We Fell in Love
with Palawan
A French-American family running small-group tours to fund children's education and preserve the marine life that makes this place extraordinary.
From Visitors to Locals
Tour Z started with the wrong tour. Johann arrived in Palawan seeking authentic wildlife experiences — and found overcrowded boats with 35-person groups, whale sharks herded toward food, and a tourism model built to extract, not protect.
Rather than criticise, he built the experience he wanted. Tour Z Palawan was founded by Johann M., a French-American who moved his family to Puerto Princesa full-time. Not for a season — permanently. Their kids go to school here. Their home is here.
That changes everything about how you run a tour business. You're not here to extract value and leave. You're a neighbour. You have a stake in getting it right.
Tour Z is operated by Good Shepherd Voyages Incorporated, registered in Puerto Princesa City. We are not affiliated with "Mellow Yellow Tour Z" in El Nido.
Three Reasons Tour Z Exists
Local Children's Education
In Port Barton and Puerto Princesa, school fees are modest by international standards — but a real barrier for fishing families. A portion of every Tour Z booking directly covers fees, uniforms, books, and supplies. No intermediaries — families are known personally. More tours means more children in school.
Marine Conservation
Zero feeding. Zero baiting. IUCN-compliant on every tour. On every whale shark expedition we photograph shark markings for individual ID, log GPS encounter points, and contribute behavioural data to marine researchers. When you book Tour Z, you help fund the science working to save an Endangered species.
The Tour We Always Wanted
Small groups. Counter-clockwise routes to beat the crowds. Quiet engines. Drone spotting instead of chasing. All-inclusive pricing with no pier surprises. We operate as travellers who took matters into our own hands — because we believe ethical tourism and a great experience aren't in conflict.
We Live Here Year-Round
Tour Z is built and operated by a French-American family who live in Palawan permanently — not seasonally. Johann founded the company, trains every guide, and builds the systems. Sarah leads marketing and runs the education mission personally, contacting local families and children who need support.
Their children Dylan (9, future marine biologist) and Parker (14, entrepreneur in training) grow up on the water. That perspective reminds the team every day why protecting these animals matters.
Every guide and crew member is hired locally from Port Barton and Puerto Princesa — many from the same communities the education programme serves. We don't just talk about community support. We pay for it every time we run a tour.
"We aren't trying to be the biggest tour operator in Palawan. We're trying to be the one you remember — for the right reasons." — Johann
Every tour we run,
we contribute data
to marine research.
Photo identification. GPS encounter points. Behavioural observations. Shared with marine biologists tracking Endangered whale shark populations. Your booking makes this possible.
See the Whale Shark Tour →Numbers that earn trust.
We're small by design. Every one of these numbers is the result of that choice.
200+ reviews from international guests on Google and Bokun — unedited, unfiltered.
Every tour follows International Union for Conservation of Nature standards. Always — not selectively.
Year-round residents of Puerto Princesa and Port Barton. This is home, not a seasonal posting.
What you see is what you pay. Every permit, every eco-tax, every entrance fee — included upfront.
Operated under Good Shepherd Voyages Incorporated · Puerto Princesa City, Palawan 5300, Philippines
Come See Palawan With Us
We're small by design. Reach out directly — we answer every message personally.