Puerto Princesa Subterranean River National Park

A big river flows inside a cave.

It is in the Philippines. The river flows into the sea.

This place is a special park. It is one of the wonders of nature. Many people visit it to see the cave.

Inside, you can see rock shapes. You can also see many bats.

They hang in the cave.

Lots of plants grow near the water. Many kinds of birds live in the trees. Some monkeys live there too.

It is a very grand place to explore.

The Puerto Princesa Subterranean River National Park is in the Philippines. It sits on the island of Palawan. This park is part of the Saint Paul Mountain Range.

A river flows through a large cave system. This is the second-longest underground river in the world. The river winds through the caves. Then, it flows into the South China Sea. Inside the cave, you can see rock shapes. These are called stalactites and stalagmites. One room is very big. It is one of the largest cave rooms in the world.

Many animals live in the park. You can find many kinds of birds and trees. Some mammals live there too, like the long-tailed macaque. These are monkeys. You can also see bats hanging in the cave.

This park is very special. It is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It was also named one of the New 7 Wonders of Nature in 2012.

The Puerto Princesa Subterranean River National Park is a very special place in the Philippines. It sits on the western coast of Palawan island. The park is part of the Saint Paul Mountain Range. It protects a huge cave system and a river that flows underground.

This area is famous all over the world. People travel from far away to see its amazing sights. It is a major place for tourists to visit.

The river is the second-longest underground river on Earth. It is actually part of the Cabayugan River. The water winds through deep caves before it reaches the South China Sea. Inside the caves, saltwater and freshwater mix together. This creates layers of water in the river. The top layer of freshwater is only a few centimeters thick. This layer disappears when heavy rain causes flooding.

Scientists and explorers have found many secrets in these caves. In 2010, they found a second floor inside the river. This means there are small waterfalls hidden deep inside. They also found a large cave dome and many rock formations. Some parts of the river are hard to explore. This is because there is not enough oxygen in the deep areas. Visitors usually reach the park by taking a boat called a Bangka. They travel from the seaside village of Sabang.

The park is home to many different living things. There are thirteen different types of forests here. Researchers found more than 800 kinds of plants. You can see many large trees like the dao and ipil. Many animals live in the trees and along the shore. There are 165 kinds of birds in the park. You might see a Palawan hornbill or a sea eagle. Some mammals, like the long-tailed macaque, live in the forest canopy.

This park has earned many important titles. It became a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1999. In 2012, it was named one of the New 7 Wonders of Nature. It also became a Ramsar Wetland Site that same year. The city of Puerto Princesa has managed the park since 1992. It is a very important place for protecting nature in Asia. The park connects mountains all the way to the sea.

The Puerto Princesa Subterranean River National Park is a highly significant protected area in the Philippines. It is situated within the Saint Paul Mountain Range on the western coast of Palawan island. This park protects the Puerto Princesa Subterranean River, which is also known as the Underground River. The site is a vital part of a mountain-to-the-sea ecosystem. It contains some of the most important forests in Asia. The local government of Puerto Princesa has managed this area since 1992.

The river itself is a major geological feature. It is the second-longest underground river in the world. The river is actually an underground section of the Cabayugan River. It winds through a complex cave system before flowing into the South China Sea.

Inside the cave, a unique process called stratification occurs. This happens when saltwater from the sea mixes with freshwater from the river. The freshwater creates a top layer only a few centimeters thick. This stratified water column disappears during heavy rain because flooding sweeps the seawater away.

The landscape is defined by limestone karst mountains. These mountains have created vast cave systems filled with impressive formations. The caves contain many stalactites and stalagmites. One of the most notable areas is the Italian's Chamber. This chamber has a volume of approximately 2.5 million square meters. This makes it one of the largest cave rooms in the world.

Explorers have found many different parts of this system. In 2010, geologists and environmentalists discovered a second floor within the river. This discovery revealed small waterfalls inside the cave. They also found a cave dome, rock formations, and deep water holes.

Biodiversity is a central feature of the national park. The park contains thirteen different forest types found in tropical Asia. These include mangrove forests, beach forests, and lowland evergreen tropical rainforests. Researchers have identified more than 800 plant species from 300 genera. Many of these are trees, such as the dipterocarp species. Common trees include the dao, ipil, dita, amugis, and apitong.

The variety of plants supports a massive range of animal life.

Animals thrive in the various habitats of the park. Birds represent the largest group of vertebrates found here. There are 165 bird species recorded in the park. This includes 67% of all bird species found in Palawan. You might see a Palawan hornbill or a white-breasted sea eagle. The park also hosts about 30 mammal species. The long-tailed macaque is the only primate found in the area.

Other mammals include the Palawan bearded pig and the bearcat. In the caves, nine species of bats live among the rocks.

The coastal areas provide food for the sea cow and the hawksbill sea turtle.

The park has received significant international recognition. It was inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site on December 4, 1999. In 2012, it was also named a Ramsar Wetland Site. The river gained global fame through the New 7 Wonders of Nature competition. It was provisionally chosen as a winner on November 11, 2011. This selection was officially confirmed on January 28, 2012. This recognition brought great pride to the Philippines. Even Google celebrated the park with a Google Doodle on June 30, 2019.

Tourism is a major part of the park's modern history. Most visitors access the site via road trips to the village of Sabang. From there, they use boats called Bangkas to enter the park. While the river is a major destination, some areas remain difficult to reach. The deeper parts of the underground river are almost impossible to explore. This is due to oxygen deprivation in those sections. The park remains a critical site for both tourism and biodiversity conservation.