The Subterranean River National Park in Palawan – Philippines is a
UNESCO World Heritage Site and is renowned for its majestic limestone
karst landscape and over eight kilometers of underground river that
visitors can explore and discover.
The river winds throughout the cave upon which the water goes directly to the South China Sea.
Location
The Subterranean River National Park is situated about fifty
kilometers off the northern parts of Puerto Princesa, the capital city
of Palawan. It is located within the Saint Paul Mountain Range.
How to Get There
Getting to the national park is quite easy and straightforward. From
Puerto Princesa, you can reach the park traveling via road or sea.
The most convenient and easiest way is to book a day tour that will
take you to the park and through the caves that feature the underground
river.
On the other hand, if you wish to travel on your own, there are buses
and jeepneys that you can take. Take public transports that ply the
Puerto-Roxas route which will take you to the town of Sabang. The ride
will take about two up to three hours.
From Sabang, there are boats that will take you to the river. Once
there, you will be given boat assignments which will then take you on a
tour of the national park, including the caves and underground river.
Bus and jeepney fares for the Puerto-Roxas route into Sabang is
around two to three hundred pesos while boat rides to the river, round
trip, are about seven hundred pesos.
What to See There
The Subterranean River National Park holds some of the most important
forests found in the Asian region. Out of 13 types of forests in Asia,
the national park has eight of them.
These range from river forests, beach forests, forests on limestone
soil, freshwater swamp forests and mangrove forests. Some eight hundred
plant species are found within these forests.
One hundred and sixty-five bird species also make these forests their home, including fifteen bird species endemic to Palawan.
Within the underground river, there are also beautiful formations of stalactites and stalagmites.
Brief History
With its location within the Saint Paul Mountain Range, the national
park is also commonly referred to as St. Paul’s Subterranean River
National Park.
Because of its mountain-to-sea ecosystem, the local government of
Palawan decided to manage the national park beginning in the year 1992.
Prior to the discovery of the underground river in the Yucatan
Peninsula of Mexico back in the year 2007, the Subterranean River
National Park was considered as the longest underground river in the
world.
Cost
Apart from the mentioned transport fares going to Sabang and then to
the river itself, there is an entry fee of two hundred pesos. Visitors
are required to get a permit to visit the park from the Tourist
Information and Assistance Center located in Sabang.
Other Information
This site was listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1999
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