Cheap flights to Puerto Princesa
Set your departure airport and maximum budget: SniperAir tracks prices to Puerto Princesa and alerts you the moment a deal matching your criteria appears.
Quick summary
Country
Philippines
Continent
Asia
Airport
PPS
Currency
Philippine peso (PHP)
Time zone
UTC+8
Deals already spotted to Puerto Princesa
Real flight examples detected by SniperAir, with their reference price.
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Airport and getting into town
An airport inside the city, minutes from the centre
Puerto Princesa (PPS)
Puerto Princesa International Airport is within the city proper according to Wikipedia (EN); a new terminal opened in 2017 per Wikivoyage (EN). Wikipedia (EN) lists direct flights from Manila, Cebu, Davao, Iloilo and Clark, plus El Nido and Busuanga. Wikivoyage (EN) says the centre is close: take a jeepney or a tricycle on the highway in front of the airport rather than accepting the first tricycle offers. We do not quote fares.
Distances and times are approximate (Wikipedia, Wikivoyage) and depend on traffic and sea conditions. We do not quote fares.
Puerto Princesa is the capital of Palawan province. According to Wikipedia (EN) it had around 316,000 inhabitants in 2024, is the least densely populated city in the country and the second largest by area after Davao, at 2,381 km2. It is above all a base: people stop here for the underground river and Honda Bay before heading north on the island.
The city was founded on 4 March 1872 as Puerto de la Princesa, per Wikipedia (EN, DE, ES), named after Infanta Eulalia of Spain according to Wikipedia (EN, DE). Wikipedia (EN, ES) presents it as the country's eco-tourism centre; Wikipedia (ES) and Wikivoyage (EN) say it was repeatedly recognised as clean and green.
Landmarks
Underground river, Honda Bay and the Palawan countryside
Here the draw is the nature around the city rather than the centre itself. The following places are illustrated.
The mouth of the underground river
The Puerto Princesa Subterranean River National Park has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 4 December 1999 per Wikipedia (FR, EN, ES). The underground river is 8.2 km long, winds through a cave and flows into the South China Sea according to Wikipedia (FR, EN); only part of it, about 4.3 km, is navigable by boat, per Wikipedia (EN). Small boats leave from Sabang Beach, according to Wikivoyage (EN). The photo shows the cave entrance.
By canoe beneath the cliffs
Visitors board small motor canoes wearing life jackets to approach the entrance. Wikivoyage (EN) says a permit is required to visit the river and is issued in Puerto Princesa: check the conditions before you plan your stay.
The chambers of the cave
Wikipedia (EN, ES) describes stalactites and stalagmites in several large chambers, including the Italian's Chamber, 360 m long according to Wikipedia (EN). The photo shows a limestone column lit by a spotlight, with a boat in the distance.
The seafront
The seafront promenade on Puerto Princesa Bay is a place for an evening stroll; the city sits on a peninsula on the east side of the island according to Wikipedia (DE).
Rice fields and limestone hills
On the road north, rice fields spread at the foot of forested limestone hills. The underground river itself is carved into a karst limestone landscape, according to Wikipedia (FR, EN).
Honda Bay
Honda Bay, about 25 minutes from the centre to the Santa Lourdes wharf according to Wikivoyage (EN), has several islets with sandy beaches for swimming and diving; Wikipedia (DE) mentions its coral reefs. Boats are hired at the wharf, ideally before 11 am per Wikivoyage (EN).
The cathedral and Plaza Cuartel
The Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception, blue and white according to Wikivoyage (EN), was built in 1961 per Wikipedia (DE). Plaza Cuartel, near the cathedral, is a World War II memorial site: Wikivoyage (EN) recalls the deaths of American prisoners in 1944, an episode Wikipedia (EN) links to the Palawan Massacre of 14 December 1944.
Farm and nature
The Palawan Wildlife Rescue and Conservation Center, a former crocodile farm, also has a small zoo of local species according to Wikivoyage (EN) and Wikipedia (DE). The Iwahig Penal Colony, closer to a farm than a prison per Wikivoyage (EN, DE), can be visited. Wikivoyage (EN) also lists Ugong Rock, a limestone outcrop of about 22 m.
Museums and culture
A museum and memorials
The Palawan Museum
The Palawan Museum, on Valencia Street, is an old museum with uneven upkeep according to Wikivoyage (EN), which suggests it for a rainy day; Wikipedia (DE) lists it among the city's attractions.
Other places
Wikivoyage (EN) also lists the Palawan Heritage Center, next to the provincial capitol, the Palawan Special Battalion World War II museum and a small museum inside Palawan State University.
Before you visit
We do not quote fees or opening hours: they change and sources differ. Check opening days before you go.
Food and drink
Seafood, cashew nuts and markets
Seafood
Wikipedia (EN, ES) presents Puerto Princesa as a city of seafood restaurants. Wikivoyage (EN) lists fish and shellfish tables, but also Chinese, French and vegetarian cooking.
Cashews and crafts
Wikivoyage (EN) mentions cashew-nut sweets, a Palawan speciality, and crafts by local peoples (rice baskets, rattan mats, wood carvings). The city also has malls and markets for supplies.
Precautions
Choose bottled water and eat carefully if you are not used to the local cuisine.
Getting around
Tricycles, jeepneys and roads to El Nido
In the city
Tricycles and jeepneys are the most common means, with taxis since 2015 per Wikipedia (EN); Wikivoyage (EN) warns that there are few pedestrian crossings and that drivers rarely yield. Wikipedia (DE) mentions electric tricycles.
To the underground river
The road to Sabang takes about 1.5 hours by car according to Wikivoyage (EN) and considerably longer by jeepney. Organised transport is the simplest for a day trip.
To El Nido and beyond
El Nido is a 6 to 7 hour drive according to Wikivoyage (EN); air-conditioned buses run about every two hours. Ferries also link Manila, a crossing of about 22 hours per Wikivoyage (EN). Puerto Princesa is also the departure point for expeditions to Tubbataha Reef, per Wikipedia (EN, DE, ES).
Budget and precautions
Prices to check, and simple precautions
Price level
Wikipedia (EN, ES) describes a tourist destination with accommodation from simple guesthouses to luxury hotels. We quote no figures because rates change.
Currency and payment
The currency is the Philippine peso. Malls have ATMs; carry cash for tricycles and markets.
Safety
Wikipedia (EN, ES) recalls that an armed group kidnapped people from a resort in Honda Bay in 2001. Check your government's official travel advice before booking and avoid travelling alone in little-visited areas.
Flights and insurance
SniperAir monitors prices to PPS and compares them with the route's history, but it does not sell or book tickets. To compare, also follow Manila (MNL) or Cebu (CEB). Allow slack in the rainy season.
When to go
A dry season from January to April
Dry season (January to April)
According to Wikipedia (EN), very little rain falls from January to April, which suits the underground river and the islets.
Rainy season (May to December)
Wikipedia (FR, EN) places the wet season between May and December, when the heat is heavier and more humid.
All year
The average temperature is around 27 °C per Wikipedia (EN), and the city stays warm and humid all year.
Peak heat
Wikipedia (EN) notes a record of 37 °C on 23 April 2025: April can be very hot.
Annual rainfall is around 1,560 mm according to Wikipedia (EN). Wikipedia (FR) classes the climate between tropical savanna and monsoon (Aw/Am). We give no precise monthly averages because sources differ.
By length of stay
What to do in Puerto Princesa depending on how long you stay
River and centre
The underground river, with a permit, the cathedral and the seafront.
Bay and countryside
Honda Bay by boat, the crocodile farm and the Iwahig colony.
Northern Palawan
An overland leg to El Nido, or the Tubbataha reefs with a specialist operator.
In pictures
Puerto Princesa in pictures
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FAQ
Frequently asked questions about flights to Puerto Princesa
How do I get from Puerto Princesa airport to the centre?
The airport (PPS) is inside the city. A jeepney or tricycle on the highway is enough according to Wikivoyage. We do not quote fares.
How do I visit the underground river?
Go to Sabang, about 1.5 hours by road according to Wikivoyage, and obtain a permit issued in Puerto Princesa. Check the current rules before you travel.
When is the best time to go to Puerto Princesa?
January to April is the driest period per Wikipedia (EN); the rainy season runs from May to December.
Is El Nido far from Puerto Princesa?
About 6 to 7 hours by road according to Wikivoyage (EN); air-conditioned buses leave several times a day.
What is there to see around Puerto Princesa?
The underground river, Honda Bay, the crocodile farm, the Iwahig colony and Ugong Rock.
How long should I stay in Puerto Princesa?
Two days for the river and the centre; four days with Honda Bay; a week if you continue to El Nido.
How much does a flight to Puerto Princesa usually cost?
The price depends mainly on your departure city, the time of year and how far ahead you book. The "opportunities" section above shows real examples of prices SniperAir has already detected to this destination.
How do I get alerted when a flight to Puerto Princesa drops below my budget?
Create an alert profile with your departure airport, {n} as the destination and your maximum budget. You are notified automatically as soon as a matching price is detected.
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