Puerto Princesa Baywalk

Puerto Princesa Baywalk is the city's waterfront promenade, a long concrete walkway beside the bay where residents gather in the evening. The city tourism office describes it as a place for food stalls and bicycle rentals, and that is a fair summary: there is no ticket, no gate and no schedule, just a wide path, sea air and a steady stream of people walking, cycling and eating. For visitors it works as the easiest introduction to the capital of Palawan, a city that most people treat as a base for the Underground River and Honda Bay and therefore rush through. An hour or two here, ideally as the day cools, gives a sense of how the city lives that no tour can offer. It costs nothing to enter, which makes it a useful anchor for a rest evening between two big excursion days.

The appeal of Baywalk is its simplicity. Come in the late afternoon, once the heat has eased, and walk the length of the promenade at your own pace. Food stalls and casual grills set up along the waterfront in the evening, so you can build a meal from small plates rather than sitting down at a formal restaurant.

Grilled fish, skewers and fruit shakes are the sort of thing to look for, and prices at street stalls are normally modest compared with resort dining. Eat where the queue is longest, check that food is freshly cooked, and carry small notes because stalls rarely take cards.

Bicycle rentals make it easy to cover more ground, and cycling the promenade at dusk is a pleasant way to see the bay without a tour. Ask about the hourly arrangement before you hop on and check the brakes and tyres. If you would rather stay on foot, the walk is flat and suitable for most ages, with plenty of places to stop and watch the boats. The area is lively rather than quiet, and in the evening there is often music and chatter, so it suits travellers who like people-watching more than solitude.

Baywalk fits neatly into a Puerto Princesa itinerary. The Underground River is a full-day trip that starts early and finishes late, and the firefly river trip is an evening activity, so the promenade is a good choice for the night in between or the evening you arrive. It is also a sensible alternative if weather has closed the national park or cancelled a boat day, because it needs no booking and no good sea conditions.

A short ride by tricycle or taxi connects it with the other city sights, including the cathedral area and the small museums, so you can combine them into a relaxed half day.

A few practical points. Wear light clothes and carry water, since the waterfront has little shade at midday. Keep your phone and wallet secure in a crowd, as you would in any busy place. Opening arrangements for stalls and rentals vary by day and season, so treat the evening as the reliable window and ask your hotel what is running.

The promenade is public and free, but the stalls and rentals are not, so keep some cash for them. If you are staying out of town at Sabang or on Honda Bay, factor in the transfer time before deciding to come in for the evening.