Puerto Princesa: A city in a forest
Puerto Princesa city’s attractions have much to do with its natural wonders and commitment to the environment. Known for its cleanliness and greenery, this city has been internationally recognised for environmental excellence.
AUNESCO World Heritage Site, and one of the New 7 Wonders of Nature, the Subterranean River ( or Underground River) is correctly called Puerto Princesa’s pride. The 8.2-kilometre river, said to be the longest navigable underground river in the world, winds its way underneath a mountain range, through the St. Paul Underground River Cave, and then goes out into the South China Sea. The journey through the cave system alone is 24 kilometres long.
The entire area where the Underground River is located is a national park and a model of biodiversity. More than 800 plant species, including almost 300 trees, 195 bird species, 30 mammals, 19 reptiles and eight bat species call this area home. Island-hopping is one of the biggest draws of Puerto Princesa. At Honda Bay, boats take tourists to nearby islands for lunch picnics, snorkelling and non-stop swimming. The calm water and sandy bottoms beat any hotel pool.
Puerto Princesa is also home to more secluded and less commercial beaches. The beaches of Nagtabon, Napsan, and Marufinas are known for fine beaches and awesome sunsets away from the crowds. In the municipality of Narra, Arena Island, a turtle sanctuary, and Rasa Island, a bird sanctuary, both have island- hopping opportunities.
A three-hour ride also leads to Port Barton in the municipality of San Vicente, which has been described as a backpacker’s dream. The only problem you might have is deciding whether to swim, dive, snorkel or just swing to sleep on a hammock.
Puerto Princesa’s heritage in the Batak Cultural Village is a model of the communities where the Batak mountain people — one of Palawan’s oldest and the smallest of three major indigenous groups — live. The Tabon Cave Complex in the municipality of Quezon is an important archaeological site. Although the 100-hectare complex is supposed to have some 200 caves, only seven can be viewed. Of these, the Tabon Cave itself was the site where the remains of the oldest homo sapiens in Southeast Asia were found, dating to 47,000 years ago.
For the brave, exotic food choices await. The ever popular Kinabuchs Grill and Bar serves tamilok (shipworm) and crocodile meat. The less adventurous can head for Ka Lui for their creative seafood dishes.