Palawan: An Unforgettable One

Finally, I had been in Palawan – said to be the last frontier of the Philippines.

Last Feb 17-20, me and my travel buddy, who also celebrated her birthday on February 19, headed to Puerto Princesa, Palawan

Puerto Princesa City, the capital of Palawan, is one of my favorite cities in the world and probably the local city I loved the most. The city boasts of countless natural wonders, good food, outstanding cleanliness and friendly, hospitable,

It’s my first time to Puerto Princesa but I know I will keep on coming back to this place.

So here is my complete 4 days and 3 nights budget itinerary for my Palawan adventure.

Budget Accommodations

Click here for a complete list of cheap hotel, inns, and places where you could stay in Palawan.

At around 12:30pm, we landed at Puerto Princesa Airport. We immediately walked out of the terminal and looked for Pizzito where we’ve had our lunch.

After a sumptuous meal, we then headed to Aniceto’s Inn where we checked in for three days. For 550php (275/person), we’ve already have a spacious room, with its own comfort room inside.

Aniceto’s Pension Contact Details

71 Reynoso Street , Puerto Princesa City.
Telephone: (6348) 4346667
Cellphone: 09272059782
Email: arc_tess@yahoo.com.ph

Day 1: City Tour

We started the Day of our Puerto Princesa City Tour with a date with butterflies and crocodiles, with Kuya Jeson leading us (P500 per tricycle for the whole tour, 09183661103. We uncovered the following trails:

Palawan: Wildlife Rescue and Conservation Center (Crocodile Farm) <click here for the complete adventure>

Palawan: Mitra’s Ranch <click here for the complete adventure>

Palawan: Beautiful Baker’s Hill <click here for the complete adventure>

Palawan: Butterfly Garden <click here for the complete adventure>

Night time at Palawan: Puerto Princesa City’s Baywalk <click here for the complete adventure>

For dinner, kuya Jeson drove us to Balinsasayaw, one of the city’s most popular restaurant.

Dinner at Balinsasayaw

Do It Yourself Tour Details

Via Tricycle

Hire a tricycle or a service vehicle for a city tour. Palawan Museum , Immaculate Concepcion Cathedral, Plaza Cuartel, Princess Eulalia Park , Butterfly Garden , Crocodile Farm, Iwahig Penal Colony, Mitra’s Ranch and Baker’s Hill. (500-800php)

Via Multicab –

Take a multicab going to Sta Monica, tell driver to stop at the Butterfly Garden
After visiting Butterfly garden, take another trike to let you bring to Baker’s Hill (2km)
Take another tricke or have a walk to Mitra’s Ranch (1km)
Try to have a walk back again to Baker’s hill or take a trike, tell the driver to bring you to Nat’l Highway and there wait until another Multicab going to Irawan, and tell the driver to stop at the Crocodile Farm.
Stop over to Iwahig Prison and Penal Farm
At night Firefly Watching @Iwahig River, PPS City
Ride Multicab back to City

Day 2

The original plan was to spend the second day at Sabang for the Underground River Tour. However we weren’t fortunate enough to get a permit as the the UR tour is already fully booked until Februaru 29. Just imagine that!

We’ve also took our chances and visited every tour agency that existed in the city for a hope that maybe they could give us some slot for the UR tour, but still we’ve found none. Tour agencies can have advance booking for the underground river while walk in travelers can’t. So unfair!

However despite this, it’s good to know that the government of Palawan is really keen in protecting the Underground River for they only allow 500-800 people a day to visit the area. It was said that they are also trying to keep the bats & other animals who live there from flying away.

But anyway, for those of you dear readers who are curious how to book for the Underground river tour, here’s a step by step guide, including on how to get to Sabang.

How to book for the Underground River tour

Get a Visitor Entry Permit to go to the Underground River at Puerto Princesa City Booking Office (No Permit, No Entry). office is now located at Rizal Avenue, close to Badjao Inn and Kinabuch’s. Permit fee for Filipinos: 175php, ForeignersL 200php
Check the schedule of the tour indicated in the permit to find out the time you need to arrive at Sabang Beach. You need to arrive and register at Sabang Information Office 30 minutes before your tour schedule.

How to go to Sabang

Take the blue multi-cab with the New San Jose Terminal signboard in Rizal Avenue. P7 per head. Alight in the terminal and take the bus or jeepney. There are four jeepney trips to Sabang Wharf: 7am, 9am, 12nn and 2pm. Bus returns to Puerto at 1pm. The jeepney fare is P125 for Filipinos and P200 for foreigners. It is a 3 hour ride by bus or jeepney and 2 hour ride by private van.

Now that you’ve arrived in Sabang, now what?

Upon arrival at Sabang Beach, go to the Sabang Information Office. The rule is that visitors are required to confirm the tour by registering at Sabang Information Office not less than thirty (30) minutes prior to the schedule of tour indicated on the permit.
Pay P150 for the entrance where the paddle boat for the UR Tour is already included. The boat rental to the UR Tour area is P700, maximum capacity of 6 persons. The tour would only last for 45 minutes.
While waiting for your turn, eat lunch and/or swim on the beach.

After accepting the painful reality, we just headed out to explore the rest of the city. Maybe it’s not really our time yet to explore the newest 7 wonder of the world.

And so we’ve just proceeded to enjoy the rest of the day. We won’t let a single misfortune destroy our day.

Palawan: Pristine Beach, Chinese Temple, St Clare Monastery, & more Roadside Trips! <click here for the complete adventure>

Palawan: The Immaculate Conception Cathedral in Puerto Princesa <click here for the complete adventure>

Palawan: The Historic Plaza Cuartel (and my horror story) <click here for the complete adventure>

Day 3: Honda Bay Tour

Palawan Get Away at Honda Bay <click here for the complete adventure>

Cheap way to go to Honda Bay Port

Hire a trike. Will probably cost you 500php
Ride a multicab along Rizal Ave bound for Sta. Lourdes Wharf (some even have a signboard ‘Honda Bay’). This costs 25php only.

Where to Eat at Palawan?

Palawan Food Trips: Balinsasayaw, Kinabuchs, Bona’s Chaolong, Pizzito, etc <click here for more>

Day 4: Departure back to Cebu

At around 10am, we were already at the airport. It’s worth noting that despite the 40pesos terminal fee at their airport (which is good), but one can’t find any seats/chairs/bleachers, etc at their check in counters area. So frustrating for passengers waiting for their time to check in.

Summary of Expenses
Our trip was 4 days and 3 nights. Here’s how much each of us spent for this trip. This is per pax.

P1,650 – Accommodations (Aniceto’s, P550/night for a room for two)
P600 – City Tour (P600 per tricycle, 2 people per trike + 100 Entrance Fees)
P100– Walking City Tour day 2 (Pristine Beach, St Clare Monastery, etc)
P1,000 – Honda Bay Tour (Boat Rental (650 each pax, 1,300 per boat) + Fins Rental (150) + Entrance Fees (150) + Multicab Fare (50)
P500 – Total food expenses
P150 – Pasalubong (Baker’s Hill + Tiangge-tiangge)
P640 – Terminal fees

TOTAL EXPENSES: 4,640php

If you can avail of a cheaper fare, do so. Also, you can still bring the cost lower if there will be more of you in the trip. Remember there were only the 2 of us. But say, if there were 6 in the group, it could have been A LOT cheaper.

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