Puerto Princesa
journey
I took the air-conditioned RoRo-Bus from Corong Corong in El Nido for 483,-PHP to Puerto Princesa. Before we started we got a short mess and a prayer for a safe ride, which was 6,5 hours.

RoRo bus station

our rogation
The road was in the beginning sandy and stony with a lot of potholes. We had two stops on the way. The first was after 2 hours in Tray Tray for only 10 minutes. There are some small shops around.

the road in the beginning
On the way you will see many rice fields, that Palawan is very green and very simple houses, where the locals living.

ricefields

ricefields

kind of funny
Somtmes you pass or use a short tarred piece of road, just in the middle for only one lane of traffic.

there is only place for one
…but place enough for the common sport

basketball
The second stop is in Roxas after 4 hours from starting was for around 30 minutes. It´s also possible to get there some food or jump to the toilet. Don´t forget, that your language down in the bus will get very dusty.

second stop in Roxas

rice to sun-cure on the road

still under construction

and rain again

now we got a better road

on a half finished bridge
By arrival on the bus station in Puerto Princesa are waiting taxis, tricycles, multi-cab and Jeepneys for your further travelling. So its your decision, Jeepneys of course the cheapest.

from inside, on my way to my next accommondation
The Honda Island hopping
I got a pick up at around 07:00AM for the transfer to the Honda Bay. The bus was quiet cold!
Shortly before we arrived we stopped for picking up some snorkeling gear (my recommendation: take also fins!) for 150,-PHP per set. Later I saw an offer for the same package for only 100,-PHP directly at the pier.

…better you ask also for fins
After signing and paying 40,-PHP for fee we jumped on our boat no. 35. Don´t forget to remember your own boat no., cause there will be later some more side by side (I got a flashback to diving in Egypt).

guess, how busy that place was!

our boat was not the only one
The first stop was only a floating jetty, with enough place for around 15 boats close to a reef. It was quiet busy there, maybe more snorkelers than fishes. If you have now fins, you can stay away from the bulk. The reef is alive and big enough for one hour snorkeling – I saw a nice Barracuda there and many reef fishes.

not the best stop for for a snorkelling trip for around ten boats with each 15 persons
The second stop after a 20 minutes boat ride was the starfish-island.

arrival
A long sandy beach with shells, houses for having lunch, a small shop, some clever Tourist staff, such as a full-size frame, where you can stand into it with a nice back round. Even dresses to-use for free for the pictures are there. If you are unlucky like me, you will have at the snorkeling spots the wind and the waves.

our lunch place

the full-sized frame

„be a shark!“

„… or a hula-girl!“

the crew is preparing the good lunch
The third stop was on Isla Pandan. A well touristic organized island. A beautiful beach with white fine sand and some reef blocks with many small fishes waiting for the bread, to which you can easily walk in. Of course you are not alone on the island. Even a bar you can see there and they are selling coconuts, which are dropping down just some meters beside. I arrived back at DALLAS INN at around 04:00PM and it was worth to do that and leaving the noisy Town.

arrival at our last stop

again not alone

… on the ….

it is a well organized island

sometimes you see more snorkelers than fishes
I took a tricycle on my departure day to the airport for 40,-PHP.
I booked a flight with ZestAir for 1.700,-PHP from Puerto Princesa to Manila and I knew, that allows only 10kg (my language-weight 20kg). So at the check in, it came up and I asked, if the plane is fully booked. – It wasn´t, not at all. The plane was only half full with peoples and they still asked me to pay 1500,-PHP more for my added luggage.
They ripped me off! I never will understand that, if the plane is empty like that. Wuuuuzaaaaaa – Harry!
There is also an airport fee to pay 45,-PHP
I took a tricycle to the DALLAS INN, my next accommondation for the next days. They asking 600,PHP for a single room with private bathroom (while rainseason maybe cheaper). The DALLAS INN is located in the Carandang St., where it is not so noisy. The Rizal Av. is the main road, goes from the harbor down to the airport and is very noisy.
The staff from DALLAS INN is very friendly and helpful with organizing daytrips, transfers or getting the permit for the Underground River (which could be a bit hesitantly or annoying in case of full booking). It´s like a visit in a family, which are renting some rooms and trying to do business. You are welcome to step in their private rooms for picking up your staff out of the fridge.

the gate – closed from 10:00PM – U gotta ring the bell for entrance

the garden with terrace on the left and the workshop on the right

the meeting place with free WiFi, tea and coffe

from different point of view

upstairs to the first floor, behind the plants

… and if you´re more fat than me, you´ll have a problem in that floor

the view to the sea and the bay walk (and the staff house)
My room was in the first floor, but a fat person wouldn´t reach it in case of the narrow floor before.

my single room …

… with private bathroom

the terrace with hammocks, plugs and WiFi
If you´re lucky and telling them one day before, you might get a small breakfast. There are always free tea, coffee and drinking water by the living room suite. You get the WiFi everywhere, best place is in the living room suite. They have also a roofed terrace with two hammock’s and sufficient plugs. Around six o clock mosquitos showing up. The distance to the shops and restaurants is very short, even the airport is reachable with an 20 minute walk.

Rizal Av. mainroad

Rizal Av. mainroad

puerto princesa impressions

puerto princesa impressions

inside different event´s
You can visit some churches, the bay walk or the Tiki-bar with live music every evening. At my visit time were a music-event going cloce to the Capitol, with a market and many local food shops.

bay walk

bay walk

… in the evening sometimes full with shops

a tiny church, but a atmosphere like in a Gospel-Church

Immaculate Conception Cathedral

… inside
There is also a big wall market called “NCC” in the side road at the Jollibee.
A interesting offer for lunch or dinner you can find in “Mang Inasal” in the Rizal Av., where they serving unlimited rice for the most menus – just be clever!

Inasal ….

… unlimited rice
Some other activities can be the Honda island hopping daytrip, a visit to the crocodile farm, a trip to the Underground River or watching the fire flies (a bit far away).
The most of the tourists are staying only one or two nights in Puerto Princesa.

good food in a cheap restaurant

the typical traffic n the main road

the typical traffic n the main road

Tricycles

still 11 seconds time to cross the road

the road to the NCC mall

a Jeepney

you´ll find many fast food shops on the road like Chowking or Jollibee

careful! The power supply lines hangig sometims quiet low