THERE are many reasons why I keep returning to the Puerto Princesa Subterranean River National Park (PPSRNP), more commonly known as the Puerto Princesa Underground River, since my first visit in 1992.
As a Unesco World Heritage Site located in the Philippines, it remains one of the country's best-preserved natural parks. To ensure its sustainability, the Puerto Princesa city government limits visitors to 900 per day and strictly enforces a “No Permit, No Visit” policy.
When I first visited Sabang in 1992, it was still a quiet village with very few residents. Getting there meant taking a public jeepney that left Puerto Princesa before sunrise. Much of the 80-kilometer road was still unpaved.
Upon arriving in Sabang, visitors had to walk to a small pier, ride a boat to the park entrance, trek through the jungle, and finally board a paddle boat that took them into the cave.
Back then, there were no organized tours. We paid only the boatmen who ferried us to the park and paddled us inside the cave. We wore no life vests and brought our own flashlights to supplement the light from the boatman's gas lamp.
Today, visitors explore the underground river with trained guides and audio devices that explain the cave's geological features and history.
THERE are many reasons why I keep returning to the Puerto Princesa Subterranean River National Park (PPSRNP), more commonly known as the Puerto Princesa Underground River, since my first visit in 1992.
As a Unesco World Heritage Site located in the Philippines, it remains one of the country's best-preserved natural parks. To ensure its sustainability, the Puerto Princesa city government limits visitors to 900 per day and strictly enforces a “No Permit, No Visit” policy.
When I first visited Sabang in 1992, it was still a quiet village with very few residents. Getting there meant taking a public jeepney that left Puerto Princesa before sunrise. Much of the 80-kilometer road was still unpaved.
Upon arriving in Sabang, visitors had to walk to a small pier, ride a boat to the park entrance, trek through the jungle, and finally board a paddle boat that took them into the cave.
Back then, there were no organized tours. We paid only the boatmen who ferried us to the park and paddled us inside the cave. We wore no life vests and brought our own flashlights to supplement the light from the boatman's gas lamp.
Today, visitors explore the underground river with trained guides and audio devices that explain the cave's geological features and history.
The Subterranean Park
There is no recorded history of when the underground river was first discovered. However, local residents living near the cave had likely known about it for generations but avoided venturing inside because of stories about spirits believed to inhabit the cave.
And looking at its roots, St. Paul's Subterranean National Park was officially established on Mar. 26, 1971, through Proclamation 835, covering 3,901 hectares.
Experts later concluded that the original protected area was insufficient to safeguard the watershed and biodiversity surrounding the underground river. On Nov. 16, 1999, the protected area was expanded to 22,202 hectares through Proclamation 212 and renamed the Puerto Princesa Subterranean River National Park.
That same year, Unesco added the park to its list of World Heritage Sites.
Unesco described the site as featuring “a spectacular limestone karst landscape with an underground river” that flows directly into the sea and contains a complete mountain-to-sea ecosystem that supports some of Asia's most important forests.
In 2011, the Philippine government entered the Puerto Princesa Underground River into the global search for the "New Seven Wonders of Nature," whose winners were determined through online voting.
Filipinos rallied behind the campaign, and on Nov. 11, 2011, the Puerto Princesa Underground River was officially declared one of the New Seven Wonders of Nature.
How to get there
The easiest way to reach Puerto Princesa is by air from Manila or Cebu, with numerous daily flights serving the city.
Visitors planning to explore the underground river must first secure a permit at the Underground River Booking Office located at the Puerto Princesa City Coliseum, as daily slots are limited.
Fees include an entrance fee of P500, an environmental fee of P150, and an audio guide rental fee of P85.
After securing a permit, visitors can drive to Sabang, located about 80 kilometers (km) away or roughly a two-hour drive from Puerto Princesa City.
Public buses and vans are also available from the Irawan Terminal.
For travelers who prefer convenience, several tour operators offer all-inclusive packages that handle permits, transportation, and boat scheduling. Rates typically range from P2,000 to P3,000.
What to see and do
The underground river tour remains the park's main attraction.
Upon arriving in Sabang, visitors must present their permits and receipts at the PPSRNP office near Sabang Port.
Visitors then pay a boat fee of P1,000, good for up to six passengers, plus a terminal fee for the boat ride to the park entrance.
For more adventurous travelers, the park can also be reached via the 5-km Monkey Trail, a jungle trek that passes through various forest ecosystems where visitors can observe wildlife and listen to the sounds of the wilderness.
Regardless of the route taken, visitors eventually board paddle boats that travel about one kilometer inside the cave, although the entire underground river stretches for more than 8 km.
Beyond the underground river, Sabang offers several other activities.
Visitors can join a paddle boat mangrove tour operated by a community-based Palawenyo organization. Protected for more than four decades, the mangrove forest remains remarkably intact and is home to endemic snakes, reptiles, and other wildlife.
It is also one of the few places where adventurous eaters can sample fresh tamilok, locally known as woodworms.
Other activities include zip-lining, exploring the Elephant Cave, and visiting Ugong Rock.
Birdwatching is another popular activity. The park has been designated both an Important Bird Area (IBA) and an Endemic Bird Area (EBA) by BirdLife International.
At least 165 bird species have been recorded here, including 15 endemic species. Early mornings offer the best chance to spot the park's colorful inhabitants, including the Palawan peacock-pheasant, Palawan hornbill, and blue-naped parrot.
Monkeys and monitor lizards are also commonly seen throughout the park.
Those who wish to stay longer can spend time at the kilometer-long Sabang Beach, an ideal spot to cool down and watch Palawan's famous sunsets.
Several resorts are also available for visitors who want to spend the night and explore more of Sabang's attractions.
Beyond the underground river itself, Sabang remains a destination worth lingering in for a few days. But it is the subterranean river beneath the limestone mountain that continues to define one of the Philippines' greatest natural wonders.