Palawan is one of those places on Earth that you have to go and experience for yourself, because it is hard to describe (at least for me). It is not only the absolutely stunning nature and the beautiful people that live there, it is the vibe and the atmosphere of the island. Palawan touched my heart greatly and when I close my eyes I can still feel it. I know I may sound like cliché now, but it is true and who’ve been there knows what I’m talking about! what to do in Puerto Princessa
Palawan won the title of “The Most Beautiful Island in the World” three times in a row, however, the hordes of tourists haven’t come here yet, so it still feels very pristine and untouched. Palawan is also known as “The Last Frontier” for its unique ecological balance, being every nature lover’s sublime haven, where you can really feel the connection with nature and the environment. El Nido is an obvious choice when travelling to Palawan, but in this article I would like to present you few reasons why it is worth to stay also in the capital of Palawan – Puerto Princessa.
I have always wanted to go to Philippines so when we were thinking where to spend our last week in Southeast Asia (in 2017), the choice was more or less clear. We traveled to Palawan from Singapore via Manila with Cebu Pacific Air. I didn’t know what to expect from this low cost airline, but I was really positively surprised with their service and new planes, plus the tickets were half price in comparison to Philippine Airlines. We spend on the island about a week, but I wish we were there for longer.
Initially, I wanted to write only one article about Palawan, but after I finished I realized it was too long. In this first part, I will describe Puerto Princesa and give you some travel insights. I hope you will enjoy it!
About Puerto Princesa
Puerto Princesa is the capital of the Province of Palawan with the main airport, so you will most probably land here. For many people it is only one-night destination before heading north to El Nido. We stayed in Puerto Princesa for 2 nights in a cute BNB Balai Esperanza and did Honda Bay and Underground River tours from here.
Puerto Princesa does not remind any of the big cities, it is quite modest with only 2 shopping malls (both built in recent years), muddy roads, wooden houses, tricycles, lost dogs, barefoot kids, and countless stalls with food and mixed goods by the roads. I will not lie, it was a quite a cultural shock after we landed.
We came at night and it was raining a lot, we were looking for a cab but we were told that there are only 20 cabs on the whole island and that we should take a tricycle. It was my first tricycle ride ever, with all our luggage in the back, Jesus hanging on the front window and talkative driver (who over-charged us, but we didn’t know that at that time).
If you are looking for a place to stay in Puerto Princesa and you are traveling on budget, we loved Balai Esperanza! It is a small BnB with really cosy, super cool common room, open kitchen, clean rooms and bathrooms and it is also really cheap. It’s close to the airport and the beach and our host Erven made us feel like home, prepared breakfast for us every morning, always managed to get us the “local” price from the drivers and recommended a tour operator on El Nido, that gave us discount for island hopping tour. Plus he has adorable little dog! Home away from home. (Note: this is not a fancy hotel or a resort. Even though Balai Esperanza is not classified as hostel, backpackers and adventurers are the sort of clientele that would love it. Their great ratings on Booking.com are earned thanks to Erven).
Honda Bay Island Hopping
Honda Bay is a popular place to do island hopping on Palawan, maybe not as well known as El Nido, but not less beautiful. We took a tricycle ride from Puerto Princesa and it took us about 40 minutes. Tricycles are not the most comfortable mean of transport but you will get used to them quickly! When we got to the port it started raining and it was very cloudy so the experience from this place was not as magnificent as it would be during a sunny day.
There are multiple tours to choose from, we opted for a shorter one due to weather. It was literally only us and two skippers on the little outrigger boat and maybe 10 more people on the islands. Honda Bay is beautiful and I can imagine how amazing it must be when the sun is out! Each of the islands is special in a different way, so don’t miss this attraction when travelling to Palawan.
Underground River - One of the 7 Wonders of Nature
Puerto Princessa Subterranean River National Park, a protected area of Palawan located about 80 km north from the city, is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site and in 2012 was voted as one of the New 7 Wonders of Nature. It is the world’s longest underground river navigable only by motor-free boat with amazing formations of stalagmite and stalactites, few big chambers and unique fauna and flora.
The Underground River is a great one-day trip from Puerto Princesa. It is only about 2200 PHP per person (55AUD / 34 EUR – the prices may differ) and the tour includes a van ride, tour guide, national park fees and a buffet lunch. The forest around the entrance of the cave is inhabited by monkeys, so be aware of your belongings because they can rob you for exchange of bananas. When waiting for a boat to take you to the river, there are lots of street traders selling waterproof sacks and pouches for your belongings. You may consider this purchase, if you do not own something similar, because the cave it very wet with water dripping from the ceilings (we did not buy anything and regretted it later). Also don’t forget the repellent because you’ll be eaten by mosquitoes!
The Underground River tour was an amazing experience, the caves are just incredible and we were quite lucky to see some snakes just chilling on the rocks. The locals are very protective of their natural heritage, they believe that touch and sound can change the ecosystem of the caves so the guides on the boats don’t give you the explanation, you will get a radio guide and a head set to listen to the amazing history and geological origin of this place. Apart from listening to the radio guide, everything is quiet and dark. The only light comes from a torch that the boat navigator has, pointing out at the places you’ll hear about from your head set.
More Attractions
After the Underground River tour, we took a van and left to El Nido. However, there are more things to do and to see in the region. Here are some top activities that caught my attention that I would love to do if staying longer:
FIREFLIES WATCHING
A boat cruise that will take you to natural environment of fireflies colonies. I bet it must be absolutely magical!
NAGTABON BEACH
The best beach around Puerto Princessa, still relatively unspoiled with clear waters and beautiful scenery.
SWIMMING WITH WHALE SHARKS
For this particular tour you have to be lucky, because unlike Cebu, Palawan is not their natural environment, but it is possible to meet these amazing creatures here, when they get lost in here only during plankton season, which lasts from May to November.
PUERTO PRINCESSA PRISON
About 15 km from the city is Iwahig Prison, where you can drop in and mingle with the inmates, who sell souvenirs and perform dance routines for group tours. Maybe a bit unusual, but must be very interesting.
Have you been to Palawan and stayed in Puerto Princessa? Would you stay here for a few days rather than heading north to El Nido straight away? Let me know in the comments below! And don’t forget to check out my article about El Nido here!
Hey I have been to Palawan 3 times 2017 2019 and 2023 I always stayed in Puerto Primcessa ,went south couple of times.Once I went to El Nido and found it so expensive and full of tourists (too many).2023 I went to Pena Plata island private boat, bonfire with mashmallows and private island for two for around £120 for two nights including a van.Inrealh enjoyed snorkeling there seeing turtles and even having friendly private staff.The distance was about 2.5 hours north in the van about 1.5 hours less than el Nido but stil a hell of a van ride .