Palawan Travel Tips:
2. Puerto Princesa City is the only place on Palawan where you have access to banks and atm's. Most travelers experience a P20,000 per day limit on the amount they can withdraw from a bank teller or an atm. Traveler's checks are not widely accepted and cost about 5% to cash. U.S. Dollars and Euros are widely accepted and easily exchanged in Puerto Princesa City or El Nido without any fees. You'll need to figure out how many days you'll be touring Palawan and bring enough cash cover it, knowing that you can only withdraw a limited daily amount of P20,000 in Puerto Princesa City. Some resorts in El Nido accept credit cards and provide cash advances for a 6% service charge, so it's better to bring cash.
3. A single "budget" traveler can get by on P2,000 per day. A couple may need P3,000. This accounts for transportation, meals, lodging and limited activities. It does not account for souvenirs or special activities, such as scuba diving. $50 per day per person is also a good estimate to cover everything while touring Palawan.
4. Beware of all "fixers, commissioners, non-registered pump boats, and unlicensed tour guides and agents." Some are quite good, but they operate outside the legal requirements and therefore cannot be held liable for anything.
a. The ROYJEN is plagued by these unscrupulous illegal operators, both on land and at sea. They take most all business away from us, and even take our own passengers before we get the chance to meet them on the beach.
b. As soon as you step off the jeepney in Sabang you will be greeted by commissioners who will assist you in whatever way you allow. If you already have a booking on the ROYJEN, that means they earn nothing. So, they will try to persuade you to travel by another means.
c. It's Cheaper and Faster to travel by one of the 100s of tourist agency vans that arrive in Sabang daily. They are a little cheaper and a little faster.
5. The ROYJEN is not the only charter boat in Sabang, but she is the only one of her kind and class. Other boats are possibly cheaper and faster, but they require a minimum of 6 - 8 passengers, where as the ROYJEN requires only 3 passenger fares per charter. Other boats are purely sea-transport. On the ROYJEN you experience a sea-adventure. The difference is not even comparable. Yet the price is about the same.
6. No matter what your travel plan is, you'll be "adventuring" on a very primitive island, with very limited support and services. It's not really suitable for children, the elderly, or the disabled. Additionally, a "sea adventure or an island hopping tour" is not suitable for someone who cannot swim. However, we cannot and do not discriminate, and we will make every effort to accommodate all of your special needs...
7. In and around the sea, there are many dangers. There are poisonous fish, razor coral, fire coral, strong currents and sharp and slippery rocks. You should always respect nature and protect yourself from all her dangers.
8. Where to stay: For budget travelers, in Puerto Princesa City, we recommend the Badjao or Casa Linda Inns. They are near the airport and the city center. Nice and very reasonable. In Sabang we recommend the Dab Dab or Blue Bamboo Resorts. In El Nido (Corong Corong), we recommend the Greenviews Resort, but there is much to choose from.
9. How to get to Sabang. (2 ways):
a. Hire a van from one of the many tourist agencies near the airport in Puerto Princesa City. We recommend Topstar. It's P3,500 to hire just the van, or you could go on their Underground River Tour for P1,500 per pax, but they need a minimum of 8 pax.
b. Take a trike to the New Market, Jeepney Terminal in San Jose. It's about a 15 min. ride and the cost is about P100 each, including your packs. At the terminal, find the next Jeepney going to Sabang. They run every two hours from 0700 - 1500. It's about a 2-hour ride for P150 each.
10. How to get to Port Barton, and nearby island resorts. (3 ways):
a. Travel by jeepney from the terminal in San Jose. It takes 4 - 5 hours and costs about P300.
b. Take a tourist agency van from Puerto Princesa City or from Sabang for minimum P8,000 per van.
c. Voyage by ROYJEN Charters from Sabang after touring the Underground River. Enjoy fishing, island hopping along the way. The fare is P3,000 for up to 3 persons, and P1,000 for each additional person.
11. How to get to El Nido. (4 ways):
a. Travel by air is an expensive option.
b. Travel by bus from the San Jose Terminal just outside Puerto Princesa City. The cost is about P800 per person. It takes about 9 hours and the portion from TayTay to El Nido is unpaved and a very bumpy 3-4 hours.
c. Travel by tourist agency van from Puerto Princesa City or Sabang. It takes about 7 hours, and costs about P12,000, or P1,000 per person.
d. Voyage by ROYJEN Charters from Sabang after first touring the Underground River. Enjoy fishing, island hopping and a stop-over along the way. The fare for a 2-day charter for up to 3 persons is just P7,500, and P2,500 per each additional person. Sleep aboard for just P250 per person.
12. Traveling by jeepney or bus is okay for rugged backpackers, but it's not recommended for regular tourism. For "ground transportation," we recommend you hire a van from a licensed tourist agency.
13. It might be possible for you to use your cell phone here. All you may need is to buy a new "Smart Buddy" sim card for about P50, and then some Smart Buddy load. Having a cell phone can be very useful, especially for confirming a ROYJEN Charter after you arrive in Sabang, Port Barton, or El Nido. Another option would be to buy a cheap 2nd hand phone in Puerto Princesa City, and resell it when you leave.
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3. A single "budget" traveler can get by on P2,000 per day. A couple may need P3,000. This accounts for transportation, meals, lodging and limited activities. It does not account for souvenirs or special activities, such as scuba diving. $50 per day per person is also a good estimate to cover everything while touring Palawan.
4. Beware of all "fixers, commissioners, non-registered pump boats, and unlicensed tour guides and agents." Some are quite good, but they operate outside the legal requirements and therefore cannot be held liable for anything.
a. The ROYJEN is plagued by these unscrupulous illegal operators, both on land and at sea. They take most all business away from us, and even take our own passengers before we get the chance to meet them on the beach.
b. As soon as you step off the jeepney in Sabang you will be greeted by commissioners who will assist you in whatever way you allow. If you already have a booking on the ROYJEN, that means they earn nothing. So, they will try to persuade you to travel by another means.
c. It's Cheaper and Faster to travel by one of the 100s of tourist agency vans that arrive in Sabang daily. They are a little cheaper and a little faster.
5. The ROYJEN is not the only charter boat in Sabang, but she is the only one of her kind and class. Other boats are possibly cheaper and faster, but they require a minimum of 6 - 8 passengers, where as the ROYJEN requires only 3 passenger fares per charter. Other boats are purely sea-transport. On the ROYJEN you experience a sea-adventure. The difference is not even comparable. Yet the price is about the same.
6. No matter what your travel plan is, you'll be "adventuring" on a very primitive island, with very limited support and services. It's not really suitable for children, the elderly, or the disabled. Additionally, a "sea adventure or an island hopping tour" is not suitable for someone who cannot swim. However, we cannot and do not discriminate, and we will make every effort to accommodate all of your special needs...
7. In and around the sea, there are many dangers. There are poisonous fish, razor coral, fire coral, strong currents and sharp and slippery rocks. You should always respect nature and protect yourself from all her dangers.
8. Where to stay: For budget travelers, in Puerto Princesa City, we recommend the Badjao or Casa Linda Inns. They are near the airport and the city center. Nice and very reasonable. In Sabang we recommend the Dab Dab or Blue Bamboo Resorts. In El Nido (Corong Corong), we recommend the Greenviews Resort, but there is much to choose from.
9. How to get to Sabang. (2 ways):
a. Hire a van from one of the many tourist agencies near the airport in Puerto Princesa City. We recommend Topstar. It's P3,500 to hire just the van, or you could go on their Underground River Tour for P1,500 per pax, but they need a minimum of 8 pax.
b. Take a trike to the New Market, Jeepney Terminal in San Jose. It's about a 15 min. ride and the cost is about P100 each, including your packs. At the terminal, find the next Jeepney going to Sabang. They run every two hours from 0700 - 1500. It's about a 2-hour ride for P150 each.
10. How to get to Port Barton, and nearby island resorts. (3 ways):
a. Travel by jeepney from the terminal in San Jose. It takes 4 - 5 hours and costs about P300.
b. Take a tourist agency van from Puerto Princesa City or from Sabang for minimum P8,000 per van.
c. Voyage by ROYJEN Charters from Sabang after touring the Underground River. Enjoy fishing, island hopping along the way. The fare is P3,000 for up to 3 persons, and P1,000 for each additional person.
11. How to get to El Nido. (4 ways):
a. Travel by air is an expensive option.
b. Travel by bus from the San Jose Terminal just outside Puerto Princesa City. The cost is about P800 per person. It takes about 9 hours and the portion from TayTay to El Nido is unpaved and a very bumpy 3-4 hours.
c. Travel by tourist agency van from Puerto Princesa City or Sabang. It takes about 7 hours, and costs about P12,000, or P1,000 per person.
d. Voyage by ROYJEN Charters from Sabang after first touring the Underground River. Enjoy fishing, island hopping and a stop-over along the way. The fare for a 2-day charter for up to 3 persons is just P7,500, and P2,500 per each additional person. Sleep aboard for just P250 per person.
12. Traveling by jeepney or bus is okay for rugged backpackers, but it's not recommended for regular tourism. For "ground transportation," we recommend you hire a van from a licensed tourist agency.
13. It might be possible for you to use your cell phone here. All you may need is to buy a new "Smart Buddy" sim card for about P50, and then some Smart Buddy load. Having a cell phone can be very useful, especially for confirming a ROYJEN Charter after you arrive in Sabang, Port Barton, or El Nido. Another option would be to buy a cheap 2nd hand phone in Puerto Princesa City, and resell it when you leave.
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