Out of all the destinations in Palawan, most people have the hardest time planning their Puerto Princesa itinerary.
Despite being the largest city in Palawan, Puerto Princesa is less popular than El Nido and Coron, which attract rounds of tourists hoping to go island hopping.
However, don’t underestimate this busy city, especially if you want to try some of Palawan’s most delicious food specialities such as hopia (a savoury pastry) and biko (a delicious sticky rice dessert).
Puerto Princesa city is also the best place to arrange to visit the Puerto Princesa Subterranean River, a UNESCO World Heritage Site which stretches for 8.2 kilometres underground.
The underground river is totally different to the main attractions in El Nido and Coron, making it a nice change of scenery and one of the best places to visit in Puerto Princesa.
Once you’ve finished reading my Puerto Princesa itinerary, which includes all of the best things to do in Puerto Princesa, you’re welcome to use my guide to island hopping in Palawan to plan the rest of your trip.
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QUICK INFORMATION
Best time to visit Puerto Princesa: November to May
How long to stay: 1 – 3 days
Is Puerto Princesa Worth Visiting?
Puerto Princesa is the capital city of Palawan province. It’s easy and cheap to get to, as it has the largest airport in Palawan.
However, it’s not well known for island hopping.
If you’re only coming to Palawan to go island hopping, I’d say think twice about visiting Puerto Princesa. Coron and El Nido are far more interesting for island hopping, as they have features such as shipwrecks, lakes and lagoons.
There is island hopping in Puerto Princesa, but it’s at Honda Bay, a 15-minute drive north of the city proper. The main things to see are sandbars, beaches and sea life such as starfishes.
What Puerto Princesa does have is easy access to the Puerto Princesa Subterranean River, a national park and a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
It is thought to be the second-longest underground river in the world. Stretching for 8.2 kilometres, the river is contained by limestone and karst caves. It’s fascinating and eerie, all in one.
Tours of the river depart from Sabang port, which is a two-hour drive north of Puerto Princesa city.
The easiest way to experience it is by taking a Puerto Princesa Subterranean River tour directly from the city.
How Many Days Do You Need in Puerto Princesa?
One to three days is the perfect amount of time for visiting Puerto Princesa.
If you only want to visit the Puerto Princesa Subterranean River, you need one full day.
Entrance to the underground river
If you want to go island hopping too, spend two or three days in Puerto Princesa.
I wouldn’t recommend staying in the city for over three days unless you are stopping there to do some shopping.
The city has some large malls, so it’s great for a wardrobe refresh.
A Short History of Puerto Princesa
With a population of over 300,000 people, Puerto Princesa is a large, busy city. The name roughly translates to ‘Port of the Princess’, which has a couple of possible origin stories, both related to a Spanish princess.
Puerto Princesa was founded when the Spanish colonissed the Philippines. In March 1872, the colonists were searching for a good area for a capital settlement and decided that the level, high ground was fitting.
After the Philippine-American war ended in 1902, Puerto Princesa was taken by America. The Japanese then invaded Puerto Princesa city in 1942, taking several hundred Americans as prisoners.
Palawan was liberated in 1945. It gained independence in the same year.
How to Get to Puerto Princesa
There are two main ways to get to Puerto Princesa: flying or taking a minivan.
1. Flying to Puerto Princesa
Puerto Princesa has an international airport with direct flights to Manila, Cebu, Angeles and other cities in the Philippines.
From the airport, you can take an affordable taxi (tricycle) to the city centre for around 150 – 200 PHP.
2. El Nido to Puerto Princesa
To get from El Nido to Puerto Princesa, you can take a minivan for approximately 525 PHP (£7).
I have done this journey in the pouring rain, and it still only took us five to six hours as predicted.
El Nido
Minivans need to be booked in advance and they do fill up, so I wouldn’t leave your booking until the last minute.
The minivans are air-conditioned and comfortable, but you may want to take motion sickness tablets.
The easiest way to book a minivan from El Nido to Puerto Princesa is to visit 12go. You can use the widget below to save time.
3. Coron to Puerto Princesa
Coron and Puerto Princesa are at the opposite ends of Palawan, so I highly suggest visiting a few places in between (such as El Nido) rather than making the full journey all at once.
Coron
You can’t fly directly from Coron to Puerto Princesa without taking a connecting flight to Manila. This is long-winded.
First, you need to travel from Coron to El Nido.
There are three main ways to do this.
The quickest is to take a direct flight, which takes 40 minutes. The second option is to take the ferry, which lasts three to five hours.
You can easily book the El Nido to Coron ferry on 12Go.
The best way, however, is to take a multi-day island hopping expedition with Big Dream Boatman.
The expeditions between Coron and El Nido are one of the best things to do in Palawan. I simply can’t stop re-booking on them.
They visit some of Palawan’s remotest islands, all while travelling on a traditional bangka boat and sleeping in bamboo huts.
The Big Dream Boatman tour:
- Runs in either direction between Coron and El Nido
- Includes a 4D-3N expedition
- Snorkelling, watersports and glamping
- Great value for money
From El Nido to Puerto Princesa, you can then take a minivan as detailed in the section above.
Where to Stay in Puerto Princesa
Puerto Princesa has plenty of stunning hotels and resorts. It’s a bit short on hostels but you can easily get a great deal on a budget hotel especially if you’re booking your Puerto Princesa itinerary last-minute.
1. Puerto Princesa city
Staying in Puerto Princesa city proper gives you the easiest access to local restaurants and malls.
The best area to stay in Puerto Princesa is in the southeast of the city, between the City Baywalk Park, the port and the airport.
This area is popular because it has the majority of the city’s attractions and large numbers of restaurants and coffee shops.
I stayed on Rizal Avenue, a short walk away from Eightynine Cafe.
Try these highly-rated hotels in the city proper…
Best Western Plus The Ivywall Hotel (£££)
Puerto Pension Inn (£££)
Mojo Hostel (£££)
2. Honda Bay
Honda Bay is the best place to stay if you want to go island hopping.
It’s a 15-minute drive from the main city, so it can be harder to find varied restaurants. You may also spend more money on taxis back and forth to the city.
Honda Bay has some beachfront hotels, but also modest hotels near the beach.
Try these…
Microtel by Wyndham (£££)
Panja Resort (£££)
Dinah’s Tourist Inn (£££)
3. Sabang
Technically, Sabang is not in Puerto Princesa.
However, since many people only visit Puerto Princesa to take a tour to the Puerto Princesa Subtteranean River, it may be worth missing out on the city and staying in Sabang instead.
Tours to the underground river depart directly from Sabang Port.
The scenic village has plenty of gorgeous places to stay, and there’s lots to do in the surrounding area from snorkelling and zipwiring to hiking.
Try these recommendations…
Daluyon Beach and Mountain Resort (£££)
Bambua Nature Cottages (£££)
Cafe Sabang Guest House (£££)
The Best Places to Visit and Things to Do in Puerto Princesa
1. The Puerto Princesa Subterranean River
Whenever someone asks me the best things to do in Puerto Princesa, my first answer is the Puerto Princesa Subterranean River.
It’s not just because it’s a UNESCO World Heritage Site or a national park, but also because it is just so different to everything else you will see in Palawan.
After arriving in Sabang port (two hours from Puerto Princesa), you will take a traditional bangka boat to a remote beach.
Sabang
Everyone takes off their shoes and clambers out onto the sand, and after a short walk through the jungle (with the shoes back on), you arrive at a river station.
The beach docking
A small fleet of large canoe-style boats wait in line next to the river.
These are your boats for the underground river tour. They will take you through a gaping entrance in the limestone and karst cliff face.
Inside, you get to begin your cruise on the Puerto Princesa Subterranean River, which is one of the longest underground rivers in the world at 8.2 kilometres.
The cave has incredible stalactites and stalagmites. It’s also home to a bat population.
As part of the tour, you’re provided with an audio guide which explains the different sections of the cave. Your guide will use a torch to help illuminate certain formations mentioned in the guide.
How to Get to the Puerto Princesa Subterranean River From the City
The easiest way to reach the Puerto Princesa underground river is to take a tour from the city.
I took this popular Puerto Princesa Subterranean River tour from Puerto Princesa with three friends.
You can also take a combined tour, which visits the river and the Sabang X Zipline. The low-speed zipline is 800 metres long and has views over the Sabang coastline. It also includes a paddle-boating tour through a mangrove forest.
If you want to organise the trip yourself, you can take a shuttle van to Sabang from the San Jose terminal in Puerto Princesa city. The shuttles cost around 300 PHP and take two to three hours.
Once you arrive in Sabang, you then need to pay for your ticket to the attraction, which costs 335 PHP (250 PHP for the ticket and 85 PHP for the compulsory audio guide).
2. Go island-hopping in Honda Bay
A common question is ‘can I go island hopping in Puerto Princesa?’ Yes, you can, at Honda Bay.
Located 15 minutes’ drive from the city (it bears repeating), Honda Bay is good for a day of island hopping.
Its island-hopping area is smaller than in El Nido and Coron, but the tours are usually less busy.
The islands around Honda bay include Snake Island (a popular sandbar) and the Starfish and Cowrie islands (known for their starfish populations). They have white-sand beaches.
Pambato Reef is also popular for snorkelling.
Check the availability for island-hopping at Honda Bay or a private Honda Bay tour.
3. Swim with whale sharks
The whale shark season in Honda Bay is between April and October.
During this time, you can take a whale watching tour from Puerto Princesa port to attempt to see these creatures in the flesh.
As the ocean’s largest fish, whale sharks are enormous, gentle creatures that feed on plankton and other tiny plants.
Many destinations in the Philippines have come under scrutiny for feeding whale sharks to encourage more tourists into the area.
However, in Puerto Princesa, they do not feed or touch the whale sharks, making it an ethical destination for whale shark tourism.
You are not guaranteed to see a whale shark, but if you get lucky, I’m sure you won’t forget the experience anytime soon.
Check the availability for the whale shark tour.
4. Take a firefly watching river cruise
One of the most famous tours in Puerto Princesa is the firefly-watching river cruise.
Thousands of fireflys dwell in the mangroves at Nagsaguipi River, glowing in the dark.
The river cruise tours usually begin with a local meal at a floating restaurant, followed by a sunset cruise.
You may also get to spot bioluminescent plankton in the river.
My friends took this tour and found it underwhelming as the pictures tend to be more dramatic than the fireflies themselves. However, they really enjoyed the food at the floating restaurant.
Check the availability for the firefly-watching cruise.
5. Take a tricycle around the city to try local delicacies
The go-to form of transport in the Philippines is the tricycle, a small taxi in which a motorbike pulls a metal sidecar.
Tricycles are cheap and easy to rent for the day (or an hour or two).
With a tricycle, you can visit Baker’s Hill on Mitra Road, a bakery which is famous for hopia (moon cake). Moon cake is a pastry filled with mung beans and/or purple yam.
Entrance to the bakery is free, but it may be busy as it’s a popular spot on city tours.
Tricycle ride!
Another local dish you must try is biko, a sweet rice cake made with glutinous rice, coconut milk and brown sugar.
Eightynine Cafe on Roxas Street sells a delicious biko topped with vanilla ice cream. I ate it nearly every day on my trip.
You can also try pandan-flavoured cocktails at Hibiscus Restaurant and Bar.
6. Explore the city’s historic sites
If you have time to spare on your Puerto Princesa itinerary, you can easily stroll around the city and see its historic sites.
Most of these are located in the city proper.
The Immaculate Conception Cathedral is the city’s main cathedral. It has twin towers and a large statue of the Virgin Mary. The inside is Neo-Gothic in style.
Perhaps the most historic place in Puerto Princesa is Plaza Cuartel.
This is the location of the Palawan Massacre of 1944. During World War II, over 100 war prisoners were killed by Japanese soldiers at Plaza Cuartel.
You may also want to visit Mitra’s Ranch, an old ranch (and former politician’s home) with zipwires and horse-riding activities.
If you don’t want to see all of these activities on your own, you can check the availability for a half-day Puerto Princesa city tour.
7. Stroll along the Puerto Princesa Baywalk
The Puerto Princesa Baywalk is one of the prettiest places in the city and very popular with joggers.
The sunrise is said to be especially beautiful at the Baywalk.
8. Visit a weaving centre
The Binuatan Creations weaving centre is a nice place to visit if you’re interested in weaving, one of the city’s traditions.
At the centre, you can watch local craftsmen demonstrate hand-loom weaving using local materials.
I haven’t visited this particular centre myself, but I watched hand-loom weaving in Kerala in India, and it’s mesmerising.
Puerto Princesa Itinerary for 1 – 3 Days
With so many things to do in Puerto Princesa, putting together your itinerary can seem daunting.
However, the following templates should quickly get you on your way.
Feel free to take inspiration from the ideas above too.
1-Day Puerto Princesa Itinerary
With one day in Puerto Princesa, you have time for one day tour.
- Day 1: Take the Puerto Princesa Subterranean River day tour. You may have time to go for an evening stroll along the Baywalk and try delicacies like biko and moon cake.
If you are not interested in visiting the subterranean river, you could go island hopping in Honda Bay instead.
2-Day Puerto Princesa Itinerary
With two days in Puerto Princesa, you have time to take two full-day tours.
- Day 1: Visit the Puerto Princesa Subterranean River.
- Day 2: Take a Honda Bay island hopping tour or a whale shark tour. If you don’t fancy a day on the water, you can explore the city’s historic sites and restaurants instead, perhaps visiting Baker’s Hill or Mitra’s Ranch.
3-Day Puerto Princesa Itinerary
Three days in Puerto Princesa gives you plenty of time to explore the area’s main attractions and spend time in the city too.
- Day 1: Visit the Puerto Princesa Subterranean River.
- Day 2: Take a tour to Honda Bay or go swimming with whale sharks.
- Day 3: Start the day at Eightynine Cafe, before touring the Baywalk and the historic city centre. You can end the afternoon with a firefly-watching cruise, which includes dinner at a floating restaurant.
I hope that you found my Puerto Princesa travel guide useful.
If you’re planning a trip to Palawan, you may want to use my detailed guide to island hopping in Palawan to plan the rest of your trip.
I also have detailed guides to many more destinations in Palawan.
Suggested reading:
- How to choose the best El Nido tour
- The best Coron island hopping tours– A, B, C or D?
- Full Coron travel itinerary
- What to wear in Palawan + island hopping packing list!
- How to get to Coron Palawan
FAQ
You should spend one to three days in Puerto Princesa. You need at least one full day to visit the Puerto Princesa Subterranean River, which is located near Sabang. You can also go island hopping at Honda Bay or take a whale shark tour, activities which each require one full day.
If you are looking to go island hopping, El Nido is superior to Puerto Princesa. There are only a small group of islands near Puerto Princesa for island hopping, whereas El Nido has a very long list of island-hopping destinations including lakes and lagoons. However, Puerto Princesa is home to the Puerto Princesa Subterranean River, a fascinating UNESCO World Heritage Site, making it a worthwhile destination.
AUTHOR
Katie Treharne
I’m Katie, the owner of Escape Artist Katie. I have been travel writing since 2018, including writing for luxury travel magazines and publications such as Wanderlust.
As well as being a digital nomad who works and lives abroad permanently, I’m a big advocate for offbeat travel and pushing yourself out of your comfort zone.
I hope you found my article useful – find out more about me here or keep up with my travels on Instagram.