Puerto Princesa Underground River: how to visit, permits and tours

A river that runs for 8 kilometres through a mountain, a cave chamber the size of a cathedral and thousands of bats overhead: the Puerto Princesa Underground River is one of the great natural wonders of the Philippines. But with permits capped at 900 a day, can you just turn up? Here’s how to book, what the day is really like, the seat to grab in the boat and the ₱350 add-on that’s worth every peso.

The Puerto Princesa Underground River is one of the most extraordinary places in the Philippines: a river that flows for more than 8 kilometres through a limestone cave before emerging into the sea, home to thousands of bats and swiftlets and chambers so vast they’re hard to take in. It’s a UNESCO World Heritage Site, one of the New 7 Wonders of Nature, and the reason most people stop in Puerto Princesa at all.

I stopped in Puerto Princesa specifically for the river on my way from Cebu to El Nido, about halfway through three weeks in the Philippines. I booked a day tour, paddled into the cave in the front seat of the boat and came out saying I’d never experienced anything quite like it. Here’s what the day is really like, how the permits and fees work, and how to fit it into your trip.

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Underground River at a glance

• Where: Sabang, on Palawan’s west coast, about 80 kilometres and 2 hours by road from Puerto Princesa.
• How long: a full day from Puerto Princesa, usually from about 7 or 8am to mid-afternoon.
• The cave tour: about 45 minutes to an hour by paddle boat, covering roughly the first 1.5 kilometres of the river.
• Permits: compulsory, capped at 900 visitors a day, and best arranged through a tour.
• Cost: about ₱740 in fees for a foreign adult, plus a boat from Sabang, or about ₱2,200 to ₱2,700 for a shared day tour with transport and lunch.
• Open: daily from about 8am to 4pm, weather permitting.

What is the Underground River?

The Puerto Princesa Subterranean River flows for about 8.2 kilometres underground, through a cave system beneath the Saint Paul mountain range, before it meets the sea at Sabang. About 4.3 kilometres of it are navigable, making it one of the longest navigable underground rivers in the world. Some of its chambers are around 120 metres wide and 60 metres high, and in 2010 researchers discovered a second level, with small waterfalls, above the river.

The river is the heart of the Puerto Princesa Subterranean River National Park, which was inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1999 and runs from the mountains to the sea. The cave is home to nine species of bat and two of swiftlet, and long-tailed macaques and water monitor lizards hang around the beach outside. At the mangroves, my guide pointed out the mountain above the cave: locals call it the Sleeping Giant.

What the Underground River tour is like

The drive to Sabang

My tour picked me up from my hotel at 8.30am. The drive to Sabang took about an hour and a half on a good, winding road through the forest, and the views as we arrived were lovely.

Registration and permits

Everyone needs a permit, and IDs are cross-checked against the list before anyone gets on a boat, so bring your passport. Our guide registered the group while we waited in the sun, and it was outrageously hot, so bring water and a hat. It’s not the most exciting part of the day, but it’s how the park keeps numbers down.

The boat to the cave

From Sabang Wharf, a bangka takes about 15 minutes to reach the beach by the cave. From there, a short walk along a boardwalk through the forest brings you to the river mouth, where you swap into a smaller paddle boat, put on a hard hat and life jacket, and collect an audio guide.

Inside the river

That was amazing. It was genuinely incredible, and I’ve never experienced anything quite like it.

The boatman paddles you into the dark, and the first thing you notice is the bats. There were so many of them, and they came very close, darting away at the last second, which freaked me out a tiny bit. There were birds, too, almost certainly swiftlets. You’re asked to stay silent so as not to disturb them, and when I got a drip on me that was definitely a combination of guano and water, I squeaked like a little mouse.

The highlight is the Cathedral, where the cave opens out into a huge chamber. The scale of it is really something special. When do you ever get the opportunity to see nature on this scale? Your boatman will also point out rock formations said to look like everything from the Holy Family to a melting candle and a row of vegetables.

Lunch

Lunch was included on my tour, and it was great: so hearty, and very welcome after the morning.

My verdict

It was the perfect day, and I’d definitely recommend it. The Underground River is the reason to stop in Puerto Princesa, and it alone justifies at least one night there, probably two, because it really is an all-day thing.

Take the mangrove paddle boat tour

After lunch, my tour went on to Sabang’s mangrove forest, for a community-run paddle boat tour about five minutes’ drive from the wharf. A local woman guided us through the mangroves, talking about how important they are as a breeding ground for fish and why their wood can’t be cut for charcoal. It was quite short, and we saw a couple of monkeys and a couple of snakes, which isn’t a crazy amount of wildlife, but it was a really nice experience.

It cost ₱500 through my tour company, or about ₱350 if you book it on the spot. The money goes almost directly to the local community, and for the sake of about £5, I think that’s actually kind of important.

Other things to do in Sabang

• Sabang X Zipline: an 800-metre zipline over the bay, about ₱550, or ₱750 lying flat “Superman” style. It’s open from 7am to 5pm and is included on some combined tours.
• Ugong Rock: a limestone outcrop on the road to Sabang where you can climb through the caves and zipline down, from about ₱200.
• Sabang Beach: a long stretch of sand by the wharf, if you’re staying the night.

I didn’t do these.

Know before you go

Permits and booking

“No permit, no entry” is strictly enforced. The park caps visitors at 900 a day, most of the slots go to tour operators, and April and May often sell out. Turning up in Sabang, or even staying there, doesn’t guarantee you a place.

The easiest way to visit is on a day tour, which handles the permit, transport and fees. If you’d rather go independently, you’ll need to book your permit in person at the Underground River booking office in Puerto Princesa, at Mendoza Park in Barangay Model, and bring your passport. Phone ahead on (048) 716 1522, as the office has moved before.

Fees

For a foreign adult, the fees add up to about ₱740:

• Entrance fee: ₱500
• Environmental fee: ₱150 (also valid for Honda Bay)
• Audio guide: ₱85
• Terminal fee: ₱5

On top of that, the return boat from Sabang Wharf to the cave costs about ₱1,000 to ₱1,100 for a boat of up to six, shared between the passengers. Shared day tours cost about ₱2,200 to ₱2,700 with everything included, and I paid about ₱2,700 with transport and lunch.

Going further: the extended tour

The standard tour covers roughly the first 1.5 kilometres of the river. You can go further, as far as the navigable river goes, but only with a special permit that has to be applied for well in advance. It’s worth asking the booking office if you’re keen.

Rules inside the cave

• Stay quiet, so as not to disturb the bats.
• Keep your mouth closed when you look up. Trust me.
• Don’t use flash photography, and don’t touch the formations.
• Hard hats and life jackets are compulsory, and are handed out at the river mouth.
• Don’t feed the macaques on the beach, and don’t bring food or plastic bags ashore.

Best time to visit

The dry season, from about December to May, is the most reliable time, though March to May is also the busiest. Tours run all year but are suspended when the sea is too rough for the boats from Sabang, which is most likely from July to October. Arrive in Sabang by about 9am to beat the queues for the boats.

What to bring

• Your passport, for the permit check.
• Water shoes. If there’s one thing you should definitely pack for the Philippines, it’s a pair of water shoes. You’ll have wet landings getting in and out of the boats at Sabang, and they were invaluable all trip.
• Water, a hat and sun cream for the wait at Sabang.
• A dry bag for your phone and camera.
• Cash for the mangrove tour, drinks and tips.

My Philippines packing list has the rest.

How to get to the Underground River

On a tour: the simplest option. Shared tours pick you up from your hotel in Puerto Princesa, usually between 7 and 8.30am, and drop you back in the late afternoon.

Independently: take a tricycle to the Irawan Eco-Terminal on the edge of town, then a shared van, about ₱450 and 2 to 2.5 hours, or the cheaper, slower Cherry Bus to Sabang. You’ll need your permit before you go.

Staying in Sabang: a handful of resorts and guesthouses sit on the beach at Sabang, and staying overnight means you can be first in the queue for the boats in the morning. Sabang isn’t on the main grid, so check that your accommodation has its own generator.

Staying in Puerto Princesa

How long to stay

At least one night, and ideally two. The Underground River takes a full day, and flights into Puerto Princesa tend to arrive in the afternoon, so the usual pattern is: arrive, spend the next day at the river, then head on to El Nido or Port Barton. I did exactly that, arriving from Cebu in the afternoon and leaving for El Nido the day after the tour.

Where to stay

Puerto Princesa is a city, but a surprisingly lush one, with trees and vegetation everywhere. The airport is right next to the centre, about 10 to 20 minutes and ₱50 to ₱70 by tricycle, and there’s no Grab. Budget guesthouses cluster around Rizal Avenue, and the mid-range and boutique hotels are along the National Highway and near the Baywalk.

You can compare places to stay in Puerto Princesa on Booking.com.

Other things to do in Puerto Princesa

If you have a second day:

• Honda Bay: island hopping to small sandbar islands such as Cowrie, Starfish and Pandan, from Sta. Lourdes Wharf about 30 minutes from town. Your ₱150 environmental fee from the river covers it too.
• Firefly watching on the Iwahig River: an evening paddle boat ride through mangroves lit up by fireflies, best from about October to January.
• The Baywalk: the seafront promenade, with seafood stalls in the evening.

Moving on to El Nido or Port Barton

Shared vans to El Nido take about 5 to 6 hours and cost about ₱650 to ₱790, leaving from San Jose Terminal throughout the day. Vans to Port Barton take about 3.5 hours and cost about ₱600. My El Nido travel guide has more on the journey north.

Recommended tours

• From Puerto Princesa: Underground River full-day trip: The best-reviewed shared tour, with permit, transport and lunch.
• Underground River, zipline and paddle boat tour: Adds the Sabang zipline and the mangrove paddle boat tour.
• Underground River and firefly watching tour: The river by day and the fireflies of the Iwahig River by night.
• Private full-day tour to the Underground River: Your own van and guide, for up to four people.

Map

Read next

• El Nido travel guide
• The perfect 3-week Philippines itinerary
• Getting around the Philippines
• Best places to visit in the Philippines

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