A 2025 Family Trip to Remember in Puerto Princesa, Palawan
Some trips are fun, some are beautiful, and some quietly become core memories you know you’ll carry for a long time. Our 2025 family trip to Puerto Princesa, Palawan was exactly that — a mix of laughter, peaceful moments, random chaos, good food, and the kind of memories that feel even more special when shared with the people you love. In the middle of busy routines and everyday life, this trip felt like a gentle pause where we could simply slow down, breathe, and enjoy being present together.
One of the biggest highlights of the trip was staying at Astoria Palawan, which honestly made the entire experience even more memorable. From the relaxing atmosphere to the beautiful surroundings, everything about it gave off that comforting “you deserve to go back here” feeling. This wasn’t just another vacation for us — it became a collection of little moments, meaningful conversations, and memories that we’ll probably still talk about years from now.
Our stay at Astoria Palawan was a lovely gift from our parents—and a promise they wanted to fulfill for us and our children during the New Year’s Eve celebration we had. They wanted us to experience the thrill & excitement of being in Palawan’s waterpark, a place they had visited before and truly believed was perfect for families to enjoy together.
As I briefly mentioned in my previous post about our Boracay trip with our staff last year, my parents are members of AVLCI. Through their membership, our stay at Astoria Palawan was graciously covered, while the rest of our travel expenses were personally shouldered by us.
Our flight to Palawan was on the afternoon, around 3PM, but since there are some delays on the schedule, we arrived at Puerto Princesa Airport around 6-7PM, letting us enjoy the sunset view on our whole plane trip. After a few minutes ride inside the coaster from the airport, we were warmly welcomed by the staff in Astoria, they gave each of us a cute complimentary shell necklace as welcome gifts upon our arrival. They also handed us some drinks and snacks as we wait inside the lobby, while we wait for our rooms to be prepared.
We didn’t get to do much on our first day since we arrived at nighttime, so we simply took a quick tour around the resort and checked out each of our family’s rooms before heading to our parents’ villa afterward. The night landscape of Astoria Palawan carries a rustic-luxury charm, beautifully illuminated by warm ambient lights that make the entire place feel calm, intimate, and almost magical after dark. Our eyes literally lit up the moment we entered the resort, and we’ve all been enchanted by it ever since.
On our second day, we finally got to enjoy breakfast at The Reserve, and everything served on the buffet was genuinely delicious — we found ourselves coming back for seconds more than once. The children happily went for their usual cereals and milk, while the rest of us enjoyed hearty breakfast staples like eggs, rice, and hot chocolate.
I wasn’t able to take many photos or videos during breakfast since I’m still getting used to the idea that, as a blogger, documenting moments like these is almost a necessity. Truthfully, I also wanted to be mindful of other guests’ privacy, as I didn’t feel comfortable unintentionally capturing or posting random people online without their knowledge or consent.
The second day was also our long-awaited Palawan Waterpark by Astoria day! Each of us received complimentary access passes since we were booked at Astoria Palawan. Apparently, whether you’re a member or not, guests staying at the resort are still automatically granted access to the waterpark, which honestly makes the entire experience even more worthwhile and family friendly.
The kids were beyond excited to put on their rash guards and floaters, fully ready to spend the day under the sun splashing around the massive pools and thrilling water slides. I’m honestly grateful that the weather was on our side that day, although I probably wouldn’t have minded a few clouds here and there since this was also the exact day, I ended up getting a little sunburnt. 😅 Thankfully, the kids were well-protected with good SPF and quality rash guards, which allowed them to enjoy the waterpark comfortably from start to finish.
Palawan Waterpark by Astoria opens from 9 AM to 5 PM, though we were only able to enter around 10 AM. We spent the morning enjoying the pools and slides before heading back to our parents’ villa for lunch, then returned to the waterpark afterward to enjoy the rest of the afternoon.
As a mom of two, I mostly stayed around the Tumbling Buckets Zone with my sister-in-law to help look after all the kids. Even so, my hubby and I still got to enjoy several attractions with them — from playfully spraying water cannons at each other in the Marine Sanctuary, to floating along the relaxing St. Paul River Ride on their two-person floaters. We also enjoyed some delicious pizza and ice cream at the Pinoy Street Bites area before finally experiencing the exciting waves of the Surf’s Up Pool together as a family.
Klook.comThe only attractions I wasn’t able to try were the Velocity and Vortex Slides, mostly because I had the kids to look after. But honestly, in the middle of all the fun, it didn’t even cross my mind at the time. Huhu. We washed up at around 4PM to get ready for a meet and greet event in Astoria to be held at 6PM.
Here is the detailed view of the Waterpark’s map:
After a long day at the waterpark, we were invited at the Halo Dome for the AVLCI’s Exclusive Meet & Greet Event for Members, where they had a dessert and drinks buffet for everyone while they mainly present the perks and benefits of being a member. They also gave us complimentary sun visors and an exclusive calendar + booklet of Astoria. 🫰 It lasted for about an hour, but I can’t exactly recall because my mind was somehow preoccupied by other stuff.
After the waterpark activities, we headed straight to the Recreation Area, where everyone found something fun to enjoy. The kids happily spent their time in coloring books, playing board games, and video games, the men in our family played billiards, while the women enjoyed singing in the videoke room. As usual, mom duties called for me, so I stayed with the kids and ended up playing Scrabble with my brother and sister-in-law instead — which, honestly, turned out to be just as enjoyable.
One thing I really appreciated was that the recreational activities were all complimentary for guests to use and enjoy. However, if you’re planning to use the videoke room, it’s best to reserve a slot ahead of time since the rooms are limited and may already be occupied if you simply walk in during peak hours.
Since we don’t have an exact itinerary on our third day, we went to the Frontdesk and asked if there’s any Tours and Activities available for us to enjoy the beach in Puerto Princesa, since the beach in front of Astoria isn’t ideal for swimming because it is shallow, rocky and often affected by strong low tides.
Klook.comThere are two trips we could choose from if we wanted to explore the beaches in Puerto Princesa- the Pakpak-Lauin Day Tour and the Honda Bay Island Hopping Tour which includes the Pambato Reef, Lu-Li Island, and the Cowrie Island, we chose the latter and booked on that same day. We were grouped into two vans and reached the Honda Bay Wharf after a 40-minute travel time from Astoria to rent our diving and snorkeling gears.
In contrast to the bright and sunny weather we had during our waterpark day, our island-hopping tour turned out to be the complete opposite. It was raining for most of the day, but thankfully, the sea remained calm, allowing us to enjoy a smooth and comfortable boat ride throughout the tour.
Our first stop was Pambato Reef, which was also the farthest among the three destinations. We spent some time snorkeling while a few of my brothers did a quick dive into the deeper parts of the sea. I was honestly amazed by how rich and vibrant the marine life was in that area — it truly felt like stepping into another world beneath the water.
Our next destination was Lu-Li Island, a name derived from the Tagalog words “Lulubog” and “Lilitaw,” which translates to “submerging” and “emerging.” True to its name, the island appears and disappears depending on the tides and time of day. Our family enjoyed walking along the sandbar, swimming for a while, and taking plenty of photos despite the gloomy weather. The shoreline was slightly rocky though, so I’d definitely recommend bringing aqua shoes if you’re planning to visit.
Our final stop was Cowrie Island, the closest destination to the wharf and where we had our lunch before spending the rest of the afternoon relaxing by the beach and it’s where we washed up. While it may not have been the most perfect beach visually, it carried a quiet charm of its own. The sand was soft and white, the waters were beautifully clear, and according to our guide, the island was named after the abundance of cowrie shells that used to line its shores.
We returned to Astoria Palawan shortly after our island-hopping tour, arriving back at around 6 PM. Even after a long and tiring day, we still had enough leisure time to enjoy the rest of the evening and make our stay even more memorable. Since there was a scheduled Fire Dance Show and the Flores De Mayo 2025 festivities happening in front of The Pod that night, my hubby and I decided to spend the evening swimming at the Infinity Pool together with my eldest brother and sister-in-law while watching the performances unfold nearby.
I intentionally chose not to bring my phone during that time because I wanted to fully immerse myself in the moment and genuinely enjoy the experience without distractions. More than anything, I simply wanted to savor the beauty of Astoria Palawan with my family beneath the stars before heading back home to Rizal.
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Conclusion:
Overall, our Astoria Palawan trip was one of those family vacations that simply felt warm, peaceful, and genuinely memorable. From sunny waterpark adventures to rainy island-hopping moments, late-night swims, good food, and quiet bonding time with family — everything felt simple yet meaningful in its own way.
Looking back, I realized I barely documented half of the trip, but maybe that was the point too. Some moments are better lived than constantly captured. And honestly, being able to experience all of it with the people I love most, under Palawan’s beautiful skies, was already more than enough for me. Have you experienced being here before? How was your experience? Share them in the comment section below, I’d love to hear from you!
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