Puerto-Princesa Subterranean River National Park (Puerto Princesa) | UNESCO World Heritage Site

Philippines / Southern Tagalog / Caruray / Puerto Princesa
 park, invisible, UNESCO World Heritage Site, national park

This is UNESCO listed as World heritage Site

The Puerto Princesa Subterranean River National Park features a spectacular limestone karst landscape with its underground river. A distinguishing feature of the river is that it flows directly into the sea, and the lower portion of the river is subject to tidal influences. The area also represents a significant habitat for biodiversity conservation. The site contains a full mountain to the sea ecosystem and protects forests, which are among the most significant in Asia.

The principal feature of the park is an underground river, more than 8km long and known as the Subterranean River or St Paul Cave. The river flows underground for almost its entire length. Its spring is at an altitude of 100m asl, 2km southwest of Mount St. Paul. Soon it is swallowed by the cave and reappears at St. Paul's Bay, where it flows directly into the sea.

St Paul Cave is very impressive, with huge passages and enormous chambers. The biggest chamber is 120m wide and 60m high, the length is hard to define, as it is just a very wide section of the passage. St Paul Cave was known to local Batak people since ancient times. According to legend it was inhabited by a spirit that prevented anybody from entering the cave. Today only 200-250 Batak survived, the surrounding area is inhabited by Tagbanua communities, who are christianized.

Today the Park has become the major tourist attraction of the country. More than 50,000 people visit it every year. About 20% of the visitors are from foreign countries.

see: guides.clickthecity.com/travel/?p=2002
whc.unesco.org/en/list/652

www.youtube.com/watch?v=nsjzdGKbnNE

www.youtube.com/watch?v=Obz1fp9Dei8
Nearby cities:
Coordinates:   10°11'3"N   118°55'49"E

Comments

  • the river entrance is a few kilometres northeast of this tag, at St. Paul.
  • wow i like it
This article was last modified 10 years ago