Puerto Princesa Underground River- Palawan, Philippines

Puerto Princesa Underground River- 

Palawan, Philippines

 This underground river is known as Puerto Princesa Subterranean River National Park, its entrance is actually located a short distance from the town of Sabang and not in Puerto Princesa City, which is about a good two-hour ride away. Despite the distance, the trip to Sabang is guaranteed to give a pleasant scenic experience of the unspoiled Palawan countryside.      The mouth of the cove where the underground river begins can be reached in 15 minutes aboard a small pump boat from Sabang. From there, visitors are transferred to a small outrigger boat that a guide will deftly paddle into the cave entrance and through the crystal clear flowing waters. The playof lights and shadows on the stunning limestone formations inside the cave gives the illusion of mythical, and even religious images like dragons, serpents, cathedrals, and even a very life-like scene of the Nativity.

     The underground river as well as the forest canopy above it is home to 165 of the 252 bird species endemic to Palawan such as the White breasted sea eagle, Palawan hornbill, Blue-naped parrot, Tabon scrub fowl and the Hill myna. Moreover, mammal species such as the Bearded pig, Long-tailed macaque, Palawan stink badger, and Bearcat were observed in the area. The subterranean waterway itself hosts two species of swiftlets and nine species of bats whose guano droppings give the cool air in the cave a robust acrid smell.