Add dates

Things to do in Puerto Princesa

Our most recommended things to do in Puerto Princesa

From Puerto Princesa: Underground River Full-Day Trip

1. From Puerto Princesa: Underground River Full-Day Trip

Sail along the world's largest underground river at Puerto Princesa on a full-day tour. Learn about this incredible structure from your guide, look out for wildlife, and enjoy a restaurant meal.  Start your day with a convenient pick-up service from your downtown accommodation at 7:00 AM. From there, travel by land to the famous underground river.  Your guide will provide information about the area and Puerto Princesa City in general along the way, ensuring you get to learn as much as you can about this wonderful location. During the trip, a stop will be made at Buenavista, a delightful viewpoint where you can get a glimpse of Ulugan Bay. Arrive at Sabang Wharf at approximately 8:00 AM, and board a pump boat to the mouth of the cave. This place is home to Monitor Lizards, monkeys, snakes, and other forms of wildlife, some of which are exclusive to Palawan.  After a short walk, you'll ride a paddleboat to the underground river and marvel at this natural wonder. Once back at the wharf, lunch will be served at one of the restaurants in Sabang. Get to enjoy local cuisine and sample the taste Filipinos love.  An optional side trip to Ugong Rock Adventure Zipline and Spelunking is available after the Underground River Tour so that you can make the most of your day. Once back in the city, you'll be dropped off at your hotel. If you want a relaxing end to the day, select one of the massage options. Hotel drop-off after the massage can be provided with an extra charge, which can be booked as an add-on upon checkout.

Puerto Princesa: Private Full-Day Tour To Underground River

2. Puerto Princesa: Private Full-Day Tour To Underground River

Start your day with a convenient pick-up service from your downtown accommodation and travel by land to the famous Underground River. Arrive at Sabang Wharf within approximately 1 hour, and board a pump boat to the mouth of the cave. The surrounding landscape is home to Monitor Lizards, monkeys, snakes, and other forms of wildlife, some of which are exclusive to Palawan. After a short walk, ride a paddleboat to the underground river and marvel at this natural wonder. Once back at the wharf, enjoy a local style buffet lunch and taste some local Filipino cuisine. Other activities you can add to fully-enjoy your day are a zip line flight and a tour of the mangroves on board a kayak.

Transfer between Puerto Princesa and El Nido

3. Transfer between Puerto Princesa and El Nido

Enjoy a hassle-free journey between Puerto Princesa and El Nido. Sit back and relax inside a modern air-conditioned vehicle as your professional driver takes you to your destination. Choose between a shared or private transfer.  If your upcoming holiday has a laid-back schedule, try the shared transfer with time slots available throughout the day. If you would prefer a readily available transfer, you can book a private van. Enjoy the spacious interior that will fit up to 13 people.

Puerto Princesa: Underground River and Firefly Watching Tour

4. Puerto Princesa: Underground River and Firefly Watching Tour

Begin the day with hotel pickup from downtown Puerto Princesa or the airport and head to Sabang Wharf, arriving around 8:00 AM. Board a pump boat and cruise into the mouth of the cave, home to monitor lizards, monkeys, snakes, and other wildlife, some of which is exclusive to Palawan. Following a short walk, ride a paddle boat to the Underground River and marvel at this unique natural wonder. Grab an audioguide and sail through the narrow waters, past stone walls with hundreds of years of history. Keep an out for interesting shapes and colors in the caves and on the walls. Upon return to the wharf, lunch will be served. Savor a feast of local cuisine and then set off on the optional excursions, either a zip-lining adventure or a peaceful mangrove paddle boat tour. Return to your hotel for some downtime before heading back out for the evening portion of the tour. Drive to an offsite restaurant for your dinner before heading on to a river located some 30 kilometers from the city center. Aside from the fireflies and the stars, you'll also see the water light up by the bioluminescent plankton. Following the tour of the estuary, return to the wharf and then to your hotel.

Puerto Princesa: Honda Bay Island Hopping & Optional Massage

5. Puerto Princesa: Honda Bay Island Hopping & Optional Massage

Experience the beauty of marine life in Puerto Princesa. Honda Bay is located on the eastern shore of Puerto Princesa and hosts a variety of tiny islands with resorts and beaches. It is also home to a wide variety of fishes, corals, and giant clams. Begin your 30-minute journey from the city to Barangay Sta. Lourdes, where the Honda Bay Wharf is located. Before boarding your boat, you will make a stop to rent your snorkel, aqua shoes, and swimming fins. Once on board, you will be taken to 3 different places each with its own unique attractions and characteristics. First is Luli Island. This sand bar got its name from the Filipino 'Lulubog at LIlitaw', which means to appear and disappear on water. The sand bar disappears when the tide is high and appears when the tide is low. It has powdery cream-colored sand and clear blue water, which is perfect for swimming and relaxing. There is a cocktail bar where you can sample the local mixes. There is a dive platform where you can take a jump into the water.  Next is Pambato Reef. This reef is a famous snorkeling site in Honda Bay. It has an average depth of 13 meters and covers an area as wide as 16 hectares. It has a thriving community of branch and ear corals and schools of fish including lapu-lapu (grouper), parrot fish, and spadefish. Finally, head to Cowrie Island where you will spend most of your day. Your buffet-style lunch will be served on this island. The clear blue waters and powdery sand are perfect for swimming, snorkeling, and sun bathing. There is a massage center where you can treat yourself to a relaxing massage. Your day will end at approximately 2:30 PM. You will head back to the wharf and your driver will meet you there to return you to your accommodation. If you want a relaxing end to the day, select one of the massage options. Hotel drop-off after the massage can be provided with an extra charge, which can be booked as an add-on upon checkout.

Puerto Princesa: Underground River, Zipline, Paddleboat Tour

6. Puerto Princesa: Underground River, Zipline, Paddleboat Tour

Start with pickup from your hotel in Puerto Princesa and travel for 90 minutes to Sabang. Upon arrival at the wharf, your tour guide will arrange the necessary paperwork to access the cave. Ride in a motorboat for approximately 20 minutes until you reach the cave entrance. Put on your hard hat and explore the cave with audio guide commentary. Learn about the cave's importance to the local ecosystem on a tour lasting approximately 45 minutes.  After the cave tour, head back to Sabang wharf where your lunch will be waiting for you. Visit one of the restaurants lining the beach and enjoy traditional Filipino dishes with vegetarian options available. After lunch, walk along Sabang beach to reach the Sabang X zipline. Be strapped in and enjoy a scenic low-speed zip line ride for 800 meters. Take in the beautiful views of the mountains and the coastline. At the end of the zipline, enjoy a paddleboat tour through the lush mangrove forest, before being returned to Puerto Princesa.

Puerto Princesa: Firefly Watching Bay Cruise with Dinner

7. Puerto Princesa: Firefly Watching Bay Cruise with Dinner

Delight in an unforgettable sunset experience looking towards Puerto Princesa Baywalk at dusk with glittering fireflies decorating the night sky. Learn fascinating facts about these creatures and the surrounding nature with your guide, and savor a delicious local buffet dinner. Start your romantic journey with pickup from your hotel and head to the water to board a motor boat to a floating restaurant. Enjoy your dinner while taking in stunning views from the sea. Once the sun sets, you'll be able to see the city lights in the distance. After your meal, hop back on the boat to the middle of the bay. Switch to a smaller boat to get closer to the mangroves where fireflies love to hang out. See the water lit up by the bioluminescent plankton living in the river. Once you've toured the estuary, head back to the wharf from where you'll be taken back to your hotel.

From Puerto Princesa: Day Trip to El Nido and Island Hopping

8. From Puerto Princesa: Day Trip to El Nido and Island Hopping

Discover the islands around El Nido on a full-day island hopping tour from Puerto Princesa. Explore the area's most picturesque sites, including the Secret and Big Lagoons, and replenish your energy with a sumptuous barbeque lunch. Choose the private option to have your own exclusive experience, allowing for more flexibility and customization.  Begin your tour bright and early with pickup from your hotel in downtown Puerto Princesa at around 4 AM and head straight toward El Nido. Rest during the approximately 5-hour journey, and make a short stop to stretch your legs and buy some food. Upon arrival in the resort town of El Nido, you'll be dropped off near the jump-off point. Have breakfast at one of the several restaurants before boarding your boat, if you like. To fully enjoy the activity, rental of gears and kayak are already included in the package. Set sail on your island hopping activity by 9 AM and make up to 5 stops in all. Depending on the assigned route, you will start with the Secret Lagoon, a secret world hidden in jagged rock walls. Continue on to Shimizu Island, a gorgeous beach with crystal-clear waters. Then, head to Seven Commandos Beach, lined with coconut trees and pure white sand, before making your last stop at the Big Lagoon. By midday, pause your island hopping to savor a lunch of barbecue pork, chicken, and seafood, as well as vegetable salad and fresh fruits. The island hopping activity ends at around 4 PM, at which point you'll be dropped off back at the wharf where you'll head back to your hotel in Puerto Princesa. Prior to going back to Puerto Princesa, you can enjoy dinner in El Nido. At 6 PM, get back on the road to your hotel, which you should reach by midnight.

Puerto Princesa: Jungle Firefly Watching Boat Tour & Dinner

9. Puerto Princesa: Jungle Firefly Watching Boat Tour & Dinner

Be at one with nature with this one-of-a-kind activity in Puerto Princesa. You will be collected from your accommodation at approximately 4:30 PM and will be driven to a restaurant where you can have your dinner. The food is mostly local cuisine and includes rice, fish, meat, soup, and fruits in season. Other dietary meals can also be requested upon booking. After the hearty dinner, you will be driven to a village 45 minutes from the city center. With fewer lights from the city, you will be able to fully enjoy the night illuminated by fireflies. Board a paddle boat and learn about these majestic creatures and their habitat. Enjoy the romantic atmosphere aboard the boat. Depending on weather and tide conditions, the tour may end anytime between 8 and 10 PM.

Puerto Princesa: Private Underground River Boat Ride

10. Puerto Princesa: Private Underground River Boat Ride

Dive deeper in one of the world's longest navigable underground rivers. Instead of the usual 45-minute tour inside the cave, this activity will take you beyond what ordinary visitors see. The service includes hotel transfers, boat transport, lunch, and tour guide assistance. You can also add optional activities that you can take part in after the main activity. On the day of the tour, your guide will pick you up from your hotel downtown hotel at around 6:30 AM. You'll head on to a 90-minute ride to Sabang wharf, where you'll board a motorboat to the underground river. After your guide processes all the paperwork, you then make your way to the entrance of the cave. Make sure to wear comfortable clothes and footwear, and secure your belongings in waterproof bags, as they may get wet when you board and alight your boat. While the paddle boats on regular tours return to the docks after about 1.2 kilometers inside the cave, your boat will bring you further inside this World Heritage Site. You'll spend up to 3 hours in it and will learn more about its fascinating history. After the tour, you'll head back to the wharf for lunch. Your tour guide will bring you to a restaurant near a forest park where you can enjoy a sumptuous feast of Filipino delicacies. If you're adventurous enough, you can also try an exotic food locally called as "tamilok," a kind of woodworm that thrives on fallen mangrove branches. They are freshly harvested from the nearby mangrove forest. Before heading back to the City, you have the option to drop by other community-run tourist sites in the area.

Available activities

29 activities found
Sort by:
Page 1 of 2

Other Sightseeing Options in Puerto Princesa

Want to discover all there is to do in Puerto Princesa? Click here for a full list.

What people are saying about Puerto Princesa

Overall rating

4.3 / 5

based on 398 reviews

Seeing the Firefly was great, also got to see it up close. The boat ride was great & it came with dinner which was a plus. It felt like home, a family having dinner. And the other tourists were friendly and communicated. Downside but I did not deduct any star was children crying; it was difficult to hear what the announcer was saying. Nevertheless, if I had to do it again, I would go back. Thanks Dong Dong!

Even though the pick up time was a little late this was down to other pick ups from the Airport from flight delays causing this, out of there control. The two drivers were very professional, spoke excellent English and really looked after us stopping for toilet breaks and a half way stop for a spot of Lunch...I would recommend anyone needing transfers in the Philippines to use this company.

The islands we visited were very beautiful, they were little paradise islands! Though it was raining later on still the experience was great. Lunch prepared by the team was very delicious. Thank you, guys, for such great experience!

We love our hike. Josh was an excellent guide. He even helped my 67 year old mom hike up the mountain! Then he provided us with coffee at the peak and was also our photographer for the most awesome panoramic shots

I was busy all day with experiencing unforgettable moments! Underground river is a must (watch out monkeys). Firefly show was lot of fun followed by amazing dinner on a boat!