December
2007
Subterranean Journey
After a long motorbike journey from Puerto Princesa over haggard roads and a two hour hike through the daunting “Monkey Trail,” we finally made it to Subterranean River.
Listen here to our hike to the river and our experience while in the impressive cave system. Listen to our guide speak about how about how it was formed, how the sea has an influence, descriptions of the different stalactite formations, and cool bat facts.
The Puerto 
Princesa Subterranean River is located about 50 kilometers north of the city of Puerto Princesa, Palawan, Philippines. It is also known as St. Paul’s Subterranean River National Park. The entrance to the Subterranean River is located a short hike from little town of Sabang.
It features a limestone karst mountain landscape with an 8.2 km. navigable underground river. A distinguishing feature of the river is that it winds through a cave before flowing directly into the South China Sea. It includes major formations of stalactites and stalagmites, and several large chambers. The lower portion of the river is subject to tidal influences. The underground river is reputed to be the world’s longest.
The area also represents a significant habitat for biodiversity conservation. The site contains a full mountain-to-the-sea and has some of the most important forests in Asia.
It was inscribed by the UNESCO as a World Heritage Site on December 4, 1999.
Sample of one of the formations.
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