Dos Palmas DIY Travel Guide – Puerto Princesa Palawan

This island.
This beautiful, impressive island with great stories to tell, great grim stories.

Remember the ill-famed Abu Sayaff kidnapping in 2001 that resulted in the deaths of at least five of the original twenty hostages (including the two American citizens)?

That hostage crisis started in this beautiful private island resort.

Rico Yan, a Filipino matinee idol in the late 90’s, was also found dead inside his hotel room in this resort.

Dos Palmas Arreceffi Island Resort and Spa (popularly known as Dos Palmas) tried really hard to reel away from all the negative publicity it sustained from those affairs. For some time, people avoided the place but the resort did not give up so easily. It held on to the promise of a new day.

More than a decade later, here it is, still beautiful and very much in operation.

Dos Palmas is nestling within Honda Bay, northeast of Palawan’s Puerto Princesa. It is a charming alternative for Honda Bay and/or Underground River Tour/s.

HOW TO GET TO DOS PALMAS 

If you take advantage of Dos Palmas Tour that is being offered by different travel agencies, you do not have to worry as they will take care of everything. However, if you prefer DIY tour/s, below are the steps on how to go through with the Honda Bay Tour:

1. Charter a tricycle to Sta. Lourdes port or Honda Bay Wharf. This will roughly be an hour’s ride from the city. It costs approximately P500 – P700 for a round trip. There are some jeepneys and multicabs en route Sta. Lourdes wharf; fare is Php25. The problem with this is the transportation back to the city after the island hopping because you will have to walk for more than 1 kilometer back to the main highway and in order to catch a ride back to the city. Transportation back is very rare.
   2. From Sta. Lourdes Wharf, take the 50-minute boat ride to reach Dos Palmas Arrecife Island. (We do not know how much the boat fare costs. Should you happen to know, please let us know so we can update our blog. Thank you in advance)

Boat Schedules

Sta. Lourdes Wharf to Dos Palmas Arreceffi Island: 8:30AM / 11:00AM ** 1:30PM / 4:00PM (subject for availability and prior reservation is required)

Dos Palmas Arreceffi Island to Lourdes Wharf: 6AM /9:00AM ** 1:30PM / 4:15PM

RATES AND EXPENSES

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The cheapest overnight stay in Dos Palmas costs more than Php7, 000. If you have a limited budget and want to see this paradise, you can opt to take advantage of Dos Palmas Day Tour Packages that are being offered by various travel agencies. Our travel partner, Sole Adventours, offers Day Tour package to Dos Palmas for only Php2,280 with the following inclusions:

• Scheduled roundtrip land (one way) and boat transfers (city-resort-city)

Departure at the Wharf – 8:00 H
Departure at the Resort – 15:45 H
Pick up point/site: Dos Palmas office @ 7:00 H

• Welcome drinks
• Buffet Lunch
• Complimentary coffee and/or tea throughout the day
• Use of the following facilities and equipment:

Children’s playground
Ocean Kayaks
Courts and equipment (tennis, basketball, beach volleyball, beach badminton)
Snorkeling equipment (mask, snorkel, fins)
Recreation center (darts, billiards, table tennis, videoke)
Speedboat transfers to nearby snorkeling and sites
Services of the guest officer and marine sports guide

You can book a room in Dos Palmas through Agoda.  Click HERE!

ACTIVITIES IN DOS PALMAS

 A lot! The resort has facilities and amenities to while away your time. Aside from their very relaxing spa and massage services, you can visit the following:

1.) The Marine Research Center. a place where you can enjoy the stunning photos of the island’s flora, fauna, and marine lives. Research materials, maps, and references are also available to use for those who are interested.

2.) The Marine Sports Center. If you are into marine activities, this is the place to go to when you are on the island. It offers a wide variety of marine sports equipment for SCUBA diving, snorkeling, kayaking, fishing, and windsurfing.

3.) The Karawatan Recreation Center – a cluster of huts with indoor facilities for billiards, table tennis, and darts. It also has a bar and a videoke lounge.

Right off the restaurant, you can find a swimming pool with a Jacuzzi and a children’s playground. Tennis, basketball, beach volleyball, and beach badminton courts are also available.

IMPORTANT!

Dos Palmas Resort does not accept arrivals beyond 1500H because of the night navigation restriction from the Coastguard. This is to ensure the safety of guests.

• If you want to take advantage of the Underground River tour package, you may get in touch with our partner travel agency, Sole Adventours.
• For more virtual and interactive live updates, you can check our INSTAGRAM PAGE or follow us on TWITTER.
• Be part of Love. Eat. Wander. Facebook Community Page for more updates and travel tips or visit our YouTube Channel for videos. Click here for other Dos Palmas’ photos.

Thank you for dropping by!

Another interesting place to visit in Palawan is the Astoria Waterpark. Check and book the special rate that they offer by booking below:

Klook.com

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Should you want to add/dispute something in this article, please leave a comment below. We would love to hear from you!