might have heard of this protected island. They filmed the 27th and 28th seasons of Survivor there, Blood vs Water and Cagayan.
To be honest, planning for this trip wasn’t easy. My friends and I always choose to DIY our trips, and researching information on Palaui Island online gave us a lot of dead ends. Only a handful of blogs have information, and some are mostly outdated, and it is a disappointment because Palaui Island is a beautiful place to visit.
How to get to Palaui Island from Manila
There are two options to get to Palaui Island from Manila.
- Via Plane
- Ride a Bus
Via Plane to Tuguegarao City to Sta. Ana
My friends and I opted to fly to Tuguegarao City to save time. From the airport, we took a tricycle to Brickstone Mall, which is beside the van terminal, where you can ride a van to Sta. Ana, Cagayan for Php180/pax. It’s usually a 2-hr van ride, but it took us 3-hrs.
Note: There are vans that offer a ride to Sta. Ana for Php3000, exclusive to you and your friends. If you’re a big group, you can choose that, otherwise, just go to the van terminal at Brickstone Mall.
Ride a Bus to Tuguegarao City to Sta. Ana
You can ride a bus to Tuguegarao City via Victory Liner. There are three terminals where you can book a ride to Tuguegarao: Caloocan, Kamias, and Sampaloc. To check the available schedules please check this Victory Liner Terminal Guide. Depending on the time, the bus fare could range from Php643 to Php860. Head to the van terminal beside Brickstone Mall, and catch a ride to Sta. Ana, Cagayan.
From Sta. Ana to San Vicente Port
The van terminal is beside Brickstone Mall. You can ride a tricycle from the airport to the van terminal. You can talk to the driver of the van to take you to San Vicente Port without any additional cost, just let them know that you’re headed there once you ride the van. Usually, the van stops at the Sta. Ana Commercial Center, where you can buy what you need, like food and water, to Palaui Island. From there, you can take a tricycle to San Vicente Port.
From San Vicente Port to Palaui Island
At the port, you can hire a boat to Punta Verde. In our case, we stayed two nights at Punta Verde, so we went directly to Punta Verde and went the next day to Palaui Island. What made our trip easier was calling a boatman beforehand to wait and pick us up from the port.
Here’s the process of their tourism from San Vicente Port:
- Go to the PASAMOBA Cooperative office. Kuya Jun manages the office and will assist you.
- Choose a tour.
- Pay for the environmental fee of Php75 and the boat rental (price depending on your chosen tour).
Boat Rental
It seems like the tours in Palaui Island are now standardized. We did contact Kuya Edwin, a boatman that was recommended by our homestay, a week before our trip. But Kuya Edwin is not a boatman anymore. I believe that he now manages the tourism in that area, I am unsure, and we actually met him during our Cape Engano tour as our guide. His brother, Kuya Jun, was assigned as our boatman.
Contact Kuya Edwin at +63 926 9064657
Where to Stay
You have two options for accommodations:
- Rent a hotel in Sta. Ana and have a day tour to Palaui Island
- Spend a night or two at a homestay in Punta Verde
We chose option #2. We contacted Elsa Lagdaran to reserve a room for 4 adults.
Contact Elsa’s Homestay in Punta Verde: +63 905 2832559
There are 3 rooms in her house that can be rented, and it costs Php250/head. She can also cook your food which costs Php100/head/meal. Please note that her rooms have 2 queen-sized beds with 2 pillows and 2 blankets per bed. Each room has a basic private bathroom. (Our review of Elsa’s Homestay will be uploaded soon)
Tour Packages
You can arrange your tours once you arrive at San Vicente Port, or you may contact them in advance.
Contact Kuya Eliseo “Jun” Tangcora +63 975 857 2321
Please note that the maximum boat capacity is 8 persons. Single destinations should only be within 6-hours from the time of boarding to arrival. An additional Php100 will be charged for every hour of extension.
Special Trip – Php 3500 (Day) / Php3800 (Overnight)
We recommend getting this package, as it showcases the best of Palaui Island. You will visit the following places for the special trip:
- Cape Engaño
- Punta Verde
- Anguib Beach
- Crocodile Island
By Destination
| LONG DISTANCE | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Destination | Estimated Travel Time | Price | |
| Cape Engaño | 45 minutes | Php 1800 | |
| Anguib | 25 minutes | Php 1500 | |
| Siwangag | 30 minutes | Php 1500 | |
| Puzurubo | 1 hour | Php 1800 | |
| SHORT DISTANCE | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Destination | Estimated Travel Time | Price | |
| Crocodile Island | 5 minutes | Php 500 | |
| Punta Verde | 15 minutes | Php 1000 | |
| Pugo Moro | 5 minutes | Php 500 | |
Combination Tours
Php 500Php 800Php 2800Php 2500
| Destinations | Price |
| Crocodile Island (2 hours) | |
| Crocodile Island (6 hours) | |
| 30 Minutes Cruising around Crocodile Island and Pugo Moros Island | Php 1000 |
| Anguib Beach/ Cape Engaño | Php 3000 |
| Punta Verde / Cape Engaño (Overnight) | |
| Punta Verde / Mabolbol (Overnight) | Php 2500 |
| Crocodile Island / Anguib Beach | Php 1800 |
| Cape Engaño / Siwangag | Php 2200 |
| Siwangag / Anguib Beach | Php 3000 |
| Cape Engaño / Crocodile Island | Php 2200 |
| Punta Verde / Anguib Beach | Php 2200 |
| Snake Island / Crocodile Island | Php 1500 |
| Punta Verde / Crocodile Island | Php 1300 |
| Punta Verde / Cape Engaño (Trekking) |
Takuli (Traditional Kayak) Experience
| Rates | |
| Takuli for 3 persons | Php 600 |
| Takuli for 2 persons | Php 300 |
| Eco-guide Fee | Php 300 |
ECO Tours
What to Experience:
- Bird watching
- Cape Engano Lighthouse
- Dos Hermanas Island
- Protected Landscape / Seascape
- Breathtaking vistas and scenery
| GUIDE FEE: Php 300 | |
| 1 to 4 visitors | 1 tour guide |
| 5 to 8 visitors | 2 tour guides |
| 9 to 12 visitors | 3 tour guides |
| Destination | Trail |
| From Punta Verde to Cape Engano | Lagunzad’s Trail |
| From Punta Verde to Siwangag | Leonardo’s Trail |
| Siwangag Trail | |
| New Rates | |
| Punta Verde to Cape Engano (ride a boat to Siwangag) |
Php 500 |
| Siwangag to Punta Verde | Php 500 |
| Plus Baratubut Falls | Php 50 |
Download PDF Travel Guide
Please look forward to our Palaui Island experience, as well as our review on our accommodations.
Hi! Yung Special Trip po ba is charged per person or group?
Hi Lois! It’s for the whole group with the max number of 8 persons.
Hello. How much po yung estimated budget?
When we traveled, we were 4. Ang nagastos namin in Palaui only for 2 nights is 5k/person including airfare. Our airfare is P1316.12 per person.
Yung P3,800 is overnight lang ba yun, as in one night and pwede ba mag-camping and which island? We plan on at least 2 nights para sulit stay pero kung another P3,800 ulit, ipambabayad ko na lang sa life insurance ko. Salamat po.
Based on our stay, we paid P4100 for the 2 nights package, separate pa ang homestay which is P250/night/person. 🙂
May included po bang lunch dun sa special trip or boat rental lang sya?
Thanks!
Hi! Lunch was not included. We paid for a packed lunch from our home stay.
Hello Dre,
Ask ko lang po kung kasya na po yung 5k pag backpacker papuntang palaui island?
Salamat
Hi, Rene! Yes, that should be enough. Bring extra, just in case.
Hi! If it’s a family trip for 10 and we’re from vigan with own car what package do u suggest or how much is the budget?
Get the special trip (Day Trip) to get the full experience. Then stay at Nangaramoan Beach Resort and stay for 2 nights. 🙂
Dear Sir/ Madam:
I’m working in a hotel in Santa Ana, Philippines. We are looking for ways to sell more flight + hotel package to non-China tourists(It is because we already have a team focusing on the mainland Chinese market). Do you have any idea? You can add my WhatsApp(+852 53465377) if we can talk in details.
Facts: Our company owns a hotel resort in Santa Ana where is a special economic zone in the northern Luzon Island. We also charter a flight from macau to Lal-lo airport twice a week. It is a two-hour direct flight and our hotel provides free airport shuttle in the airport.
Advantage: It is the fastest route traveling to Palaui Island and Santa Ana. The package offers the best value for the trip.
Thanks!
Our Link in Booking.com:
https://www.booking.com/hotel/ph/avalon-beach-club.en-gb.html?label=gen173nr-1DCAEoggI46AdIM1gEaLQBiAEBmAEruAEXyAEM2AED6AEBiAIBqAIDuAKImNTqBcACAQ;sid=3bba2b0301990b1428be14e332b7b04c;all_sr_blocks=167151303_193859627_1_2_0;checkin=2019-08-18;checkout=2019-08-19;dest_id=-2451278;dest_type=city;dist=0;group_adults=1;group_children=0;hapos=1;highlighted_blocks=167151303_193859627_1_2_0;hpos=1;no_rooms=1;req_adults=1;req_children=0;room1=A;sb_price_type=total;sr_order=popularity;srepoch=1565855178;srpvid=e1e236a5e98a0036;type=total;ucfs=1&#hotelTmpl
Edwin
Party Beach Resort
Email: Party-Santa-Ana@outlook.com