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Puerto Princesa is one of the largest cities in the Philippines by land area. Rainforest, mangroves, and limestone hills fill most of its territory, while the compact downtown faces Puerto Princesa Bay on the eastern coast of Palawan.
On the island’s western coast, the Underground River flows through a karst mountain range and empties straight into the sea. UNESCO listed its national park in 1999, and a global vote named the river one of the New 7 Wonders of Nature in 2012.
As the capital of Palawan, Puerto Princesa is also the main gateway to the rest of the province. The city has earned recognition several times as the cleanest and greenest city in the Philippines.
Useful things to know
Main language(s): Filipino, English
Kamusta (kah-moo-STAH) – Hello
Pakiusap (pah-kee-OOS-ahp) – Please
Salamat (sah-lah-MAHT) – Thank you
Nagsasalita ka ba ng Ingles? (<em>nahg-sah-sah-lee-TAH kah bah nahng eeng-GLES</em>) – Do you speak English?
Magkano ito? (mag-KAH-noh ee-TOH) – How much does it cost?
Currency: Philippine peso (PHP, ₱)
Cash and cards: Hotels, malls, and larger restaurants accept cards, but tricycles, markets, and small eateries take cash. Plan on PHP 1,000 to PHP 2,000 ($15.50 to $31.50) in cash per day.
Tipping: Many restaurants add a 10% service charge to the bill. If yours does not, leave 10% for good service. Tricycle drivers appreciate it when you round up the fare.
Traditional food: Tamilok, crocodile sisig, grilled tuna, and crocodile adobo are among the local dishes most closely tied to Puerto Princesa.
Water and coffee costs: A bottle of water costs PHP 30 to PHP 50 ($0.50 to $1), and an espresso at a café costs PHP 120 to PHP 180 ($2 to $3).
Taxis and ride apps: Tricycles handle most short trips in the city. Grab coverage is limited, so check the app on arrival or ask your hotel to arrange a car for longer rides.
Plug and voltage: Type A/B/C socket, 220 V
Dining and shop opening hours: Restaurants serve breakfast from 6:00 am to 9:00 am, lunch from 12:00 pm to 2:00 pm, and dinner from 6:00 pm to 9:00 pm. Many places outside the city center close early.
Emergency number: 911 for police, fire, and medical emergencies
Where to stay in Puerto Princesa
Downtown Puerto Princesa covers the barangays along Rizal Avenue, the main commercial street that also leads to Puerto Princesa International Airport (PPS). Banks, restaurants, pharmacies, and tour desks line the area, so airport transfers, errands, and early tour pickups take little time.
Best for: Airport stops, short city stays, and travelers who want easy access to offices, dining, and tour desks
What to expect: Busy daytime streets, tricycles, and a mix of local shops, offices, and casual eateries
Hotel prices: Well-rated hotels in this area cost PHP 3,800 to PHP 9,300 ($60 to $145) per night.
Distance to major sights: A 10- to 20-minute tricycle ride to Puerto Princesa International Airport (PPS), and a 10-minute tricycle ride to the Baywalk
Quietness: Streets are busy during the day. Evenings get calmer after the shops close, but traffic on the main roads continues into the night.
Main trade-off: Downtown is convenient, but it has no beaches. For a resort-style stay with sea access, you need to look outside the city center.
Good to know: If you plan early tours, this area cuts down on morning transfers, but book a room set back from Rizal Avenue if you want less road noise.
The Baywalk area covers the downtown waterfront along Puerto Princesa Bay, a 6-minute walk from Immaculate Conception Cathedral. In the evening, the promenade fills with food stalls, families, and joggers. Hotels nearby are close to both the sea views and downtown restaurants.
Best for: Evening walks, waterfront dining, and travelers who want sea views within walking distance of downtown
What to expect: A more relaxed waterfront setting, with people out for walks, snack stalls, and sunset-viewing spots
Hotel prices: Well-rated hotels in this area charge PHP 2,600 to PHP 5,400 ($40 to $85) per night, and most of them are small boutique properties.
Distance to major sights: A 5-minute walk to the Immaculate Conception Cathedral, and a 10- to 20-minute tricycle ride to Puerto Princesa International Airport (PPS)
Quietness: Evenings are lively along the promenade, while late nights are quieter once restaurants and stalls wind down.
Main trade-off: You gain sea views and sunset walks, but hotel options are limited and you may need a tricycle for most city errands.
Good to know: Check your hotel’s distance from the promenade, since properties one block back are quieter but still close to the water.
San Jose lies about 4 miles (7 km) north of downtown along the North National Highway. Vans to Sabang, the jumping-off point for the Underground River, leave from the San Jose Terminal here, and Robinsons Place Palawan mall in neighboring San Manuel adds restaurants and shops nearby.
Best for: Travelers who want a shorter transfer on Underground River day and a large mall with restaurants nearby
What to expect: More spread-out streets, highway traffic, and fewer pedestrians than in the central district
Hotel prices: Well-rated hotels in this area start at PHP 3,200 ($50) per night and reach PHP 9,300 ($145) at the upscale end.
Distance to major sights: 10 to 15 minutes by tricycle to Puerto Princesa International Airport (PPS), and a 20- to 30-minute tricycle ride to the Baywalk
Quietness: Daytime traffic is steady, while evenings here are quieter than downtown except near the highway.
Main trade-off: You avoid downtown crowds, but every dinner downtown or at the Baywalk means a tricycle ride there and back.
Good to know: Choose a hotel near the mall if you want restaurants within walking distance, since the rest of the area is spread out.
Skip hotels in rural barangays such as Bacungan and Langogan to the north or Iwahig and Inagawan to the south, even if their address says Puerto Princesa. They have few restaurants, and every trip downtown means a long ride.
Hotel deals
Getting around Puerto Princesa
Tricycles handle most trips around Puerto Princesa, while jeepneys cover the main roads and taxis or private vans handle longer routes.
Tricycle
for short trips
Tricycles are the most common way to get around downtown and the Baywalk. You can flag one on almost any street. A private ride within the city costs PHP 50 to PHP 150 ($1 to $2.50). Drivers rarely use taximeters, so agree on the fare before you get in.
Jeepney and multicab
for budget rides
Jeepneys and multicabs follow fixed routes along Rizal Avenue and the national highways. They offer the cheapest way to reach San Jose or Sta. Lourdes. Fares start at PHP 14 ($0.20) and reach PHP 25 ($0.40) for longer rides. Pay the driver in cash.
Taxi and private van
for airport runs, late hours, and longer distances
Metered taxis wait outside the airport arrivals hall and charge PHP 200 to PHP 300 ($3 to $5) to downtown hotels. For rides to the Underground River, Honda Bay, or the airport after 9:00 pm, book a private car or van through your hotel. Airport transfers cost PHP 1,000 to PHP 1,800 ($15.50 to $28).
*Prices are based on rates updated as of October 2026 and may change at the time of travel.
Use tricycles for short downtown trips and jeepneys for budget rides on main roads. Choose a taxi or private van for the airport, late evenings, and day trips.
Iconic places in Puerto Princesa
Puerto Princesa City Baywalk
This seafront promenade runs along Puerto Princesa Bay downtown, a 5-minute walk from Immaculate Conception Cathedral. In the evening, food stalls open, families and joggers fill the walkway, and the sun sets over the water.
Time needed: About 1 to 2 hours
Entry: Free
Tip: Arrive before sunset, then stay after dark for cooler air and the city lights.
Puerto Princesa Underground River
This UNESCO-listed river flows through limestone caves in the Saint Paul Mountain Range, about 50 miles (80 km) north of downtown. Park-operated paddle boats take visitors 1 mile (1.5 km) into the cave, past huge chambers, stalactites, and bat colonies.
Time needed: A full day from the city, with a 2-hour drive each way
Entry: Park fees total PHP 740 ($11.50), plus PHP 1,100 to PHP 1,425 ($17 to $22.50) per boat and a visitor entry permit. Visit the official site for details.
Tip: Book the permit days ahead at the City Coliseum office, or join a tour that arranges it.
Immaculate Conception Cathedral
Puerto Princesa’s neo-Gothic cathedral faces Rizal Park near the port, on the spot where the town’s first Mass took place in 1872. The current church dates from 1961, with twin belfries outside and an interior modeled on medieval European churches.
Time needed: About 30 to 45 minutes
Entry: Free. Visitors should dress modestly to enter the church.
Tip: Come outside Mass hours so you can step inside without interrupting worship.
Overlooked places in Puerto Princesa
Baker's Hill
This hilltop park on Mitra Road combines landscaped gardens, life-sized cartoon statues, a playground, and city views. Its bakery is best known for hopia, a flaky pastry filled with sweet bean paste.
Time needed: About 1 to 2 hours
Entry: Free, open 7:00 am to 8:00 pm. Bring cash for hopia and bakery snacks.
Tip: Visit on a weekday, when the gardens are quieter.
Plaza Cuartel
Plaza Cuartel is a small park on the site of a Spanish-era garrison, steps from the cathedral. A memorial marks the place where 139 American prisoners of war died in a massacre in December 1944.
Time needed: 30 minutes to 1 hour
Entry: Free, with no booking required. The park is open Monday to Friday, 8:00 am to 5:00 pm, and closed on weekends.
Tip: Combine it with the cathedral next door for one short downtown stop.
What to eat in Puerto Princesa
Local menus feature mangrove shellfish, fresh tuna from the surrounding sea, and farmed crocodile, served sizzling as sisig or braised as adobo.
Tamilok
Tamilok is a long, soft shipworm, a mollusk that lives in mangrove wood, eaten raw like ceviche with vinegar, onions, garlic, and chili. Kinabuch Grill and Bar on Rizal Avenue serves it raw or cooked in butter, from 5:00 pm.
Crocodile sisig
Crocodile sisig swaps pork for chopped crocodile meat, cooked on a sizzling plate with onions, chili, and calamansi. Ka Inato on the North National Highway includes it on a menu of Filipino classics such as chicken inasal and kare-kare.
Grilled tuna
Grilled tuna, often served as thick belly cuts with a soy and calamansi dip, is a staple of local seafood restaurants. Kalui Restaurant builds its menu around the catch of the day, which often includes tuna, blue marlin, and prawns.
Crocodile adobo
Crocodile adobo braises farmed crocodile meat in vinegar, soy sauce, garlic, bay leaves, and black pepper, the base of classic Filipino adobo. Kinabuch Grill and Bar also serves an adobado version, with coconut milk added to the sauce.
Best time to visit
Puerto Princesa stays hot all year, so rainfall and sea conditions shape the best months, with the driest weather from January to April.
Best for: Underground River trips, Honda Bay island hopping, and holiday celebrations
What you get: Temperatures range from 74°F to 88°F (23°C to 31°C). Rain eases after December, and January and February bring calm seas and sunny days.
Trade-offs: Christmas and New Year raise hotel demand, so book rooms and river permits well ahead.
Best for: Beach days, Honda Bay snorkeling, and calm boat rides to the Underground River
What you get: Temperatures range from 75°F to 91°F (24°C to 33°C). March and April are the driest, sunniest months, and the rains return in May.
Trade-offs: April is the hottest month, and Holy Week brings crowds and higher prices.
Best for: Lower hotel rates, fewer tour groups, and green scenery around the city
What you get: Temperatures range from 76°F to 90°F (24°C to 32°C). The rainy season brings 15 to 17 wet days a month and rougher seas along the coast.
Trade-offs: Rough seas can cancel Underground River and island trips, so leave spare days in your plan.
Best for: Quiet streets, easy hotel bookings, and lush green mangroves and rainforest
What you get: Temperatures range from 75°F to 89°F (24°C to 32°C). This is the wettest stretch of the year, with 14 to 17 rainy days in each month.
Trade-offs: Typhoons can affect Palawan from October, and heavy rain can cancel boat tours.
A 5-day plan in Puerto Princesa
Five days in Puerto Princesa give you time for the Underground River, a day among the islands of Honda Bay, and the city’s wartime and pre-colonial history, with evenings free for the waterfront and local food.
After you land at Puerto Princesa International Airport (PPS), check in downtown and keep the afternoon free to recover from the long flight. Before sunset, walk down to the Baywalk, where food stalls open along the promenade as the light fades over the bay. For dinner, head to Kinabuchs Grill and Bar on Rizal Avenue, which opens at 5:00 pm, and order tamilok and crocodile sisig if you feel adventurous.
Spend the second day at the Underground River. Tour vans collect guests from downtown hotels early in the morning for the drive to Sabang, where outrigger boats cross to the park entrance. Inside the cave, a park-operated paddle boat takes you past huge limestone chambers while an audio guide explains the rock formations. Many tours include lunch in Sabang before the drive back, so plan a quiet dinner near your hotel.
Plan this day for a weekday, since Plaza Cuartel closes on weekends. Start at the memorial to the American prisoners of war killed there in 1944, then step into Immaculate Conception Cathedral next door. Walk to the Palawan Museum in the Old City Hall at Mendoza Park for replicas of the Tabon Man skull cap and the Manunggul Jar. In the afternoon, take a 30-minute ride south to the Iwahig Prison and Penal Farm, where inmates work the fields and sell handmade crafts.
Set aside a full day for Honda Bay. Boats leave the Sta. Lourdes wharf in the morning for Starfish, Luli, and Cowrie Islands, where you can snorkel over shallow reefs, swim off sandbars, and eat lunch on the beach. Bring sunscreen, a hat, and a dry bag for your phone. Back in town, try chao long, the local Vietnamese-style noodle soup, at Viet Ville in Sta. Lourdes before you return to your hotel.
Keep the last day light. In the morning, visit the Palawan Wildlife Rescue and Conservation Center in Irawan, home to around 1,450 Philippine and saltwater crocodiles, along with rescued Palawan wildlife. On the way back, stop at Baker’s Hill to buy boxes of hopia as gifts, then return to your hotel to collect your bags before the short ride to the airport.
Business-class flights from the US to Puerto Princesa
Puerto Princesa (PPS) has no scheduled international flights, so trips from the US connect in Manila (MNL) for a 1.5-hour domestic flight.
New York (JFK) to Puerto Princesa (PPS)
Philippine Airlines flies from New York (JFK) to Puerto Princesa (PPS) with one stop in Manila (MNL), while ANA and Alaska Airlines itineraries include a stop in Tokyo (HND), San Francisco (SFO), or Seattle (SEA) before a layover in Manila (MNL). The trip takes 23 to 36 hours, and round-trip business-class fares range from $4,600 to $6,100.
Los Angeles (LAX) to Puerto Princesa (PPS)
From Los Angeles (LAX), Philippine Airlines connects to Puerto Princesa (PPS) with one stop in Manila (MNL). EVA Air offers two-stop routes through Taipei (TPE) and Manila (MNL) or Cebu (CEB). Travel time ranges from 25 to 35 hours, with round-trip business-class fares from $4,000 to $6,100.
Puerto Princesa, between the bay and the Underground River
Five days in Puerto Princesa go furthest when each one has a single focus. Stay downtown, book the Underground River permit early, keep a weekday for Plaza Cuartel, and save Honda Bay for a clear day. Splitting the two full-day trips leaves the other evenings free for the Baywalk and local dinners. When your dates are set, AranGrant travel advisors can help you book your business-class flights to Puerto Princesa (PPS) and a well-located hotel.
