Stand on Rizal Avenue in the late afternoon and you will see the shape of the city: banks and budget inns on one side, the blue-and-white facade of Our Lady of Immaculate Conception a short walk away, and tricycles peeling off toward the wharf road that leads north to the beaches. Puerto Princesa is a base as much as a destination, and most travellers use it that way.
It suits people who are happy to build a day around one long trip out of town and then eat seafood back in the centre, and who would rather see a working penal farm or a crocodile research station than a polished theme park. The city itself is spread out and low-key; the memorable parts sit at the edges, along the coast and in the karst country to the north.
This guide covers the sights and experiences worth your time, ordered with the strongest first, followed by a one-day plan and answers to the questions travellers ask most often.
Top things to do in Puerto Princesa
1. Puerto Princesa Subterranean River National Park
Also known as the Underground River, this is the city's headline attraction: a navigable river running through a cave system, with clear water and large cave formations. Small pumpboats leave from Sabang Beach and carry you into the cave, and the site was declared a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1999.
Travel time from the city proper to Sabang is about 1.5 hours by road, though a jeepney that stops to deliver goods along the way can take closer to 3.5 hours. A permit is required and is available in Puerto Princesa, and as of 2018 tickets could also be bought at Sabang pier, where doing it yourself cost around ₱600 while booking through your accommodation could push the price to ₱1200. Ask whether you can make the return trip by trekking through the park and jungle; that requires a guide, but it is worth the time and money.
2. Honda Bay
A bay of several islets with beaches, this is where you go for swimming, snorkelling and island hopping. Pumpboats are hired at the Sta. Lourdes wharf, about 25 minutes from the city, and take visitors out to the various islets.
Timing matters if you want a boat to yourself. Arrive before 11AM if you need a small boat for one to five people, and before 2:30PM if you need a larger one.
3. Iwahig Penal Colony
This is a correctional institute that works more like a farming community than a prison. Inmates often live with their families and farm to earn a living, and carving handicrafts is a common occupation, with mahogany handcarvings a reasonable purchase.
It sits about 35 minutes from the city centre, which makes it easy to pair with other stops on the same road.
4. Palawan Wildlife Rescue and Conservation Center
Formerly the Crocodile Farming Institute and still called the Crocodile Farm by locals, this is a national research institute devoted to crocodiles, with a mini-zoo holding some of Palawan's endemic wildlife. It is about 30 to 40 minutes from the city centre and is open from roughly 8:30AM to about 4:30PM.
From Rizal Avenue you can take an eight-person covered pickup truck labelled "Irawan" for ₱20, with the Croc Farm as the last stop; a tricycle for one or two people costs ₱100–150. Tickets are ₱40 for adults and ₱20 for kids, and the visit starts with a guided crocodile tour of about 15 minutes before you walk the endemic species area on your own. Watch your footing there, as a few of the wooden bridges are rotten and crumbling.
5. Butterfly Garden
A garden of native Palawan butterflies, sitting about half-way to the Croc Farm and along the same road, which makes it a natural stop on the same run. It is open daily from 8:30AM to 5PM and entry is ₱50.
6. Ugong Rock
A 75-foot limestone formation standing in the middle of farmlands and karst forest near the Underground River. The main activities here are spelunking and a zip line.
Because of its position near the river, it fits neatly into a day already built around the Subterranean River National Park.
7. Palawan Special Battalion World War II Memorial Museum
A museum at the far eastern end of Rizal Avenue, near the airport, covering the wartime history of Palawan. Its position near the airport makes it convenient on a arrival or departure day.
8. Plaza Cuartel
On Taft Street near the cathedral, this is the restored ruin of an old garrison where Japanese soldiers burned 143 American prisoners of war inside a tunnel. It stands as a grim reminder of World War II and is a short walk from the church.
9. Our Lady of Immaculate Conception
A church decorated in blue and white, and an easy stop in the centre of town. Combine it with Plaza Cuartel on Taft Street, which is close by.
10. Palawan Museum
On Valencia Street on the south side of Mendosa Park, this is an old museum that is not especially well maintained or labelled but holds a number of interesting pieces. It is open 9AM to noon and 1:30PM to 5PM, entry is ₱20, and it is well worth a visit on a rainy day.
11. Palawan Heritage Center
On Fernandez Street, next to the Palawan Provincial Capitol. It sits close to the provincial government buildings, so it pairs with a walk through that part of the centre.
12. White Beach (Pristine Beach)
On Abueg Road in Bancao Bancao, this is the only beach in town. It is not as clean as it used to be and is no longer white or pristine, but it is a good place to meet locals over a few drinks. Buy a few beers from the take-away store and walk around the huts; you will likely be invited to join a table. If you have a good time, throw in some money for the table, around ₱200, or buy a cheap bottle of whatever they are drinking.
13. Rizal Avenue
The city's main commercial strip, where you will find shops, banks, restaurants and budget inns. It is the practical spine of a stay in the centre, and the starting point for the Irawan pickup trucks heading toward the Croc Farm.
14. Langogan Reef
A coral reef protected by city ordinance, with three falls nearby, the largest around 50 m and about 5 km from the barangay.
15. Baker Hill
On Mitra Road in Barangay Sta Monica, a place to see plants and animals in their natural habitat. Entry is ₱600.
If you only have one day
Morning: Leave early for the Puerto Princesa Subterranean River National Park, allowing about 1.5 hours to reach Sabang Beach, and take a pumpboat into the cave. If you have time and a guide, ask about trekking back through the park and jungle rather than returning by road.
Afternoon: On the way back, stop at Ugong Rock for spelunking or the zip line, then break the return journey at the Butterfly Garden and the Palawan Wildlife Rescue and Conservation Center, which sit along the same road and close in the late afternoon.
Evening: Return to the centre and walk Rizal Avenue for dinner, then continue to Our Lady of Immaculate Conception and Plaza Cuartel on Taft Street before finishing at White Beach in Bancao Bancao, where you can buy a beer from the take-away store and sit with the locals.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need a permit for the Underground River?
Yes. A permit is necessary to visit, and it is available in Puerto Princesa, though an online system was under construction. As of 2018 you could also buy tickets at Sabang pier: around ₱600 doing it yourself, or up to ₱1200 through your accommodation.
What time should I get to Honda Bay for island hopping?
Arrive before 11AM if you need a small boat for one to five people, and before 2:30PM if you need a larger boat. Pumpboats are hired at the Sta. Lourdes wharf, about 25 minutes from the city.
How do I get to the Crocodile Farm without a tour?
From Rizal Avenue, take an eight-person covered pickup truck labelled "Irawan" for ₱20; the Croc Farm is the last stop. A tricycle carrying one or two people will cost ₱100–150.
Is there a beach in the city itself?
White Beach, also called Pristine Beach, on Abueg Road in Bancao Bancao, is the only beach in town. It is no longer white or pristine, but it is a good place to meet locals and have a few drinks.
Work out which of these fit your days, check the permit arrangements for the Underground River before you go, and you can start planning a trip that uses Puerto Princesa as both a base and a destination.