Typhoons rarely cross the Palawan Passage, although when they pass to its north they can create strong winds and unsettled weather in the passage.[2]Monsoon weather is somewhat unpredictable,[5] but generally the passage enjoys its calmest weather in May and early June.[4] In late June and July, weather becomes more unsettled, with periods of seven to ten days of rain, clouds, and squalls alternating with good weather.[4] A strong west-southwesterly wind usually blows along the passage during September and October, with dark clouds and rain common.[4] The weather is variable in November and December, with November particularly prone to strong southwesterly winds.[4] During the northeast monsoon, between October and December, the passage tends to enjoy calmer weather than the area of the South China Sea to the west of Dangerous Ground.[2]Currents in the Palawan Passage tend to be weak.[4]
The Palawan Passage offers a direct route from the Indian Ocean via the Sunda Strait to Manila in the Philippines, as well as an alternative to routes farther west in the South China Sea between Manila, Hong Kong and Singapore for ships seeking to avoid some of the rougher weather associated with the northeast monsoon.[2]
The Tabon Caves, a cave system at Quezon on Palawan and the site of prehistoric human remains and jar burials, is located at Lipuun Point between two arms of the Palawan Passage, Malanut Bay to the east and Nakoda Bay to the west.[9]
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