A complete “mountain to sea” ecosystem, this karst landscape in the Philippines has the sole underground river in the world that flows out directly to the sea. This unique topography subjects the lower part of the underground river to tidal influences – a remarkable natural phenomenon that has no equal elsewhere across the globe.
The limestone cave passage where the underground river exits from the karst mountain to join the South China Sea
The “candle”, one of the spectacular displays of gigantic stalagmites inside the chamber.
The underground river has a total length of 8.2 kms. The 1.2kms leg that is open for the public allows visitors on paddled boats to view rock formations that can be as old as 20 million years (Miocene period).
As a site for globally important biodiversity conservation, the park boasts eight forest types that are homes to various endemic species of plants and animals.
World Wildlife Fund reported that the park is largest and most valuable limestone forest in Asia, which also boasts a beach forest and a mangrove forest.
The Puerto Princesa Subterranean River National Park is part of the bigger UNESCO-led Palawan Biosphere Reserve that was established in 1990. The park was also declared as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1999, and, in 2012, it was also proclaimed as one of the Seven New Wonders of Nature though a global popular poll.
These, my friends, are the real bragging rights of this natural gem in Palawan, the Philippines.
