Enjoy a Sustainable Vacation at These 6 Eco-friendly Hotels in Palawan

Address: Pops District, Sitio Lugadia, Barangay Corong-Corong, El Nido, Palawan

The budget-friendly Eco Hotel boasts spacious rooms with a magnificent view of Corong-Corong Bay. These eco-friendly rooms allow natural light to pass through and feature light fixtures creatively made of upcycled wine bottles with energy-saving bulbs. The rooms are also adorned with side tables made from felled tree trunks, headboards assembled using reclaimed wood, handicrafts indigenous to Palawan, homemade bricks, and natural stones sourced from local dwellers.

When staying at Eco Hotel, you’re encouraged to follow its green practices, such as turning off the lights, air conditioning unit, television, and shower heater, and tap when not in use to conserve power and water. You can also participate in its waste reduction effort by refusing single-use items like hygiene kits.

How to get to Eco Hotel: Request a service van from El Nido airport to get to Eco Hotel. Alternatively, you can ride a public van five hours from Puerto Princesa City.

Address: Sito Sabang, Barangay Cabayugan, Puerto Princesa City

Daluyon Beach and Mountain Resort is a prime beachfront resort located near the Puerto Princesa Underground River, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and one of the New Seven Wonders of Nature. This four-star resort and hotel in Palawan offers “world-class facilities, sumptuous local-international cuisine, and outstanding customer service.” Its eco-friendly initiatives include “energy-efficient lighting and air conditioning, environment-friendly insulation materials, low-flow showers, and a fully-implemented policy against littering.”

Daluyon donates USD5 to the World Wide Fund Philippines for every guest booked per night to help raise awareness of climate change effects and promote responsible tourism. These green practices have thrice earned the company the bi-annual ASEAN Green Resort Award.

How to get to Daluyon Beach and Mountain Resort: Daluyon’s luxury private vans will pick you up at the Puerto Princesa airport. Alternatively, you can get to the resort by riding a public van from the San Jose terminal at the city proper.

Address: Lio Tourism Estate, Barangay Villa Libertad, El Nido, Palawan

Blessed with a beautiful natural environment, it’s no wonder Huni Lio in the Lio Tourism Estate gives its guests a greater appreciation for nature. This tropical architecture bed and breakfast hotel features 50 modern interiors, plus an all-day dining restaurant, bar, swimming pool, and function room. What makes the internationally-acclaimed Lio Tourism Estate sustainable is that it “successfully integrated the site’s natural features, such as mangroves, lagoons, and forests,” into its overall design.

All facilities in the estate, including Huni Lio, are built to have a less environmental impact. Regarding landscaping, it also uses native plant species and ensures structures are only as high as a coconut tree to preserve the area’s natural beauty.

How to get to Huni Lio: From Lio airport, you’ll be picked up by the hotel’s e-vehicle. Travel time to Huni Lio lasts up to around 10 minutes.

Address: El Nido and Taytay, Palawan

El Nido Resorts is a multi-awarded group of sustainable island resorts that offer “genuine, local hospitality, and unique and enriching experiences amidst the beautiful natural landscapes.” These eco-friendly hotels in Palawan are located in a biodiversity-rich protected area, so they observe green practices in their operations. All their structures are made of renewable materials compliant with green design and architecture principles.

Inside each room, the management provides its environmental policies called “10 El NiDos” to remind guests of appropriate behavior when staying in the place. Regarding nature-based activities like island hopping, El Nido Resorts ensures these are low in carbon footprint and high in natural and cultural interpretation to ensure eco-consciousness and that guests will have a guilt-free getaway.

How to get to El Nido Resorts: Going to any of El Nido Resorts’ islands involves van transfer to a jetty and boat ride that lasts up to 2.5 hours, with Pangulasian Island as the farthest.

Address: Sangat Island, Barangay Bintuan, Coron, Palawan

Eco-conscious travelers will feel at home when they set foot at Tao Sangat Island Dive Resort. In keeping with the island’s natural beauty, all 23 accommodations are constructed in traditional, native-style architecture using the finest locally-available materials. The resort is also powered by solar energy and relies on its desalinization plant for its fresh water supply.

This best-kept secret is also a haven for scuba diving enthusiasts. The island’s beachfront sit 11 historic World War II shipwrecks, which you could explore after trying out paddle boarding, sea kayaking, snorkeling, and nature trekking, among other nature-based activities.

How to get to Tao Sangat Island Dive Resort: From the Busuanga airport, the resort van will take 30 minutes to bring you to a small jetty. There awaits a speedboat that will take you to the resort in 40 minutes.

Address: Turtle Bay, Barangay Port Barton, San Vicente, Palawan

Secret Paradise Resort & Turtle Sanctuary is an award-winning premier resort set in two private coves with a 4.1-kilometer coastline. Guests may choose from the resort’s top-of-the-line beachfront accommodations situated in four beach locations within its property. As an eco-friendly resort, Secret Paradise is geared towards protecting the endangered turtles calling the 28-hectare Turtle Bay home, as well as the monkey, birds, butterflies, and other species that dwell in its 119-hectare nature reserve.

Activities to try when staying here are snorkeling and kayaking in the bay that teems with tropical fish and beautiful corals. With deep corals and the possibility of sighting manta rays, sea cows, and dolphins, the far end of the bay opens up another world for divers!

How to get to Secret Paradise Resort & Turtle Sanctuary: Ride a service van from San Vicente airport to the town pier. From there, the resort’s speedboat will bring you to its property in Turtle Bay..

November 2022 Update: Secret Paradise Resort & Turtle Sanctuary is temporarily closed.

Visit Yoorekka Magazine for more hotel options and travel destinations in Palawan!