Visiting Puerto Princesa
Everything you need to plan a Puerto Princesa trip: how to reach the city, how to get to the Underground River, when to go, and what the tours include. Book Puerto Princesa Tours ahead of time — the flagship river tour runs on a daily government quota and sells out.
Getting to Puerto Princesa
Puerto Princesa International Airport (PPS) sits right in the city and receives daily flights from Manila and Cebu, plus seasonal international routes. Most hotels are a short tricycle ride from the terminal, and nearly every tour on this site includes free hotel pickup within the city proper.
Puerto Princesa is the capital of Palawan and the usual base for exploring the province, including day trips to Sabang for the Underground River and boat days out on Honda Bay.
Getting to the Underground River
The Puerto Princesa Subterranean River National Park is reached by road to the seaside village of Sabang, about a 1.5 to 2 hour drive from the city, then a short motorised boat ride from Sabang Wharf to the park’s beach landing. From there a paddle boat takes you into the cave for the guided river tour.
Daily visitor numbers are controlled by the park authority, and a government permit is required to enter the cave. Tour operators arrange the permit and the environmental fee for you, which is one reason almost everyone visits on an organised tour rather than independently. Because the quota fills, book your Puerto Princesa Underground River tour several days ahead in peak season.
Tickets, fees and what tours include
Group Underground River tours start around $47 per person and typically include round-trip transfers, boat transfers, the licensed guide, the audio device, the cave-entry permit and the environmental fee, plus a buffet lunch. Honda Bay island-hopping and firefly cruises start even lower, from about $36–$37. Private and combination tours cost more but give you your own vehicle and guide.
Compare every option, price and inclusion on the Puerto Princesa tours homepage, or read the full breakdown of the flagship trip on the Underground River page.
Best time to visit
The dry season runs roughly from November to May and brings the calmest seas for the Sabang boat crossing and for Honda Bay. The wet season, roughly June to October, overlaps the typhoon season, when rough water can cancel the boat crossing to the Underground River at short notice — several tours note weather cancellations for exactly this reason. Whenever you travel, keep a spare day in your itinerary in case a river trip is postponed.
Getting around and accessibility
Within the city, motorised tricycles are the everyday way to get around, and tours provide air-conditioned vans for the longer transfers to Sabang and Honda Bay. The Underground River cave tour is not wheelchair accessible — boarding the boats and the cave floor are uneven — and some combination and firefly tours set minimum ages, so check each tour’s details before booking.