After nearly a year with little to no tourism due to the Covid-19 pandemic, Puerto Princesa has finally opened its borders to domestic tourists. Tourists were allowed to enter from March 01.
For local and international travelers alike, Puerto Princesa has long been the gateway town to other beach destinations in Palawan, including the world-class islands of El Nido and San Vicente. However, the provincial capital holds well on its own, too—aside from its white sand beaches, it’s also home to the Puerto Princesa Underground River, a UNESCO World Heritage site and one of the New 7 Wonders of Nature.
Travelers looking to visit Puerto Princesa are first required to take an RT-PCR Covid-19 test at a DOH-accredited facility at least 48 hours before departure. Negative test results must then be emailed by the testing facility to Puerto Princesa City’s Incident Management Team, which will provide travelers with an official certificate to enter.
Aside from a negative swab test, travelers must also submit a confirmed booking from any DOT-accredited accommodation and/or travel agency. For both safety and convenience, tourists are also required download the StaySafe.ph app and follow minimum health and safety protocols at all times.
Prior to its reopening, Puerto Princesa was only open to locals from around Palawan.
Scheduled flights to the city are available weekly through Philippine Airlines, Cebu Pacific, and Air Asia.
