PUERTO PRINCESA

Puerto Princesa City will most likely be your starting point in Palawan, as it’s the capital and center of transportation. It has the largest airport and naval port in the region. Because Puero Princesa is the most accessible location on the island, visitors use Puerto Princesa as an gateway to the other places like southern Palawan, Coron, Tubbataha Reef and El Nido. But the City of Puerto Princesa is a popular destination on its own merit, with a number of must-see attractions. It has been described as a city in the middle of paradise, where beaches, jungle and shopping mingle well.

How to get to Puerto Princesa

Ferry: You can go by ferry on the RORO (Roll-On-Roll-Off) from Manila or Iloilo. Scheduled passenger ferry services are running regularly from Manila and Iloilo to the Puerto Princesa port. The port is managed by the Philippine Ports Authority.

Plane: Puerto Princesa is around 1.5 hours southwest of Manila by plane. Now with the number of flights into the capital city from different places, mostly by discount airlines, Palawan and Puerto Princesa have seen significant increase in tourist arrivals. Island tourism is certainly thriving: new resorts, luxury hotels and low-cost guest houses are springing up in increasing numbers, especially in Puerto Princesa City. And people are happy to note, the government officials are working to ensure that environment and Palawan’s own brand of charm remains unspoilt through it all.

A Bit of Background

First, get to know the city of Puerto Princesa. The capital city was born only in 1970 with, at present moment (end of 2019) has a population of less than one million. Main occupation of Palawenyos (the local people of Palawan) are agriculture, fishing, handicrafts, and the tourism trade. Puerto Princesa, and the whole of the Palawan islands, has wet and dry seasons. September is the wettest month, while February is the driest month.

What To Do in Puerto Princesa

List down what you think you’ll find on a paradise island, and you’ll find them all here or within a boat’s ride from Puerto Princesa — all manner of reefs, breathtaking coral parks, dive sites, and all manner of wildlife, both flora and fauna. Wildlife protection sites are dotted around Puerto Princesa Bay and are home to fish of diverse species numbering in the thousands, long-nosed dolphins, turtles and rays. If you’re hoping to see fish swimming in crystal clear waters, this is where you’ll find them. But it’s not all environmental delights on offer. In Puerto Princesa city you will also enjoy the friendly locals, excellent dining, great souvenir shopping, a relaxed nightlife — just as a perfect vacation should be.

GETTING AROUND PUERTO PRINCESA

The tricycle, a convenient mode of transport to get around short distances

Puerto Princesa is a small town. Everything important you’ll need is a short walk or a short tricycle ride away. Farther destinations can be reached by local buses, rental cars and vans and the handy banca or pumpboat.

REMINDER: What You’ll Need To Bring When Travelling Around Palawan

Don’t forget to bring several portable power banks, especially if you’re planning to do some trekking or staying in some budget accommodations.

Don’t ever forget to bring CASH. Start your journey with lots of cash as you won’t find ATMS at every corner, not even at every second corner. And many establishments don’t accept credit cards. If you’re lucky enough to have found an ATM, it may be offline or powered off. If you’re lucky to have found a working ATM, you might find a low withdrawal limit, or worse, a card-eating machine. Get it? Bring cash.

THE UNDERGROUND RIVER

Undoubtedly, the most popular attraction of Puerto Princesa is the world famous 8-km Subterranean River. No trip to the Palawan Islands is complete without a visit to this longest Underground River in the World. Although its length is impressive enough as it snakes quietly under St Paul mountain, the river cave complex further enthralls every visitor through enduring silence as you glide over the serene waters, revealing corridors of spectacular cave formations, grottos of stalactite pillars and rugged domed recesses. It was declared a UNESCO World Heritage in 1999 for its outstanding universal value and ecological significance as a natural site of intense beauty. The underground River’s main entry is a cave framed by ancient trees and empties into a clear lagoon flowing into the South China Sea.

Palawan Puerto Princesa Underground Subterranean River

The Underground River has been open to the public since 1986 attracting approximately 300,000 visitors annually. Access to the River is via pump boats, nothing more sophisticated than that. No advanced engineering or technical installations have been built in the lagoon, at the entrance or inside the cave ensuring little invasive developments in the area.

Nothing of its scientific or cultural history is known about the River. A tour in 2010 by a group of geologists have discovered new layers and waterfalls inside the cave, new river channels, and smaller caves. The most distinguishing feature of the Underground River is that it contains a significant ecosystem throughout the River, a landscape so stunning – from the entrance of the cave until you emerge out in the sea.

Unique inside view of Puerto Princesa subterranean underground river

TIP: Be sure you bring powerful flashlights to better see the underground scenery. It’s pitch black and I assure you, no one will lend you theirs!

The river is navigable via small boats that depart from Sabang Beach, approximately 1.5 hours from Puerto Princesa city. This short boat ride is an attraction in itself. You ride over pristine jade-green waves through karst landscapes offering amazing views of sculped, towering limestone cliffs.

SABANG

The Sabang Zipline is a must-experience. Tickets can be bought together with your Underground River Tour. From the beach, you take a short buggy ride, hike up a small hill to the start of the zipline. Attached to Zipline horizontally, you ‘fly’ from a hilltop across a small channel to the nearby opposite island. Zoom and away! Absolutely not to be missed.

HONDA BAY

Dos Palmas Island Resort & Spa in Palawan, Philippines is a 20-hectare resort just a boat ride across Honda Bay.

Honda Bay is the perfect place if you love swimming, snorkeling, and beach or island hopping. And if you’re lucky, you’ll be blessed by a view of spinner dolphins at play. It is 25 minutes away from Sta. Lourdes Wharf. Honda Bay is host to several small islands whose beaches are liberally coated with sugar-white sand and edged by crystalline waters. So take a boat ride to these popular islands. Snake Island for example is little more than a strip of sand, but a favorite stop-over for serious beach explorers and snorkelers. Pandan Island is another island famous for powdery sand. For a small price, you can request seafood cooked and prepared the way you want it in one of the huts dotting the island. Other islands are as interesting as their names – Starfish Island and Luli Island among others. Package tours are easy to arrange. You can also choose to rent your own boat or share it with fellow beach lovers.

TABON CAVES: A NATIONAL CULTURAL TREASURE

The Tabon Caves, also known as the Cradle of Philippine Civilization is a set of cave chambers that can be found about 150 kilometers south western of Puerto Princesa City. Out of 215 caves in the complex, only seven are open for public viewing. Most known caves are Diwata Cave, Tabon Cave, Liyang Cave and Igang Cave.

These caves are where the remains of 22,000-year-old Tabon Man along with his tools and artifacts were discovered in the early 1960s. These caves were declared as a National Culture treasure and cared for by the National Museum. The fossil of the Tabon Man was found in the caves. Other discovered fossils are still in the cave and have yet to be studied.

Discovery of Tabon Man in the caves of Lipuun Point made these caves famous since it is believed to be thus far the earliest evidence of human life in the Philippines. Further discoveries by archaeologists found handicrafts like jade ornaments, burial jars, jewelries and stone tools.

The site was acknowledged as a Museum Reservation site in 1972 by the Philippine Government because of its importance to history and heritage of the country. After deeper examination by the National Museum, it is confirmed that these caves are a unique property that showcases excellent cultural, historical, artistic and scientific value which is very important to the country.

How to get there: Drive/ride from Puerto Princesa to Quezon. Take a pumpboat to Lipuun Point. And then a 30-45 minute drive to the Tabon Caves Complex. Meanwhile, it is 155 kilometres from the City of Puerto Princesa. You will need to secure a permit to visit the caves at the Puerto Princesa City Museum before embarking on your journey.

THE CROCODILE FARM

Another tourist spot, 30-40 minutes travel from the city, is the Palawan Wildlife Rescue and Conservation Center formerly known as “The Crocodile Farm”. Once a research institute about crocodiles, it is now a research center for a variety of Palawan’s endangered animals.

Here at the Croc Farm, you will learn everything about Philippine crocs and alligators. Skeletons, skins are a plenty. You will also learn how crocodiles grow, view babies, toddler crocs and teen-ager crocs, and witness feeding of the reptiles. A highlight of your visit to the Farm is you get to have a cuddle and a picture with a cute baby crocodile.

This farm has a mini zoo that features some of Palawan’s endemic species of wild life and other animals not local to Palawan including porcupines and squirrels.

OTHER

On your way to or from Puerto Princesa, stop over the town proper and visit the Taytay Fort (Fuerza de Santa Isabel), one of the best-preserved Spanish-colonial stone fortresses remaining in the Philippines. Taytay will surprise you with her many offshore islands, still largely undiscovered and unspoiled by mass tourism.

Cross country hiking is also enjoyed in Palawan. A Jungle trek from the coastal village of San Rafael to the Cabayugan. There are interesting facets of the arduous trek, such as its lush rainforests, reclusive wild-life, and its impressive terrain.

Ursula Island Bird Sanctuary inRio, Tuba Village in Bataraza, a five to six-hour drive from Puerto Princesa. The island is a haven for birds that take their rest here in the late afternoon.

Palawan Butterfly Ecological Garden and Tribal Village. A great place to learn about our fluttering winged friends. But the Butterfly Garden is also home to other exotic small animals and insects, most notably the peacock, bearded warthog, bearcat and others.

River Kayaking. The Babuyan River is also offering a great experience in river kayaking. The mangrove-lined Bahile and Kayulo Rivers, the scenic Tanabag River and Langogan River up north, and the tranquil Iwahig and Inagawan Rivers south of the city proper are also worth exploring.

Another place that is good to visit is the Puerto Princesa Bay. With a guided tour along its inlet, you’ll be able to see the Iwahig river, and the Cathedral-the landmarks of Puerto Princesa. This bay will give you a breathtaking trip at sundown, where you can enjoy the magical experience of watching the fireflies illuminate the mangroves. For golf lovers, the 9-hole golf facility of western Front Golf Course and Tara country club provided at the place.

Ugong Rock Adventures offers activities like ziplining, spelunking, and trekking.

Galeri Kamarikutan. For Palawan’s endemic orchids and forest trees, Galeri Kamarikutan is the place to be. Galeri Kamarikutan got the “Mayor’s Award” for valuable contribution to the preservation of Puerto Pincesa City’s rich cultural heritage by promoting ethnic arts and culture.

ACTIVITIES, EXCURSIONS AND TOURS

In Puerto Princesa, it’s not all environmental delights on offer. You will also enjoy the friendly locals, excellent dining, great souvenir shopping, a relaxed nightlife — just as a perfect vacation should be. There are also activities that you can join. Check out the wide variety of tours and excursions to be enjoyed around Puerto Princesa!

Puerto Princesa Tours