Puerto Princesa Subterranean River National Park
- UNESCO World Heritage
- UNESCO natural beauty
Interesting facts
- In 2011 Italian cave explorers found the fossil of an extinct sea cow, estimated at about 20 million years old, embedded in the cave wall above the water.
- The sea cow fossil, dating from the Miocene, sat about 3 metres above the river in a passage that had never been explored before.
- The park's 165 bird species are about two thirds of the 252 species known from Palawan.
- Researchers have recorded around 30 mammal species, 19 reptiles, of which 8 are endemic, and 10 amphibians within the park.
- Nine species of bat and two species of cave swiftlet live inside the underground river's caves.
- At least 295 tree species grow in the park's forests, which are dominated by tall dipterocarp trees.
- The protected area covers about 22,202 hectares, stretching from the summit of the Saint Paul range down to the coast.
- Besides its UNESCO listing, the park was designated a Ramsar wetland of international importance in 2012.
- The fresh water floating on the incoming sea water inside the cave forms a layer only a few centimetres thick.
Why it is worth it
The Puerto Princesa Subterranean River National Park, on the west coast of Palawan, protects a river that disappears into a mountain and reaches the sea through a cave. The Cabayugan River runs for about 8.2 km underground beneath the limestone of the Saint Paul Mountain Range before flowing straight out into the South China Sea, through a cave system at least 32 km long. Until a longer underground river was found in Mexico in 2007, it was thought to be the longest in the world.
The river's last stretch is tidal: seawater pushes up to about 6 km into the cave, so a thin layer of fresh water floats on top of salt water. Inside are huge chambers, including the Italian's Chamber, about 360 metres long and one of the largest cave rooms known, and galleries of stalactites and stalagmites lit only by the boatman's lamp. Explorers in 2010 found a second level to the river, with small waterfalls and a dome rising around 300 metres above the water. Bats and swiftlets roost overhead, and the deeper passages are almost impossible to explore because of the lack of oxygen.
Above ground, the park is a complete mountain-to-sea ecosystem, running from limestone peaks through lowland rainforest to mangroves and beaches. More than 800 plant species have been recorded, together with around 165 bird species — including all 15 of Palawan's endemic birds, such as the Palawan hornbill — and long-tailed macaques that forage along the shore at low tide. The park has been managed by the city of Puerto Princesa since 1992, became a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1999, and was named one of the New 7 Wonders of Nature in 2012.
A standard visit is a paddle boat trip about 1.5 km into the cave and back, with the entrance reached by a short boat ride along the coast. Only authorised boats go further, up to 4.3 km, by special permit. Arrive early at the wharf: waits for a boat can be long on busy days.
Getting there
The cave entrance is about 80 km north of the city of Puerto Princesa, a drive of around two hours to the seaside village of Sabang, from where boats take visitors to the cave. The nearest town is Roxas, about 50 km away. Puerto Princesa International Airport (PPS) is the gateway.
On these lists
From the encyclopaedia
The Puerto Princesa Subterranean River National Park is a protected area in the Philippines.
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