Palawan SandCastles

Go native in breezy air-conditioned beach houses and fan-cooled pavilions on the closest and prettiest beach to Coron-Busuanga Airport, Palawan, Philippines.

With its rustic island charm, travelers to Palawan SandCastles are sure to find bliss on one of the most beautiful spots on Busuanga Island. Only a 30-minute drive from the airport, Palawan SandCastles features private white sand beaches, beachfront accommodation, and a house reef in a private cove.

All 10 rooms open up to the tropical breeze, with the beach houses featuring romantic mosquito net canopies when air-conditioning’s not your thing.

Fresh, spring water-fed plunge pools are a feature of all but the two backpacker native pavilions; backpackers though still have access to the plunge pool at the bar!

SandCastles isn’t your typical tropical beach resort. It’s quite unique.

Located in a private cove with a white sand beach, SandCastles is both a beach resort and expedition base. Yes, you can relax, unwind & vegetate take in the sun, sand, and the coral drop-off, or you can have free use of a SandCastles snorkel & mask, sea kayak, and mountain bike and explore SandCastles and its surroundings.

Adventure

SandCastles is the Palawan base for Tribal Adventures, offering guided trips to Calauit Wildlife Park; Sinibayan Waterfalls; biking tours across the forested breadth of Busuanga; snorkeling outings with dugong; sea kayaking and beach camping multi-day expeditions; day trips to Coron & Culion.

You can get your absolute fill of adventure with full board doing an awesome day tour each and every full day as an ADVENTURE PACKAGE participant. The tours are run by sister company and national tourism (Kalakbay) awardee Tribal Adventure Tours, which has a base at SandCastles and in Coron. Its catalogue of tours expeditions in and around Busuanga, Coron, Culion, Linapacan, and El Nido run into the dozens–and they’re packaged at a fraction of the stand-alone tour price. 

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SandCastles also has an outlet of Dugong Dive Center. But don’t fret if you don’t dive: In conjunction with Tribal Adventures, SandCastles runs regular boat trips into Dugong Bay to snorkel with dugong, as well as daily guiding paddling trips around idyllic outlying islands.

Dining

Food is expedition cuisine, the fare Tribal Adventures‘ participants enjoy on our cruise-kayak-camp expeditions through the Calamianes and El Nido. Fresh, local & natural, food’s prepared in our unique kawa kitchen. Or, you can grab or catch your own fish and cook it on the guest barbecue; there’s no charge.

Getting Here

To get to and from Palawan SandCastles

As the coronavirus pandemic winds up we’re offering free, private car and van transfers. After tourism resumes Covid-free transfers will revert to the following:

Public Transportation

Take Fabia jeepney (bus) from the center of Coron town at 11am: cost around 80 pesos for 3 hour trip to Palawan SandCastles, Lakdayan, Cheey. Return is daily on Fabia jeepney at 5 am from Palawan SandCastles. There is also a shared van departing opposite the Coron Gateway Hotel, also at 11 am.

Private Hire Per Person

1. Four-wheel Drive one-way transfer costs 2,000 pesos from Coron-Busuanga (USU) airport, or 2,500 pesos from Coron town, good for 1-4 persons. Road conditions generally require the use of our Land Rover Defender 110 or Isuzu D-Max double cabin pick-up. For incoming guests, guests are requested to text or call 0907 5244864 before flight departure from Manila / Puerto Princesa / Caticlan / El Nido
2. 2. Van/4×4 hire costs 2,500-5,000 pesos per day.
3. 3. Rent a motorbike from Coron town for 500 pesos a day.

Private car or van transfer

Email palawansandcastles@gmail.com names of adult and child passengers, flight name, flight number, and scheduled arrival time. Cost = 750 pesos per adult and 500 pesos per child 2-11 years old.

Transport Modes

By Plane from Manila

• AirJuan – Cessna Caravan land plane (+63) 915 501 6095 or seaplane (+63) 916 212 0936; (+63 2) 464 77 99
  • Manila-Busuanga – Wednesdays, Fridays, and Sundays
  • Puerto Princesa-Busuanga – flights every Tuesday and Friday
  • Busuanga-Caticlan – USU-MPH 1130/1215 Tue & Fri / MPH-USU 1245/1330 Tue & Fri
  • Puerto Princesa-Busuanga – PPS-USU 1000/1110 Tue & Fri / USU-PPS 1350/1500 Tue & Fri
• Philippine Airlines – PAL flies between Manila and Clark near Manila 2-4 times a day. Baggage allowance usually 10kgs
• Cebu Pacific – 3-5 daily flights from Manila’s Terminal 4. Pay extra for luggage.
• Skyjet – 2-4 daily flights from Manila’s Terminal 4. 10kg free check-in luggage, additional luggage up to total of 30kg can be purchased at P150/kg.

By Boat from Manila / Puerto Princesa

• 2Go plies the Coron – Puerto Princesa and Coron – Manila regularly
• 2GO Ferry The 2GO ferry costs around P2000/pax in Tourist class (air-conditioned bunk beds, dorm style) including linen and 1 meal and takes about 14 hours (plus an additional 7 hours for late departure). The facilities are relatively good and well-maintained and service is fairly efficient.

By Ferry from El Nido

• Montenegro Fast Ferry at 1800 pesos + or take the slower option of Overcomer and Jessabel

By Van from the Busuanga Airport to Coron Town

• There are numerous vans hawking airport transfer to Coron Town at P150/person one-way.