Cheaper Way to Tour Puerto Princesa, Palawan

You might just be turned-off when you see the standard prices offered by different travel agencies in Puerto Princesa, Palawan.

Standard Rates for Travel Agencies from the City Tourism Office of Puerto Princesa

(per pax) Standard Rates for Travel Agencies from the City Tourism Office of Puerto Princesa

Let’s say that you’re going to do the City Tour (P600/pax), Honday Bay (P1,100/pax) and Iwahig Firefly Watching (P1,100/pax) that would cost you P2,800! But don’t get turned-off yet to Puerto Princesa, there’s still a chance to go cheaper and the answer is travel with friends and ride Tourism Accredited Tricycles.

Tourism Accredited Tricycles

Tourism Accredited Tricycles can be distinguished by their white and blue color

Here’s a comparison of the different tours you can do with the travel agencies versus the Tourism Accredited Tricycles. Let’s just say that you’re 4 in the group.

City Tour (Urban Tour)

Places to visit: Crocodile Farm, Rancho Mitra, Bakers Hill, Butterfly Garden, Baywalk, Cathedral and Plaza Cuartel

Travel Agencies Tourism Accredited Tricycles
600 Pesos/personInclusive of

  • Van Transfers
  • Entrance Fees
  • Small snack
 600 Pesos/tricycleEach tricycle can accommodate up to 4 persons.This will make the tricycle fee to 150 Pesos/personsOther Fees

  • 40 Pesos/person – Crocodile Farm
  • 20 Pesos/person – Rancho Mitra
  • 25 Pesos/person – Butterfly Garden
2,400 Pesos/(4 persons)
600 Pesos/person		 940 Pesos/(4 persons)
235 Pesos/person


Iwahig Firefly Watching

Travel Agencies Tourism Accredited Tricycles
1,100 Pesos/personsInclusive of

  • Van Transfers
  • Boat rental
  • Dinner
 700 Pesos/tricycle to Iwahig River and back to the city.Each tricycle can accommodate up to 4 persons.This will make the tricycle fee to 175 Pesos/person.600 Pesos/boat for Firefly Watching
Each boat can accommodate up to 3 persons.

You’ll have to rent 2 boats for your group of 4 pax.This will make the fee to P300/person.

* No food. Just get back to the city for your food.
* Don’t forget to get your tricycle drivers number before you go on tour.
4,400 Pesos/(4 persons)
1,100 Pesos/person		 1,900 Pesos/(4 persons)
475 Pesos/person

Read my experience on Iwahig Firefly Watching here.

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Honda Bay Island Hopping

Places to visit: Pandan Island, Snake Island and Starfish Island

Travel Agencies Tourism Accredited Tricycles
P1,100 per paxInclusive of
– Van Transfers
– Boat rental
– Lunch		 P600 per tricycle to Santa Lourdes Wharf and back to the city
Each tricycle can accommodate up to 4 pax
This will make the tricycle fee to P150/paxP1,500 per boat for island hopping
Each boat can accommodate up to 6 pax.
This will make the fee to P375/pax* No food. Bring some snacks, packed lunch and water
* Don’t forget to get your tricycle drivers number before you go on tour since he will be coming back for you.Let’s assume that your budget for food is P100/pax
P4,400 per 4 pax
P1,100 per pax		 P2,500 per 4 pax
P625 per pax

Let’s compute again on how much you’ll be spending when you try the City Tour (P235/pax), Iwahig Firefly Watching (P475/pax) and Honda Bay (P625/pax). You now have a budget of P1,335/pax! That’s P1,465 cheaper yet the experience is still the same.

Where can we locate Tourism Accredited Tricycle Drivers?

You can locate them lined up in Puerto Princesa Airport. They have standard prices.

Other Places where Tourism Accredited Tricycles can take you

  • Anywhere inside the town proper of Puerto Princesa City and they charge P50/tricycle. For each tricycle they could carry 5 pax. Lodgings are usually located inside the town proper.
  • To San Jose Terminal where vans to Sabang (Underground River), Taytay and El Nido are located. P120/tricycle. Checkout my post about Lexus Shuttle Service for their van schedules and prices.

Recommended Tourism Accredited Tricycle Drivers

Rustico Cuyno
Contact Nos.: 0949-960-3736

Rommel Fulgencio
Contact Nos.: 0919-879-9501, 0926-918-1437
E-mail: [email protected]

Ryan Jamito
Contact Nos.: 0915-426-1966
E-mail: [email protected]

Author’s Note

For City Tour and Iwahig Firefly Watching, the package tours are cheaper if and only if you’re travelling solo. If you’re with a partner or more than 3 people, then the Tourism Accredited Tricycles are cheaper.

For Honday Bay Island Hopping, the package tours are cheaper if you’re travelling solo or with a partner. If you’re group are 3 persons and above, then the Tourism Accredited Tricycles are cheaper

 

Follow my Puerto Princesa Series

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36 Comments

  1. Wow na wow! gamit na gamit toh! mahal nga tignan, nakakaturn off especially pag Pinoy to Pinoy ang transaction.
    pero babalikan ko toh Josiah! pati yung Baler entries mo! thanks! 😀

  2. whheww.. Thanks for the info..We have plan to go back kasi in Puerto Princesa..kala ko nakatipid nako sa ginawa ko in the second time around sa pagbalik but with your post/help I think mas makaka mura kami nito…:-)Thanks BAI..:-) 😎

    • Hi Aubrey,

      Walang minimum na number of persons ang mga packaged tours. ang gagawin nila ay ikukumpol ka nila sa ibang mga travellers.

      Correct po, kung mag-isa po kayo cheaper ang magpackage tour nalang. Plus magkakaroon ka ng new friends sa mga package tours. 😀

  6. cel

    this is very helpful!Thanks for posting this..any recommended travel agencies?kasi yung ibang hotel or lodging ay nagooffer din ng tours but very pricey ❓

  7. gimo

    Tnx so much for your blog Josiah, how about the underground river cheapest tour, 🙂 any suggestion for that? Does the tricycle driver allow 6 passengers in 1 lift? Im trying to organize our family tour for Jan 2012…most probably 2 week..

    • You’re welcome Gimo. 🙂
      I’m currently doing research on the current prices for the underground river since I was there 3 years ago. But I’ll finish it asap.
      According to the tricycle drivers that I talked with, they only allow 4 pax per tricycle. I don’t know for other tricycle drivers.

  8. heysummah

    this is by far the most helpful blog ive ever read..hihih.. 😀 will be going to PP this march 22nd.. woot! thanx josiah! more power to your blog.. 😀

  11. Marcuz Bertulfo

    This blogs helped us a lot! Very informative, well written, and, most of all, practical! Keep it up bro! We followed this instructions to the letter and really got our money’s worth! Will definitely recommend to all my friends to try it out when they visit Palawan! Great Job!

  12. alanna

    are these fees the same until now? thnx!

    P40/pax – Crocodile Farm
    P20/pax – Rancho Mitra
    P25/pax – Butterfly Garden

  17. Fatima

    Hello…may i ask what’s the cheaper way to go visit the underground river in Puerto princesa?im travelling alone.thanks for the reply.

  18. Rose

    what if for 3 days 2 nights. El Nido, UNderground river, coron lang ang ppuntahan, kaya po ba? thanks and more power…..

  19. Mary Claire

    Hi. I love how you posted a do-it-yourself tour in Puerto Prinsesa. ^_^

    My partner and I are going to the place on november, are the rates you posted still applicable?

    thanks!

    😀

    • Hi Mary, thanks for your kind words. ^_^

      I’ve checked the rates last May 2013 and yes, they are still updated. But I’m not sure with the entrance fees of the City Tour as I was not able to check them.

      I hope this helps.

  21. charity

    i really love the post..can i ask for an advise? me and my husband will be staying in palawan for 6 days and 5 nights on october..what activities would you recommend for us through these days? and we would love to know the cheapest place for stay..thank you so much..

  22. norelle

    wow…. i am so so impressed with your passion to help travellers like us…well detailed & informative… i need a favor thou please…
    we are planning to go to puerto prinsesa, sabang & el nido… what’s the best itinerary is it?
    a) puerto prinsesa – sabang – el nido – puerto prinsesa?
    b) pps- el nido – sabang – pps?
    i don’t know which is the shorter route…
    hope u will response & it will be greatly appreciated…
    thanks so so much…. 😛

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