Featured writer: Donna Amis Davis
Beaches, boats, bats and caves – for an experience like no other, put the Puerto Princesa Underground River on your bucket list! The Underground River, as it is also known, or shortened even more to PPUR, was recently officially named one of the New 7 Wonders of Nature. Where else can you combine tropical white sand and waves, outriggers and canoes, stalagmites and stalactites, monkeys and monitor lizards all in one experience? Oh, and it’s a UNESCO World Heritage Site, besides!
The Underground River is located in the Philippines, on the island of Palawan. If you look at a map of the Philippines, Palawan is the long skinny island off by itself at the westernmost part. Palawan is known as the Last Frontier of the Philippines, as it is one of the least developed islands, with the most virgin forest still intact.
Our family is proud to call Palawan our adopted home. We first moved here about 30 years ago, in the early ’80s, so have seen the island grow and change. We really love Palawan. And we like to make sure our visitors fit in a trip to the Underground River when they come.
I personally think the entrance to the Underground River is one of the most beautiful spots on the planet. And getting there is half the fun! Once you are in the Philippines, a quick one-hour flight from Manila brings you to Puerto Princesa, Palawan. Then from Puerto Princesa, take a van or jeep up to Sabang, two hours north. You will be fascinated by the bamboo huts, quaint villages, huge tropical trees and virgin forest along the way. At Sabang, hire one of the Underground River boats to take you 20 minutes up the coast. This is a spectacular ride on a motorized outrigger boat which the locals call a banca. The west coast of Palawan is absolutely gorgeous.
The boat will land at a perfect little beach. From there it is a short hike through the woods to the mouth of the Underground River. Along the way, be entertained by the families of monkeys living in the trees overhead. Our native monkeys are called Philippine long-tailed macaques, also known as crab-eating macaques. And watch for the monitor lizards – a huge Palawan native lizard.
Now it is time to put on your hard hat, and enter the guided canoe for the trip into the side of the mountain. The canoe is paddled by hand. Whoever sits in front gets lantern duty. They will be in charge of shining a high-powered flashlight to illumine the sights inside the darkness of the cave.
The cave is home to two colonies of flying creatures – bats and swiftlet birds. The swiftlet has narrow wings for fast flight, and the ability to catch insects in flight. The swiftlets in the Underground River are quite unique among bird species because they use a simple but effective form of echolocation, which sounds like a series of clicks, to navigate in total darkness through the chasms and shafts of the caves where they roost at night and breed.
As you navigate into the Underground River, you will hear the swiftlets’ clicks or calls echoing overhead, as they hunt for insects. Don’t be surprised if one wings by and actually bounces off your helmet! Fortunately, the bats stay up in the roof of the cave during the day, and only venture out at dusk.
The stalagmites and stalactites have whimsical names, such as the Mushrooms, Skull, Bacon, Holy Family.
The Puerto Princesa Underground River is the second longest underground river in the world. Named Cabayugan River, it starts back in St. Paul Mountain approximately 5 miles (8.2 kilometers) inland, and is navigable for almost 2.5 miles (4 kilometers) of that distance, before it dumps out into the South China Sea. The geology of the area, limestone karst, is responsible. Over eons, water has eaten away at the soft limestone and created this river as well as the craggy formations all up and down the western coast of Palawan.
In 1999 the area was added to the list of UNESCO World Heritage Sites on the basis of its “important and significant natural habitats for conservation of biological diversity,” and for its “exceptional natural beauty.” The area contains the complete spectrum of a mountain-to-sea ecosystem, including rainforest. It is home to many protected species of birds and plants. Now in 2012, being named one of the New 7 Wonders of Nature is added to that honor.
This sanctuary is protected by the local government because of its rich biodiversity. Capacity of the Underground River is limited to 780 persons per day, so it is advised to plan ahead when visiting Palawan.
After your tour of the Underground River, be sure to allow some time to relax at Sabang Beach.
And when you return to Puerto Princesa, more fun awaits. Puerto, as the locals call their city, is full of inexpensive restaurants of amazing variety, as well as fun places to shop for wood carvings, sarongs and pearls.
Read more from this author at: http://DonnaOnPalawan.wordpress.com
Many thanks to Chris and Elisa Schlink for several of the photographs used in this post.
Check out Bucket List Publications Online Magazine for more great photos and articles from bucket list seekers.
This is just the type of article I needed to get me thinking about taking time off – and travel once more. Thank you and well done!
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Thank you!
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No more thinking! Just pack your things and buy a ticket! 🙂
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What a Cool Experience!!!
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I’m totally sold. I want to go!!
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Makes me want to visit my fam in the PI.
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I don’t know them, but I’d venture to guess they would love to see you too!
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Wow! Definitely on my bucket list.
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Great post! And just wanted to let you know that I nominated you for the Kreativ Blogger Award. Congrats 🙂 http://hurdlestohappiness.wordpress.com/2012/04/11/kreativ-blogger-award/
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AWE-some.
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Wow, amazing! Lucky you managed to get pictures of the monkeys. This past December I went on holidays and tried taking pictures of the monkeys I saw in the wild, but they were so quick! Didn’t get any…
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These fellow are a bit on the cheeky side. They’ve happily been living near this natural wonder, and taking advantage of it, grabbing a picnic lunch when no one was looking! The monitor lizards are pretty brave, too!
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Hi,
What a great experience, something a bit different I love it. 🙂
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Such a beautiful place! I now have a new bucket list item! Thank you for sharing!
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Beautiful!
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Outstanding article, great pictures and most wonderful place to visit. This almost looks like one of the beach scenes in a James Bond movie. Thank you for taking the time to share your experience. Awesome place.
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There are some really beautiful beaches here, that’s for sure. Thank you!
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The “Survivor” franchise has actually used it probably half a dozen times already. US and other countries (including ourselves thankfully) have shot there.
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ughhhh i want to go to all the places you visit!! I NEED to travel more! beautiful.
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Thank you so much for all your kind words. The people of the Philippines are some of the friendliest people you will ever meet. They are waiting for you to come! And the monkeys and the monitor lizards, too.
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Hi Donna! I like your blog and thank you for this beautiful blog about one of the heavenly places here in our country. I love that you and your family love your adopted home.
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Great post! Me and my friends are planning to visit the PPUR next summer. I’m a Filipino native but haven’t been to Palawan. Lucky you! 🙂
Thank you anyway for sharing and telling the world about the beauty hidden by our(including you) country!
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Hope you have a great time when you get here. You’ll love seeing the Underground River. It is truly in a class by itself.
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Thank you very much Donna for this wonderful post about our country. Palawan is paradise somewhere between the Heavens and the deep blue sea! =) We hope that we’re also able to raise awareness on the importance of preserving the vast biodiversity in the province and in other equally beautiful places across the globe.
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WOW!!! Of all the places you have shown so far, this is by far the one place that I would most definitely have as one of my Top-5 places to go before i die…
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I am honored that Lesley Carter chose my story for her blog! What a great way for this little tucked-off-the-beaten-path spot to get some attention. There is so much more to see and do on the island of Palawan once you are there, too, you would love it.
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Breath taking! Need I say more.
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Hey Donna,
Thank you for featuring PPUR. We are all proud that it is now included in the seven wonders of the world. I hope you can blog about El Nido too. I already listed Palawan in my list of places I want to travel in the Philippines (I am base in Manila by the way) and try Tamilok. Have you tried it? I am very curious.
Regards!
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Thank you, Sam. I’m honored to be able to live on Palawan. Such a special place. No I haven’t tried tamilok. YET! I need to try it and write about it. I’m embarrassed to admit I haven’t even tried balut yet! And we’ve been in the Philippines so long! I definitely need to get that crossed off my bucket list! Hmmm. Maybe we need to do another fact-finding research trip to El Nido soon! Been there once and absolutely loved it! Thanks for your kind words!
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Do you think I used enough exclamation points in my comment above? Maybe I should go back and add a few more.
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You are very much welcome. I am really planning to go there ever since. I hope I can meet you when I go there.
You better try balut too. 🙂
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Ok, Sam! I really do plan to. I just keep procrastinating. Let us know when you get to Palawan. Maybe we can try the tamilok!
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Let’s do that! 🙂
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I haven’t been to the Philipines since I was a toddler. This is a beautiful place! Lovely pictures! I’d love to go back there some day!
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They are waiting for you! It’s time to go back!
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I will definitely plan a trip there one day!!! 🙂
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Been here before and would love to go back and explore the underground river again. The place is truly amazing!
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If it has been awhile, you will be amazed at the changes in Puerto Princesa. So many more places to eat and shop!
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Such an inspiration to travel. Can’t wait until I’ve got some money saved up to go somewhere. This blog is a great place with perfect suggestions!
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Thank you! Yes, the big across-the-ocean ticket is a kicker, but once you are over here, everything is much less expensive than in the U.S. (if that’s where you are).
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100% USA right here. Do you have any content of places from the US?
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Maybe a bit about San Diego, with more to come in the future. We live in the Philippines, but will be moving back to San Diego later this year. Stay tuned!!!!
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I will!
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This is a beautiful place! .. Great place..
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Wow, a good inspiration and photo-taking of your travel.
And I would like to thank you on behalf of Daylight Tune Ministry for visiting and liking the post “Motivation Right Before You”.
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My question is why do you say look out for the huge Palawan native lizard?
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The monitor lizards that live around the Underground River National Park have gotten very used to tourists. In days gone by, you used to be able to picnic outside the Underground River. The monitor lizards would hang out at the picnic tables, hoping for a hand out or some crumbs. They have the ability to flick their tongues for a very long distance. They aren’t harmful, but some people are scared of them. So the tour guides would guard the picnic tables with long sticks with streamers on the ends to shoo the away the lizards from those who worried.
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Thank you for your answer. 🙂
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ill see you soon palawan. don’t you forget it. 🙂
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Head on over!
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this is an awesome place! I’ve been there once about 15 years ago and to date, is still the most captivating thing I’ve ever seen. thank you for reminding me about this magical place! 😉
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You are fortunate you got to see it 15 years ago. But it is much easier to get there now. The road is paved all the way – no more bone jarring bumps!
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Love to experience that 🙂
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Thanks you dear. It is a very nice place for travel.
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You are welcome!
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Love the picture and the latest posting
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Amazing photos!
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i’m from the Philippines and yet, still haven’t found the time to visit Palawan. My sisters had a couple of times. I envy you!
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We are very blessed to be able to live and work on Palawan. We’ve always loved it here and felt it was a special place, even before it became a popular place to visit.
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As always, great article, awesome photos. I’ve been to Sabang Beach about 5 years ago, still looking good! It’s a good diving site too, have you tried to dive in Sabang?
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Thanks for your kind words! I haven’t tried diving in Sabang. I’m a snorkeler, and always interested in great places. I’ll have to try there sometime!
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OMG, that entrance to the underground is breathtaking!!! Wanna go!!!!
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How stunning!!
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Thank you for visiting our country! Palawan offers a lot of beautiful places to explore. Puerto Princesa is just the tip of the iceberg.
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We’ve lived in several different parts of the country, and visited a few others. But we hope to see more!
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Wow this has made it on my list. I cannot wait. Every photo makes me think about scheduling the trip sooner.
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Smile!
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You’ve piqued my interest! We’re looking for a vacation destination for later this year, and the Philippines are close to the top. Great article!
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Hi Arizona Girl! If you make it to Palawan, you will find most of your travel mates are from different parts of the world. Not as many Americans as Europeans, Australians and Asians. So you’ll be one of the adventurous ones!
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I like adventurous! 🙂 Hopefully we can make it happen…
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Wonderful tour–wonderful wildlife–wonderfully wet and dreamy and mysterious–just as I would have imagined!
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Arrrgh, I guess I’ll have to make that trip to Asia at the end of the year!
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Good plan!
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wow, that is just absolutely stunning! starting to really hate my work environment right around now..lol
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Of course, Chris, you know it isn’t fair to compare your work environment with our natural wonder! In the city here there is noise and traffic here, too. Add roosters crowing at all hours, and the neighbor’s late-night off-key blaring loud karaoke, and the other neighbor’s screaming toddler! LOL.
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at last! a beautiful piece about my country…
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Oh I know. The Philippines gets such a bad rap sometimes! But they did get a shout-out recently. They were voted one of the least-rude countries in the world for travelers. No surprise there, is it?
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Thank you for the reblog! I’m honored.
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Thank you, Rashid! And it turns out your blog has a great article on how that Underground River was formed out of the limestone. I’ve linked your article on my original blog post. Great stuff!
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I’m from the Philippines and the only reason I visited Palawan was when I mistakenly said yes if I wanted to join my female friends for a trip there. I was surprised when after a few months of not knowing i said yes, I already had to pay my ticket and hotel fees and was hauled to the plane. I think it was one of the best mistakes I’ve ever made. The place is just so beautiful and I’ve made it a mission that I must be able to bring my entire family over there just so I could share the beauty of Palawan. If you ever doubt there is a God, go to Palawan and witness his work for yourselves 🙂
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How funny that you had to be drug to Palawan. What a great mistake. Hope you make it back with your whole family sooner than later.
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Happy to read about gorgeous Palawan here:)
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Thanks so much for this. Have never been to the Philippines, but reading your post has just added it to my list!
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Palawan is just one of the great places to visit here. Hope you make it!
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Wow. What a beautiful place.
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What a great and unusual adventure, thanks for sharing
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You are very welcome!
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