The Philippines - The Rough Guide to Southeast Asia on a Budget - page 659

visitors. Most tours (which can be
arranged through any travel agent in
Puerto for about P1300) will cover three,
including Snake Island , which has a good
reef for snorkelling, and is the only place
with simple provisions. Pandan Island has
the finest white sand, and, on Bat Island
in the late afternoon, look out for the
scores of bats that suddenly fly away on
their nocturnal hunting trips.
If you want to go independently, catch
a multi-cab (P25) from Rizal Avenue at
the corner of Burgos Street to Santa
Lourdes wharf . Sign in at the little tourist
o ce and arrange a bangka (last
departure at 2.30pm), which will cost
P1300-1500. here's a P21 terminal fee
and all islands, except Snake Island, ask
visitors to pay a small fee (P25-50).

Princesa ( T 048 723 0904). Even if you
don't pre-organize a permit, local agents
in Sabang (try Green Verde travel centre)
can arrange for a visit up until 8pm the
day before you want to go. he permit
will specify the time you need to report
to Sabang wharf for the twenty-minute
bangka ride (P700 for up to six guests)
to the cave. It's easiest to secure a permit
for 8am-9am (before the day-trippers
arrive), but even if you are issued a
different time you can just turn up at the
wharf with your permit, pay the P40
terminal fee, and they'll put you on the
next boat with space.
Afterwards, if you're feeling energetic,
you can hike back from the mouth of the
river to Sabang , a 5km trip through lush
scenery. When you arrive at the park, look
out for the famous resident monitor
lizards ( bayawak ), and monkeys. he
wonders of the Underground River aside,
Sabang has a beautiful stretch of beach
and is becoming an increasingly popular
beach resort in its own right. As well as
sunbathing and swimming (pay attention
to the flags, though, as currents can be
strong), there's an 800m zipline at the far
eastern end of the beach (plus another one
30 minutes away at Ugong Rock), ATV
rides (P800/hr), mangrove boat trips
(P200; 45min) and even jungle trekking
(P500 per person). Ask at Green Verde
travel centre ( T 0926 230 9137) for more
information. Or if this all sounds like too
much, there are numerous massage shacks
(P350/hr) dotted along the beach.

SABANG AND THE
UNDERGROUND RIVER
he Underground River , or to give it its
proper name, Puerto Princesa
Subterranean River National Park, is
another UNESCO World Heritage Site
and top of the list of wonders for most
visitors to central Palawan. One of the
longest underground rivers in the world,
it meanders for more than 8km through a
bewildering array of caverns, chambers
and pools passing stalactites, stalagmites,
columns and thousands of bats. he
formations are made even more eerie on
your ride through by the shadows cast by
the boatmen's lamp, though their
somewhat inane running commentary
detracts from the atmosphere.
Boat trips from Sabang wharf start daily
from 8am and the last boat leaves at
3.30pm. Since the site was recognized as
one of the “new Seven Wonders of
Nature” in 2012 it has become more
popular than ever and the daily quota of
900 visitors is reached every day during
peak season. In order to help control
visitor numbers you now have to arrange
your permit (P250) in Puerto Princessa at
least one day in advance of your visit. If
you join an organized tour this will be
done for you, but if not it's easy enough
to arrange by visiting the park o ce in
the City Coliseum in San Pedro, Puerto

8

ARRIVAL AND DEPARTURE
Buses, vans and jeepneys make daily morning trips
(2-3hr) from the San José terminal in Puerto to Sabang,
the jumping-off point for the Underground River. The last
departure from Sabang to Puerto is at 6pm (with Lexus
vans), although the majority of services leave in the
mornings. For El Nido, catch a jeepney to the junction at
Salvacion (7am, 10am, noon and 2pm) from where you
can change for El Nido services. You can expedite this
connection by pre-purchasing a van seat through Green
Verde travel centre, or Lexus vans.
Bangkas Unscheduled bangkas sometimes do the
Sabang-Port Barton route (2hr 30min; P1200/person or
P7200 for the whole boat), and might even continue on to
El Nido (9hr) if there's demand - ask at the Green Verde
travel centre.