Sunday Times

A RIVER RUNS UNDER IT

- Ash — Paul

Palawan island in the Philippine­s has one of the world’s more unusual travel experience­s — a boat ride down an undergroun­d river. That said, if you’re afraid of the dark, caves, enclosed spaces, water or bats, the Puerto Princesa Subterrane­an River National Park — voted one of the New7Wonder­s of Nature in 2012 — may be a place you’d best avoid.

For many travellers, however, the prospect of voyaging by small boat, Gollumstyl­e, into a vast, deep cavern is so appealing that the trip has become one of those must-do Instagram travel moments — only with fewer hordes, as getting to the cave requires a bit of planning.

Once there, however, you have a pick of operators who will paddle you into the cave on a tiny craft.

Apparently, it’s best to keep your mouth closed at all times, on account of bat poo from the cave’s permanent residents.

Still keen? Then see ppur.com.ph.

 ?? Picture: ppur.com.ph ?? INTO THE DEEP Tour the Puerto Princesa undergroun­d river.
Picture: ppur.com.ph INTO THE DEEP Tour the Puerto Princesa undergroun­d river.

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