Puerto Princesa Underground River: permits, booking and tour vs DIY
Every visitor to the Puerto Princesa Underground River needs a Visitor Entry Permit, and the park caps visits at 900 people a day under a "no permit, no entry" rule. You get the permit either through a tour operator or in person at the Underground River Booking Office at Mendoza Park in Puerto Princesa City, with a valid ID for each person. The park says turning up in Sabang, or staying overnight there, does not guarantee a permit.
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How this page is built: we compile operator timetables, government and park notices, and booking-platform listings. Each figure names its source and the month we checked it. Nothing here is first-hand. The park's own website is the first source on this page; gate fees come from secondary guides because the park does not publish a fee table online.
Figures marked "reported by" come from secondary guides; confirm them at the Underground River Booking Office in Puerto Princesa City before you rely on them.
At a glance
| Item | Detail | Source type | Source, checked Oct 2026 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Daily cap | 900 visitors | Official | Park Travel Advisory (Jan 9, 2026) |
| Permit | Visitor Entry Permit required; no permit, no entry | Official | Park Travel Advisory; Notice to the Public (Jan 9, 2026) |
| Where to get it | Underground River Booking Office, Mendoza Park, Brgy. Model, Puerto Princesa City; tel. (048) 716 1522 | Official | Park Travel Advisory |
| What to bring | Valid ID; individual registration | Official | Park Travel Advisory |
| Tour hours | 8:00 am to 4:00 pm (advisory); paddle boat schedule 8:30 am to 3:30 pm (home page) | Official | Park Travel Advisory; park home page |
| Paddle boat tour | About 1 hour, daily except in extreme weather | Official | Park home page |
| Entrance fee | PHP 500 | Secondary | Reported by Things To Do Puerto Princesa and Van Hire Palawan |
| City environmental fee | PHP 150 (PHP 120 for ages 3 to 20) | Secondary | Reported by Things To Do Puerto Princesa and Van Hire Palawan |
| Audio guide | PHP 85 | Secondary | Reported by Things To Do Puerto Princesa and Van Hire Palawan |
The park's two official pages give slightly different hours. The advisory says tours run 8:00 am to 4:00 pm; the home page lists the paddle boat schedule as 8:30 am to 3:30 pm.
Direct link Underground River day tour on GetYourGuide
How the permit works
The Travel Advisory places the booking office about ten minutes from Puerto Princesa airport. Each visitor registers individually and shows a valid ID. The Notice to the Public of Jan 9, 2026 tells visitors to secure the permit at the booking office before going to the park, because going straight to Sabang does not guarantee entry.
An online system called PASYAL was being tested in Jul 2026. Palawan News reported on Jul 18, 2026 that a dry run with 10 accredited agencies would run Jul 20 to 31, and that the first phase from Aug 1 covered agency-booked tours only and "will not yet apply to all visitors or direct bookings". We found no confirmation on the park site in Oct 2026 that online booking is open to independent visitors.
Things To Do Puerto Princesa reports, Oct 2026, that same-day slots can sometimes be had at the Sabang wharf office if the day's cap has not been reached, and recommends booking 1 to 2 weeks ahead from Dec to May. Neither point appears on the park's own pages.
Tour vs DIY
| Option | What you arrange | Price | Source, checked Oct 2026 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Booking-platform day tour | Van from your hotel, permit, boat, audio guide, lunch, guide | From USD 50, as listed on GetYourGuide in USD | GetYourGuide t453598 (Wild Expeditions) |
| Local joiner tour | Van, permit, boat, lunch | PHP 2,000 to 2,500 | Reported by Things To Do Puerto Princesa |
| DIY | Permit at Mendoza Park, own transport to Sabang, boat and gate fees | PHP 900 to 1,100 on site, plus transport | Reported by Things To Do Puerto Princesa |
| Sabang boat to the cave entrance (DIY) | Shared boat | PHP 150 to 350 | Reported by Things To Do Puerto Princesa and Van Hire Palawan |
The GetYourGuide day tour sets out a typical schedule: hotel pick-up at 6:30 to 7:00 am, the drive to Sabang Wharf, a boat to the park, 45 to 60 minutes on the paddle boat, buffet lunch, and drop-off around 3:30 pm. It lists the city environmental fee of PHP 150 (PHP 120 under 18 and for seniors) separately, so expect to pay that on the day. Optional add-ons on the same listing are the mangrove paddle tour (PHP 350), a zipline (PHP 550) and Ugong Rock (PHP 300 to 650).
On a tour, the operator holds the permit and the transport. DIY is cheaper on paper but means two trips: one to the booking office in the city for the permit and one out to Sabang for the visit.
Partner link Underground River tours on Klook
Partner link Underground River tours on Viator
About the river
The park home page describes an 8.2 km underground river, 4.3 km of it navigable, inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site on Dec 4, 1999. A mangrove paddle tour runs in the park. The 5.3 km jungle trail is listed as "temporary closed for renovation". The Notice to the Public asks visitors not to feed the monkeys.
Puerto Princesa is also the usual starting point for the van to El Nido, covered on Puerto Princesa to El Nido. Fee detail for all three main destinations is on Palawan fees.
Season note
The park runs daily except in extreme weather. PAGASA's 1991 to 2020 normals for Puerto Princesa show Feb to Apr as the driest months (3 to 5 rainy days) and Oct as the wettest (212.9 mm). Month-by-month figures are on Best time to visit Palawan.
Related pages
- Palawan fees
- Puerto Princesa to El Nido
- How to get to Palawan
- Palawan airports
- Port Barton
- Palawan trip cost
Last checked Oct 2026. Sources are listed at the end of this page. If the park publishes its fee table or opens online booking to all visitors, we will replace the secondary figures.
FAQs
How to visit Puerto Princesa Underground River?
Get a Visitor Entry Permit at the Underground River Booking Office at Mendoza Park in Puerto Princesa City, or book a tour that includes it. The park caps visits at 900 a day and turns away anyone without a permit.
How much does a tour of the Puerto Princesa Underground River cost?
GetYourGuide lists a day tour with van, permit and lunch from USD 50, as listed on GetYourGuide in USD. Things To Do Puerto Princesa reports local joiner tours at PHP 2,000 to 2,500.
Can I book the Underground River permit online?
Not for independent visitors as of Oct 2026, as far as we can find. Palawan News reported that the PASYAL online system started on Aug 1, 2026 for agency-booked tours only.
Is the Puerto Princesa Underground River tour worth it?
It is a UNESCO World Heritage Site with 4.3 km of navigable river, and the paddle boat part lasts about an hour inside a full day trip from the city. Whether that trade suits you depends on how many days you have in Puerto Princesa.
Can I just show up in Sabang?
The park's Jan 9, 2026 notice says going to the park or staying overnight in Sabang does not guarantee a permit. Get the permit in the city first.
Sources
- Puerto Princesa Subterranean River National Park, Travel Advisory (checked Oct 2026)
- Puerto Princesa Subterranean River National Park, Notice to the Public (Jan 9, 2026) (checked Oct 2026)
- Puerto Princesa Subterranean River National Park, home page (checked Oct 2026)
- Palawan News, Underground River begins PASYAL dry run ahead of August 1 rollout (Jul 18, 2026) (checked Oct 2026)
- GetYourGuide, Day tour Puerto Princesa Subterranean River National Park (Wild Expeditions) (checked Oct 2026)
- Things To Do Puerto Princesa, Underground River permits and tickets (secondary) (checked Oct 2026)
- Van Hire Palawan, Palawan travel fees guide 2026 (secondary; transfer company) (checked Oct 2026)