This itinerary is made for those who want to visit Puerto Princesa and wants to be sure that they will be visiting the Underground River.
Ugong Rock Caving at Tagabinet, Puerto Princesa
No. of Pax: 4 pax
Budget: P4,900 – airfare and airport terminal fees not included
Duration: 3 days – 2 nights
Estimated Start: Day 1 – 9:00AM Arrival at Puerto Princesa
Estimated End: Day 3 – 5:00PM flight out of Puerto Princesa
Lodging: Fan Room
Activities: City Tour, Iwahig Firefly Watching, Honda Bay Island Hopping, Ugong Rock Caving & Puerto Princesa Underground River
| Day 1 | |
| 0900 AM | Arrival at Puerto Princesa |
| 0910 AM | Walk outside of the airport premises; Ride tricycle to Lodging (P10/pax) |
| 0920 AM | Arrival at Lodging; Check-in & Rest |
| 1130 AM | Ride Tourism Accredited Tricycle to Badjao Seafront Restaurant; (P150/tricycle) |
| 1145 AM | Arrival at Badjao Seafront Restaurant; Tricycle should wait for you |
| 0100 PM | Start of City Tour via Tourism Accredited Tricycle (P600/tricycle) |
| City Tour includes Crocodile Farm, Rancho Mitra, Baker€™s Hill, Butterfly Garden, Baywalk, Cathedral and Plaza Cuartel | |
| 0500 PM | End of City Tour; Back at Lodging; Rest for a bit and get ready for Iwahig Firefly Watching |
| 0600 PM | Ride Tourism Accredited Tricycle to Iwahig for Firefly Watching (P700/tricycle) |
| 0645 PM | ETA Iwahig; Register for Firefly Watching Paddleboat Tour (P600/boat; 3 pax/boat) |
| 0700 PM | Start of Iwahig Firefly Watching Paddleboat Tour |
| 0830 PM | End of Iwahig Firefly Watching; Ride tricycle back to Town Proper; Drop at Kinabuch |
| 0915 PM | ETA Kinabuch; Late Dinner; Try Tamilok |
| 1030 PM | Ride tricycle to lodging (P10/pax) |
| 1040 PM | Back at Lodging; Freshen-up and sleep |
| Day 2 | |
| 0600 AM | Breakfast at Jollibee/Chowking/Dunkin Donuts |
| 0700 AM | Arrival of Van for Underground River Packaged Tour (P1,500/pax) |
| Hopefully, your sidetrip will be Ugong Rock Cave | |
| 0500 PM | Back at Lodging; Freshen Up & Rest |
| 0630 PM | Ride tricycle to Kalui (P10/pax) |
| 0635 PM | ETA Kalui; Dinner and art tripping!!! |
| 0800 PM | Ride tricycle back to lodging |
| 0805 PM | Back at Lodging; Freshen up & Sleep |
| Day 3 | |
| 0540 AM | Check-out of lodging |
| 0550 AM | Breakfast at Jollibee/Chowking/Dunkin Donuts |
| 0630 AM | Ride Tourism Accredited Tricycle to Honda Bay Port (P600/tricycle); Ask to stop somewhere to buy snacks & packed lunch; The tricycle will go back for you when the Honda Bay Island Hopping Tour ends |
| 0700 AM | ETA at Honda Bay Port; Register for Island Hopping (P1,500/boat) |
| 0715 AM | Start of Honda Bay Island Hopping Tour |
| 0230 PM | End of Honda Bay Island Hopping; Freshen Up |
| 0300 PM | Ride tricycle to Airport |
| 0330 PM | ETA Airport; Check-in |
| 0500 PM | Flight out of Puerto Princesa |
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Transportation
| 10.00 | Tricycle from Airport to Lodging | Day 1 |
| 37.50 | Arranged Tricycle to and from Badjao Seafront Restaurant (P150/tricycle) | |
| 175.00 | Tourism Accredited Tricycle to and from Iwahig Firefly Watching (P700/tricycle) | |
| 10.00 | Tricycle from Kinabuch to Lodging (P10/pax) | |
| 10.00 | Tricycle from Lodging to Kalui (P10/pax) | Day 2 |
| 10.00 | Tricycle from Kalui to Lodging (P10/pax) | |
| 150.00 | Tourism Accredited Tricycle to and from Honda Bay Port (P600/tricycle) | Day 3 |
| 402.50 | Transportation Budget per pax |
Lodging
| 425.00 | Puerto Princesa Town Proper – Cloud’s Inn (P450/night + P200/extra pax/night) | 2 nights |
| 425.00 | Lodging Budget per pax |
Food
| 200.00 | Lunch at Badjao Seafront Restaurant | Day 1 |
| 200.00 | Dinner at Kinabuch | |
| 100.00 | Breakfast at Jollibee/Chowking/Dunkin Donuts | Day 2 |
| 200.00 | Dinner at Kalui | |
| 100.00 | Breakfast at Jollibee/Chowking/Dunkin Donuts | Day 3 |
| 200.00 | Packed Lunch & Snack at Honday Bay Island Hopping | |
| 1,000.00 | Food Budget per pax |
Tours & Entrance Fees
| 150.00 | City Tour via Tourism Accredited Tricycles (P600/tricycle) | Day 1 |
| 40.00 | Entrance Fee to Crocodile Farm (P40/pax) | |
| 20.00 | Entrance Fee to Rancho Mitra (P20/pax) | |
| 25.00 | Entrance Fee to Butterfly Garden (P25/pax) | |
| 300.00 | Iwahig Firefly Watching Paddleboat Tour (P600/boat, 3 pax/boat) | |
| 1,500.00 | Underground River Packaged Tour (P1,500/pax) | Day 2 |
| 200.00 | Caving at Ugong Rock (P200/pax) | |
| 250.00 | Zipline at Ugong Rock (P250/pax) | |
| 375.00 | Boat for Honda Bay Island Hopping (P1,500/boat) | Day 3 |
| 2,860.00 | Tours and Entrance Fees Budget per pax |
Budget Summary
| 402.50 | Transportation |
| 1,000.00 | Food |
| 425.00 | Accommodation |
| 2,860.00 | Tours and Entrance Fees |
| 212.50 | Extra Money |
| 4,900.00 | TOTAL BUDGET per pax |
- Clothes good for 3 days and 2 nights
- Swimming Clothes
- Towel
- Tissue
- Kikay Kit/Pogi Pack (Toothbrush, toothpaste, deodorant, soap, etc.)
- Flashlight
- Personal Medication
- Umbrella
- Sunblock
- Camera
- Snacks for sharing
- Goggles/Mask & Snorkel
- Small bag while walking around
- Small bottle of water to be refilled once in a while
- The contact number of Clouds Inn in Puerto Princesa Town Proper is (048) 434-8925, (048) 434-2133, 0921-317-1819 or 0917-945-2346. If you want to know more options on cheap lodgings in Puerto Princesa call the Tourism Accredited Tricycle Drivers.
- The contact number of Blue Bamboo in Sabang Port can be located at my post about the lodgings in Sabang Port.
- It is best that you contact the Tourism Accredited Tricycle driver before you go to Puerto Princesa so that they could reserve you boats on Iwahig Firefly Watching and Honda Bay Island Hopping. For more information on Tourism Accredited Tricycles visit my post on Cheaper Way to Tour Puerto Princesa, Palawan
- The budget for food is a bit excessive as I want you to try the different restaurants in Puerto Princesa. If you want to go cheaper there are karinderyas around Puerto Princesa Town Proper.
- If you want to go cheaper on food at Sabang Port visit my post on my Sabang Port Food Trip.
- Contact numbers of pre-arranged tricycle drivers can be located at my post on Ugong Rock Caving and Zipline
- For the Puerto Princesa Underground River Packaged Tour, you should reserve days or months before you go to Puerto Princesa so you will have a sure slot to visit one of the New 7 Wonders of Nature. For more information about travel agencies in Puerto Princesa click here.
This post is part of my 12 for 2012 Travel Project which aims to document places in the Philippines to help travellers.
Follow my Puerto Princesa Series
- Cheaper Way to Tour Puerto Princesa, Palawan (Helpful)
- Environmental Enforcement Museum (Must Visit!)
- Iwahig Firefly Watching (Must Try!)
- Badjao Seafront Restaurant (Food)
- Kalui Restaurant (Food)
- Kinabuchs Grill and Bar (Food)
- Noki Nocs (Food)
- Puerto Princesa Do-It-Yourself 4D3N Budget and Itinerary (Helpful)
- Puerto Princesa, Palawan 3D2N Budget and Itinerary (Helpful)
Follow my Sabang Port, Puerto Princesa Series
- 9 Things to Do at Sabang in Puerto Princesa (Overview)
- Puerto Princesa Underground River Do-It-Yourself Travel Guide (Helpful)
- How to get an Entry Permit to the Underground River in Puerto Princesa (Helpful)
- How to get to Sabang, Puerto Princesa (Helpful)
- Lodgings in Sabang, Puerto Princesa, Palawan (Helpful)
- Sabang Waterfalls
- Mangrove Paddle Boat Tour
- Food Tripping in Sabang
- Ugong Rock Caving
astig ang ganitong format of showing itinerary and budget. recommend ko to sa mga pupunta diyan.
Thanks pre! 🙂
Dear Josiah,
If I go to Puerto Princesa alone on 3D/2N starting from July 16, can you suggest where I can find some partners to share the cost with me?
If unable to find someone else, is it better to join the agency tour? In summer holiday, do I need to get the underground river tour permit at least one day in advance?
Regards,
Johnny
Hi Johnny,
I think the best place to find partners to share the cost with you would either be your seatmate on the plane or by the tourism accredited tricycles.
As much as I want you to do the Underground River by yourself I do not advice you doing it because it’s usually fully booked because there’s no way yet for do-it-yourself travellers to book and reserve in advanced. I suggest that you book your Underground River tour with tour agencies.
hi Johnny,
how was your solo travel in palawan? i just read your query. i hope you wouldn’t mind sharing with me your experience as solo traveler in palawan. i am scheduled to travel palawan on Sept same with you solo flight. i would like to know how did you do it… thank you…
Hi Josiah,
This is just what I need, thank you so much for sharing! Anyway, may I know if they allow children below 2 years old at the Iwahig Firefly watching? I wanted my 1 year old baby to see it as well sana. Thanks for replying, God bless! 🙂
Hi Reez,
I do not know whether they allow children below 2 years for the Iwahig Firefly Watching. Though it would be really nice for one to experience such wonders of nature during such a young age. 🙂
we have limited budget for puerto princesa trip. we are choosing between seeing the firelies or going to honda bay. May i please know which will provide a more enjoyable experience? thanks
honda bay I think would be better. I will be in Palawan Mar. 10 to 13. 🙂
Hi Josiah,
Thank you for your blog. It’s really helpful. I just have a query on Honda Bay tour.Is it necessary to start Honda Bay tour at 7:15AM?How about 8AM or 8:30AM? We will pay for the boat.So, is it possible if we will start at 8:00AM or 8:30AM instead?We will be arriving in Puerto Princesa at 7:49AM and due to time constraint, we cannot have Honda Bay tour unless we will have it upon arrival.
Thanks in advance. 🙂
Hi Effie,
I’m glad that my blog is helping your plan your trip to Puerto Princesa. Yes, it is possible to have the Honda Bay Tour at 8AM or 8:30AM since you are doing the DIY.
I’m also adding that my recent friends who visited Honda Bay said that there are now a 100 Pesos/person entrance fee per island. 😐
Hi Josiah,
Thank you for your helpful reply and the new info regarding Honda Bay tour. Is it still PhP1,500 as of date per boat for the Honda Bay tour?Thanks. 🙂
Hi Effie, last time I talked with a friend that does the Honda Bay island hopping last december 2012, he said it was still 1,500 pesos.
For how many persons po kasya sa P1,500 Honda Bay island hopping? TIA! 🙄
For 6 persons lang daw po.
I was so amazed!! how you tell your story, how you do your travel uniquely and your blog, oh my, easy to search and very useful, everything that I need to know is here.. thanks mate for your very imformative blog.. cheers 🙂
Thanks for this helpful blog.How can I maximize my 3d/2n stay in puerto prinsesa if my flight schedules are as follows: Arrival in Palawan at 6:15pm and Departure at 5:35pm?
I will go there alone this May 2015.
Thank you:)
Most likely your flight that would arrive at 6:15 PM would be delayed so the Iwahig Firefly Watching can no longer be done on the first day. But you can do food tripping.
Second day, Underground River. Then at night Iwahig Firefly Watching.
I’m not sure if the third day it would still be possible to do the Honda Bay Tour.
Ganto pa rin kaya price ngayon??
Sir, hindi ko po sure. Pero better po na tawagan niyo nalang po ang mga tricycle drivers.
Great itinerary suggestion!kailangan talga namin nito as it is our 1st visit to this majestic place..may i know if we can do underground river tour in a half day basis?since we will be arriving at 11:30am..can we do that after lunch?our accomodation is nearly 1 and half hour to sabang?tnx!
Hi Grace, unfortunately, malabo niyo pong magawa ang Underground River Tour if darating kayo ng 11:30 AM, unless ready na yung UR Permits ninyo at may naka-abang na Van para dalhin kayo sa Sabang pagdating ninyo. Yun nga lang kung ma-delay ang flight ninyo most likely hindi na kayo makapag Underground River.
hi! im planning to go for a honda bay island hopping on our last day. our flight back to cebu is 4pm.kaya ba ang honda bay tour? like half day tour lng?
Kung Sharing or isasama kayo with other travelers malabo po na makapag-Honda Bay pa kayo kung may flight kayo ng 4PM. Kung Private kaya po.
Hey! I had no idea about the caving at Ugong Rock. Wish I had known that. I went to Puerto Princesa 3 years ago and absolutely loved it: the Underground River and island hopping was my favourite 🙂 Hoping to make it back here soon.
Hey Alice, you should try the Ugong Rock Caving when you get back. But I would recommend doing the Tabon Caves in Quezon, Palawan. I had more fun there than in the Underground River Tour.