St. Paul Subterranean River National Park

St. Paul Subterranean River National Park, commonly known as the Puerto Princesa Subterranean River, is a protected area on the island of Palawan in the Philippines and was inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1999.

The park contains a limestone karst mountain range with an underground river system that extends about 8.2 kilometres, of which approximately 4.3 kilometres are navigable by small boat. The cave passages include very large chambers and extensive stalactite and stalagmite formations, and the surrounding parkland features tropical rainforest and endemic wildlife.

The area was designated a protected national park to conserve its karst system and biodiversity and later recognized by UNESCO for its universal natural value. Management is conducted through national and local government agencies working with on-site rangers and visitor facilities.

Geographically the park sits on the west coast of northern Palawan near the village of Sabang, roughly 50 kilometres north of Puerto Princesa city by road; visitor access is by road to Sabang followed by a short boat trip into the cave.

• River length: About 8.2 kilometres in total length with roughly 4.3 kilometres navigable by boat, making it one of the world’s longest navigable underground rivers.
• Access and tours: Most tours depart from Sabang; visits combine a ranger-guided boat trip through the cave with short walks in the surrounding forest, and are subject to daily visitor limits and tide conditions.
• UNESCO status: Inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List in 1999 for its karst landscape and biodiversity significance.

What to See#

• Underground River Cave: The cave system carries an underground river with a total length of about 8.2 kilometres, of which roughly 4.3 kilometres are navigable by boat; the subterranean passages include large chambers and extensive stalactite and stalagmite formations.
• Sabang and visitor facilities: The small coastal village and pier at Sabang serves as the primary access point and visitor hub for tours, with the park’s visitor facilities and ranger station located nearby.
• Karst landscape and forest: Tropical rainforest and limestone karst hills surrounding the cave form the parkland, supporting diverse flora and fauna typical of Palawan’s karst ecosystems.