Philippines (Palawan)

Palawan rewards patience. The Calamian Islands around Coron and the Bacuit Archipelago near El Nido sit roughly 200 nautical miles apart, connected by the inner Palawan Passage — a stretch of flat-calm water hemmed by limestone karsts that rise sheer out of an improbably turquoise sea. Between December and April the northeast monsoon settles in reliably, giving you 12–18 knots on a broad reach for much of the inter-island work.

Passages are generally short enough to be comfortable day sails, which suits the scenery — you want to be watching, not white-knuckling through a squall.

The Coron anchorages are genuinely extraordinary. Coron Bay holds eleven Japanese WWII wrecks in 25–40 metres, and even from the surface the outline of a supply vessel beneath your keel is sobering. Nearby Malcapuya and Busuanga offer sheltered overnight stops with reasonable holding in sand.

El Nido's Bacuit Bay demands more attention: the lagoons are shallow, tidal, and dotted with unlit hazards, so a dinghy reconnaissance before committing is simply standard practice. The fishing communities along the coast are welcoming, though you'll negotiate anchoring fees on some islands — budget for it without resentment.

Charter logistics centre on El Nido and Coron town, with a handful of live-aboard operators running crewed catamarans and traditional wooden bangka vessels. Bareboat options exist but the chart coverage has gaps, and local knowledge matters considerably here. Provisioning is straightforward in Coron town — fresh produce, gas, and cold San Miguel — though provisioning standards thin out quickly once you're underway.

Avoid June through October entirely; typhoon season is not a grey area here, and the South China Sea becomes genuinely hostile.