Is the Puerto Princesa Underground River worth it?

Yes, once — it's a UNESCO site and genuinely impressive. Cost is $20-30 all-in for a full day. Skip it if you've done similar caves like Phong Nha in Vietnam; the queues can be long in peak season.

How long should I stay in Puerto Princesa?

1-2 nights. It's mainly a gateway to El Nido, but the Underground River and Honda Bay justify one extra day. The city also has the cheapest food in Palawan.

How do I get from Puerto Princesa to El Nido?

Shared vans take 5-6 hours and cost $8-12, leaving every hour from 6am. It's the standard route for backpackers.

Puerto Princesa Travel Guide: The Gateway You'll Pass Through Anyway

Everyone flies into Puerto Princesa — most people leave the same day for El Nido. That's mostly right, but a smart traveler stops for 24 hours. Here's how to spend them.

Puerto Princesa Underground River limestone entrance

🗺️ First, Understand Puerto Princesa

Puerto Princesa is Palawan's capital and main airport hub. It's a long, low city — no skyscrapers, no beachfront nightlife, just a relaxed provincial capital that happens to be the gateway to the best island province in the Philippines.

Most backpackers treat it as a transit point: fly in, van to El Nido (6h) or ferry to Coron, done. That's a reasonable plan if your time is short. But if you have a spare day, the Underground River and Honda Bay are both worth your time.

How long to stay: 1 night minimum (you'll arrive late anyway). 2 nights if you want the Underground River plus a city food day.

🦇 The Underground River: Worth It or Not?

Puerto Princesa Underground River

Honest verdict: ✅ worth it, once

A UNESCO World Heritage site and one of the New 7 Wonders of Nature. You paddle 1.5km into a limestone cave on an underground river, past giant stalactites and a cathedral-sized chamber. It's genuinely impressive — the scale is hard to grasp from photos.

Cost: $20-30 all-in (entrance + boat + shared transport from town). Full day, 7am-4pm.

The catch: the logistics are a government-run operation. You wait in lines, get shuffled through checkpoints, and the cave visit itself is only ~45 minutes. On peak days (Dec-April) the queue can eat 2+ hours.

Should you go? If you've never seen a big limestone cave system, yes. If you're a caver or did the similar caves in Vietnam (Phong Nha), skip it — the money and day are better spent in El Nido or Coron.

Book the day before. The Underground River requires a permit which sells out. Ask your hostel or any travel agency in town to book it for you — they handle the government registration.

🏝️ Honda Bay: The Backup Plan

If the Underground River feels like too much logistics, Honda Bay is the chill alternative. Island hopping to Cowrie Island, Luli Island (sandbar that disappears at high tide), and Starfish Island. Decent snorkeling, good lunch stops.

Cost: $15-20 including lunch. Departs 9am from Sta. Lourdes Wharf, 30 min from town.

It's not El Nido-level scenery, but it's an easy half-day if you have the time and the weather cooperates.

🍚 The City Food Scene

Puerto Princesa has a surprisingly good food scene, and it's the cheapest place to eat well in all of Palawan.

KaLui Restaurant — the legendary one. Seafood in a garden setting, no menu (the chef cooks what's fresh). $8-15 per person. Book ahead.

Kinabuchs Grill & Bar — the backpacker favorite. Grilled seafood, crocodile sisig, and the famous tamilok (woodworm) if you're brave. $4-8.

Balinsasayaw Restaurant — bird's nest soup specialty, plus solid Filipino classics. $5-10.

Street food: the night market near the bay has grilled isaw, fish balls, and banana cue from $0.20. This is where the locals eat.

💰 Real Costs (2026)

Item	Price
Hostel dorm bed	$5 - $8
Underground River tour	$20 - $30
Honda Bay island hopping	$15 - $20
Local meal	$2 - $4
Van to El Nido	$8 - $12
Daily total (backpacker)	$15 - $25

✈️ Airport Logistics (The Part Everyone Gets Wrong)

1. The airport is 5 minutes from town. Puerto Princesa International (PPS) is tiny and right at the city edge. A tricycle to any hostel costs $1-2. Don't pay airport taxi prices ($5+).

2. Vans to El Nido leave from the city terminal, not the airport. Travel agencies at the airport will sell you a van ticket with a tricycle to the terminal bundled in. It's fine, just know the markup.

3. If you're flying out the same day you arrive from El Nido: book a flight after 2pm. The 6-hour van from El Nido + check-in is tight before noon.

4. Withdraw cash HERE. The ATMs in Puerto Princesa are the most reliable in Palawan. El Nido and Coron's ATMs run dry on weekends. Stock up before heading north.

🛏️ Where to Stay

Budget: Sheebang Hostel ($5, free breakfast, social), Banwa Art House ($6, artsy, quiet), Palawan Transient House ($5, basic but fine).

Splurge worth it: Hijo de Puta Inn ($15, the name means "son of a..." in Spanish — yes, really — but it's a lovely boutique place).

Everything is within a 10-minute tricycle ride of everything else. Location barely matters in this city.

⚠️ What Nobody Tells You

🔥 It's hot and humid year-round. Puerto Princesa feels hotter than El Nido because there's no sea breeze in the city. Plan indoor activities for noon-3pm.

🚶 The city is walkable-ish. Flat and spread out. Walking 2km is normal, but tricycles are $0.50-1 for short hops. Don't be a hero in the heat.

🦟 Mosquitoes at dusk. The bay area gets mosquito-y after sunset. Repellent is not optional here.

📅 Weekend crowds. Filipino tourists visit on weekends. The Underground River and Honda Bay are emptier Tue-Thu.

Planning a bigger trip?

Puerto Princesa is the start of the Palawan trail — head to El Nido next (van, 6h), or take the ferry to Coron. See the full Palawan guide for the whole picture.