Puerto Princesa Itinerary: The Best Places to Visit in 1 – 3 Days
Out of all the destinations in Palawan, most people have the hardest time planning their Puerto Princesa itinerary.
Despite it 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 such as hopia (a savoury pastry) and biko (a delicious sticky rice dessert).
Puerto Princesa city is also the best place to arrange a visit to the Puerto Princesa Underground River, Palawan’s only UNESCO World Heritage Site.
The underground river is totally different to the 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 cheap and easy to get to, as it’s home to the largest airport in Palawan.
However, 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 shipwrecks, lakes and lagoons.
There is island hopping in Puerto Princesa – at Honda Bay, a 15-minute drive north of the city proper – but it’s not quite as spectacular. The main things to see are sandbars and beaches.
What Puerto Princesa does have is easy access to the Puerto Princesa Subterranean River, a national park and a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
It’s 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
River tours depart from Sabang port, which is a two-hour drive north of Puerto Princesa city.
The easiest way to experience it is by riding a scooter there yourself or 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 2 to 3 days in Puerto Princesa.
I don’t recommend staying in the city for more than three days unless you are stopping there to do some shopping or food touring. The city has some large malls, so it’s great for a wardrobe refresh.
How to Get to Puerto Princesa
There are two main ways to get to Puerto Princesa: fly or take a minivan from El Nido.
1. Fly to Puerto Princesa International Airport (PPS)
Puerto Princesa has an international airport with direct flights to Manila, Cebu, Angeles and other cities in the Philippines.
The flights from Manila to Puerto Princesa only cost 1,700 PHP (£22).
From the airport, you can take a tricycle taxi to the city centre for 150 to 200 PHP.
2. El Nido to Puerto Princesa
As I explain in my guide to how to get from Puerto Princesa to El Nido (and the reverse), there are convenient air-conditioned minivans between the two destinations.
This is a popular route, and the minivans are often fully booked in high season, so I recommend booking several days in advance.
Check availability on 12Go: Van to Puerto Princesa
The vans cost approximately 525 PHP (£7) per person.
have done this journey in the pouring rain, and it still only took us five to six hours to reach Puerto Princesa, as predicted. We also stopped for lunch in the middle.
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 or Napcan) rather than making the full journey all at once.
You can’t fly directly from Coron to Puerto Princesa without taking a connecting flight in Manila.
Therefore, it’s better to just take either a direct flight (40 minutes) or ferry (3 – 5 hours) from Coron to El Nido. Then, take the minivan to Puerto Princesa.
Another alternative – and my favourite option – is to take a multi-day island hopping expedition from Coron to El Nido with Big Dream Boatman.
They visit some of Palawan’s remotest islands, all while travelling on a traditional bangka boat and sleeping in bamboo huts on the beach.
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.
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 a large number of restaurants and coffee shops.
I stayed on Rizal Avenue, a short walk away from Eightynine Cafe.
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.
The only thing is, it’s a 15-minute drive from the main city, so you may wind up spending a chunk of cash on taxis back and forth.
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 Subterranean 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.
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, I’ll point them towards my guide to the Puerto Princesa Underground River.
It’s not just because it’s a UNESCO World Heritage Site, 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.
Then, after a short walk through the jungle (with the shoes back on), you arrive at a river station where a small fleet of canoe-style boats waits to whisk you away.
The beach docking
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 begin your cruise on one of the longest underground rivers in the world. The cave has incredible stalactites and stalagmites, and a large bat population.
As part of the tour, you’re provided with an audio guide which explains the different sections in the cave. Your guide will use a torch to illuminate rock formations and points of interest.
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. It also visits the Sabang X Zipline, which is 800 metres long and has views over the Sabang coastline.
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.
Once you arrive in Sabang, you will need to pay for your own tickets.
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 a 15-minute drive from the city (it bears repeating), Honda Bay is good for one day of island hopping.
Its island-hopping area is smaller than in El Nido and Coron, but the tours are usually less crowded.
The islands around Honda Bay include Snake Island (a popular sandbar) and the Starfish and Cowrie islands (known for their starfish populations).
Pambato Reef is also popular for snorkelling.
Check 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.
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 availability for a 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 fireflies 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 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 yams.
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 is 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 can use my detailed guide to island hopping in Palawan to plan the rest of your trip.
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.
