Philippines > The underground river of Palawan

We have an early breakfast. At seven o’clock we are already at the buffet. The other guests are probably preparing for their excursions as well. At eight o’clock we report to the theater, the meeting point for the excursion. Although we are only required to be there at a quarter past eight, we can go straight to the bus. When we leave the ship, we are welcomed by cheerful Filipino music, dancers, and schoolchildren. Dozens of small buses are waiting outside. We have to report to bus number 1. However, there are several smaller buses marked with number 1. Apparently, that does not matter much. We are assigned to John, our guide for today. There are only six of us in the bus, including Hannah, the English host from Costa. She had already mentioned yesterday that she would be joining this excursion. The other passengers are from Germany and Austria. As we drive into Puerto Princesa, the capital of the island of Palawan, John tells us about the Philippines. The streets are busy. Interestingly, there are no traditional three-wheeled tuk-tuks here, but rather covered motorcycles with sidecars. As in many Asian countries, there seems to be a hierarchy in traffic. Scooters and motorcycles hardly count; they simply have to move aside. Tuk-tuks are tolerated if there is no other option. Vans like ours usually keep driving, except when facing trucks and buses. Outside Puerto Princesa it becomes quieter. I notice that there is no litter anywhere on the streets, which is quite remarkable for an Asian country (apart from Japan). Via a winding road we head into the mountains towards the underground river in St. Paul’s Subterranean River National Park, located on the other side of Palawan. In the sharp bends we have to hold on tight. After about two hours we safely arrive in Sabang. Traditional fishing boats lie here, now used to transport tourists. Extra beams are attached on both sides for stability. From the pier we step on board and are handed life jackets. They do not fit very well. I doubt whether such a life jacket would help if you fell into the water; it immediately rides up. I suppose I could quickly take it off if necessary. When the boat heads out to sea, the engine makes a deafening noise and conversation becomes impossible. The crew seems unfazed. Dozens of boats are sailing toward the entrance of the underground river. I wonder why the boat is covered — how can you see the caves? Soon it becomes clear that we will transfer. The boats dock at a small beach. I have to walk a short distance through the seawater. I follow John inland. Monkeys watch us from the beach; they can be quite cheeky, John warns, so we should not get too close. A little further on, an iguana walks along the path. The entrance to the underground river is a short distance from the coast. Here we board a kind of canoe. Everyone receives an audio set that provides information in the chosen language, preventing too much noise in the caves. The skipper skillfully steers us toward the cave entrance. The river is narrow and the ceiling lower than I had imagined. I see beautiful rock formations. With his headlamp, the skipper points out the most remarkable ones and even shines the light on a few bats. In some places stalactites have formed. We sail more than a kilometer along the underground river. This river on Palawan is the longest navigable underground river in the world and has been named one of the New Seven Wonders of Nature — though I am not entirely sure what the other six are. After about forty-five minutes we reach the cave exit again. What a beautiful journey. We return to the pier by boat. Boarding is a bit challenging because of the waves; the boat rocks heavily in the surf. Everyone manages to get on safely. Back in the bus in Sabang, John hands out small bags with snacks: a drink, a banana, and banana chips. I am quite hungry. During the drive back to Puerto Princesa I eat my lunch. Around half past two we arrive back at the ship. We do not feel like walking into Puerto Princesa; it did not look particularly special. Instead, we order a drink on board and I continue reading my book. In the evening, after dinner, there is a Gold Disco in the atrium bar. When we arrive, the last songs are being played. We order another glass of wine and take it with us to the theater, where the band Vi-Rey is performing. They play soul music in an impressively good way. We had already seen them earlier in the Luna Bar. After the show, we return to our cabin.