Puerto Princesa — 3-Day Guide

The world's best island (Condé Nast, three times) has a UNESCO river that flows through a mountain and emerges into the South China Sea, limestone karst lagoons accessible only by swimming through underwater caves, and raw woodworm eaten with vinegar as street food.

Also explore Puerto Princesa for:

📋 General guide ⭐ Highlights

Paddle Boat 4 km into a Cathedral Mountain Cave, Monkeys on the Beach & Honda Bay Island Hopping

Paddling Through a Wall Gap into a Mirror-Calm Enclosed Lagoon & Swimming Through an Underwater Cave to a Secret Beach

Open Prison With No Walls Where Inmates Farm 37,000 Acres & Crocodile Farmed for Sisig at the Wildlife Centre

📋 General 3-day guide ⭐ Highlights

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Language	Filipino/Tagalog (national language); Cuyonon (local Palawan dialect); English universally spoken and understood throughout Palawan tourist industry
Currency	Philippine Peso (PHP); cash strongly preferred — ATMs in Puerto Princesa city but unreliable in El Nido; bring sufficient PHP cash for island trips; USD sometimes accepted at larger resorts
Transport	Tricycles (motorcycle sidecars, PHP 10-50 per trip) for city; multicabs (local jeepney taxis) to Honda Bay; shared vans to El Nido (5-6 hrs, PHP 600-700, depart early morning); chartered aircraft Puerto Princesa to El Nido 45 min (PHP 4000+); outrigger boats for island hopping
Best time	Nov–May dry season (best for underground river, island hopping and diving — Oct-Jan has the mildest conditions); Jun–Sep wet season (underground river can be rough, some tours cancelled; El Nido tours can be cancelled due to waves); Tubbataha Reef dive season Mar-Jun only
Getting in	Puerto Princesa International Airport (PPS) — direct from Manila (1h15, Philippine Airlines/Cebu Pacific/AirAsia, multiple daily); Cebu (1h30, daily); no direct international — connect via Manila; El Nido also reachable from Manila by seaplane or charter (2h30)
Tipping	PHP 50-100 for boat crew; PHP 200 for guides; small tips widely appreciated; not mandatory but always kind
Safety	Very safe for tourists; Puerto Princesa city is one of the Philippines' safest cities; standard beach and sea precautions; use life jackets on island-hopping boats (provided); the underground river boat tour is completely safe; El Nido island tours are weather-dependent — trust the boatmen's assessment
Budget tips	Underground River PHP 500 + PHP 150 boat; Honda Bay island hopping PHP 500; Palawan Wildlife Centre PHP 100; Iwahig Prison PHP 50; El Nido Tour A PHP 1200; halo-halo PHP 80; crocodile sisig dinner PHP 400; tamilok PHP 50; San Miguel beer PHP 60