The capital of Palawan, Puerto Princesa is a bustling Philippine port with decent beaches and some solid food and shopping options. The Puerto-Princesa Subterranean River National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site with a spectacular underground river, tops the list of things to do in Puerto Princesa—although, at an approximately 1.5-hour drive from the city, it’s really more of a day trip. Adventures nearer to the capital include firefly-watching trips and island-hopping in Honda Bay.
Like much of the Philippines, Puerto Princesa has two seasons: wet and dry. The dry season runs roughly from December through May, with April and May landing in the summer sweet spot and boasting calm seas and drier weather. The rainy season starts in June and runs until November; athough typhoons are rare, they’re most likely to occur between June and September. As you’d expect, accommodation prices soar over the Easter, Christmas, and New Year holidays.
Wandering around Puerto Princesa is an old-school Philippine experience, with colorful jeepneys plying set routes and tricycles (motorcycles towing 2-wheel cabs) taking you wherever you want to go. Rideshares have yet to reach Palawan or Puerto Princesa, so most travelers find it easier to hop on a tour, hire a private driver, or take a tricycle than rely on jeepney and minibus routes.
If you want to take a culinary walk on the wild side in Puerto Princesa, delicacies on offer include lato (sea grapes), a type of seaweed with caviar-like bubbles, and tamilok (shipworm), a shell-less clam that burrows into wood. You can try them, alongside crocodile specialties and a range of other Pinoy flavors, at Kinabuch Grill & Bar, right by the airport.
