Underground River Tour

Not only is the St Paul Underground River a UNESCO World Heritage site, but it is also the longest navigable underground river in the world.

Our canoe ride through the river is a major highlight of this trip. After a half hour outrigger ride from a nearby beach, it’s a short walk through a lush forest to reach the mouth of the cave.

We were warned not to make eye contact with any monkeys along the way, since they like to snatch purses and cell phones. I would have enjoyed more time hiking through the Puerto Princesa Subterranean River National Park. I can easily envision spending a week or two here.

At the river’s edge, we donned hard hats and climbed into outrigger canoes. Each boat carried six to eight people, with a professional guide at the helm.

We were fitted with audio guides that had one ear piece. Our guide timed our journey through the cave to sync with the narrative, which was informative and well-produced.

Not only are visitors asked not to speak in the cave, but several times we were reminded to keep our mouths closed when looking up to avoid ingesting guano.

As we entered the cave the main sounds were dripping stalactites, the rhythmic splash of our guide’s paddle, and the erratic chatter of bats.

The cave is full of bats, and they flew quite near at times, especially near the cave entrance.

The only illumination came from our guide’s headlamp. At times during the two mile trip, we were in completely darkness.

As you can imagine, this made it hard to take photos, but I managed to get a few shots. (If you watch the video, be sure to turn up the volume!)

It was an enchanting experience. The lack of human chatter really lets you soak in the unique atmosphere.

If you ever get a chance to visit Puerto Princesa Subterranean River National Park, don’t hesitate! They only let 14 canoes visit the cave each day, and we were the last boat that day.Read more