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Top 10 Things To Do in Puerto Princesa

Country
Philippines
Best months
November to April
Population
316K
Language
Filipino and English
Budget / day
₱2,500–6,000
Quick answer

Give it three days. Book the Underground River permit first, because entry is capped at 900 visitors a day, then spend a morning on Honda Bay and an evening paddling the Iwahig river under the fireflies. Keep the city for last: Plaza Cuartel, the cathedral, the Palawan Heritage Center and the Baywalk at sunset.

Puerto Princesa is Palawan's capital and the only Philippine city with a UNESCO World Heritage site inside its own boundaries. It covers 2,381 square kilometres, almost all of it forest, so the ranked list runs from a cathedral square in the centre to a limestone cave 76 km up the coast.

The 10 best things to do in Puerto Princesa

1

Puerto Princesa Underground River

UNESCO World Heritage site· Sabang, Puerto Princesa, Palawan

The Cabayugan River runs 8.2 km under a limestone mountain before it reaches the sea, and paddle boats take visitors about 1.5 km of that. UNESCO inscribed it in 1999 and it was voted a New7Wonder of Nature in 2012. Entry is capped at 900 people a day and permits come from the booking office in the city, so arrange it before you fly.

TimeFull day
Cost₱500 entrance plus ₱150 environmental fee
Best atEarly morning
TipSecure the permit days ahead
Map↗ Official site
2

Honda Bay island hopping

Island hopping· Sta. Lourdes Wharf, Barangay Sta. Lourdes

Outrigger boats leave the wharf 30 to 45 minutes north of the centre for Luli, Cowrie and Starfish islands. The water is shallow and calm, which makes this the family day rather than the adventurous one. Seas are most reliable from November to May, when the northeast amihan keeps the bay flat.

TimeFull day
CostAbout ₱1,500–2,500 per person
Best atNovember to May
TipBring reef-safe sunscreen
Map
3

Iwahig Firefly Watching

River tour· Iwahig River, Barangay Iwahig

A 30 to 45 minute paddle down a mangrove river after dark, with fireflies massing in the trees on both banks. It is run by the Iwahig Community Ecotourism Association, a Gold PATA award winner, and the boats are paddled rather than motored, so the quiet holds as well as the light.

Time2 hrs
CostGuided tour
Best atAfter dark
TipGo on a moonless night
Map↗ City tourism
4

Ugong Rock Adventures

Caving and zipline· Barangay Tagabinet, Puerto Princesa

A 75-foot limestone outcrop on the road to Sabang, hollow enough that striking the walls rings like a bell, which is what ugong means. You climb up through the caves and come down on a zipline. Underground River tours pass the turning, so it costs an hour rather than a day.

Time1.5 hrs
CostClimb and zipline packages
Best atOn the way to Sabang
TipWear shoes with grip
Map
5

Sabang mangrove paddle boat tour

Mangrove tour· Poblacion, Sabang, Puerto Princesa

A community-run paddle through the Sabang mangrove forest, guided by residents who name the trees and the birds as you go. It takes about 45 minutes and starts a few minutes from the Underground River wharf, which makes it the obvious thing to do while waiting for a boat slot.

Time45 min
CostCommunity tour fee
Best atMid-morning
TipPair it with the Underground River
Map
6

Palawan Wildlife Rescue and Conservation Center

Wildlife centre· National Highway, Barangay Irawan

Better known as the crocodile farm, and the reason crocodile sisig is on menus in town. It breeds and rehabilitates Philippine and saltwater crocodiles alongside rescued Palawan bearcats and porcupines. Visits are guided on a fixed circuit, so allow an hour rather than dropping in.

Time1 hr
CostEntrance fee
Best atMorning
TipAsk for an English-speaking guide
Map
7

Plaza Cuartel

War memorial· Rizal Avenue, behind Immaculate Conception Cathedral

A Spanish garrison turned memorial park behind the cathedral. On 14 December 1944 Japanese troops burned around 150 American prisoners of war alive in tunnels here, and eleven escaped to tell it. The shrine and the open-air panels are the whole visit, and it takes a quarter of an hour.

Time20 min
CostFree
Best atLate afternoon
TipThe cathedral is next door
Map
8

Palawan Heritage Center

Museum· Provincial Legislative Building, Fernandez Street

A 480-square-metre museum in the provincial capitol complex, opened in 2012. Life-sized dioramas cover the Tagbanua, Batak and Palaw'an, and touch screens and a hologram carry the province's history and its current environmental arguments. It is the indoor hour worth taking in the centre.

Time1 hr
CostEntrance fee
Best atMidday heat
TipOpen daily, 8am to 5pm
Map↗ Provincial government
9

Puerto Princesa Baywalk

Waterfront· Baywalk Park, Puerto Princesa Bay

The city's evening promenade on Puerto Princesa Bay: food stalls, a stage and a long line of benches facing the water. Nothing on it is a sight. It is where the city goes after work, and it is the cheapest good hour you will spend in town.

Time1 hr
CostFree
Best atSunset
TipStalls open as the light goes
Map
10

Nagtabon Beach

Beach· Barangay Bacungan, west coast

The city's best beach is on the other coast, an hour's drive across the island: a two-kilometre curve of pale sand under cliffs and palms, with surfable waves in season. It faces west, so the sunset is the reason to stay rather than leave at four.

TimeHalf day
CostFree
Best atLate afternoon
TipHire a van or a motorbike
Map

Puerto Princesa, mapped

Puerto Princesa · 6 spots
AllLandmarksMuseumsFoodFree

Puerto Princesa travel FAQ

How many days do you need in Puerto Princesa?+
Three. One for the Underground River at Sabang, one for Honda Bay, and one for the city itself with the Iwahig fireflies after dark. Add a fourth if you want Nagtabon or Talaudyong on the west coast, which is an hour's drive each way.
Do you need a permit for the Underground River?+
Yes. Entry is capped at 900 visitors a day and the no-permit-no-entry rule is enforced. Permits are issued at the booking office in the city and processing takes a few days, so arrange it before you fly rather than on arrival.
When is the best time to visit Puerto Princesa?+
November to April, the dry amihan season, with February the driest month and the calmest seas for Honda Bay. May to October is the rainy season and July is the wettest. Palawan sits south of the main typhoon track, so it is hit less often than Luzon.
Is Puerto Princesa a good base for El Nido?+
It is the arrival airport for most El Nido trips, but the road north runs five to six hours by van or bus. Treat Puerto Princesa as its own two or three days rather than a stopover, and move up to El Nido for at least two nights.
What should you eat in Puerto Princesa?+
Tamilok, the raw mangrove woodworm, and crocodile sisig, both on the menu at the grills on Rizal Avenue. Then chao long, the local Vietnamese noodle soup, lato seaweed alongside the day's fish, and hopia from Baker's Hill to carry home.
Sand

Best beaches in Puerto Princesa

The west coast, an hour over the island from the centre.
All 3 beaches →
Beach
West coast

Talaudyong Beach

₱100 entrance

Quieter than Nagtabon, 8 km north of it and 41 km from the centre.

Map
Beach
Sabang

Sabang Beach

Free

The Underground River's own beach, and the reason to stay a night in Sabang.

Map
Beach
Napsan

Napsan Beach

Free

White sand and bedrock 53 km southwest, paved road nearly all the way.

Map
Where to eat

Best restaurants in Puerto Princesa

Seafood off the day's catch, and two dishes only Palawan serves.
All 6 restaurants →
Seafood
Rizal Avenue

KaLui Restaurant

Book ahead

The city's best-known table: barefoot dining, carved interiors, a menu that follows the catch.

Map
Seafood
Seafront

Badjao Seafront Restaurant

Seafood

Reached on a long wooden walkway through mangroves. Come before sundown for the light.

Map
Grill
Rizal Avenue

Kinabuchs Grill & Bar

Grill

Where most people meet tamilok and crocodile sisig for the first time.

Map
Filipino
Rizal Avenue

Ka Inato

Budget

Native-style grill built on chicken inato and rice. The cheapest full meal here.

Map
Filipino
City centre

Hapag by Balinsasayaw

Filipino

Filipino cooking in garden huts, a step calmer than the Rizal Avenue strip.

Map
Vietnamese
City centre

Rene's Saigon

Vietnamese

The most serious of the chaolongan: house-made noodles, baked French bread, iced coffee.

Map
After dark

Best bars & cafes in Puerto Princesa

One brewery, one gallery cafe and the Rizal Avenue strip.
All 4 bars & cafes →
Brewery
82 Manalo Street

Palaweño Brewery

Mon to Sat, 1pm to 9pm

The country's first woman-run craft brewery, five beers in regular rotation.

Map
Cafe
City centre

Kamarikutan Kape at Galeri

Cafe

Coffee inside a working art gallery, and the quietest table in the centre.

Map
Bar
355 Rizal Avenue

Tataboom Bar & Restaurant

Live music

Live music and a tropical courtyard on the Rizal Avenue strip.

Map
Bar
Rizal Avenue

Rockafellas

Bar

A long-running bar on the same strip. Loud and friendly rather than large.

Map
Outdoors

Best nature parks in Puerto Princesa

Ziplines, pasture and butterflies, all within half an hour of town.
All 3 nature parks →
Ranch
Sta. Monica Heights

Mitra's Ranch

Entrance fee

Rolling pasture and a view deck over the city, with horses and a zipline.

Map
Zipline
Irawan

Irawan Eco Park

₱800 zipline

A 1.3 km zipline through the forest canopy, billed as Asia's longest.

Map
Garden
Sta. Monica

Palawan Butterfly Eco-Garden & Tribal Village

Entrance fee

Butterflies on one side, Palaw'an craft demonstrations on the other, 5 km north.

Map
History

Best museums & heritage in Puerto Princesa

A cathedral, a provincial museum and the prison without bars.
All 3 museums & heritage →
Church
Rizal Avenue

Immaculate Conception Cathedral

Free

The blue-and-white cathedral on Rizal Avenue, dating from about 1872.

Map
Museum
Mendoza Park

Palawan Museum

Entrance fee

In the old city hall on Mendoza Park: Manunggul Jar and Tabon Man replicas, Tagbanua and Batak artefacts.

Map
Heritage
Iwahig

Iwahig Prison and Penal Farm

Free

An open prison founded in 1904 across some 28,000 hectares. Inmates farm it and sell handicrafts.

Map↗ City tourism
Take it home

Best markets & pasalubong in Puerto Princesa

Hopia, woven buri palm and the last-minute airport run.
All 4 markets & pasalubong →
Bakery
Sta. Monica

Baker's Hill

Daily, 7am to 7pm

Hopia, crumbles and polvoron, plus gardens and a view deck. The pasalubong stop.

Map
Crafts
Sta. Monica

Binuatan Creations

Workshop

A weaving centre working buri palm into bags and mats. Visitors can try the loom.

Map
Market
National Highway

MCA Market Mall Pasalubong Center

Souvenirs

The last-minute option, about ten minutes from the airport.

Map
Crafts
City centre

ASIANO Arts and Crafts

Crafts

Woodcarvings, textiles and artwork by Palaweño makers rather than importers.

Map
Further out

Best day trips in Puerto Princesa

What the road north and south is actually for.
All 3 day trips →
Coast
Northern Palawan

El Nido

5–6 hrs

Five to six hours north for the limestone bays. Worth a night, not a day.

Map
Coast
San Vicente

Port Barton

4 hrs

About four hours northwest, a quieter island-hopping base than El Nido.

Map
Falls
Narra

Estrella Falls

2.5 hrs

Palawan's best-known waterfall, roughly two and a half hours south at Narra.

Map
What's on

Festivals & annual events in Puerto Princesa (2026)

Time your trip around the city's biggest dates.
March

Balayong Festival

The city's founding anniversary, timed to the balayong (Palawan cherry) in bloom. Street dancing and parades.

March or April

Holy Week

Boats stop and the city empties toward the west-coast beaches for Good Friday. Book transport well ahead.

June

Pista y ang Kagueban

The Feast of the Forest, a mass tree-planting in the third week of June, now held near the Irawan watershed.

June

Baragatan sa Palawan

The provincial festival on the capitol grounds, running the week around Philippine Independence Day.

September

Tandikan Festival

The city's tourism-month programme, named for the Palawan peacock-pheasant.

November

Subaraw Biodiversity Festival

Built around 11 November, the day the Underground River was named a New7Wonder of Nature.

December

Palawan Massacre commemoration

Wreaths at Plaza Cuartel on 14 December for the prisoners of war killed there in 1944.

December

Feast of the Immaculate Conception

The city's patronal fiesta on 8 December, centred on the cathedral on Rizal Avenue.

Getting around

Puerto Princesa transport & airports

How to arrive and move around the city.
PPS

Puerto Princesa International

The island's main gateway, a couple of kilometres from the centre, with a terminal opened in 2017. Manila, Cebu, Clark, Iloilo and Davao are all served. Tricycles wait outside the doors.

Map↗ Website
Bus

San Jose Terminal

Buses and vans north to El Nido and Port Barton leave from San Jose, about 7 km from the airport. El Nido is six hours by bus and five by van, with departures from early morning.

Map
City

Tricycles and multicabs

Tricycles handle almost every trip inside the city and are flagged down on the street. Multicabs and jeepneys run fixed routes out along the National Highway to Sta. Monica and Irawan.

Sabang

Vans to Sabang

Shared vans to Sabang for the Underground River take about two hours from the San Jose terminal. Most visitors go on a tour van that collects from the hotel instead.

Map
Traditional food

Must-try dishes in Puerto Princesa, Philippines

The classics to order before you leave.

Tamilok

A mangrove woodworm eaten raw with vinegar, onion and chilli. The texture of an oyster.

Crocodile sisig

Farmed crocodile chopped and fried with onion, chilli and calamansi. Lean and mild.

Chao long

Rice noodles in a sweet-savoury beef broth, left by Vietnamese refugees in the late 1970s.

Lato

Sea grapes, served cold with tomato and vinegar. They pop between the teeth.

Hopia

Flaky pastry filled with mung bean or ube. Baker's Hill is the version people carry home.

Kinilaw na tanigue

Raw Spanish mackerel cured in vinegar and calamansi with ginger and chilli.

Chicken inato

Marinated chicken charred over coals and eaten with rice, the everyday grill order.

Danggit

Split rabbitfish salted and sun-dried, then fried for breakfast with garlic rice.

Puerto Princesa fact sheet

Puerto Princesa at a glance

The essentials worth knowing before you go.
Country
Philippines
Region
MIMAROPA (Region IV-B), Palawan
Population
316,384 (2024 census)
Founded
Spanish settlement founded 4 March 1872
Nickname
The City in a Forest
Language
Filipino and English, with Cuyonon widely spoken
Currency
Philippine peso (₱)
Time zone
PST · UTC+8
Calling code
+63 48
Airports
PPS
Power
220V · Type A, B and C
Emergency
911
Ideal length
3 days
Getting around
Tricycles, multicabs and tour vans

Interesting facts

  • At 2,381 square kilometres, Puerto Princesa is the largest city in the Philippines by land area.
  • Rural barangays hold 94 percent of that area, which is where the city in a forest tag comes from.
  • The Cabayugan River runs 8.2 km underground before it reaches the sea, and its lower stretch is tidal.
  • UNESCO inscribed the underground river in 1999, and a global vote made it a New7Wonder of Nature in 2012.
  • Chao long, the city's Vietnamese noodle soup, arrived with refugees settled here in the late 1970s.

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