As luck would have it, irene, my girlfriend is from Puerto Princesa, home of the Underground River and so much more. Last October, when Cebupacific dropped their fares to Php1, I immediately booked my family a trip to Puerto Princesa for my birthday weekend a few months ahead.

Gateway to the Underground

A couple of months 'til our flight, I went to Puerto Princesa last December to see my girlfirend for a couple of days and to have a preview of what the city has to offer. From there I started to check-out places and tours that my family would be interested in and their corresponding prices of course. I want to make this trip as cheap as possible. More luck came our way as my girlfriend's family bought a van recently for a travel and tours business. All we needed was to pay for gas and the driver.

Ann's House Contact No.: 0919-4903592

Come February all is set. We arrived in Puerto Princesa just before dusk. We had our dinner at irene's house, with her mom serving delicious seafood dishes some not found in manila. After dinner we headed to the apartment my irene's aunt was taking care of. It's located in Brgy Tiniguiban which is quite far from the city proper but is very nice and quiet, ideal for those who want to get away form the hustle and bustle of the city. Two (2) rooms upstairs can accommodate 5-10 pax each room/bathroom each. Rooms are Airconditioned and the apartment has cable tv, wifi internet and offers van rental for tours. 


The next day we woke up early for our Underground River tour. For DIY trips, you should get your tickets at the tourism office at Puerto Princesa beforehand since they only allow a limited number of visitors a day. From the city, it takes more than an hour to reach Sabang Port and from there around 20 minutes more by boat to reach the underground river. There were quite a crowd when we got there but not that much to turn the place into a circus. People running the queue were organized and the wait time is negated by roaming around the waiting area admiring nature's works.

Go Family

It was pitch black inside the Underground River. Riding at the front of the boat, you will be tasked to hold the car battery powered spotlight for the entire duration of the tour. Lazy people please sit at the back. Our guide was amusing, lecturing and cracking jokes, making an otherwise eerie place enjoyable.

Inside the Underground River (click to enlarge)

After the tour we headed back to Sabang Port to have lunch. It was way past noon and the buffet tables were empty. It was nice for Taraw Restaurant to still accommodate us and bring out around 5-6 dishes all ours to finish.

We went back to the city looking for another place to stay as my parents wanted to wander around the city on their own. Well actually all they wanted was a chance to play PAGCOR e-Games. We transferred Albon Pension House, just a 5-minute walk from the nearest PAGCOR e-Games at Rizal Ave. Rooms are big, wi-fi is available and is walking distance from the public market, fastfood outlest such as jollibee and chowking, and just infront is a place where you buy all your pasalubongs and souvenirs.

Puerto Princesa City Baywalk

As my parents were playing and my sisters watching tv, my irene and I went to Puerto Princesa City Baywalk for some evening strolling before calling it a day.

For our Honda Bay Tour (Island Hopping and Food Tripping) click here.

To have an idea of how much you'll spend at Puerto Princesa click here.