Discover Puerto Princesa and Palawan

When is the best time to go to Puerto Princesa and Palawan?

The dry season is from October to May with temperatures above 30 degrees centigrade and rain is rare.

How do we get there?

Palawan and/or Puerto Princesa (a city in the forest where the famous and longest navigable underground river in the world can be found) are two of the most accessible destinations in the Philippines. From the capital Manila, various airlines offer daily domestic flights and shipping companies have regular boat trips of at least 3 times a week. It is also possible to set out from either Cebu or Iloilo, two of the major cities in the Visayas, the central part of the country.

A number of travel agencies and the hotels/resorts in Puerto Princesa and Palawan also offer various tour packages that cover both the travel and lodging arrangements.

What activities and adventures does Palawan and Puerto Princesa offer?

Name it and they're most likely to have it – historical sights, cultural experiences, wonderful beaches, eco-tourism spots for diving, snorkeling, trekking or just simple nature-tripping.

What safety/security concerns should we consider when in Palawan?

Palawan has one of the lowest crime rates in the country and visitors can expect the warm hospitality that Filipinos are known for.

What health measures should we take before going and while in Palawan?

Unless you are going on a trek to some of the more remote mountains and forests in the province, the threat of diseases such as malaria are not widespread. Nonetheless, travelers are advised to take the necessary medical precautions.

For emergency situations, the hospitals and health centers in Palawan are also prepared to extend assistance. Under the new generation of Hospitals and Clinics of Palawan Programme, the provincial government completed the Southern Palawan Provincial Hospital in Brooke’s Point and the construction of the North Provincial Hospital in Taytay is ongoing. The plan includes the establishment of a new medical center in Puerto Princesa City with provisions for medical tourism.

A total of nineteen (19) hospitals provide hospital and medical care province wide, twelve (12) of which are government operated. Nine (9) of the twelve (12) government hospitals are provincial government operated, two (2) DOH-managed, and one (1) AFP- operated.
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Are banking and communication facilities readily available in Palawan?

Most major banking and communication companies have offices in the capital Puerto Princesa. Cellular phone networks have province-wide coverage.

Directory of banks in the province:
BANK OF PHILIPPINE ISLANDS
Rizal Avenue, Puerto Princesa City &
San Juan Bldg., San Pedro, National Highway, Puerto Princesa City
Tel. 433-2874 / 433-2875

CHINA BANK
Malvar St., Puerto Princesa City
Tel. 434-9891

DEVELOPMENT BANK OF THE PHILIPPINES
Rizal Avenue, Puerto Princesa City
Foreign Currency Deposit / Foreign Currency Remittance
Tel. 433-2538 / 433-2358

BANCO DE ORO
Rizal Ave., Puerto Princesa City
Accepts Foreign Exchange (VISA, MASTERCARD, JCB)
Accepts Travelers Check in US Dollar
Tel. 434-4244 / 433-2679

FIRST CONSOLIDATED BANK
National Highway, San Pedro, Puerto Princesa City
Foreign Exchange
Tel. 433-9230 / 433-9231

LAND BANK OF THE PHILIPPINES
Rizal Avenue, Puerto Princesa City
Tel. 433-2820 / 433-2823
Field Offices - Coron & Brooke’s Point
Foreign Exchange, Foreign Remittances, Foreign Currency Deposits

METROPOLITAN BANK AND TRUST CO.
Rizal Avenue, Puerto Princesa City
Dollar Exchange, Travellers Check
(Requires photocopy of Purchase Receipt, Passport)
Tel. 433-9914 / 433-2779

PHILIPPINE NATIONAL BANK
Rizal Avenue corner Valencia St., Puerto Princesa City
Foreign Currency Exchange
Tel. 434-3742 / 433-2421

RIZAL COMMERCIAL BANKING CORPORATION (RCBC)
Rizal Ave., Puerto Princesa City
US Dollar Exchange, RCBC Credit Card
Tel. 433-2091 / 433-2693

VETERANS BANK
Rizal Ave., Puerto Princesa City
Accepts Visa card Processing
Tel. 433-7842
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MONEY CHANGERS:
A.S. MONEY CHANGER
298 Rizal Ave. , Puerto Princesa City
Tel. No. 433-5105

BONITO MONEY CHANGER
#160 Rizal Ave., Puerto Princesa City
Tel. No. 434-2226
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Telecommunications companies:

PHILIPPINE LONG DISTANCE TELEPHONE (PLDT)
42 Roxas St., Puerto Princesa City
Tel. 433-2345 (Manager)
Long Distance Calls - 109
Overseas Call - 108

TELECOM (Provincial Telephone Line)
Burgos St., Puerto Princesa City & in the Municipalities
Tel. 433-4067

SMART COMMUNICATION (Mobile Phones)
NCCC Bldg., Lacao St. Puerto Princesa City
Network Area of Coverage: Provincewide

GLOBE COMMUNICATION (Mobile Phones)
Pacific Plaza Bldg., Rizal Ave., Puerto Princesa City
Network Area of Coverage: Provincewide

More on El Nido and What it Offers

Palawan is a famous tourist destination in the Philippines, known for its beautiful natural features. One can only appreciate the breathtaking views offered by the white sand beaches and its mystical jungles. Indeed, Palawan is a haven for nature-lovers and adventure seekers alike. This is why the famous El Nido, a marine park reserve as well as a municipality in Palawan comes to place, simply because this famous spot stands out among the rest of Palawan’s beautiful hubs. Eighteen barangays form part of El Nido with a total population of approximately 27,000.

Occupying an area of 96,000 hectares, this popular nature spot boasts of diverse ecosystems such as rainforest, mangroves, white sand beaches, coral reefs, and limestone cliffs. It is now one of the country's premier tourist destinations. Blessed with extraordinary natural scenery, El Nido is the sanctuary of various forms of wildlife. Countless varieties of fish are also found here. Manta rays are a common sight; when in season, divers may see one of the world's rarest marine mammals, the sea cow, known locally as "dugong".

El Nido boasts of a natural beauty that can be matched by only a few places in the world which makes it a famous tourist destination. One can never tire of the place, as it offers marine and geographical wonders. Its magnificent marble cliffs and white sand beaches truly brag its nature-given gift. Its beautiful forests contain caves that take you to hidden lagoons and rivers, and some shores are isolated enough to give you the feel of tranquility and relaxation.

To quickly access this Palawan municipality, one has to take a direct flight from Manila. However, if you are planning to savor the trip, there are ships that depart from Manila that arrive in El Nido via the other beautiful towns in Palawan. There are many hotels and lodges in El Nido. Most of these resorts offer basic amenities and are a short distance from the beach. Hotels range from luxurious to budget friendly ones.

Obviously, marine activities can be done in El Nido. One can ride a boat and hop around the island and marine reserves. Tour packages are available on boat rentals. Food is also of no problem—one can bring along the coolers or avail of the food package offered by the local tourism services. Scuba diving is also a popular choice, since the marine reserves are protected by natural law.

The geographical features of El Nido, Palawan also offers a wide range of activities. Motor biking is popular because it brings opportunities to appreciate the scenery of the town and jive with the traditional Catholic festivals of the locals. Roads are available for both motorcycles and mountain bikes. One can also avail of the cliff climbing, crawl their ways upwards the proud marble cliffs and view the fantastic white beach. The forests are also a sanctuary of hidden caves that shelter scenic waterfalls.

El Nido is usually on the vacation list of beach lovers and nature seekers who are either from the Philippines or from foreign countries. Tourists love staying in El Nido, Palawan not only to admire the beauty of nature but also to experience the comfortable and relaxing feeling brought about by El Nido resorts which are noted for their hidden lagoons, palm forests, orchids, and offshore cruise points.

There are many hotels, lodges and resorts in El Nido ranges from luxurious to budget friendly ones. But, actually there are two El Nido resorts that tourists always love to stay in, namely, the Lagen Island Resort and the Miniloc Island Resort.

Lagen Island Resort

The Lagen Island Resort has fifty-one guest rooms that are composed of forest rooms and suites, beach front cottages, and water cottages. Guests will be enthralled by the architectural and interior design of the rooms because of their floors that are made of antique woods, the furniture and fixtures that are made of old wood, and the sliding glass doors that lead guests to a veranda.

The amenities of this El Nido resort include an air-conditioned dining area that serves both a la carte and buffet meals, a conference room, a clinic, a library, a game area, and a boutique. Guests can also enjoy its swimming pool as well as its poolside bar.

This El Nido resort in Palawan is highly recommended because there are a lot of activities here that guests can actually enjoy doing. Some of those activities include bird watching, windsurfing, hat making, sunset cruising, mangrove river tours, cave tours, lagoon tours, and hiking. If guests would like to take up dive courses, this is possible by arranging a schedule with the Lagen Island Resort management.

Miniloc Island Resort

The Miniloc Island Resort is another highly-recommended resort in El Nido, Palawan. This resort has forty-three guest rooms, and just like the Lagen Island Resort, it features a variety of room styles such as sea view rooms, water cottages, cliff cottages, and garden cottages. These rooms also have a stellar architectural and interior design, featuring wooden floors, walls that are made of bamboo, and furniture and fixtures that were built using Filipino materials, such as rattan. Even the bathrooms were constructed and designed using Filipino materials.

Just like the Lagen Island Resort, this El Nido resort also offers several amenities for guests to enjoy. It features a conference room, a Pavilion Bar, a game area, a video room, a boutique, and a restaurant. Its conference room is capable of accommodating approximately thirty to forty persons.

Some guests prefer to stay in the Miniloc Island Resort because of its near proximity to other islands and sites.

Well, whichever El Nido resort you choose, we guarantee you that you will experience a lot of fun in Palawan.