Puerto Princesa Underground River, also known as the Puerto Princesa Subterranean River National Park, is listed as one of the new seven wonders of nature. It’s located 80 km north of the city centre and is by far the most popular attraction within easy reach of the city.
The tranquil nature of the park is in stark contrast with the clogged roads and polluted air of the city and it makes for a very welcome break.
WHAT IS IT?
GEOGRAPHY AND GEOLOGY
Puerto Princesa Underground River is the longest navigable subterranean river in the world. The cave measures 24 km, while the section containing the Cabayugan River is 8.2 km in length. Boats can go as far as 4.3 km, but tours only take you 1.5 km from the entrance to the so-called ‘twilight zone’, as to explore any further would put you at risk of oxygen deprivation.
The limestone that forms the caves was once coral reef that has been pushed above sea level by seismic movements.
Within the caves are thousands of unique limestone formations, some small waterfalls, huge cathedral-like domed chambers, and many interesting creatures, including fruit and insect bats, tarantulas and whip spiders, swiftlets, and crabs that have developed virtually see-through carapaces due to their constant existence without sunlight. Hawksbill turtles have been known to venture inside and explorers have even discovered a fossilised relative of the manatee within the caves.
In 1999, the Puerto Princesa Underground River was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site and, in 2012, it was given the status ‘Wetland of International Importance’ by the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands.
There’s a rich biodiversity of flora and fauna within the park, including eight different types of forest encompassing over 800 plant species; all of the bird species endemic to Palawan; 19 reptile species such as the reticulated python and 2 m long monitor lizard; and various mammalian species such as long-tailed macaques, bearded pigs, bearcats, small-clawed otters, Palawan stink badgers and the Palawan porcupine. While many of these remain elusive during a day tour, you have to watch out for the macaques by the entrance to the Underground River, as they have a habit of trying to snatch your belongings.
The river provides water to local communities for domestic and agricultural purposes, and income from up to 1000 tourists per day goes towards supporting their livelihood. National Park wardens also make huge efforts to ensure that the impact of tourism on the ecosystem is minimised.
HOW TO VISIT
You can either visit the river independently or with a tour company. In either case, you first need to secure a permit. While most companies advertise that in high season you should book the tour a few months in advance, it seems that most people are fine simply enquiring the day before. Many accommodation providers actually secure a number of permits per day for their guests so you’re probably fine taking the risk. MAG Palawan Tours come highly recommended. They’re quick to respond to enquiries and had no trouble including me on a tour the day after I made contact.
REACHING THE UNDERGROUND RIVER
It takes about 1.5 hours in a minivan to reach Sabang. The road has a lot of sharp curves and the drivers tend to act like they’re in a high-speed chase, ignoring the speed limit and overtaking on bends. Wear a seatbelt and take medication if you’re inclined towards motion sickness. The entrance to the caves is a 5.3 km trail hike or a 20 minute motorised boat ride from the city of Sabang. Sabang itself is a picturesque port beside a long stretch of white sandy beach. Even if you’re on a tour, you’ll have to wait around for about an hour while your IDs are inspected and your permits released. You’ll then be allocated a boat number that you’ll need to remember as you take the same one for the return journey. They wait for you on another sandy beach as you pass along a boardwalk about 100 m through the jungle to reach the cave entrance.
THE TOUR ITSELF
Once you reach the end of the boardwalk, you’re provided with a helmet and life jacket, as well as an audio device. They have a large selection of languages to choose from. After climbing into a small paddle boat, your guides ensure that your audio devices are in sync before you set off towards the cave entrance. The commentary is a focused effort to reduce noise within the caves, as sounds might confuse the bats and negatively affect their behaviour. It’s also very educational and impressively well timed with the formations your guide illuminates with his flashlight. There’s the occasional bad joke, but for the most part it’s a welcome addition to the experience.
The return journey lasts about 45 minutes and takes in rock formations resembling vegetables, fried chicken, streaky bacon, wise men, St Paul’s Cathedral dome and, with a little imagination, Sharon Stone. You may also spot some of the cave-dwelling critters and you can’t miss the bats that hang from the roof of the cave. In fact, sometimes, they move around in such large numbers that the caves are considered unsafe to the public and tours have to be cancelled, although this is rare. It’s a good idea to keep your mouth closed as you look up, because the water that drips from the stalactites can contain bacteria. You also don’t want to risk ingesting some bat guano.
Following the boat ride, if you’re part of a tour with MAG Palawan Tours, you’ll be treated to a tasty buffet meal of Filipino food, including rice, grilled fish, chicken and pork dishes, noodles and salad. This may be followed by an optional extra activity, which is decided on by the group as a whole. These include an 800 m zipline, the Ugong Rock Adventure or a mangrove forest tour by paddle boat.
WHAT TO BRING
Make sure you have ID or your permit won’t be valid. Other useful items are your camera, sunscreen, toilet paper and sunglasses. You’ll probably be fine without insect repellent, and you won’t need your swimwear as swimming is not permitted. It’s also a good idea to bring snacks and water. Since the pick up time is before 6:30 am you probably won’t have had breakfast before you set off. If you’re desperate, there are stalls selling snacks and fruit smoothies in Sabang. If you have a dry bag, use it. Waves shouldn’t be a problem on either boat, but you might want to put your things down on damp surfaces. You should also wear sandals or flip flops that you don’t mind getting wet. You won’t need to do any strenuous hiking, but you will be paddling out to the boats in a few inches of water.
MORE ON MAG PALAWAN TOURS
A day tour to Puerto Princesa Underground River with MAG Palawan Tours costs 1500 Php. From 3200 PhP, there’s the option to turn it into a package tour including two nights’ accommodation and a tour of the city. Other activities around Puerto Princesa include firefly watching and island hopping in Honda Bay. They also run tours around El Nido and Coron. They’re an experienced and accredited tour agency with friendly guides, a professional attitude and a commitment to donating a proportion of their proceeds to a community-based development programme that aims to help needy and undeserved Filipinos improve their quality of life through holistic health services. You can learn more about their tours and the island of Palawan in the following video.
Disclaimer: I was a guest of MAG Palawan Tours. While they provided me with a complimentary trip to Puerto Princesa Underground River, they did not request a favourable review and any opinions expressed in this article are my own. For further information about the experience, please leave a comment in the space below.