Puerto Princesa City Off The Beaten Path Tips by asianbelle Top 5 Page for this destination

The Fort

Across the street from PP's cathedral is Plaza Cuartel. It used to be a fort erected to protect the city from invaders. Through the years, it became neglected and what remains now are ruins and tall grasses. However at the other end of the plaza is a view of the seaport.

Sound of Music's Gazebo?

In a corner of the PP coliseum plaza is this gazebo that somehow resembles the one used in the film Sound of Music. As soon as I saw it, I knew I had to take my picture under it. However, its door was locked so I was not able to get through.

For the kids

Adjacent to Baker's Hill (the bakeshop) is a private compound that looks straight off the pages of a children's comic book. Life-size statues of Marilyn Monroe, Bugs Bunny, Donald Duck et al stand proud on the landscaped garden. Down the hill, there is a playground, adult swing, picnic tables, herbal garden, and restrooms.

Although marked private, it is open to the public as long as their rules will be observed.

Heron! Heron!

While cruising along the dirt road inside Iwahig's compound, I was fascinated to see an herd of Herons in the rice field. I immediately asked my trike driver to stop so I could take a photo. It is not always I see a big group of white birds, especially not in Manila.

Palawan Beaches

Due to the heavy rains when I arrived in PP, I had to forego my plan to take the Honda Bay island hopping tour. But since I was bent on "wetting my feet", I asked my trike driver to take me to the nearest beach. He brought me to Pristine Beach.

Across the street from the PP airport is a dirt road leading to 3 adjacent picnic resorts - Pristine, Silica and Nasin-aw. They share the same shoreline of light brown sand and greenish-blue water. The water is warm despite the weather and shallow even 100 meters away from the shore. There are also mangroves on the side.

For Pristine, an admission fee of P10 per person is charged for the use of picnic huts.