Palawan in December: weather, crowds, Christmas and New Year

Palawan in December: what to expect

December is a transition month. The wet southwest monsoon is over, the northeast monsoon (amihan) has set in, and each week tends to be a little drier than the last. For most of the month the islands are busy but manageable; from about December 20 the Christmas and New Year holidays bring Filipino families, balikbayan visitors home from abroad and foreign travelers all at once.

That split is the key to planning. The first half of December offers shoulder-season prices with near-dry-season weather, while the last ten days are the most expensive and crowded of the year apart from Holy Week. Either way, it is a good month for island hopping, as long as you leave room in your plan for a choppy day.

December weather in El Nido, Coron and Puerto Princesa

In El Nido, average highs in December are about 84 °F (29 °C) and nights about 77 °F (25 °C), so it is hot by day without the heavy heat of April and May. The sea is about 84 °F (29 °C), warm enough to snorkel for hours without a wetsuit. Rain averages about 7 in (180 mm) for the month, roughly half of what falls in a typical wet-season month, and it usually comes as showers and squalls rather than whole gray days. By January the total drops to about 3.5 in (90 mm).

The amihan is the bigger factor for boat days. PAGASA declared its onset on October 27 in 2025 and on November 19 in 2024, and by December it blows steadily from the northeast. When a surge strengthens it, the open crossing on the El Nido to Coron ferry can get rough, and exposed routes such as El Nido's Tour C may be swapped for a sheltered one. Coron follows a similar pattern, and Puerto Princesa's west coast, around the Underground River, is already in its November-April dry season.

Typhoons in December: the real risk

Palawan sits west of the usual typhoon track, but late-season storms do reach it. Typhoon Rai (Odette) made landfall at Roxas, between Puerto Princesa and El Nido, on the evening of December 17, 2021, with Signal No. 3 raised over El Nido, Taytay, San Vicente, Roxas and Puerto Princesa. Within days the province counted at least 22 dead, and its disaster office estimated that 70 to 80 percent of infrastructure in northern Palawan was damaged; power lines and cell towers went down across the north.

Such hits are rare, and most Decembers pass without one. Still, buy travel insurance that covers weather disruption, follow PAGASA's bulletins in the days before you fly, and remember that boats stop whenever the coast guard suspends sea travel. Our Palawan typhoon season guide explains the signals, the history and what to do if a storm is forecast during your trip.

Crowds and prices over Christmas and New Year

From about December 20 to the first days of January, demand peaks everywhere at once. Flights to Puerto Princesa, El Nido and Busuanga, shared vans, ferries and rooms sell out early, and prices for rooms and private boats rise accordingly; booking sites show December as Palawan's most expensive month on average. Book flights and accommodation as soon as your dates are fixed, ideally by September or October, and reserve the El Nido to Coron ferry and any multi-day boat trip well ahead too.

On the water, shared tours run full and the lagoons fill up around midday. The Big Lagoon works on fixed slots with visitor caps, so book Tour A at least a day ahead and consider a private boat that leaves early. ATMs in El Nido and Coron can run dry over long holiday weekends, so arrive with enough pesos for several days. If your dates are flexible, the first two weeks of December give you most of the weather for noticeably less money.

Christmas in Palawan: Simbang Gabi, parols and Noche Buena

The Philippines has one of the longest Christmas seasons in the world. Decorations and carols start with the "ber months" in September, and by December almost every house, shop and hotel lobby hangs a parol, the star-shaped lantern that is the symbol of a Filipino Christmas. Town plazas and churches in Puerto Princesa, El Nido and Coron are lit up for the season.

From December 16 to 24, Catholic parishes hold Simbang Gabi, a series of nine dawn masses, usually starting around 4 am, with anticipated evening masses from December 15 in many churches. Food stalls outside often sell bibingka and puto bumbong, rice cakes eaten after mass. The series ends on Christmas Eve, when families gather after the late mass for Noche Buena, the midnight feast, often with ham, queso de bola and lechon. Visitors are welcome at the masses; dress modestly and be quiet during the service.

For a traveler, this means a festive atmosphere, but also that many local staff are with their families on December 24 and 25. Resorts usually organize their own Christmas Eve dinners, often at a set price, and these fill up, so reserve if you want one.

New Year's Eve in El Nido, Coron and Puerto Princesa

New Year's Eve, Bisperas ng Bagong Taon, ends with Media Noche, another midnight meal, traditionally with round fruits on the table for prosperity, plenty of noise at midnight and fireworks. In El Nido the town beach and the bars along it are the center of the night, while Coron's celebrations gather around the town and its hotels; Puerto Princesa has the most choice of restaurants. Many resorts sell a New Year's Eve dinner and countdown package.

At the time of writing, in October 2026, we had found no official New Year's Eve program from El Nido, Coron or Puerto Princesa; local governments and resorts usually announce events on their Facebook pages in December, so check closer to the date. Since 2017, Executive Order 28 has limited firecrackers to community fireworks displays held in areas permitted by the local government, and many towns ban private use; leave fireworks to the organizers and keep children away from stray firecrackers.

Public holidays in December 2026 and January 2027

Under Proclamation No. 1006, December 8, 2026 (Tuesday, Immaculate Conception) is a special non-working day, December 24 (Thursday, Christmas Eve) an additional special non-working day, December 25 (Friday) and December 30 (Wednesday, Rizal Day) are regular holidays, and December 31 (Thursday) is a special non-working day. Proclamation No. 1427 makes January 1, 2027 (Friday) a regular holiday. That creates long weekends from December 24 to 27 and from December 30 to January 3, and many Filipinos take the days between off, so expect the whole stretch to be busy.

Government offices and banks close on these days, and some shops and pharmacies keep short hours, but tourism keeps working. Island hopping operators generally run on December 25 and January 1 when the weather allows, and in past seasons the Underground River park has stayed open through the holidays, including Christmas Day and New Year's Day, under its daily visitor cap. Confirm with your operator, as some may start later or run fewer boats.

Practical tips for a December trip

Book early and book refundable where you can, especially for the ferry and for flights on the turboprop routes into El Nido and Busuanga. Schedule El Nido island hopping tours and Coron boat days early in each stay, so a day lost to wind can be moved. Keep a buffer day before your flight home, never take the ferry on the day of an international connection, and if you land in Puerto Princesa, remember that vans north also fill up around Christmas.

Pack a light rain jacket, reef-safe sunscreen and a dry bag. Carry more cash than usual, register on eTravel before you fly and check the fees in our safety and entry guide. For how to split the days between El Nido, Coron and Puerto Princesa, see our Palawan itineraries and the getting around guide; if you are staying into the new year, our guide to Palawan in January and February covers the driest months and Chinese New Year.