Puerto Princesa Palawan — lake and karst mountain landscape near the capital city of Palawan province

Palawan

Puerto Princesa

Jess Castillo / Unsplash

Top pick

Palawan's capital and main gateway — the Underground River UNESCO site and the practical base for everything.

Puerto Princesa is where most travellers to Palawan arrive and from where they immediately head north to El Nido or across to Coron. The capital city is greener, more orderly, and less obviously touristy than the island-hopping hubs — it has earned multiple citations as one of the cleanest and most liveable cities in the Philippines, and its infrastructure (airport, hospitals, banks, reliable electricity) reflects this. The primary draw is the Puerto Princesa Subterranean River — a UNESCO World Heritage Site accessible by boat through 8.2 kilometres of navigable underground river through cathedral-sized cave chambers — which merits a full day regardless of where you are based.

Scores

5/10

Walkability

6/10

Transit

6/10

Price

8/10

Local feel

5/10

Nightlife

8/10

Family-friendly

6/10

Centrality

What you gain

  • ↑The Puerto Princesa Subterranean River — UNESCO World Heritage Site and one of the world's longest navigable underground rivers; the cave formations, bat colonies, and river experience are genuinely impressive and unlike anything else in the Philippines
  • ↑The best city infrastructure in Palawan: reliable electricity, hospitals, banks, a proper airport, and a city restaurant scene that extends well beyond tourist food
  • ↑A practical and affordable base for exploring both the Underground River and the wider Palawan coast — Sabang Beach (the Underground River departure point) is one hour north

What you sacrifice

  • ↓Puerto Princesa is 6 hours south of El Nido by road — staying here means committing to a different part of Palawan; you cannot combine El Nido island-hopping and the Underground River in a single day
  • ↓The city itself has limited charm: it is clean and functional but lacks the natural drama of El Nido or the diving infrastructure of Coron
  • ↓Underground River tours must be pre-booked as permits are limited; arriving without a reservation means likely missing the experience entirely

Best for

families with childrenthose combining Palawan with the Underground River UNESCO sitefirst-time Philippines visitors needing a comfortable basetransit travellers

Avoid if

those whose primary goal is El Nido island-hopping (too far)those wanting beach accommodationdivers focused on Coron wrecks

Other Palawan neighbourhoods

Port Barton

Palawan before the crowds found it — a quiet fishing village between Puerto Princesa and El Nido with untouched bay.

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El Nido Town

The gateway to the Bacuit Archipelago — boat tours, limestone cliffs, and the liveliest strip in Palawan.

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Coron Town

The WWII wreck diving capital of Asia — more laid-back than El Nido, with Kayangan Lake and limestone scenery.

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Know where to stay — now find when to go.

Best time to visit Palawan →