Astoria Palawan: the waterpark resort in San Rafael
Astoria Palawan is the family-splurge wildcard, and it is a resort day rather than a base. It sits in San Rafael, on the mainland — not on an island — 45 to 90 minutes north of the city, and it scores 9.3/10 from 1,571 reviews at $52–128 (₱3,000–7,400) a night. It is home to Palawan Waterpark by Astoria, the first and only waterpark in the city, free for house guests, with a wave pool, slides and a lazy river. Guests praise the rooms, the breakfast and the waterpark; the single recurring complaint is that it is far from everything else, which is exactly what you are buying.
A mainland resort with a waterpark, not an island escape
Two things get misunderstood about Astoria before people book it: where it is, and what job it does in an itinerary.
It is on the mainland. Astoria Palawan sits in San Rafael, up the National Highway roughly at KM 45–62, 45 to 90 minutes north of the city depending on traffic and where in the city you start. There is no boat. Listings and blog posts that file it alongside island resorts are muddling it with somewhere else — and while we are here, Modessa Island Resort is not in San Rafael either; it is off Roxas, 2.5 hours by road plus about an hour by boat.
The waterpark is the product. Palawan Waterpark by Astoria is the first and only waterpark in Puerto Princesa, it is free for house guests, and it has a wave pool, slides and a lazy river. That is a genuinely different offer from anything else in the municipality, where the competition for a child's afternoon is a tidal flat, a crocodile farm and a cave. Reviews praise the rooms and the breakfast as well, and the score — 9.3 from 1,571 reviews — is the second highest of any property in this guide after Daluyon.
The complaint is the location, and it is fair. You are 45–90 minutes from the airport, the restaurants and every tour pickup. A day trip to the Underground River from here means either a very early private transfer or paying for a pickup most joiner tours do not offer this far north. Treat Astoria as a night you spend at Astoria — not as a base you commute from.
Astoria against the alternatives, for a family
The honest question is not "is Astoria good" — at 9.3 it plainly is. It is "what does this night cost you in the rest of the trip".
| Option | Nightly | Score | What the day looks like | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Astoria Palawan San Rafael, 45–90 min north | $52–128 ₱3,000–7,400 | 9.3 1,571 reviews | You arrive, you stay. Waterpark free, wave pool, lazy river, breakfast praised. Nothing else within reach without a car | DEPENDS |
| Aziza Paradise BM Road, 1.6 mi from the airport | $40–90 ₱2,300–5,200 | 8.2 2,335 reviews | Kids' pool, hot tub, spa, free shuttle — and you are ten minutes from tour pickups and dinner | WORTH IT |
| Princesa Garden coastal, 10 min from the airport | ~$124 ~₱7,200 | 7.8 | The largest pool complex in Palawan and several restaurants, but the seafront is tidal flats and service is the recurring gripe | DEPENDS |
| Daluyon, Sabang 1.5–2 h north-west | $121–135 ₱7,000–7,800 | 9.3–9.4 577 reviews | Three pools, free kayaks and SUP, and a 15-minute boat to the Underground River. A far-from-everything night that comes with the headline attraction attached | WORTH IT |
| Dos Palmas Arreceffi Island, Honda Bay | ~₱8,000–12,000 full board, unverified | 8.8 259 reviews | A genuine private island 30–45 minutes out by boat, sold full board. More remote than Astoria and more expensive | DEPENDS |
If your trip is three nights or fewer, the Sabang night beats the Astoria night on almost every measure except the waterpark — because it comes with the reason you flew here attached.
Should you book Astoria?
Astoria Palawan, practically
The room and the ride
There is no cheap public transport to San Rafael, so budget the transfer as part of the price of the night. For reference, a chartered tricycle inside the city is ₱100–150 — this run is a different order of trip.
Astoria Palawan questions, answered
Is Astoria Palawan on an island?
No. It is in San Rafael, on the Palawan mainland along the National Highway, 45–90 minutes north of Puerto Princesa by road. There is no boat transfer. The genuine private-island option from this city is Dos Palmas in Honda Bay.
How far is Astoria Palawan from Puerto Princesa airport?
45 to 90 minutes by road, depending on traffic. There is no scheduled tourist transport — you book a private transfer or hire a car. Plan both directions before you arrive rather than improvising the return.
Is the Palawan waterpark free if you stay at Astoria?
Yes — Palawan Waterpark by Astoria is free for house guests, with a wave pool, slides and a lazy river. It is the first and only waterpark in the city, which is why the resort scores 9.3 from 1,571 reviews with families.
Is Astoria Palawan worth it?
With kids, yes, as a single resort day. Without kids, no — Daluyon in Sabang costs about the same at $121–135, scores 9.3–9.4, and puts you 15 minutes by boat from the Underground River instead of 90 minutes from everything.
Can I do the Underground River from Astoria Palawan?
Not easily. Joiner tours collect from city hotels first between 06:30 and 08:30 and most do not run this far north, so you would be paying for a private transfer on top of a 7 to 10 hour day. Do the river from a city bed or from Sabang.
How much does Astoria Palawan cost per night?
$52–128, or roughly ₱3,000–7,400, depending on room type and board basis. That is city-four-star money for a resort with a waterpark attached, which is the reason families do the maths and go.
How many nights should I stay at Astoria?
1 night, on a trip of 4 nights or more — you are 45–90 minutes from everything else, so the travel eats a half-day at each end. 2 nights only if the waterpark is genuinely the point. On a 3-night trip it costs you the Underground River, and that is the trade almost everyone regrets.
in the whole city.
Free for guests.
Astoria Palawan in San Rafael, 9.3 from 1,571 reviews at $52–128 a night. A resort day rather than a base — book the transfer both ways and do not plan tours from here.
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