Day 1: Enroute to Puerto Princesa Underground River

 Also known as the St. Paul Subterranean Underground River or the Puerto Princesa Subterranean River National Park (PPSRNP), it's a recognized UNESCO World Heritage site and recently became one of the New 7 Wonders of the World after a global poll.  It is considered the 2nd longest underground river stretching 8.2 km and flows directly into the sea.


Travel to Sabang from Puerto Princesa City takes 2 hours by van with some zigzagging roads.  Our tour guide gave a brief orientation about the place enroute to Sabang, with a marked emphasis on not bringing stuff in plastic bags to avoid being stolen or harassed by the monkeys endemic in the area.  The monkeys think that all plastic bags contain food so once they see it, they'll try to grab it from you.  

A permit is required before going to the site since the city government has set a carrying capacity to protect the river (see Tourism Advisory for Puerto Princesa Underground River Tour).  One can book a packaged tour through an accredited travel operator or if you're on a DIY trip, try booking online using the contact information below.  

We stopped by the Buenavista Viewdeck midway through the roadtrip to stretch our legs and take in the views.  They also have a restroom that's maintained by visitor donations and a small sari-sari store where you can buy native snacks, chips, cookies, candies, and souvenir tourist items like keychains, bags, hats, home decor, and knick knacks.

Along the way you can also see limestone cliffs

We also dropped by Ugong Rock Adventures which offers spelunking and ziplining and is one of the sustainable ecotourism sites managed by members of the local community.  We weren't able to do the activity due to time constraints and because our companions were "oldies" who would rather not wait for us.

We finally reached Sabang and ate in the lunch buffet which was included in our package.  There were several nipa huts where other tourists were also eating lunch.  The buffet included rice, bananas, roasted pork, chicken, tanguige (fish), and kangkong leaves.  Drinks were limited to softdrinks and mineral water but you can also order other items for an additional cost.

We also got to try the tamilok (a native delicacy); also known as shipworms that are not actually worms but belong to a family of molluscs notorious for boring into wood, and in this case, mangroves.  Some locals offer the tamilok to tourists for a fee (forgot if it's P50 or P100), served in a small bowl with vinegar and some chili and chopped onions (kinilaw-style or similar to ceviche).  One bowl contains 3-4 worms of varying lengths and you can split it between friends :p


Local restaurants like Kinabuch's Bar & Grill and Balinsasayaw also serve the tamilok either with vinegar or deep fried with breading but may cost more than P100.  My friend ate it from end to end and took her about 5 minutes (precious moment caught on video) while I twirled it around my fork and ate it like spaghetti (took less than 30 seconds! plus, I don't get to savor it in my mouth. hehe).  It has a smooth, slimy texture with an earthy (read: lasang-lupa!) oyster taste.

After lunch, we strolled near the water's edge and took some photos before heading up to the pier.

If you're not traveling with another group, you can swim at the beach before (if you have spare time) or after going to the Underground River.  Most groups return to the city immediately after the UGR tour.


Right next door is Sheridan Beach Resort & Spa which is a more secluded hotel & beach resort with an infinity pool and is more expensive than what you'd pay for in accommodations in the city.  


Walking to the pier takes about 10 minutes.  There's a small restroom at the station, a sari-sari store, and a waiting area for visitors.  They're organized and each group has to be registered and given a queue number for the boats.

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For Information and Reservation, Please Contact:

Puerto Princesa Subterranean River National Park
Information and Booking Office
350 Rizal Avenue,
Brgy. Bancao-bancao,
Puerto Princesa City, 5300,
Philippines
Telephone Number (Puerto Princesa City):  +63(48)434-2509 / + 63(48)723- 0904
Telefax (Puerto Princesa City): +63(48)434-2509
E-mail:  info@puerto-undergroundriver.com
Website: http://www.puerto-undergroundriver.com