Puerto Princesa Subterranean River National Park

Introduction

Puerto Princesa Subterranean River National Park is a protected area of the Philippines located about 80 kilometres north of the city centre of Puerto Princesa, Palawan. The river is also called Puerto Princesa Underground River. The national park is located in the Saint Paul Mountain Range on the western coast of the island. It is bordered by St. Paul Bay to the north and the Babuyan River to the east. The City Government of Puerto Princesa has managed the National Park since 1992. The entrance to the subterranean river is a short hike or boat ride from the town Sabang.

In 2010, a group of environmentalists and geologists discovered that the underground river has a second floor, which means that there are small waterfalls inside the cave. They also found a cave dome measuring 300 metres above the underground river, rock formations, large bats, a deep water hole in the river, more river channels, another deep cave, as well as marine creatures and more. Deeper areas of the underground river are almost impossible to explore due to oxygen deprivation.

On November 11, 2011, Puerto Princesa Underground River was provisionally chosen as one of the New7Wonders of Nature. This selection was officially confirmed on January 28, 2012.

Geography

The park has a limestone karst mountain landscape. St. Pauls Underground River Cave is more than 24 kilometres long and contains an 8.2 kilometres long underground section of the Cabayugan River. The river winds through the cave before flowing directly into the West Philippine Sea and is navigable by boat up to 4.3 kilometres in from the sea. The cave includes major formations of stalactites and stalagmites, and several large chambers, including the 360-metre-long Italian's Chamber with approximate 2.5 million square metres volume. It is one of the largest cave rooms in the world. The lower portion of the river up to 6 kilometres from the sea, is subject to tidal influences. Until the 2007 discovery of an underground river in Mexico's Yucatán Peninsula, the Puerto Princesa Subterranean River was reputed to be the world's longest underground river.

The area also represents a habitat for biodiversity conservation. The site contains a full mountain-to-the-sea ecosystem and has some of the most important forests in Asia. It was inscribed by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site on December 4, 1999.

Getting There and Around

Puerto Princesa is slightly more than an hour away by plane from Manila. Philippine Airlines, Cebu Pacific, PAL Express, Air Asia, Tiger Airways all have daily flights from Manila to Puerto Princesa. Air Asia, PAL Express and Cebu Pacific also operate flights to and from Puerto Princesa to other major cities such as Davao, Cebu City, Iloilo.

2GO TRAVEL have a weekly ferry to Puerto Princesa from Manila. The ferry trip takes about 22 hours.

Milagrosa Shipping has a weekly ferry that sails between Puerto Princesa - Cuyo Islands - Iloilo. It departs Iloilo at 7:00pm on Thursday, arrives at the Cuyo Islands at 8:00am Friday, departs Cuyo Islands 3:00pm Friday and arrives in Puerto Princesa at 8:00am on Saturday.

Eat/Drink

External Links

• UNESCO Website