The crowning glory of Puerto Princesa

• Source: http://www.sunstar.com.ph/bacolod/lifestyle/2016/09/02/crowning-glory-puerto-princesa-495210
• Friday, September 2, 2016

By Claire Marie Algarme (Write On The Spot)

PUERTO Princesa, the capital of the province of Palawan, is the gateway to many beautiful spots in the province. It is not surprising to find Filipinos and foreigners trooping to this western part of the Philippines and wanting a piece of this paradise.

The city alone is an exquisite beauty. There’s the butterfly garden, the crocodile farm (which we opted to skip), Bakers Hill, and the Iwahig Penal Colony. Off the coast of Puerto Princesa is the Honda Bay which is a sea lover’s haven. But the city’s crowning glory, which is about a few hours from the main city, is the World Heritage Site and New 7 Wonders of Nature destination Puerto Princesa Underground River.

Honda Bay

We boarded a boat to take us around Honda Bay where small islands and islets, some of which are submerged underwater during high tide, dotted the sea. While the crystal clear waters beckoned us for a swim, the beautiful cloud formations looked like icing on our cakes as they added a touch of breathtaking beauty to the already awesome landscape. We couldn’t wait to get to our destination and as we docked at the beach of Snake Island.

It was a great place to snorkel where fishes and corals abound. But it was also nice to just roll at the shallow waters where several starfishes and tiny fishes swim nearby.

Underground River

A trip to Puerto Princesa is never complete without an adventure through the Underground River. Its length can be likened to a long magnificent hair of a woman, highlighting the beauty of the whole place. But as more and more people find their way towards the Underground River, more rules and guidelines have to be put in place to make sure that it is not damaged. The local government now makes sure that the place is protected and they control the influx of visitors inside the subterranean river. That is why, it is important that you secure your permit at the city center before going there, or let the tour agencies do it for you. There’s an office in Sabang but you might have to wait in line before you are allowed entry into the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (Unesco) site.

From Sabang port, we had to take a boat to bring us to the beach nearest to the cave’s entrance. There we had some close encounters with monkeys and monster lizards. The journey inside the cave was fun and exciting, with our boat guide helping us identify shapes formed by stalactites and stalagmites while cracking some jokes here and there. There were vegetable-like images while some looked like human beings. There was even a portion there where it looked like a grotto. It was an awesome experience and it even made me wonder what still lie ahead in the deeper parts of the cave.

It would be nice to go back to Puerto Princesa and explore its other attractions. But I would also love to travel towards El Nido, which is another popular destination in Palawan. Maybe soon, I’ll get there.*