The Philippines never ceases to amaze tourists. On the island of Palawan, 50 kilometres from the city of Puerto Princesa, the Puerto Princesa Underground River flows near the settlement of Sabang. Boats cruise through secluded areas of unspoilt nature.
The Puerto Princesa Underground River is up to 8 kilometres long and flows into the South China Sea.
National Park
The National Nature Reserve is dotted around the site. It is located in the north of the island, on the St Paul mountain range. The park is bounded by the picturesque St. Paul Bay as well as the Babuyan River. The condition of the reserve is closely monitored by the city government.
Until recently, the Underground River was named after St. Paul, and the reserve itself was called the St. Paul Underground River Park. Today, its entrance is located in Sabang.
The caves through which the river flows are not only the longest in the world, but also one of the largest. The dome of the vault reaches a height of 80 metres and exceeds 100 metres in width. The caves end where the South China Sea begins, and have several large halls with a huge amount of sediments - stalactites and stalagmites. There is a similar cave only in Mexico (more than 300 km), and only it can compete in length with the one in the Philippines.
Flora
The Underground River National Park is dominated by rainforests. There are more than 800 plant species that belong to about 300 genera and 100 families. Some areas of the reserve are covered with evergreens, others with mountain plants, and still others form mangrove forests.
Fauna
Of the 250 species of birds that are found on the island of Palawan, more than 160 species are represented in this reserve. In Puerto Princesa Park, 15 endemic bird species of the island can be seen. The blue-headed parrot and the white-breasted eagle make a special impression on tourists.
Today, scientists have been able to describe about 30 species of local mammals and identify about 20 species of reptiles. Tropical fauna such as the long-tailed macaque and Palawan binturong are often seen in the park.
Tour of the National Reserve
Although the National Park is not easily accessible, tourists come here in large numbers to admire the river. You will have to take a boat trip to see the underground river, but such an adventure is worth it to see with your own eyes the beauty of the local nature. During the Puerto Princesa River tour, tourists will see stunning views of an underground karst cave.
Guided boat trips on the Puerto Princesa River last forty minutes and leave an unforgettable experience. Here nature is virtually untouched by human hands. Puerto Princesa National Park is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. For this reason, the number of tourists visiting the reserve daily is strictly regulated by the local authorities and boats are controlled by specialised staff. The allowable daily limit of rafting on the river is 900 tourists.
Guided tours of the river are only available during the morning and afternoon hours. Tourists in the queue can pass the time at the local small cafe or on chairs under the awning. To visit the park, travellers not only need to pay an entrance fee but also obtain an official permit.
The number of permits issued for travelling on the river is also strictly limited, so during peak tourist season it can take up to two weeks to get the paperwork. Another interesting feature of the excursion is that at the end of the walk, tourists are issued licences officially confirming the fact of visiting the reserve.
The number of permits issued for travelling along the river is also strictly limited, so it can take weeks to get the papers.
