When planning your trip to the Philippines, you are sure to come across the Puerto Princesa Underground River. It is completely understandable that this has become one of the best things to do in the Philippines because it is absolutely incredible!
- Where is the Puerto Princesa Underground River?
- Best Time to Visit the Puerto Princesa Underground River
- How to Visit the Puerto Princesa Underground River
Officially known as the Puerto Princesa Subterranean River National Park, it was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1999 and one of the New 7 Natural Wonders of the World in 2012. The amazing limestone karst landscape with an underground river offers one of the best eco-tours in the Philippines!
One of the most unbelievable aspects about the Puerto Princesa Underground River is that it is one of the longest underground navigable rivers in the world! The river is navigable by boat for up to 4.3 km, and the river is 8.2 km long! It flows underneath the Saint Paul Mountain Range and directly into the South China Sea. This means that the underground river is subjected to tidal influences, making it a global phenomenon! It was previously known as the longest underground river in the world until the discovery of the Sistema Sac Actun Cave System in Mexico.
The Puerto Princesa Subterranean River National Park has a full mountain range connected to the sea ecosystem, and has some of the most important forest conservation efforts in Asia. It actually has 8 of the 13 forest types found in the tropical environments of Asia!
Not only does the National Park have ocean, mountains, and forests, but also an immaculate cave system of large chambers with major formations of stalactites and stalagmites. It is clear that this park is an important ecosystem for biodiversity conservation!
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Where is the Puerto Princesa Underground River?
The Puerto Princesa Underground River is located in the Saint Paul Mountain Range on the west coast of Palawan Island, and is about 76 km northwest of Puerto Princesa and is a 260 km drive south of El Nido.
The national park is directly east of the town, Sabang. Of which, all of the underground river tour-boats depart from.
Best Time to Visit the Puerto Princesa Underground River
Like all places in the Philippines, Puerto Princesa has a rainy season and a dry season. To have the best experience possible at the underground river, you will probably want to plan your trip during the dry season, which lasts from November to May.
How to Visit the Puerto Princesa Underground River
Now that you know all the fascinating details about this natural phenomenon, it is time to plan your trip to see it for yourself. If you think that reading about this Philippine National Park is cool, then you have to witness the magical wonder of one of the most impressive cave systems in the world!
Where to Schedule a Tour
Most of the hotels in Puerto Princesa will offer to set up the underground river tour for you, so if you have an accommodation booked, check with them first! This is how we booked our tour, and we were able to pay right at our hotel, which made everything very easy.
If you want to get your tour scheduled, but do not have a hotel yet, head to the main National Park Office, located in Puerto Princesa. If you would like to work with a tour agency directly, there are plenty of options available on Google Maps.
How Much Does it Cost?
We booked our tour directly through our hotel, Greenspace Palawan Hotel for $40 per ticket. This included transportation, park admission, environmental fees, and lunch after the tour. On average, the ticket prices will be $35-40 USD (2000 PHP).
Tip: You may have to pay extra fees if the agency doesn’t specify what is included in the ticket price. So be sure to confirm when booking!
What to Expect from a Puerto Princesa Underground River Tour
Once you have booked your tour, the company will tell you what time a van will be at your accommodation to pick you up in the morning. We were able to eat breakfast at our hotel before leaving for the tour. The total tour ended up lasting from about 8:00 am until 5:00 pm.
First, the tour will stop at Ugong Rock Adventures along the way. Here, you can do a little hike up to the top of a large rock, and then pay a little extra to zipline back down. Everything is run by the local village in the area, and all the costs go towards supporting their community.
Next, you will be on your way to the Underground River. You will head to Sabang on the coast, where the boat tours launch from. The city government actually manages the tours.
You will wait for a boat ride to take your group over to the entrance of the National Park. The boat then drops you off on a protected beach near the outflow of the cave system. Keep your eye out for monkeys, lizards and other wildlife!
Now it is time to get your protective helmet and life vest and be assigned a wooden canoe. They will also give you a little handheld headset, where you will listen to the tour in English, while the guide paddles you through the amazing river system and points out areas that your headset is talking about.
Prepare yourself to be in awe the entire way as you pass by incredible cave rooms and formations! Our favorite was when we entered the ‘Cathedral’ room in the cave. It was awe-striking. You will immerse yourself into the experience when you enter the cool and damp cave, creating a mystical atmosphere. As the guide shines a light on the captivating cave formations, you will be surrounded by the sounds of dripping water and the shadows bouncing off of the stalactites and stalagmites, creating fantastic shapes and forms. It is truly an experience like no other, and when it is over, you will find yourself wanting more.
Embark on your own journey through the Puerto Princesa Underground River by watching the video below!
After the tour is over, you will take a boat ride back to where the van dropped you off, and have lunch at a restaurant, before heading back to your hotel.
That is how you can see the Puerto Princesa Underground River for yourself! It is actually pretty easy to coordinate. The main thing is flying into Puerto Princesa (or taking a bus from El Nido) and having your tour scheduled.
It is definitely worth seeing this amazing wonder of the world if you find yourself in the Philippines. We almost skipped it all together and we are so glad that we didn’t!
-Morgan & Jacob
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