Big waves temporarily halt Underground River tours

More than 900 foreign and domestic tourists were temporarily prevented Saturday morning from entering the Puerto Princesa Underground River (PPUR) cavern in Sabang, Cabayugan due to big waves. (Photo by paweesit/Flickr, CC BY-ND 2.0)

PUERTO PRINCESA CITY, Palawan – More than 900 foreign and domestic tourists were temporarily prevented Saturday morning from entering the Puerto Princesa Underground River (PPUR) cavern in Sabang, Cabayugan due to big waves.

Jan Elmer Badilla, spokesperson and staff of the Puerto Princesa Subterranean River National Park (PPSRNP) World Herigate Site, said they are provisionally stopping all tours to the famous underground river following advise from the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG).

“The PPUR tours today are cancelled due to big waves. But guests can still explore the park through the jungle trail, which is open,” Badilla said.

He said they are ready to resume paddle boat tours inside the underground river if the strength of the waves has relegated.

According to the UNESCO, the PPUR features a spectacular limestone karst landscape with an underground river.

One of the river’s distinguishing features is that it emerges directly into the sea, and its lower portion is subject to tidal influences.

The area also represents a significant habitat for biodiversity conservation. The site contains a full ‘mountain-to-sea’ ecosystem and has some of the most important forests in Asia.