On my second day in Palawan, I decided to go on the Underground River tour, try the Ugong Rock Cave adventure, and experience the Iwahig firefly watching. That meant I needed a lot of energy for the day’s activities. Good thing the weather was so gooooooood!
Most of you might have heard of or even visited the Subterranean River National Park in Palawan, also known as the Underground River, right?
But how do you get there? Who should you contact? Is a DIY tour even possible?
The Puerto Princesa Underground River in Palawan, Philippines, has recently been named one of the New 7 Wonders of Nature. It is also a UNESCO World Heritage Site and one of the longest underground rivers in the world.
Since the Underground River is already so popular, some travel agencies advise booking at least 3 months in advance – especially during peak season. However, since I visited during the rainy month of July, I was able to book just 1 day ahead. Thanks to our travel agency, Kalokairi Travel and Tours, for making it possible. Lol.
Tip: Book through a travel agency for the Underground River – it makes everything much easier. For ₱1,500 per person, they’ll handle your permit, boat reservation, and even your lunch.
How to Get There
Usually between 6:00–7:00 AM, your travel agency’s van will pick you up from your hotel or inn. From there, it’s about a 2-hour drive from Puerto Princesa City to Sabang. Once you arrive at Sabang Wharf, you’ll take another 20-minute boat ride to reach the National Park.
Luckily that day, the West Philippine Sea (also known as China Sea before) was very calm. I was even worried the day before the tour that it might be cancelled since it was really raining hard. Anyway, if you want to have your DIY tour, you can check the boat fare below from Sabang Wharf to the Beach.
- 6 pax – 700 pesos
- 7 pax – 800 pesos
- 8 pax – 900 pesos
Take Note: There are also some additional things you’ll have to remember once you get there.
- Monkeys are everywhere in the National Park so feeding them is a NO-NO!
- Don’t bring anything that is made of plastic because it will attract the monkeys
- If a monkey sits beside you, never show your teeth or else it will attack you. Like srsly! lol
- Don’t try to swim in Sabang Beach since the current there is strong.
Once you’ll reach Sabang Beach, you will have to walk like 10-15 minutes to get to the starting point of the tour. BUT! You still have to wait for your turn especially if there are a lot of tourists. I ended up waiting for about an hour. Whew! Patience really is a virtue. So while waiting, I took some photos first.
I also chatted with some of the staff and learned that many Cebuanos work in Palawan. I also asked about the native language of Palawan, which is Cuyonon. If you want to learn more about it, you can read about it here.
Aside from the little chit-chats with the staff, I also noticed people gathering around something. So, of course, I had to check what the commotion was all about…
Turns out, the crowd was watching a monkey that had grabbed a bottle of juice and was trying to open it. I were curious too, so I stayed to see if it could actually open a tightly sealed plastic bottle.
And there you go… it really did it and even drank from it!
The old king… as what the tour guide said..
And so, the waiting is over and finally, it’s our turn to tour! But before anything else, everyone is highly advised to wear a helmet and a life jacket for safety.
Just a tip: It’s highly recommended to sit in front so you can fully see the beauty of the cave (helmets might slightly block your view). Sitting at the back, close to the guide, is also fine as long as the people in front of you aren’t too tall.
MORE TIPS: If you choose to sit in front, you’ll be the one holding the light for the tour. That means you’ll need to follow all the guide’s instructions on where to point it. So before volunteering, PLEASE make sure you know your left from your right. Don’t be like the girl in our group who didn’t even know the difference— yikes! You don’t want to irritate the other tourists, do you?
Throughout the tour, your guide will point out different formations and share interesting facts about the cave. The best part (for me) is the cathedral ’cause it gave me goosebumps.
Below are some photos from inside the cave.
And after 45 minutes, we’re done with the tour.
As we were heading to Sabang Beach again, we noticed monkeys everywhere. It felt like they were saying goodbye to their fellow brothers and sisters — who happened to be us. Nyahehehe.
Now, to answer the question above whether DIY would be suitable or not then I’d say no. If you’re on a tight budget, then go ahead and explore that option. But think about it: there are a lot of guests, and those with reservations will be assisted first. So for only 1,500 pesos (which already includes the permit, boat transfers, van transfer from the city, and lunch), it’s much less of a hassle.
So that’s it! Now I’m ready for our next adventure —- caving in Ugong Rock and trying the zipline!