Puerto Princesa Underground River Facts

Puerto Princesa Facts for Kids

• Visitors have said that some of the rock formations look like certain things. These include: a horse, cacao fruit, a mushroom and even the holy family!
• The Puerto Princesa might run underground but it is actually above sea level! The water from the river flows into St. Paul Bay.
• It used to be believed that it was the longest underground river in the world until a longer underground river was discovered in Mexico.
• The park in which the river is found is home to more than 800 plant species. There are 300 tree types, 195 bird species, about 30 mammals, 19 reptiles and even eight different kinds of bats that fly around in the caves (Tourists sometimes wear helmets to protect themselves from bat droppings landing on their heads).
• The monkeys at the park absolutely love having visitors, especially if they have food! The monkeys are known to grab food from people and are a very cute attraction!
• The dominant tree species in the park is the Dipterocarp species.
• If you would like to visit this underground river, you only have to take a short ferry trip from Sabang, a nearby town. You can even travel the river on a fiberglass boat that will allow you to see all the beautiful things the river has to offer.
• Tourists not only wear helmets to protect themselves from the bats, but also from any loose stalactites that may fall from the caves. Stalactites are the mineral formations that hang from caves. Stalactites are found on the floor.
• Did you know that geologists and environmentalists actually found that the river has a second floor? They made this discovery in 2010 and this has made them think that there could also be waterfalls in the cave that houses the Puerto Princesa Underground River!
• President Benigno Aquino III declared that 11th November will be known as Puerto Princesa Underground River Day.