PALAWAN has landed on a popular global travel search engine’s list of ‘hot’ islands to visit this year.
In a post on its website, Expedia ranked Palawan in sixth place on its ‘2026 Island Hot List: The Next Wave of Trending Islands,’ after travel interest grew by 40 percent, year on year (yoy).
It is only one of two islands in Southeast Asia that made the list, the other being Phu Quoc in Vietnam, which recorded a 25 percent increase in travel interest, (yoy). This placed the island in ninth place of Expedia’s 10 hot islands this year.
The travel engine described Palawan as the ‘Best for Natural Wonders’ and explained why the island was included in the next wave of island destinations: ‘Palawan continues to rise for its dramatic limestone cliffs, clear waters and pristine ecosystems. It’s a natural fit for travelers chasing awe-inspiring scenery and discovery-led adventure.’
Last year, Palawan received some 2.13 million tourists, up 8.12 percent, yoy. According to the Provincial Tourism Office, of the total visitors in 2025, domestic travelers accounted for 52 percent or nearly 1.1 million, a 13.4 percent growth from 2024. Foreign tourists accounted for 48.4 percent of total, having reached 1.03 million, up nearly 25 percent, yoy.
Capital captures chunk of visitors
Palawan’s capital of Puerto Princesa welcomed the most number of visitors at 821,504 last year; followed by El Nido at 642,385; Coron at 336,304; and San Vicente at 97,096. No comparative figures were available for 2024.
Puerto Princesa may be reached via nonstop flights from airports in Manila, Cebu, Iloilo, and Davao, while its northern destinations such as Coron and El Nido may be accessed via flights from Clark International Airport in Pampanga and Mactan-Cebu International Airport.
Local tour operators have warned that the transfer of turboprop flights to Clark will likely reduce the desirability of El Nido as a tourism destination, as they will have to charge additional expenses to foreign tourists for their travel from Manila, where most of the latter land, to Clark in Pampanga. (See, ‘Tourism braces for move of turboprop flights to Clark,’ in the BusinessMirror, Jan. 26, 2026.)
The list of hot islands was topped by St. Lucia in the Carribbean region with 125 percent increase in traveler interest on Expedia’s site; followed by Porto Santo, Madeira in Portugal (+85 percent); Praslin, Seychelles (+80 percent); Syros, Greece (+60 percent); and Lofoten Islands, Norway (+50 percent).
Expedia said it released its ‘Next Wave’ of island destinations after searches for islands gained ‘global momentum’ rising an average of 55 percent, yoy, alongside social media mentions, which were up 20 percent.
Alternatives to the traditional
Now in its second year, ‘Expedia’s Island Hot List highlights 10 fast-rising islands offering travelers an alternative to traditional hotspots, combining natural beauty, cultural depth, and sometimes better value,’ said the online travel platform.
In a note on the site, Melanie Fish,Head of Expedia Group Brands Public Relations said, ‘Islands don’t just satisfy the urge to get away, they can also be one of the smartest vacation values, thanks to all-inclusive resorts and bundle savings on [our site].’
Expedia said the islands were chosen based on the platform’s global flight search data made on its point-of-sale allocation from Sept. 22, 2025, to March 22, 2026, for travel any date in 2026, compared to searches made from Sept. 22, 2024, to March 22, 2025, for travel dates in 2025.
The metric on social media mentions covers the period March 10 to June 10, 2026, versus the same period the previous year.
Earlier this year, popular UK-based magazine Business Traveller and the acclaimed US travel guide Frommer’s also named Palawan and its islands among their best destinations to go this year.