PPC General Information
April 01, 2008 10:44 pm
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The Land and its People
Puerto Princesa City lies in the center of the island province of Palawan. Considered the largest City in the country, it sprawls across 253,982 hectares of land and stretches 106 kilometers long.
The city has 66 barangays, 35 of which are urban and 31 are rural settlements. 3 Total inhabitants number about 250,000, around seventy percent of which reside in the fast growing urban center.
Waves of migrants from other Philippine province, and even other countries have turned Puerto Princesa into melting pot of various cultures. Among the original inhabitants are the Cuyunons who possess a rich legacy of folklore and tradition. Indigenous groups include the Tagbanuas and the Bataks, each group with its distinct culture and system of beliefs.
Dining and Entertainment
Take your pick from the bounty of Palawan seas in any of the restaurants that abound in the city. Lobsters, shrimps and fresh lapu-lapu are some of the mouth-watering seafood that one can feast on without spending a fortune.
Fine dining restaurants serve popular Filipino specialties and seafood dishes, well as continental and international cuisine. For exotic fare try the tamilok, a kind of mollusk that is sure to whet your appetite! There are number of fast food restaurants and coffee shops to choose from.
Have some fun and entertainment at night as you unwind. Dance the night away in a disco bar with live band, or chill it out at grill bars playing great piped-in music or folksy tunes. Karaoke bars are for those who wish to sing their heart out.
Shopping
A visit to Puerto Princesa would not be complete without buying souvenir items and pasalubong for your folks and friends back home. Favorite items are cashew nuts and delicacies, and wild honey. Seafood fare to take home includes dried fish, semi-dried or ‘lamayo’ style, processed or fresh catch marine products, packed and sealed in the chest boxes.
Handcrafted baskets and native items such as blowguns, rainmakers, tobacco bags, hand woven products and bamboo décor, as well as pearl and fashion jewelries are must-buys for tourists and are available at souvenir shops.
The Sunday market in Barangay San Jose, traditionally known as tabuan, is a popular trading place of products fresh from the farm and the seas. Tabuan activities actually start as early as Saturday afternoon where the vendors sell an assortment of native crops and local products are reasonable prices.
Accommodation
An array of tourist accommodation awaits the visitor in Puerto Princesa. Within the bustling city proper are choices of hotels offering first class and standard facilities and amenities. There are economy type hotels as well as tourist inns and pension houses that are just as comfortable and relaxing.
Perched at the island and coastal beaches are resort accommodations that offer natural surroundings for restful vacation, or exciting activities at sea and by the beach.
Puerto Princesa City is a tropical paradise perfect for nature lovers and adventurous travelers. Lush rainforests, beautiful islands and white sand beaches are simply hours away from a bustling urban center. The city proper has huge trees and fresh air managing to retain its frontier ambience despite the onset of modern trends and structures.
The city embraces both the east coast facing the Sulu Sea and the west coast facing the South China Sea, right in the center of Palawan mainland.
A chain of mountain ranges run through the middle of Puerto Princesa, diving the east and the west. Mangrove swamps and limestone cliffs create a scenic counterpoint to foaming surf pounding the uneven shoreline. The coastal beaches are punctuated by coves and bays with clear waters and rich marine life offshore. Exotic islands dominate Honda Bay on the east.
Hilly terrain dotted with trees, home to a wide array of colourful wildlife, hug the winding roads to the north. Rivers, springs and waterfalls offer a serene repose amid the rugged landscape.
This is Puerto Princesa’s natural heritage which our people are honored to share with our visitors from all over the world.
Travel Information
How to get there
By Air
Air transport from Manila to Puerto Princesa takes less than an hour and available thrice daily by Philippine Airlines, Cebu Pacific and Air Philippines. There are also flights from Puerto Princesa to Cebu four times a week.
SeaAir flies to Puerto Princesa from Manila two to three times a week, oftentimes via Busuanga, Cuyo and El Nido.
By Sea
Puerto Princesa is accessible by boat from Manila twice a week by WG&A Superferry and Negros Navigation shipping lines, with stopovers in Coron. Boat trips from Puerto Princesa to Cuyo and Iloilo aboard M/V Milagrosa are also available twice weekly.
Getting Around
When traveling within the city proper and on short tips to the suburbs, tricycle can be easily available at a minimal fare or on hire basis. Multicabs and jeepneys move around the city on specified routes. Travel to the outskirts and outlying villages can be jeepney or a mini-bus.
Car rental services by air conditioned vans can be availed when traveling to most tourist destinations in the city. Bigger tour groups may arrange for coaster or bus service through a travel agency or a tourist transport operator. Sea transport to islands and coastal beaches in the city is usually by motorized outrigger boat.
Suggested Itineraries and Tour Packages
Whether you are on a holiday vacation, business and leisure trip, or in for a culture, adventure and nature tour, these suggested itineraries and tour packages can help you plan your trip to Puerto Princesa.
CITY TOUR
A half day or full day tour of the city’s historical and cultural spots, natural and man-made attractions, and scenic sights. Itinerary may include the following:
1. Princess Eulalia Park, Plaza Cuartel, Immaculate Conception Cathedral, Mendoza Park and Palawan Museum
2. City Coliseum – Freedom Park, PSU Campus, Sports Complex, City Hall and Capitol Complex(running tour)
3. Butterfly Garden, Crocodile Farm & Nature Park, Iwahig Prison and Penal Farm, Sta. Monica Ranch, Baker’s Hill
Note: A Study Tour or Lakbay-Aral will include project site visits, briefing and interaction with City Government Officials.
UNDERGROUND RIVER TOUR
A full day nature tour of the world-famous Underground River starts with a land trip from city proper to Sitio Sabang for around two hours, followed by a 15-minute boat ride to the Underground River. The cave tour is by a paddle outrigger boat which takes around 45 minutes.
A side trip at the Ethnographic Museum lends a cultural perspective to the tour. Other optional tours and activities include wildlife observation and a bird watching, and an interesting Paddleboat Tour in the Mangrove forest, an opportunity hard to miss.
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