As we got closer to the underground river, the huge craggy boulders were like obedient sentinels that seem to watch every move of everyone.
The eerie reverent atmosphere had a wet and cold feel about it but we were just excited and awed at the opening scenes!
We had to pose to say "we've been here!"
As I stepped out of the banca, I literally savored and filled my lungs with the sandy-briny taste of the wind.
It is advisable to wear rubber slippers or sandals, shorts or swim wear because you will really be tempted to swim. Wrap your cellphones and cameras in plastic bags or better still (if you can afford them) bring "water-proof" cellphones/cameras for convenient shooting.
It was still raining when we arrived at the gates of the underground river. That actually hindered our beach combing and swimming. Nevertheless, we still enjoyed taking photos, hopeless models, I supposed.
The entry to the underground river is limited to only 900-1000 visitors daily from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. We were number 51. We had to wait for almost an hour for our turn to journey to the "ends of the earth."
As I looked around, the area is still pristine with tall, straight, stately trees and old but sturdy mangroves at the shorelines. Under those forests, sheds, bathrooms were put up for waiting tourists and a wooden walkway to the shores of the underground river.
There were groups of friends, families, couples donned in colorful plastic raincoats and orange life vests that waited patiently. That could have been the time for the organizers or tourists guides to show audio-visual presentations about Palawan and its scenic attractions as well as a briefing on the #PPUR.
There were three stops--at the Sabang Port, at the registration area and near the PPUR, that people listlessly roam around while waiting for their numbers. For our group, we spent those blank, unproductive time spaces by joking, clowning and making pictures.
"51" the tour guide called and that was about 3:30 p.m. We immediately wore life jackets and helmets.
Wooden bancas with 8 passengers including the boatman, carried us down the stream to the opening of the underground river. Two bancas at a time. I was with Louie, Volt, Mayda, Elvie, Benny and Dinnes with Volt as the light man.
The water was murky because of constant rain. As we entered the opening of the huge craggy rock to the underground river, I imagined I was in "middle earth" with Gollum lurking underwater. As we glided downstream, pungent amonia smell greeted us with flying bats above. Our boatman, Romnick kept reminding us (in jest) to close our mouths when we looked up because "there are rains and birds' shits."
According to Romnick, the underground river is 8.5 km and only 4.5 km is allowed to travel. It was huge and wide experience! Stalactites formed billions of years created a variety of shapes, sizes, forms and imaginary menu of statues, vegetables, animals, religious images.
Our boatman cum tour guide is well-versed with what to say and how to describe the images on the walls, at the ceiling and in every turn. They are paid by the local government unit of Puerto Princesa as regular employees.
Here are some of the magnificent and awesome images at the Puerto Princesa Underground River (PPUR) and I was here on July 28, 2012.
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