A Digital Nomad Guide to Puerto Princesa

Puerto Princesa Visa

Most foreign nationals can stay in the Philippines without a visa for 30 days. Citizens of Brazil and Israel can stay in the country without a visa for up to 59 days. You can check this website to see how this applies to your country. Here are the requirements for a visa-free stay in the Philippines:

1. A passport valid for at least six (6) months
2. Entry and exit flight tickets
3. Your hotel reservation or a letter from your host
4. Identification card

If you’re planning to stay in the Philippines for more than the allotted VISA-free period, you can apply for a Philippine tourist VISA at a Philippine embassy or consulate. Requirements include:

1. Passport valid for at least six (6) months
2. Duly accomplished visa application forms
3. Passport photos (2 copies)
4. Proof of bona fide status as a tourist or businessman
5. Confirmed tickets for the return or onward journey to the next port of destination
6. Payment of relevant visa fees

Citizens from more than 30 countries also have the option to obtain their visa upon arrival in the Philippines. You may check this page if your country is included.

Once you obtain your Philippine tourist visa, you may extend your stay 30 days at a time up to a maximum of two (2) years at any immigration office. The immigration office in Puerto Princesa is located in the shopping mall Robinsons Place Palawan.

Department of Foreign Affairs
2nd Floor Robinsons Place Palawan
Puerto Princesa North Road, Brgy. San Manuel,
Puerto Princesa City, Palawan
(+63) 48 434 1771

Culture and Food in Puerto Princesa

Palawan’s culture is a combination of tribal traditions and Spanish-American influences. You will notice the tribal woodwork and art among restaurants and hotels when you visit Puerto Princesa. These arts and crafts are made of wood harvested from the jungles and mountains. Palawan’s tribesmen—each having their own language, culture, and tradition—carved these in their villages and sold them at the local market. Woodwork such as masks, pipes, and musical instruments depict their culture, art, and ways of living.

You can also get a glimpse of their lifestyle at the Butterfly Eco-Garden and Tribal Village (featuring the Palaw’an Tribe) or at the Batak Tribal Village (featuring the Batak tribe). You’ll see them in their traditional clothes as they tell stories about how they hunt for wild boar, how they make fire and cook with raw materials, how they call the birds and sing their songs, and what sort of things they harvest in the forest to sell in the city. They’re very friendly, innocent, and kind. They have a childlike sense of humor and naivety about the world.

Puerto Princesa’s most popular cuisine are seafood, grilled dishes, and coconut-based Filipino food. These are best tried in the art gallery and restaurant Kauli and the grill and bar Kinabuch. These are the two most dined restaurants in the city, given their airy and friendly atmosphere as well as the delicious and affordable Filipino dishes. Some of Puerto Princesa’s most known food products are cashews, raw honey (from the mountains), dried fish, and buti-buti. The last is made of unpolished native rice, pan-roasted and popped like tiny popcorn.

Puerto Princesa is also known for pearls, especially the rare Golden South Sea Pearls. They are among the largest and most valuable pearls in the world. They naturally come in gold color, and no treatment has been made to let them exude such a glowy, golden brilliance. White pearls, mother of pearls, and golden south sea pearls are available at Delman’s Pearls and MBA Pearls and Accessories. One of these stores is part of the City Tour, where you can shop for these beautiful pearls at the end of your trip.

Puerto Princesa Nightlife

Night scenes come to life at both sides of the Capitol block in Puerto Princesa. Entertainment serves different kinds of folks, from the chill crowd to the loud ones, from small pubs to foam parties and bigger clubs. There is always something new to try every night, including dinner at the Puerto Princesa City Baywalk. At Baywalk, everything is within walking distance from each other. You can check out different hangouts one night at a time and have your fill for the evening.

Kinabuch’s Bar & Grill has sports channels turned on at the bar, a pool table at one side, and plenty of seating for large groups eating or just hanging out for the night. At Kinabuch’s, you can also try Palawan’s woodworm delicacy tamilok, which tastes like oysters.

Near these two bars is Tiki Resto Bar, where you can go on all-out party mode. The place has an exotic jungle vibe, with live music, DJs, and sometimes live performances. Due to the number of people ordering, the quality of their food and drinks are  sometimes sacrificed. People come here to get smashed on alcohol. It can get pretty wild in the late hours. You can also bar-hop along the whole stretch of Rizal Avenue, from the Capitol Block up to the airport.

If you want more of a hotel vibe, Princesa Garden Inn is a good place for late afternoon drinks and night-time fun. They have barbecue weekends and movie nights too. And if you’re looking for a place to sing your heart out, private videoke rooms are plenty, the more popular one being Jukebox at One Manalo Place. 

Things to do in Puerto Princesa

The first seven destinations in this list are concentrated in Sabang, Puerto Princesa. This location is where the Underground River is found, about 70km or two hours away from the city proper.

• Puerto Princesa Underground River (PPUR)

  This is arguably the most captivating subterranean cave system in Asia. This UNESCO World Heritage Site covers a sprawling 22,200 hectares of mountain-to-sea ecosystem. At this size, it is about as big as Honolulu in Hawaii. A magnificent work of nature, the cave system itself was built for about 30 million years. Majority of the tourists in Sabang take the short 1.5km boat tour, which costs Php1,500 or $30 per person (permit included). The lines are long and it’s most advisable to secure your ticket a day before. The ticket is available at the PPUR Booking Office in the city proper, or just at the pier in Sabang. Otherwise, you can skip the hassle of arranging your own trip by just booking a one or two-day PPUR Tour. This tour covers most of the destinations mentioned in this section. If you’re the adventurous type, it is more advisable to find two or three others to split the cost of the boat going down half the length of the 8km Underground River. There are some huge geometric crystals, glittering minerals, and age-old bone fossils protruding on walls that are worth seeing. These areas are also great for long-exposure cave photography.

• Sabang Beach

  Located next to Sabang Port, you’ll see this beach when you go to the Underground River. The white beach is long and wide, with turquoise warm water. You’ll find two deserted beaches that are just as beautiful when you cross the jungle going to the zipline. The tides here are most calm between April and June, and wavy between November and March.

• Sabang Mangrove Paddle Boat Tour

  This boat tour (Php350 or $7 per person) explores the 47-hectare Sabang Mangrove Forest. It sports some of the oldest trees in the park, going as high as 45 meters and as old as more than 300 years. The guides will tell stories about the animals that creep, swim, and fly in the area, as well as the different species of mangroves that thrive here.

• Sabang X Zipline

  Located next to the Mangrove Paddle Boat Tour, this zipline covers 40 seconds of sea and island views and ends on an islet. You’ll have to take a 10-minute hike to the starting point and wear a safety harness to do this activity. It costs Php550 or $11 per person.

• Sabang Jungle Trail

  Also known as the Monkey Trail, the Sabang Jungle Trail (Php200 or $4 per person) is an alternative route going to the Underground River. It takes about two hours to trek, covering 3.6 kilometers. A guide will take you down the trail as he explains the wildlife, amazing trees, and pockets of caves in the area. If you’re lucky, you’ll spot monitor lizards in the area!

• Ugong Rock Adventure

  This is a short 20-minute vertical caving experience in Sabang. You’ll climb a mammoth limestone formation, go through passages and ladders, squeeze into openings, and reach the summit. At the top, pleasant views abound of surrounding green fields and other limestone formations. From the top, you can take a zipline, a zip bike, or walk back down to the entrance. The fee is Php200 ($4) for the caving, Php450-550 ($9-11) for the zipline, and Php500 ($10) for the zip bike.

• Hundred Caves

  Near Ugong Rock is Hundred Caves, another cave system in Sabang. A special tour (Php1,000 or $20) lasting two hours will take you to the caves’ most impressive rock formations. You’ll be shown interesting rock and crystal formations, cave ceiling aberrations, and an introduction to the wildlife that thrive in the cave system. There’s a regular tour spanning an hour, costing Php1,000 or $20. A quick tour lasting thirty minutes costs Php350 or $7.

• Honda Bay Island Hopping Tour

  Get a taste of island hopping in Palawan with the Honda Bay Tour. This lasts a whole day for Php1,500 or $30 per person. Although these are in no way similar to the islands of El Nido or Coron, the islands themselves (Luli, Starfish, and Cowrie) are a great tropical experience. On these white-sand beaches you can enjoy swimming in the crystal clear warm waters or go jet skiing, cliff jumping, snorkeling, or board diving. There are drinks and snacks you can buy for when you get hungry. Lunch is also included in the tour, in a seafood buffet-style.

• Iwahig Firefly Watching Tour

  Just a short drive from the city proper, this tour is one of the most highly rated in Puerto Princesa. You’ll first go to Iwahig River and have a delicious buffet dinner in a restaurant. After that you’ll boat down the river for about 40 minutes in silence and in awe of the moving and flickering fireflies. It’s one of the most unforgettable experiences in the city and costs Php1,500 or $30 per person.

• Puerto Princesa City Tour

  This half-day tour takes you to six destinations in the city proper. You’ll come over the Baywalk, the World War II heritage site Plaza Cuartel, and then the Immaculate Conception Cathedral. These three are situated near each other. In the next area, you’ll visit Mitra’s Ranch and Baker’s Hill, both offering unique experiences and sweeping views of the city and islands. You’ll cap the trip off at the Palawan Rescue and Wildlife Center where you’ll find endemic animals in Palawan. The trip costs only Php600 or $12 per person.

Best Time to Visit Puerto Princesa

Unlike other parts of the Philippines, Palawan is quite lucky. Of the 20 typhoons that pass by the country every year, rarely do they pass by the west side, where Palawan lies. In short, Palawan is nearly typhoon-free.

The best time to visit Puerto Princesa is between December and May when the weather is dry and sunny. Between June and November, there comes a slick of rain, which can make your tour a little uneasy.

The best time to see the Underground River and Honda Bay’s islands is when the sea is at its calmest, between March and May. Strong winds and rough tides come in between November and March and boat tours may risk being cancelled.

When such things happen, the tours are usually rescheduled the following day. You can opt to do land tours instead, try out the city tour, or just lounge by the beach. Exploring jungles and visiting local tribes can also be a fun and unique activity.

The average temperature in Puerto Princesa is about 28° celsius (82.4° fahrenheit) during the day. It can get really hot, especially during the summer months April and May. It’s best to always bring water and an umbrella or hat with you at all times.

Puerto Princesa for Families

Puerto Princesa is very family-oriented. All the 10 tourist destinations listed in the article are made for families with children in mind. Even the caving experiences listed here are all well-equipped with safety features and harness. Located 70km away from the city proper, Sabang still is the best area for family activities. Kids will surely enjoy the beach and making sand-castles there. The other activities are situated next to each other, making it easier to try them out. The destinations in the City Tour are great for kids too.

There are also several schools to choose from if you have kids and are staying longer in Puerto Princesa. The city’s only international school, TLC International School serves to nurture children ages 1.5 years to 11 years old. Catering to international students, it has a curriculum based in the UK. They provide learning programs for nursery and primary children, challenging pupils to be the best they can.

In the city proper, there are three schools catering mostly to local children. There’s Sunbeam Kindergarten Palawan which offers preschool learning. Palawan Little Angels Learning Center serves to teach nursery up to 6th grade. Meanwhile, Kids World Learning Center offers learning facilities from preschool up to secondary school.

If you have smart teenagers, you can enroll them in Puerto Princesa National Science High School. The entrance exam is difficult and only the most intelligent students get to pass it. An alternative is Palawan National School, the flagship campus and the largest public school in Puerto Princesa. Both schools cater to locals but international students are welcome to enroll. There is no problem staying in Puerto Princesa for as long as you like as the city itself is very safe for foreign families.

Living in Puerto Princesa

Puerto Princesa Transportation

How to travel to Puerto Princesa City

To get to Puerto Princesa City, you’d first have to fly to the Philippines via Manila or Cebu City. From either two, you can fly directly to Puerto Princesa City at the cost of around Php5,000 or $100. The flight is about an hour and the plane lands right in the middle of the city. From Puerto Princesa International Airport, you can take a tricycle going to your accommodation, starting at Php50 or $1, depending on how far it is. Traveling within Puerto Princesa’s city proper starts at Php10 or $0.20. You can also take a taxi to travel from point to point.

How to travel to Sabang, Puerto Princesa

Sabang is where the Puerto Princesa Underground River is located. If you are going directly to Sabang in Puerto Princesa, ask a tricycle driver to bring you to San Jose Terminal. The terminal is about 10 minutes away from the airport. From San Jose Terminal, take a van to Sabang. You will have to wait a bit for the van to get full. The ride to Sabang takes two hours and costs Php200 or $4. The van stops right at Sabang Port. From there you can walk to your accommodation along the beach. All accommodations in Sabang are along Sabang Beach. From Sabang Port, you can also buy a ticket going to the Puerto Princesa Underground River, which is 15-20 minutes away by boat.

How to travel from Puerto Princesa City to El Nido

El Nido is located at the northern tip of Palawan’s main island. From Puerto Princesa, you can find vans at the airport or at San Jose Terminal going to El Nido. You will have to wait a bit for the van to become full. The travel time to El Nido is 5.5 hours and the fare is Php600 or $12.

How to travel from Puerto Princesa City to Coron

Coron is a separate cluster of islands at the northern end of Palawan, farther from El Nido. From Puerto Princesa, you can either take a plane or a ferry going to Coron. You can book your flight with Airswift from Puerto Princesa International Airport to Busuanga Airport in Coron. The flight is 1 hour and 10 minutes, and costs Php2,500 to Php10,000 ($50 to $200) depending on the season. Once in Busuanga, get on a shuttle van to Coron’s town proper. Travel time is 45 minutes and the cost is Php150 or $3.

To get to Coron by ferry, book your ticket with 2Go Fast Craft. Fare starts at Php1,350 ($27) and travel time is 11 hours. You can also get to Coron by first traveling to El Nido (see previous paragraph) and then take a ferry to Coron. Travel time from El Nido to Coron is 3.5 hours and costs around Php1,800 ($36).

Fitness and Health

It’s easy to stay fit and healthy in Puerto Princesa. There are three fitness gyms in the city proper and one yoga retreat center a little farther away. Sunlight Gym and Bodyworks is the most popular gym in the city. It’s found inside Sunlight Hotel and faces a good window view of Puerto Princesa Bay. Equipment use is at Php1,000 ($20) a month or you can drop in for only Php75 ($1.5) per day. It also offers zumba and one-on-one training, and has programs for diet and fitness.

Another notable fitness center is CrossFit Hieroglyph, which is headed by a coach who worked in the US Military. It’s the cleanest and most rigorous training center in the city due to its military appeal. It offers intense crossfit sessions starting at Php1,000 ($20) per day. You can also avail the 30-day pass for Php7,200 ($144). The other gym in the city is Fitness Camp, which offers gym equipment use, boxing, and mixed martial arts classes. Unlimited gym use is available for about Php1,000 ($20) a month.

Meanwhile in the outskirts of the city proper is Bahay Kalipay Raw Food & Yoga Retreat House, the only yoga and detox retreat center in Puerto Princesa. It’s an intimate ashram-style space for people who want to have a break from their hectic lives and settle down with yoga, meditation, and raw food detox. The center offers weekend and weekly retreats in artistic bamboo houses surrounded by nature.

Puerto Princesa People

Puerto Princesa is a melting pot of different cultures. Of its nearly 300,000 residents (as of 2021), a majority are from the surrounding islands who have come to work and live in the city. A small expat community also thrives in Puerto Princesa, many of whom have married a Filipino. It’s not unusual to see Filipinas with a foreign partner and creating a family here. In fact, it is for this reason that there exists an international school—to cater to mixed races and other foreigners who have relocated in the city.

The original settlers of Puerto Princesa are Cuyonons. These natives are from the island of Cuyo who settled in Puerto Princesa to plant rice during the rainy season. Many of these Cuyonons for several hundred years went back and forth between Palawan and Cuyo during the harvest season. Others have settled permanently in Palawan and spread throughout the archipelago.

Other than Cuyonons, there are four tribes that exist in the city—the Tagbanua, Batak, Palaw’an, and Molbog. Most of these live in remote villages, coastal areas, or deep in the mountains where they maintain an off-grid, nature-based lifestyle. Each of these ethnolinguistic groups has their own language, culture, and belief systems. While many have been converted into Christianity, most of them still worship nature spirits. It’s also possible to go on treks in the jungle and meet these tribes.

It’s also interesting to note that the “Tabon Man”, the oldest bones of Homo Sapiens in the Philippines were found in Tabon Cave. This wonderful cave is a must-see in Palawan, although it’s almost 3 hours away from the city proper. The said fossils are 22,000 to 24,000 years old. This very discovery has earned Palawan the title “The Cradle of Philippine Civilization”. You can learn more about this in the museum Palawan Heritage Center in the city proper.

Filipinos in general are pretty conservative, friendly, and welcoming, and the people of Puerto Princesa are no different. They’ve been influenced by Spain for more than 300 years, followed by the US for 50 years in the past century. It’s quite normal to find Spanish words in their native language, whereas English is widely spoken by the locals. The other predominant languages in the city are Cuyonon, Tagalog, Visayan, and Hiligaynon.

Puerto Princesa Insurance and Medical Care

Since December 2020, Philippine tourism has been easing itself up to open to local and foreign tourists alike. Palawan, being the Philippines’ number one travel destination, is no exception. Do take note of these requirements when traveling to Palawan:

• Valid ID
• QR-coded Tourist ID (QT-ID)
• Negative RT-PCR test result within the last 48-72 hours prior to arrival
• DOT-accredited hotel and tours booking
• Return ticket

Nomads traveling to Puerto Princesa are required to have their own tourist QR code from StaySafe.ph system. This is for contact tracing purposes and for the s-pass travel management system inside the city. The local government is also requiring visitors’ confirmed booking of DOT-accredited hotels and tour agencies in Puerto Princesa. Lastly, visitors would have to undergo an antigen test on the 3rd and 7th day of their stay in the city.

It is most advisable that digital nomads secure their own insurance prior to arriving in the city. When it comes to medical care, there wouldn’t be much of a problem in Puerto Princesa. The city is the location of Palawan’s main hospital, the Palawan Provincial Hospital. There are two other large hospitals in the city, Adventist Hospital Palawan and Palawan Medical City. If you get into a medical emergency, you can visit any of these three hospitals.

Palawan Provincial Hospital
220 Malvar Road, Barangay San Miguel,
Puerto Princesa, Palawan
(+63) 48 433-2621

Adventist Hospital Palawan
Barangay San Pedro,
Puerto Princesa, Palawan
(+63) 48 433-1247

Palawan Medical City
Barangay San Pedro,
Puerto Princesa, Palawan

(+63) 908-892-1346

Make sure you are fully covered by reading our full Digital Nomad Travel Insurance guide.

Jobs in Puerto Princesa

Puerto Princesa City is the center of commerce in the entire Palawan. Goods and marchandise get streamlined into the city first before being delivered to the rest of the province. These range from basic products like grocery items to household furniture and equipment, and even construction materials. That’s why a majority of the jobs in the city are in the logistics and distribution industry. They often look for managers and field officers, as well as sales forces, truck drivers, and merchandise personnel.

The second largest industry are those who do lip service such as teachers, instructors, customer care, and technical support representatives. A volume of the students that graduate from universities work in these industries. The teachers are mostly hired by the local government, to aid in nurturing the minds of students from nursery to college. After all, the city is the center of education in Palawan too. Foreign industries have set up call centers in the city as well, employing most of the English-speaking young adults.

Other common jobs available in the city are managers, sales representatives, and marketing officers for hotels, restaurants, and merchandise stores. The tourism industry also gets a slice of the workforce, employing tour agents, hotel staff, and chefs and cooks. The concentration of jobs in this field is located in Sabang, where a majority of the tourist activities are.

Check out our Digital Nomads Jobs Postings to find the best jobs available for Digital Nomads.