12 Things to do at Night in Puerto Princesa

Puerto Princesa is the capital and largest city on Palawan in the Philippines.  Most travelers skip Puerto Princesa and go directly to El Nido or Coron.  I actually spent two weeks here and I found it to be an underrated city.  Puerto Princesa is considered to be a first class city in the Philippines based on the average annual income of its residents.  Also, it is widely recognized as being the cleanest and greenest city in the Philippines.

Just because it is a small city with only 250 000 people doesn’t mean that Puerto Princesa shuts down at night time.  A lot of Filipino people work online for Western companies so they end up doing night shift work due to the difference in time zones.  As a result, many restaurants stay open all night long.  There are lots of things to do in the evening in Puerto, here are some suggestions.

Click the Image for an Interactive Map

1. Tiki RestoBar

Probably the most well-known nightclub in Puerto Princesa.  Regular theme parties,  live bands from all over the Philippines, and occasional international acts.  People come here to party and dance late into the night.  It doesn’t really pick up until 11 pm.  Some people don’t like it here because they play too much techno (doof doof) music.   Expect a very loud and high energy nightclub.

Drinks are reasonably priced, what you would expect at any other Southeast Asian nightclub.  The food is affordable, but not very good.  Some people online complain about the entrance fee, but it is only 20 Filipino Pesos (0.40 USD).   Tiki Bar is located at a central location, the corner of Rizal Avenue and Puerto Princesa North Road.

2. OBOS Place

A great alternative to Tiki Bar if you prefer a more relaxed/mature atmosphere.  OBOS Place is an awesome open-air restaurant and bar built out of Acacia tree wood.   Great food and beer options, popular with locals as well as foreigners.  Located 250 meters (820 feet) north of Tiki Bar on National Highway, check the map if you want better directions.  Obos Place is open from 11 am – 2 am every single day.

3. Palaweno Brewery

Self-styled as the first and only craft brewery on Palawan.  Offers free tours every day from 1-9 pm, sign up on their website.   The beer is strong and reminiscent of craft beer in other countries.  Located on 82 Manalo St.

4. Eat Street Food

There are all kinds of great street food options in Puerto Princesa, some of which are available during the day and others available at night.  My favorite street food in Puerto is the fried pusit (squid).  Each skewer only costs 5 pesos.

Here are two street food stall recommendations which don’t open until nighttime.  For fried pusit go to the corner of Rizal Ave. and Roxas St.

For a huge variety of grilled meats check out the stall on Burgos St.  To get there walk down Rizal Ave. in the direction of the airport until you get to Burgos St. and then make a right turn.  The stall is 10 meters from the corner.  If these directions are confusing check the map I made.  This is a really popular stall with a lot of options, I used to come here for chicken.

If you are worried about safety eating street food in the Philippines I wrote a whole article about that here.  Also, in the linked article, there is more information on food in the Philippines in general.

5. Go to the Bay Walk

A nice place to visit any time of the day.  People come here to walk, bike, or run.  There are outdoor restaurants serving seafood and beer, if you are adventurous you can try the crocodile sisig.  Lots of people come here to watch the sunset, it gets pretty dark at nighttime but is still safe enough.  The open-air restaurant/stall Princesa Sa Bay is open from 12 pm – 12 am every single day.

6. Ke Nikko Bar

A great restaurant known for its ribs.  Reasonably priced and considered to be some of the best food in Puerto Princesa.  2 for 1 San Miguel beer between 7-9 pm on Friday night.  Open from 6 pm – 2 am Monday to Saturday and from 6 pm – 12 am on Sunday.  Located on Puerto Princesa North Road halfway between the airport and Robinson’s Mall.

7. Iwahig River Firefly Watching

A popular tour in Puerto Princesa which leaves from Iwahig River, about 45 minutes away from Puerto Princesa by car.  You can book the entire tour with a travel company or get to the river independently and rent a boat there.  A tricycle rental and driver should cost around 500-750 Pesos (9-14 USD).  A boat rental is 600 pesos (11 USD) and can hold up to 3 people.  Arrive early because you may have to wait to get a boat.

The guided tour costs 1200-1500 Pesos per person (22-28 USD), but it includes pick up from your hotel and a Filipino buffet dinner.  Final note: don’t go during the full moon or you will have trouble seeing the fireflies.

8. El Caballero Mexican Restaurant

Thanks to Jane for the awesome photos and suggestions. IG @misakiwrites

Why on earth am I recommending a Mexican restaurant in the Philippines?  Sure most independent travelers probably want to eat mostly Filipino food, but actually, a lot of Filipino people read this blog.  Maybe you are Filipino and want to try something different.

El Caballero is cheap and popular with locals, there is a huge outdoor dining area.  Lots of great Mexican food as well as some Filipino options.  Open from 5 pm – 2 am Monday – Saturday and closed on Sunday.  Located on Puerto Princesa North Road just before the road splits off into National Highway.

9. Hangover Sportsbar

Popular with expats living in Puerto Princesa.  Classy laid-back spot to drink, no seedy vibes.  Karaoke and sometimes live singers.  Service is a bit slow, but what’s the rush anyway?  Affordable beer with a 3L keg option as well as decent food.

Located at One Manalo Place Hotel, on Manalo extension off Manalo St. (check the map).  Open from 6 pm – 3 am every day.

10. Jollibee

Have you been partying all night and now you are getting the munchies?  Be like a true Filipino and go on a late night Jollibee run.  There are two 24 hour Jollibees in Puerto and one of them is only 250 meters (800 feet) away from Tiki Bar.  Jollibee is a fast food chain with a Filipino twist.  Founded by a Filipino family in Quezon City in 1975, Jollibee has since won the hearts of Filipinos (and foreigners) of all ages.

It is easy to find a Jollibee chain, just look for the big happy humanoid cartoon bee.  The main meals center around fried chicken and white rice, but there are other options like Spaghetti and Palabok (noodles and shrimp).  I am a hungry guy so I would usually order the 2 piece chicken joy and 3 tuna pies to go with it.  If you are drunk and with friends I suggest ordering the 8-piece bucket.

11. Bona’s Chaolong

Another popular post-drinking spot.  Open 24-hours and considered to be the best Vietnamese food in Puerto Princesa.  Very affordable prices between 70-100 Filipino pesos per item.  Located near Manalo St. and Bacamo Rd.

12. Aziza Paradise Hotel

If you are from North America this might seem strange, but in many parts of the world, people go to hotels to hang out.  Order some food or drinks and you can swim in the pool until 10 pm.  Located 1 kilometer away from Robinsons Place, just head down B.M. Rd. off Puerto Princesa North Road (or check my map).

Safety at Night in Puerto Princesa

Overall, Puerto Princesa is a very safe city and I had no issues walking around late at night.  Just like any other city, there are active criminals here, so it may be a good idea to be smarter than me and take a tricycle past dark.  Tricycles are ridiculously cheap, it should cost between 10-30 Filipino pesos (0.2-0.6 USD), possibly a bit more expensive late at night.

There are some aggressive dogs in Puerto Princesa, but I have never heard of them biting anyone and the majority of the dogs won’t bother you.  Also, watch out for holes in the road, especially at nighttime.  One night I was walking down Roxas St. to my guesthouse and I stepped into a hole. I fell pretty hard, luckily I didn’t break my leg, but I did get cut up pretty bad.  Although Puerto Princesa is a very clean and organized city by developing country standards, there are still plenty of maintenance issues, especially outside the center.

If you want more information on staying safe in developing countries check out this article.

Where is the Best Filipino Food in Puerto Princesa?

Hannah Jay Carinderia

My favorite place to eat Filipino food is Hannah Jay Carinderia on the corner of Roxas St. and Mabini St.  Just like other Carinderias, they cook 10-20 meals and display them in the front of the restaurant.  Choose whichever dishes you want and how many servings of rice.  They have all kinds of Filipino dishes including chicken/pork adobo.

Meals are very affordable, the price depends on how much you order.  I would eat enormous amounts of food for around 100 pesos (2 USD).  They are usually open at lunchtime, close in the afternoon and then they reopen for dinner until around 9 pm.

La Terrasse

Upscale vegetarian-friendly restaurant with lots of Filipino food options.  Many people say that this is the best restaurant in Palawan.  It is expensive if you are a backpacker, but certainly nothing crazy for someone with a normal budget.

Expect to pay around 1500 pesos (28 USD) for two people (food, drinks, and dessert).  Open from Tuesday – Sunday 11 am – 11 pm and located about a kilometer east of Tiki Bar.

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