Puerto Princesa, Philippines | Cruise port of call | CruiseBe
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Puerto Princesa, Philippines

Puerto Princesa, officially the City of Puerto Princesa, (Cuyonon: Siyudad i'ang Puerto Princesa; Hiligaynon: Dakbanwa sang Puerto Princesa; Filipino: Lungsod ng Puerto Princesa; Spanish: Ciudad de Puerto Princesa), and often referred to as Puerto Princesa City, is a 1st class Highly Urbanized City in the Philippines. 

It is a city located in the western province of Palawan, and westernmost city in the Philippines. Though the seat of government and capital for the province, the city itself is one of 38 independent cities within the Philippines not controlled by the province in which it is geographically located and is, therefore, an independent area located within Palawan.

It the least densely populated city in the Philippines. In terms of land area, the city is the second largest geographically after Davao City with an area of 2,381.02 square kilometers (919.32 sq mi). Puerto Princesa... Read more

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Puerto Princesa, Philippines

Destination:
Asia

Puerto Princesa, officially the City of Puerto Princesa, (Cuyonon: Siyudad i'ang Puerto Princesa; Hiligaynon: Dakbanwa sang Puerto Princesa; Filipino: Lungsod ng Puerto Princesa; Spanish: Ciudad de Puerto Princesa), and often referred to as Puerto Princesa City, is a 1st class Highly Urbanized City in the Philippines. 

It is a city located in the western province of Palawan, and westernmost city in the Philippines. Though the seat of government and capital for the province, the city itself is one of 38 independent cities within the Philippines not controlled by the province in which it is geographically located and is, therefore, an independent area located within Palawan.

It the least densely populated city in the Philippines. In terms of land area, the city is the second largest geographically after Davao City with an area of 2,381.02 square kilometers (919.32 sq mi). Puerto Princesa is the location of the Philippines' Western Command headquarters.


Today, Puerto Princesa is a popular tourist city with many beach resorts and seafood restaurants. It has been acclaimed several times as the cleanest and greenest city in the Philippines.

Climate

Puerto Princesa features a tropical wet and dry climate (Köppen climate classification Aw). It is usually wet from May to December and with very little rain from January to April. Average temperature is 27.43 °C (81.37 °F) while the annual average rainfall is 1,563.8 millimetres (61.57 in) per year. It is warm and humid all year round.

Economy

Puerto Princesa is known as the Eco-Tourism Center of the Philippines. In recent years, the city has seen a remarkable increase in the number of tourists bringing with them trade and businesses for the city. Many hotels ranging from basic to five-star luxury accommodations have been developed since the 1990s to cater to a growing number of foreign and local tourists in the city. There are also a large selection of restaurants, bars and shopping malls, including the Robinsons Place Palawan, NCCC Mall Palawan, Unitop Mall Puerto Princesa, as well as the recently opened SM City Puerto Princesa.

Most tourists come to Puerto Princesa to visit the Puerto Princesa Subterranean River National Park located 50 km north of the city. It was named one of the New7Wonders of Nature. The city is also the jump-off point for exploring the Tubbataha Reef.
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Puerto Princesa, Philippines: Port Information


Cruise ships dock just about 1 mile from the city center, and you can take a nice walk to get there. Besides, there are many tricycles literally at every step.
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Get around Puerto Princesa, Philippines


MultiCab and tricycles are the most common means to get around Puerto Princesa. As in Manila, jeepneys usually have standard routes which they ply. Tricycles, on the other hand, are fairly limited to certain areas and would not be able to go very long distances.

The bus terminal is located a few km outside the city center.

For touring, it would possibly be a good idea to arrange special transport whether it be a jeepney or, for more comfort, air-conditioned vans or AUVs. This way, you will not be subject to the hassles of public transport availability.

Although "clean and green" Puerto Princesa City has a bold plan for introducing electric vehicles, the city has no published or announced plan that addresses the urgent needs of pedestrians and bicycle riders. There are few pedestrian "zebra" crossings in the city and most PPC drivers do not yield to pedestrians, leaving them stranded dangerously in the middle of the street. If, in order to protect yourself from the vehicles and smoke, you take an air-con van, you only add to the overall traffic and pollution problem. Tourist vans and other vehicles are often parked along Rizal Avenue and other main streets blocking where pedestrians and bicycles could once safely move, but no longer can. If you wish to walk or bike in a clean, green, and safe environment in the downtown area, you should ask at the tourist office (at the airport) where such an area exists, and see what they say.
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What to see in Puerto Princesa, Philippines


  • Puerto Princesa Subterranean River National Park

    - more commonly known as the Underground River. At over 8 kilometers in length, is reputably the longest underground river in the world. With its crystalline waters and spectacular cave formations, the Underground River is possibly Puerto Princesa's most popular attraction. The site was also declared a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1999. The winding path of the river is navigable via small pump boats that depart from Sabang Beach. Travel time from the city proper to

    Sabang

    is about 1.5 hours (This can take closer to 3.5 if you choose to ride in a Jeepney since you have to wait while they deliver goods along the journey).

Note. A permit is now necessary to visit the underground river and only available in Puerto Princesa.

  • Honda Bay 

    - consisting of several islets with beautiful beaches, Honda Bay is the place to go to for swimming, snorkeling as well as beach and island hopping. Accessible via the Sta. Lourdes wharf which is 25 minutes away from the city. Pumpboats at the wharf can be hired to take visitors to the various islets on the bay. Arrive before 11 AM to go island hopping if you require a small boat (1-5 people) and before 2:30 PM if you require a larger boat.
  • Iwahig Penal Colony - a good example of a true correctional institute, the Iwahig Penal Colony is more of a farming community rather than a prison. Inmates often live with their families and are allowed to toil their farms to earn a living. Carving out handicrafts is also a common preoccupation and mahogany handcarvings are a good buy for tourists. The colony is about 35 minutes from the city center.
  • Palawan Wildlife Rescue and Conservation Center formerly the Crocodile Farming Institute, and still referred to by locals as the "Crocodile Farm," is both a tourist attraction and a national research institute devoted to crocodiles. About 30 to 40 minutes from the city center, the Croc Farm also has a mini-zoo, which features some of Palawan's endemic species of wildlife. The place is open from about 8:30 AM to about 4:30 PM. You start with a guided tour of the crocs which last about 15 minutes. After that, you wander around by yourself in the endemic species area, where you have to be careful not to fall through a few rotton and crumbling wooden bridges. Although this is not the best-managed wildlife area, the endemic species are nonetheless worth seeing and deserve your support.
  • Butterfly Garden with native Palawan butterflies is located about halfway to the Croc Farm (above) and along the same road. Open 7 days a week from 8 to 5.
  • Our Lady of Immaculate Conception. A very beautiful church that is decorated in blue and white.
  • Palawan Museum, Mendosa Park (south side) (Mendosa Park (south side)). 9 AM-noon, 1:30 PM-5 PM. This is an old museum that is not very well maintained or labeled but which has a number of interesting pieces. It is well worth a visit on a rainy day.
  • PSU Museum, Palawan State University (About a 10 minute walk from the front gate of PSU, if you know where you are going.). Closed from 12 to 1 for lunch. This is a one-room museum located inside a university building. You should ask for specific directions at the front gate because not everyone knows about the existence of the museum. The museum is located in one small room but is clean, organized, and well-maintained, with an enthusiastic and helpful staff member. free.
  • White Beach (Pristine Beach), Abueg Road, Bancao Bancao (Everyone knows it). The only beach in town. Not as clean as it used to be and no longer white or pristine. But if you want to meet some of the locals and have a few drinks (alcoholic) then it's a great place. Just walk down and buy a few beers from the takeaway store and walk around the huts and you will be invited to join a group at a table. Lots of fun for an international traveler - if you have a great time then throw in some money for the table or buy a cheap bottle of whatever they are drinking.
  • Ugong Rock. A 75-foot limestone formation in the middle of farmlands and karst forests located near the Underground River. Main activities in the site include spelunking and zip line.
  • Ethnographic Museum. located in the Puerto Princesa Subterranean River Park.
  • Special Battalion WWII Memorial Museum, Brgy Bancao-Bancao.
  • Heritage Center, Legislative Bldg, Fernandez Street.
  • South Sea Pearl Museum, Irawan Watershed Flora and Fauna Reserve. Bgy. Irawan.
  • Rizal Avenue. Puerto Princesa's main commercial strip where one can find various shops, as well as banks, restaurants, and budget inns.
  • Langogan Reef. New Coral reef protected by city ordinance and three falls, the largest of which is around 50m, located 5 km from the barangay.
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What to do in Puerto Princesa, Philippines


Puerto Princesa offers good diving and is a fairly good place to take a PADI course if you plan to dive at some of the larger sites in El Nido or Coron. Moana dive center, run by Paolo, offers PADI Open Water. Good equipment, and pleasant instruction, with confined water dives taking place in the shallow parts of Puerto Princesa Bay. Possible to see sea turtles, eels, lionfish, porcupine fish, batfish and snapper amongst others.

  • Plaza Cuartel, Taft St. near Cathedral. Historical Place, a must-see site. It is the restored ruins of an old garrison where Japanese soldiers burned 143 American prisoners of war inside a tunnel and stands as a grim reminder of World War II.
  • Baker Hill, mitra rd, bgy sta monica. check out the plants and animal in its natural habitat.
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What to eat and drink in Puerto Princesa, Philippines


Eat

  • Ditchay's (French Bistro), Manalo Ext. before Island Divers, Bancao Bancao, ☎ 723 1530NOCC. W-Su 5 PM-midnight. French cuisine and can be a very welcome alternative for those longing to eat something else than local food after a long trip. The little restaurant lets you dine in intimate ambiance while you may chat to both the cook and the owner. The menu includes a variety of French foods like coffee & tea, paté rillettes, confit, soupes, salades, tapenades, grillades, fruits de mer, porc, boeuf, poulet, canard, crépes, patisserie.
  • Kinabuch is a sports bar and grill and a magnet for tourists and other visitors. The food is really good and customers can play pool or watch live sports.
  • A&A Seafood Palace, national highway cor wescom rd (4th floor of A&A Plaza Hotel), ☎ +63 48 434-2274. Newest Chinese restaurant in town. Freshest seafood catch and a great Hong Kong chef. Try out the authentic Chinese cuisine.
  • Divine Sweets, Valencia St. Great cakes, coffee, shakes, etc. They also serve food. Wifi if you order.
  • Ima's vegetarian, Fernandez St. Very good vegetarian food. Highly recommended Main dishes.

Drink

  • Cafe Nori, Circon Bldg. Valencia St. Mon.-Fri. 8 AM-10 PM; Sat.-Sun. 10 AM-10 PM. Serves Japanese cuisine with fusion and variety of Filipino and American cuisine. Also available are fruit shakes, coffee & frappuccinos.
  • Reggae Pulse Bar, 4th District Tiangge Centre, Rizal Ave (Between Bpi Bank and LBC on the main street Rizal), ☎ +63 9478673322. 4 PM-2 AM. Cool Reggae Bar serving ice-cold beers, beer towers/buckets, cocktails, and mixed drinks. Free WiFi, a stylish & relaxing VIP bamboo lounge.
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Shopping in Puerto Princesa, Philippines


Buy native products at the Tourism Association of Souvenir Shops, they offer handicrafts made by the native tribes like a manunggul or wooden jar, bulol or tisot, good harvest, and carved animals. Others are tingkop (rice baskets), fish baskets, bags made from the bark of a tree, native accessories, weave curtains and table mat, rattan floor mat and other assorted cashew nut delicacies.

Malls & supermarkets

  • Robinsons Mall, North Road. 10 AM-9 PM. has a Robinsons supermarket
  • NCCC Mall, Lacao Street. 9 AM-7:30 PM. Has an NCCC supermarket. 
  • Unitop Mall. 9 AM-8 PM. has a small supermarket. low prices. 
  • SM City Puerto Princesa., Malvar Street cor Lacao Street. 9 AM-8 PM. 65,073 m2 mall with a Savemore supermarket. 
  • Puregold Supermarket, North Road (Eastville City Walk). 10 AM-8 PM. 
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Safety in Puerto Princesa, Philippines


The municipal government and tourist office has stated (when asked by a tourist in August 2011), that the city has no published or announced plan for providing for the current and future needs and safety of pedestrians or bicycle riders. Spaces for walking and bicycling from one place to another are not being considered.
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Language spoken in Puerto Princesa, Philippines


Although the predominant language is Tagalog, Cuyonon is widely spoken and used throughout the whole city, as well as Hiligaynon, other Visayan languages, and English.

LOCAL TIME

6:32 pm
April 23, 2021
Asia/Manila

CURRENT WEATHER

29.65 °C / 85.37 °F
light rain
Sat

28.12 °C/83 °F
moderate rain 		Sun

28.83 °C/84 °F
light rain 		Mon

28.79 °C/84 °F
light rain 		Tue

28.84 °C/84 °F
light rain

LOCAL CURRENCY

PHP

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