An underground river runs eight kilometres beneath limestone cliffs on one side of the city; a rooftop cattle ranch overlooks the bay on the other. Puerto Princesa is compact enough that most of Palawan's best views sit within a single day trip of downtown.

Book your flights into Puerto Princesa to begin.

A UNESCO World Heritage Site and a New Seven Wonder of Nature, this underground river winds more than eight kilometres beneath cathedral-sized limestone chambers lined with stalactites. The environmental fee runs PHP 150, with full tour packages from around PHP 2,200. Book ahead if you're visiting between November and May, the park's busiest stretch.

Also called Rancho Santa Monica, this hillside spot overlooks Honda Bay, the city, and the Sulu Sea beyond. Entry is free aside from a PHP 20 heritage display fee, and arriving at sunrise catches the light at its best. Cattle, horses, and a treehouse round out the grounds.

This palm-lined waterfront promenade runs free and open 24 hours, though the real draw is sunset, when the sky over the Sulu Sea turns orange, pink, and violet. Food stalls open from 2 pm, and fairy lights take over once evening sets in.

Staying near Rizal Avenue keeps you within easy reach of Baywalk, the cathedral, and most of the city's restaurants. Traveloka's hotel listings in that stretch run from guesthouses to full resorts.

Boats leave from Santa Lourdes Wharf for a cluster of islands, each with its own character. Luli Island's sandbar only appears at low tide; Starfish Island earns its name honestly; Pandan Island and Pambato Reef both offer proper coral gardens for snorkelling. Tours run November through May and include lunch.

A 75-foot limestone formation about an hour from the city, near Sabang, Ugong Rock rewards a climb through narrow passages and rope ladders with a 360-degree view over jungle, rice paddies, and distant sea. Entry runs PHP 350, and an 800-metre zipline option adds a faster way back down.

Eight hundred metres of rainforest canopy pass beneath riders here, with the sea visible in the distance during the roughly two-minute ride. Pairing it with the nearby Underground River makes for a full, varied day out of Sabang.

Ugong Rock's combined caving-and-zipline package, found under activities, is one of the better ways to see two attractions in a single booking.

Hundreds of butterfly species share this garden with peacocks and endemic wildlife, and an indigenous tribal village on-site sells traditional handicrafts. Entry costs around PHP 60.

An unusual stop: a working, open correctional facility set among rice fields and riverbanks, with water buffalo grazing nearby. Guided tours run free from 7 am to 5 pm daily.

These Spanish colonial garrison ruins hold real historical weight as the site of the WWII Palawan Massacre, memorialised now with interpretive displays and a shrine. Entry is free.

Twin spires and stained glass define this neo-Gothic cathedral on Rizal Avenue, its white facade especially striking against a clear tropical sky. Entry is free.

November through May brings the calmest seas for Honda Bay and the clearest access to the Underground River, both weather-dependent activities.

Sabang's cluster, Underground River, X Zipline, Ugong Rock, works well as one dedicated day, separate from the in-town sights closer to Rizal Avenue.

A car rental makes the Sabang day trip considerably easier to manage on your own schedule, and an airport transfer covers the arrival leg from Puerto Princesa International Airport.

Combined Underground River and zipline packages here usually beat booking each activity on its own, and Traveloka, Southeast Asia's leading travel platform with over 100 million users across the region, keeps flights into Puerto Princesa, hotels near Rizal Avenue, car rental, eSIM, and travel insurance in the same app as those bookings. Check Traveloka promotions for current deals, and download the app before your Palawan trip.