7 Best Waterfalls in Palawan That Are Oh-So-Majestic

Location: Barangay Estrella Village, Narra, Palawan

First on our list of best waterfalls in Palawan is located at the foot of Mt. Victoria; Estrella Falls is a tourist favorite as it never loses its charm year-round. The town’s iconic waterfalls were declared a hall of fame in the regional search for the cleanest inland water body. So, bathing in its refreshing, natural pool is an excellent idea. You can also rent an inflatable tube and float down the river. A visit to one of the best waterfalls in Palawan will also allow you to spot monkeys frolicking around. If you’ve got more days to spare going to some of the best tourist spots in Palawan, you can make Estrella Falls your jump-off point when you chase 63 more waterfalls up in the mountain!

The recommended budget for one is PhP600, including the entrance fee and transportation allowance.

How to get to Estrella Falls: Take a less than two-hour van ride to Narra from the San Jose terminal in Puerto Princesa City. Get off the national highway in Barangay Malatgao and charter a tricycle to Estrella Falls in Barangay Estrella Village. The Estrella Falls is one hour 57 minutes (93.3 km) via Puerto Princesa South Road

Location: Barangay Cataban, Taytay, Palawan

Tucked in the forested mountain up north in Taytay it is known to be one of the best waterfalls in Palawan; Kuyawyaw Falls boasts three waterfalls, the last being the most majestic. Going to these falls involves around 45 minutes of trekking from the jump-off. Along the established trail heading to these falls in Palawan, you’ll lose track of time while looking up to towering trees dancing in the breeze. Trekking through the jungle would also let you see different facades of mountain life, like birds whose sweet sounds are a welcome treat, making it one of the best tourist spots in Palawan. The trail going to some of Palawan's best waterfalls, just like Kuyawyaw Falls, can get slippery during the rainy season. But it’s worth it once you see each waterfall rushing into the turquoise plunge pool.

The recommended budget for one is PhP700 to PhP1,000, including entrance and tour guide fees and transportation allowance.

How to get to Kuyawyaw Falls: Take a three- to four-hour van ride to Taytay from the San Jose terminal in Puerto Princesa City. Charter a motorcycle or tricycle at the town proper and drive for 20 minutes to the jump-off in Barangay Cataban. The travel time via Puerto Princesa North Road is 4 hours 8 minutes (232.8 km).

Location: Barangay Binduyan, Puerto Princesa City, Palawan

Next on our list of best waterfalls in Palawan will let you have a 40-minute trek from the national highway in Puerto Princesa’s Barangay Binduyan, which will bring you to Olanguan Falls at the heart of a dense tropical forest. Going to the falls, however, isn’t a walk in the park, as the journey will leave you sweating on steep climbs. As you go along at one of the best tourist spots in Palawan, minor cascades will greet you. The trek heading to one of the best waterfalls in Palawan will also allow you to encounter butterflies, birds, and other wildlife. And with that, bringing a high-powered camera is an excellent idea! The two-level Olangoan Falls has a plunge pool that turns emerald during the rainy season, which is also the best time to visit it. From the main falls in Palawan, hike up a bit farther, and you’ll see a cascade enclosed by a heart-shaped rock formation. Going to these kinds of best waterfalls in Palawan wouldn’t let you feel the refreshing ambiance but also see the beauty of nature.

The recommended budget for one is PhP450, including entrance and tour guide fees and transportation allowance.

How to get to Olangoan Falls: Take a northbound van from the San Jose terminal in Puerto Princesa City. After an hour's ride, get off the Olangoan Bridge with a kilometer 72 marker along the national highway in Barangay Binduyan, where you can find the jump-off. The travel time from Puerto Princesa airport is one hour and 25 minutes (77.4 km) via Puerto Princesa North Road.

Location: Barangay Pasadena, El Nido, Palawan

There’s more to El Nido than islands and beaches. When talking about the best waterfalls in Palawan, thrill-seekers head to Barangay Pasadena during the rainy season to see the Nagkalit-kalit Falls. The trek from the jump-off along the highway to this best tourist spot in Palawan lasts 45 minutes. It’s a long walk, you would say, but we assure you the whitewater view that waits is well worth it. After navigating through the wilderness with some muddy, ascending paths and lots of river crossings going to one of the best waterfalls in Palawan, you can finally take a dip in Nagkalit-kalit Falls’ cold pool and appreciate the rawness of nature all over you.

The recommended budget for one is PhP770, including entrance and tour guide fees.

How to get to Nagkalit-kalit Falls: From the San Jose terminal in Puerto Princesa City, take a five-hour van ride to El Nido. In El Nido downtown, you can rent a scooter and drive for 30 minutes to the jump-off in Barangay Pasadena. The travel time from El Nido airport is 15 min (8.8 km) via Taytay - El Nido National Hwy.

Location: Barangay Bacungan, Puerto Princesa City, Palawan

Before you head up north, you’ve got to see Tibag Falls first, one of the best waterfalls in Palawan that you shouldn’t miss. Hidden in the mountains of Puerto Princesa, this best-kept secret started to draw adventure junkies since it was discovered a few years ago. The cascades that make up Tibag Falls are even more visually stunning during the rainy season, becoming one of the best tourist spots in Palawan. To soothe your tired muscles, lean on one of its rocks and get a massage from the strong gush of water from Palawan's best waterfalls. Catch a sweeping view of the verdant lowland forest when you climb to the top of Tibag Falls in Palawan, but proceed with caution as the rocks are slippery, and a misstep may cause you to have a bad fall.

The recommended budget for one is PhP1,000, including environmental and entrance fees and extra water and food.

How to get to Tibag Falls: From the San Jose terminal in Puerto Princesa City, take a northbound van for 30 minutes and get off at Bacungan Bridge, where the jump-off is located. The travel time is 53 minutes (34.5 km) via Puerto Princesa North Road.

Location: Barangay Mainit, Brooke’s Point, Palawan

Next on the list of best waterfalls in Palawan is the Bakbakan Falls in Brooke’s Point, which makes a fine pit stop if you’re traveling between Puerto Princesa and Bataraza. Going to one of the best tourist spots in Palawan like this is an adventure, as you will hike for a little over an hour through a steep forested trail punctuated by streams and minor cascades. Bakbakan Falls is 200 feet high and drops to an emerald basin, perfect for dipping after a tiring hike. What makes these waterfalls in Palawan the best is that they host the exquisite Trogonoptera trojana, a Palawan-native butterfly species with a wingspan of about 18 to 19 centimeters.

The recommended budget for one is PhP1,000, including entrance and tour guide fees and transportation allowance.

How to get to Bakbakan Falls: Take a three-and-a-half-hour van ride to Brooke's Point from the San Jose terminal in Puerto Princesa City. In Brooke’s Point downtown, charter a tricycle to get to the Seven Falls Hot Spring and Nature Park jump-off. The travel time is 3 hours 39 minutes (190.4 km) via Puerto Princesa South Road.

Location: Barangay Malihud, Bataraza, Palawan

Last on the list of best waterfalls in Palawan will satisfy your thirst for a thrill as you trek up to Kapangyan and Lalatuan Falls in Palawan. Situated deep in the mountains of Bataraza, you can reach these waterfalls in two to three hours of trekking through the river dotted with boulders and passing by smaller waterfalls. On the deeper portions of the river heading to the best waterfalls in Palawan, you have no choice but to traverse the riverside, go over fallen trees, and hold on to veins. The first that emerges from sight is Kapangyan, who falls down a steep rock surface into a small pool. For a wider swimming area, continue the journey to more of the best tourist spots in Palawan, like Lalatuan Falls, which is equally stunning.

The recommended budget for one is PhP600 for the transportation fee; no entrance and environmental fees are being collected yet.

How to get to Kapangyan and Lalatuan Falls: From the San Jose terminal in Puerto Princesa City, take a four-hour van ride to Bataraza. In Bataraza downtown, charter a tricycle and travel for around 30 minutes to the jump-off in Barangay Malihud. The travel time is 4 hours 40 minutes (253.3 km) via Puerto Princesa South Road.