It used to be that getting to the (now world-famous) Puerto Princesa Underground River was a straightforward business. You walk into the tourism office onsite, you pay the entrance fee, you get in, you get out. And you enjoy the entire experience. Now, you are likely to be turned away if you just show up at the tourism office doorstep without a pre-approved Visitor Entry Permit (VEP) from the Underground River tourism office back in the capital city (Puerto Princesa). Unless you book through an agency who could arrange the entire process for you (and pay a pretty fee in return), you will have to brave the bureaucracy in person.
In the not-so-distant past, locals claim that there were seldom long lines to contend with and few “fixers” and middlemen to steer clear from. But since its inclusion to the list of the New 7 Wonders of Nature, the small “sitio” (a geographical unit smaller than a ‘baranggay’, the smallest political unit in the Philippines) of Sabang has seen business pick up at a tremendous pace. What used to be a sleepy fishing community is now transformed into a boom town of shipbuilders constructing motor boats for “Park Ferry Service” (and effectively stopped being fishermen as tourism turns full volume).
Getting there and getting out is quite a process even for an independent traveler who lands into Palawan without a fixed itinerary. Daily tourist quotas tend to be filled weeks ahead, so it helps to know how VEPs are issued beforehand should you decide to do it yourself rather than through a travel agent.
1. Apply for a permit to enter the subterranean river at the main office in Puerto Princesa. The Underground River Tourism Office is presently located at the City Coliseum along the National Highway.
The journey to the Underground River starts at Puerto Princesa City Coliseum
2. Decide on the date of your PPUR trip. In the unfortunate event that your travel dates fall on fully-booked days (which are announced in bold letters at the office entrance), decide whether you can rearrange your itinerary or extend your trip a few more days so you put in your application for permit on less busy days.
3. Get a number, wait for your turn, present a valid ID and pay the entrance fee. You will be issued with a printed permit which you will present at the Sabang Tourism Office along with a valid ID.
Getting a permit should be a breeze…if you arrive outside of peak season
4. If you are scheduled for an early tour (say 8:30AM), it pays to stay the night at Sitio Sabang since there are no breaking dawn trips from Puerto Princesa (the earliest jeepney or bus departs at 7AM which arrives at Sabang at around 9AM). If you miss the tour at the designated hour, you will be relegated to the 3:30PM tour which is the last of the day. Should you miss your tour on the designated day, you can “plead” your case before the tourism official in Sabang since the permit is valid until the next day.
Some things to keep in mind in the unfortunate event you cannot make it
5. Show up at the Sabang Tourism Office at least 30 minutes before your scheduled tour. Pay the entrance fee equivalent to US$1 (P40).
Show up 30 minutes early with this printed permit at the Sabang Tourism Office and pay the P40 entrance fee
6. Proceed to the wharf for boat transfer to the Underground River. If you travel alone, you may need to wait for a group who can take you in so you split your boat fee with them. A six-passenger boat charges P700 (US$17.50), and 8-seaters charge P800 (US$20). Boat fee applies for back-and-forth transfer. One-way travel time to the Underground River takes about 20 minutes in choppy waters. Also take note of your boat number since this will be the same boat you will ride back to the wharf.
Waiting area at the Sabang Wharf where Park Ferry Service awaits passengers
7. Arrive at the Underground River beach. (The Visitor Center at the beach has Western toilets so you can take care of nature calls before the tour.)
The oft-photographed limestone cliff at the docking area on the way to the Underground River
8. Walk to the mangrove pre-tour area to put on orange hard hat and PFD (personal flotation device).
The entrance (pre-tour area) to the cave that lures millions of visitors
9. Wait for your turn on the (non-motorized) boat. The boat seats up to 10, and is dispatched to enter the cave in order the passengers arrive. If you are a big group, you will be split into several boats and will enter the cave in intervals. If you are traveling solo, you will be “squeezed” into a boat that could seat a few more.
10. Take a seat away from the front if you want to focus on the tour. People seated at the front “do the honor” of holding the light and taking instruction from the boatman where to focus the light so everyone in the boat can see the marvelous stalagmites and stalactites. (A new acquaintance I shared the boat with reported he was not able to appreciate the tour because of the “massive responsibility” given to him by virtue of his seat.)
Somebody’s got to hold the light and that’s the people at the front!
11. Fasten your hard hat and get your camera ready! The Underground River tour is approximately 45 minutes (up to about 1.5 kilometers in from the entrance), with the able boatman acting as the tour guide. Be quick on your hands! Far into the darkness of the cave, the camera flash may act up, so your fingers have to be agile enough to click as soon as the torchbearer points the light to the cave feature as directed by the boatman.
12. Leave your hard hat and PFD at the exit area and proceed to the beach area for transfer back to Sabang Wharf.
The less-photographed side of the docking area where motorized boats await for passengers returning from the Underground River tour
Click here for next article (Palawan series) – How to Get to Puerto Princesa Underground River >>
Photos by Cherry Vic Patalita
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Chris had a passion to contribute to society especially to fellow travelers like himself. He also had a passion for Southeast Asia and frequently visited. While brainstorming ideas, he decided that a travel blog dedicated to his favorite countries, Thailand and Singapore, could be more beneficial than any guidebook. Only one year later did the blog’s success bring in more writers, more countries, and more readers.
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