eSIM for Palawan

Palawan: what to know before you go

Island-hopping days

El Nido sells its boat tours by lettered routes, usually called Tour A to D, and Coron has its own full-day routes to lagoons and lakes. These days run on boats and at lagoons where signal comes and goes, so save your booking and the pick-up point before you leave town.

The Underground River

The Puerto Princesa Underground River needs a permit, and entry is refused without one. Most visitors let a tour operator handle it. Do not expect signal inside the cave, and keep the confirmation saved.

El Nido to Puerto Princesa by road

The road between El Nido and Puerto Princesa is a long ride, typically 5 to 6 hours by van. Download maps before you set off and keep the van booking on your phone.

The ferry between El Nido and Coron

A fast ferry links El Nido and Coron and takes several hours. Sailings follow a schedule that changes with the season, and some are cancelled in rough weather, so keep the ticket on your phone and check the operator's notices on the day.

Flights

Puerto Princesa has the main airport, with flights from Manila and Cebu. El Nido's Lio airport takes only small planes, and Coron is served through Busuanga airport.

How much data you need

A week of maps, bookings and photos takes about 3 to 5 GB. Days on boats use little, since you are mostly offline.

Written 24 October 2026. Opening rules, fees, prices at attractions and event dates change, so check the official site before you rely on them.

Palawan: when people go

21 to 28 March 2027: Holy Week

Holy Week ends with Easter Sunday on 28 March 2027 and is a national holiday period. Domestic flights, ferries and island resorts sell out weeks ahead, so book boats and rooms early and keep tickets on your phone.

December 2026 to May 2027: dry season

Roughly December to May is the dry season, when seas are calmest and most tours run. Wind and swell cancel boats more often than rain does, and the north-east winds from December to February can make the El Nido to Coron crossing rough.

June to October 2027: typhoon season

Heavy swell and storms can cancel island tours for days at a time, and the Coast Guard has suspended tours in El Nido and Coron during typhoons. Ferries and small planes can be cancelled at short notice, so leave slack around flights.

Philippines eSIM 2026: prices, network and coverage

10 plans, from $2.49 (1 GB, 7 days) to $41.49 (50 GB, 30 days). Networks: Globe 5G and SMART 5G.

Network

Globe 5G, SMART 5G

Top-up

Yes, from the app, on the same eSIM

Validity starts

At the first connection at your destination

Install by

Shown on your order. An eSIM that is never installed expires

Your number

Stays active, plans are data only

Hotspot

Uses the same plan data, no separate charge

After the daily allowance

Day passes slow down to 512 Kbps

Updated October 29, 2026

Questions about Palawan

Is there signal on the island-hopping tours?

Not reliably. El Nido town and Coron town have signal, but at the lagoons, on the boats and on remote beaches it comes and goes or is absent. Download your offline map and keep the booking saved.

Do I need to arrange the Underground River permit before I arrive?

A permit is required, and entry is refused without one. Many visitors book a tour that includes it. How and where permits are issued has changed over the years, so check with the Puerto Princesa city tourism office.

How much does an eSIM for Palawan cost?

Palawan uses the Philippines plans, because an eSIM belongs to a country and not to a city. Plans start at $2.49 for 1 GB, valid for 7 days. There are 10 plans, from 1 GB to 50 GB, plus unlimited day passes.

Do I need a Philippine SIM card in Palawan?

No. In the Philippines every SIM card has to be registered with an ID, which for a visitor means the passport. The eSIM is a SIM card in digital form: you install it at home, and when you land it works on Globe and SMART.

How is it different from roaming in Palawan?

With roaming, your own carrier bills the data you use abroad, usually by the day or by the megabyte, at the prices of your plan. The eSIM is prepaid: you know the cost before you leave and nothing is added later. Keep data roaming off on your usual line, so it cannot charge you.

Which networks does the Palawan eSIM use?

Wigoo connects to Globe and SMART, with 5G where it is available. Each plan lists the operators it uses.

Can I add more data?

Yes. You top up the same eSIM from the app, without installing a new one.

Do I keep my phone number?

Yes. Plans are data only, so your usual line stays active for calls and texts, and WhatsApp keeps working as always.

When do the validity days start?

Not when you buy and not when you install: the days start counting when the eSIM connects to a network at your destination for the first time. A 30 day plan gives you 30 days from that first connection.

How long do I have to install the eSIM?

An eSIM that is never installed expires. The "Install by" date is shown on your order, on the site and in the app, so you can buy ahead of your trip. Install it before that date, on Wi-Fi.

Can I use the eSIM as a hotspot?

Data used through a personal hotspot comes out of the same plan, and Wigoo does not charge it separately. A laptop uses far more data than a phone, so for work a day pass or a bigger plan is safer.

What happens when the data runs out?

Plans are prepaid, so there are no extra charges: when the data is used up, the connection stops until you add more from the app. Day passes give a daily allowance at full speed, then continue at reduced speed (512 Kbps) until the next day.

When should I install the eSIM?

Before you leave, on Wi-Fi. When you land, set the Wigoo line for mobile data and turn on data roaming for it.