When planning our trip to the Philippines we knew we wanted to visit Palawan. From its picturesque beaches to the phenomenal snorkeling it had everything we were looking for! We decided to start our time in Palawan in Puerto Princesa since it has one of the most accessible airports in the area. We enjoyed our time there, however there were some things I wish we knew before planning our trip there!

Things to Do in Puerto Pincesa

Island Hopping

One of the best things we did while we were there was go on a day trip island hopping in Honda Bay! The trip lasts all day from 8 am until 5 pm & there are a ton of different options once you arrive. They took us to three different islands throughout the day, some of which had snorkeling. The first stop was Starfish Island which had a small snorkeling area, cabanas, & a photographer taking fun photos with props! We also had lunch here which consisted of traditional Filipino buffet food & was super delicious.

After Starfish Island, we stopped by Luli island. This Island was more like a sand bar with some shallow water in the middle of a circle of sand. The island was beautiful & the activity here was a diving board. We had tons of fun jumping from the diving board into the warm, yet refreshing water.

Our final stop of the day was Cowrie Island. This was by far my favorite island of the day. Not only was it the most beautiful, but it was also the biggest. There was a small bar in the center & tons of seating around the island. If I could do it over, I would spend the whole day here to take in the beauty of the island. This island is also the closest to the mainland, which makes it more easily accessible.

Nagtabon Beach

Nagtabon Beach is a pristine stretch of beach about 40 minutes from Puerto Princesa. This beach is frequented by surfers & is extremely remote. There aren’t any shops or restaurants but there are some local venders selling water, alcohol & snacks if you need! We went to this beach twice during our 3 days in Puerto Princesa & we loved it. To be honest there is not a ton to do in Puerto Princesa & this is the closest beach. Even though it was a long scooter ride, it was well worth it. The sunsets here are spectacular!

Tiki Bar

We met some locals on our island hopping tour who gave us a tip on a fun bar to go to in Puerto Princesa. We decided to give it a try & ended up having a ton of fun. There was live music & great drinks! If you have a night in the city, it is a great option.

WHAT I WISH I KNEW BEFORE GOING TO PUERTO PRINCESA

While we enjoyed our time in Puerto Princesa, if I had to plan our trip over again I would do it a bit differently. I definitely would have spent less time in Puerto Princesa, as 3 days & 4 nights was a bit long considering there are no nearby beaches & the main activity is the island hopping tour. The city does not have much to offer & everything is pretty spread out, meaning you do have to drive to get around. We ended up renting a motor bike so we could go to restaurants & Nagtabon Beach.

After talking to many other people we met along the way, we heard a ton of people talking about how they stayed in Port Barton & loved it. If I could do it over, I would stay in Port Barton. It has many more beaches & provides more of the island feeling that we were looking for when going to Palawan.

While Puerto Princesa was not our favorite stop during our trip to Palawan, it is a great place to restock on necessities. There are several large malls where we were able to buy sunscreen, toiletries, & snacks. These things were much harder to find in El Nido & Coron as we continued our 15 days in Palawan.

Stay tuned for more updates on El Nido & Coron, including the 4 day/3 night boat expedition we did to travel from El Nido to Coron! It was the highlight of our month long trip to the Philippines.