Puerto Princesa Shopping

Overview

Aside from water sports and other outdoor activities, Puerto Princesa offers another enjoyable activity that everyone will appreciate. Puerto Princesa shopping is something that we all need to do just before our vacation ends so that we have souvenirs to bring home to friends and family and as memorabilia of a great vacation.

Iwahig Souvenir Shop

The Iwahig Prison Colony is not a place where one should be afraid to go to. Though this is a penal institution, it is also one of the tourist attractions in Puerto Princesa. The prisoners that are able to mingle with the tourists are low security prisoners who are not threatening and during one’s tour, a guard is always around to accompany the visitors. The Iwahig Prison Colony is a community where prisoners are taught productive and legal ways to earn a living so as to rehabilitate them. Puerto Princesa shopping is incomplete without making a stop at the Iwahig Souvenir Shop where the items made by prisoners are sold.

There are actually two Iwahig Souvenir Shops within the premises of the Iwahig Prison Colony. One is found in the main receiving area and the other Iwahig Souvenir Shop is located by the natural pools. What’s good about this type of Puerto Princesa shopping is that even if one only has a very small budget for souvenirs, one will surely have enough to buy more than just two items. The items that are on display at the Iwahig Souvenir Shop are key chains, wooden ashtrays and figurines, hand made accessories such as necklaces and bracelets, pens and many other small items. Puerto Princesa shopping does not mean that one has to spend thousands because at the Iwahig Souvenir Shop, one can buy a souvenir item for as little as Php 15.

Kamantian Handicraft

Since we’re talking about Puerto Princesa shopping and if one has a keen liking for handicrafts, another good stop is the Kamantian Handicraft. Similar to the Iwahig Souvenir Shop, there are many handicrafts for sale at this store and pretty much everything it sells is finely crafted. The Kamantian Handicraft’s focus is on Filipino culture and the ethnic tribes who have lived for centuries in the area. The members of the indigenous groups themselves sell their hand-woven items to the Kamantian Handicraft. Among the good finds here for one’s Puerto Princesa shopping are figurines, rainmakers, sticks made from mahogany and bamboo canes. Kamantian Handicraft is found on Rizal Avenue in the town proper of Puerto Princesa. The Kamantian Handicraft also sells many useful household items.