Puerto Princesa Subterranean River National Park — Attraction in Puerto Princesa

I'm writing a review for the park and the tour operated by RYLE ASHER. Please be advised that when you read reviews, you are mainly reading about the tour operator. Complaints about waiting around, bad food, etc is the result of the tour operator. Pick a great tour operator and your experience will be amazing! Again, I went with RYLE ASHER tours. It was wonderful. From the pier you take a small catamaran to the entrance to the park. The catamaran is loud, so if you are sensitive to sounds, bring ear plugs. The views were stunning on the small boat. Once at the shore, you will receive your hard hat and make very simple 5-minute hike to queue up to go into the caves. There are restrooms at the pier and the shore. Once you make it to queue for the cave, there are no more bathrooms. You will get into another small boat, approximately 6-8 people in each boat. You will receive an audio guide with one headphone. The audio guide will give you lots of information about the cave, its history, and what you are seeing inside. The boat operator is also trained to share certain comments and jokes. Most of the time, the boat operator's comments sync up with the audio guide. The rules for the tour are simple. Keep quiet (too much sound affects the bats' ability to move around - echolocation), keep your mouth closed (bat droppings), avoid looking straight up for very long (bat droppings). Being in the cave, floating along, hearing and seeing the bats, seeing the formations - it was really amazing. At times, it was a little scary. I can't lie, but just keep breathing and remembering that they bring hundreds of people through this very same tour every day. You will travel into the cave about 20 minutes and then turn around to travel back to the entrance. What you see on the return is very different than what you see going in. Once back to dry ground, you can visit the restrooms again, take a look at the photos they snapped of your group and decide if you want to buy them. Then, it's back to the catamaran and back to the pier. I wore flip-flops that were a bit too big for me. They kept falling off. I recommend water shoes or a bit more tighter fitting sandal. Do not wear socks and shoes though as you need to wade in water to get in and out of the boats. Again, pick a good tour company and your experience...

If there’s one thing you shouldn’t miss in Palawan, it’s this. The Puerto Princesa Subterranean River National Park, home to the world-famous Underground River, is both a UNESCO World Heritage Site (since 1999) and one of the New 7 Wonders of Nature (voted in 2012)—and it deserves the title.

The river itself stretches over 8 kilometers, making it one of the longest navigable underground rivers in the world. Only about 1.5 km is open to tourists, but that’s more than enough to take in the eerie beauty of the limestone cave formations, cathedral-like chambers, and occasional bats flying overhead. The ride is quiet except for your guide, who will likely point out fun rock shapes (expect references to vegetables, superheroes, and maybe even a “face of Jesus”).

The surrounding park is a protected area, covering over 22,000 hectares of forest, mountains, and rich biodiversity. It’s one of the few places in the Philippines where you can find both limestone karst landscapes and a full range of ecosystems—from mountain to sea.

To get there, you usually take a boat from Sabang Beach, then register before boarding a paddle boat into the cave. There’s also a short jungle trail option for the more adventurous. Be warned: the boat rides depend on the weather, and the road to Sabang can be a bit rough in some spots—especially if you’re prone to motion sickness.

Quick Historical Note: The underground river was known to locals long before it gained global recognition. Scientific exploration began in the 20th century, and serious conservation efforts took off when it was declared a national park in 1971. It’s now one of the most strictly protected areas in the country.

Final Thoughts: The entire experience takes half a day, but it’s worth every minute. Between the otherworldly cave, the biodiversity of the park, and the sheer uniqueness of the place, it’s easily a top natural attraction in the Philippines.

Bring a waterproof bag, patience (especially during peak season), and a...

Would you travel far and dare to see this wondrous beauty? The Puerto Princesa Underground River (PPUR) is listed as a UNESCO World heritage site and named as one of the New 7Wonders of Nature.

However, you can’t go directly to Sabang. Secure a permit first at the Underground River Booking Office located at City Coliseum. And at Sabang boat terminal, pay Environmental & boat fees at the Tourism Office. Boat ride will take you about 20 to 30 minutes to PPUR. At the cave entrance you need to pay for the audio device/guide. They will give you a vest & helmet and now your set.

This subterranean river is 8.2km long. It runs under a protected cave that features picturesque formations of stalagmites and stalactites. The cathedral, the holy family that resembles Jesus, Joseph & Mary, the vegetable section are known rock formations. Just dont forget your helmets to protect you from bats poop & urine. The tour last for about 45 minutes.

Jungle Trail is an option when going back to Sabang instead of the boat ride. It is an adventurous way of exploring the national park’s karsts forests. The trek takes us roughly 3 hours from PPUR to Sabang with a stretch of 5 km. The trek was fun, you won’t even notice how far you’ve gone. ( im proud to say my 87 yr old father finish the trek w/o complains:)) The trail boosts of abundant flora & fauna, mangrove forests, century old trees and wooden steps laid atop to protect hikers & the forests. Along the trail we have encounters with monitor lizards and a good number of colorful & endemic species of birds & group of monkeys and their babies just watch out for they will Grab your belongings. There are also great number of limestone formation containing caves & its where we took a break & a photo break.

Thanks to our tagbanua guide for...