Booking for Underground River
by Donna Amis Davis / @DonnaAmisDavis
The Puerto Princesa Underground River is becoming more and more popular as a tourist destination. Because permits are required to visit the Underground River, and because the daily capacity is limited, it is advised to obtain the permits two weeks in advance of your desired visit.
To book your trip to the Underground River:
BOOKINGS
Bookings and other information for the Tour can be made at the Underground River Booking Office located at the Coliseum building, on the National Highway. Visitors are also required to present valid identification and register individually prior to the tour.
Underground River Booking Office
Tel. +63(48) 723- 2563 / Telefax +63(48) 434-2509
E-mail: [email protected] (This is the most recent contact information I have for the PPUR office)
Park Rates and Other Fees Local International
General Entrance Fee*
Adult P 100.00 P 150.00
Minor P 75.00 P 100.00
UR Tour Entrance Fee**
Adult P 175.00 P 250.00
Minor*** P 100.00 P 150.00
Commercial Video Fee P3,000.00
*Includes sightseeing, jungle trail, bird watching, snorkeling, spelunking
**Filipino senior citizens 60 yrs old and up, minors 17 yrs old and below, & the differently abled are exempted from paying the UR Tour Entrance fee.
***Children 2 years old and below will not be allowed for the UR tour
Carrying Capacity
To conserve the outstanding universal values of the Puerto Princesa Underground River, a carrying capacity of nine hundred visitors a day has been set and a no permit, no entry policy is strictly enforced. This is to ensure the thousands of bats and swiftlet and other life forms are not disturbed beyond their tolerable level that will cause them to abandon the underground River for more suitable conditions. The PPUR is being conserved for the benefit and enjoyment of the present and future generations.
“We sincerely regret and apologize for any inconvenience this may have caused and we appeal to you to please bear with us.”
How to Get There
From Puerto Princesa City, the PPSRNP is accessible by land via a 76 km concrete road. It is served by public utility jeep and air-conditioned shuttle vans. It takes around one and a half hours of travel from the City to Sabang. From where, the Underground River may be accessed by a 20 minute ferry ride to beach area near the cave entrance.
Online Booking Fees for Underground River
The fees are per person, and they include your permit, plus round-trip boat transportation from Sabang to the beach at the mouth of the Underground River, and then also your paddle canoe boat ride into the Underground River, and back out.
You will also need to get to Sabang Beach. There are many, many companies that will get you there. See the links below for those recommended by the Puerto Princesa City Government. It is also possible to take public transportation to Sabang, via public jeepneys.
The Protected Area Management Board (PAMB) and the City Tourism Department has advised all vacationers planning to visit the Puerto Princesa Underground River (PPUR) to secure entrance permits early before flying to the city.
In peak season, the tours of the Underground River fill up. Philippine school holidays are during the months of April and May, and Palawan really gets busy with local visitors during those months. Foreign visitor peak during the earlier part of the year – January, February, and March, when the weather is driest.
According to the Protected Area Management Bureau, in order to protect and conserve the park in its natural state, the park’s carrying capacity has been set at a maximum of 900 visitors per day. Entrance permits have been required for many years now.
Online Booking for Transport to Underground River
Visitors can book travel to Sabang online through accredited travel and tour agencies in Puerto Princesa most of which have websites and emails. The website of the city government has a list of the accredited travel and tour agencies at the Official Website of the City Government.
Link to list of travel and tour agencies.
Link to Accreditated List of Accomodations.
Plan ahead to make your trip to Palawan as enjoyable as possible.
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Glad you posted this! Visitors must know that they just can’t touch down and enter the Underground River (UR). Caves are fragile environments and the local government must balance access (by visitors) with protection (of the ecology that’s being visited). Nowadays, some 1,500 visitors a day come here to visit the UR and only half (780) can enter. May I link your readers to this post — http://retirednoway.wordpress.com/2011/12/15/understanding-the-underground-river/ — that explains the trip to the UR?
Hi! Yes, we went to get permits for some visitors who are coming in late June, and the Booking Office was a circus. I feel for visitors who may have come all this way then not be able to visit the sight they came for! But we did learn that besides booking ahead, you can’t book TOO FAR ahead. I think the travel and tour agencies are able to get permits for people, at a price.
Sure, I would be honored if you link your reader to this information. It is good that efforts are being made to protect this natural wonder.
Reblogged this on Where Else Philippines.
love it – reblogged 🙂
Thanks, Stephen. Yes, let your friends know. Palawan is a great place to visit. But people need to plan ahead. This summer apparently, there are several large conventions scheduled here that are filling all the rooms in Puerto, besides making a waiting list for the Underground River. Thanks for the reblog!
What a beautiful place! 🙂
Yes, Olive, it is beautiful. Thank you for stopping by, and Liking this post. Best of luck to you on your new blogging adventure!
hi good morning…can i book for UR, this coming Oct. 19, 2012..
I don’t do bookings. You’ll have to contact a travel agent!
I’m a bit jealous that you’ve been on that part of our country for so long, and it will just be my first to time go to that spot in the afternoon on the 9th. It’s refreshing to read through your blogs, and thank you for posting this. I will have to book a flight back in the near future. 🙂 And yes, my friends and I have our passes secured about two weeks ago. 🙂
Oh, so glad to hear you are getting to visit Palawan! And good news that you have your PPUR passes. This time of year, there shouldn’t be quite the big crowds of the summer. Enjoy yourself!
Oh, that’s great! Just be aware there aren’t any ATM machines in Sabang (by the Underground River). And there didn’t used to be any in El Nido, though I think I heard they have one there now!
hi.i just want to ask if you know the office hours of the booking office? we will arrive in PP at 5:00pm on a Sunday. Do you think it is still open by that time?tnx.
Sorry, I don’t know. I really doubt if it would be open that late on a Sunday, though.
Pleasant day to you. I’m Raquel S. Bautista, who wish to confer a little conflict with the Palawan base travel agency, Bianca Ticketing Service, whom I paid the 50% for a package tour of 6 pax @ 7KPhp/pax (42KPhp as the total cost). The tour is scheduled in April 18, 19, 20, 2013, however, after several follow ups via email & mobile calls, to this date, I have not received a confirmed schedule whether my family shall proceed to the vacation tour in Palawan Underground River experience. The latest info the agency have made that reach my attention was in March 27, 2013 specifying that the government permit for the underground river is approved, and nothing follows. Please help me trace this travel agency. I have been browsing to file a complaint to seek someone who can clean up the mess this travel agency made, and luckily i found this portion. Thanking you in advance and will await your immediate response.
the email ad of Bianca Ticketing Service is [email protected]
you may find below email correspondences regarding payment transactions with bank details :
“Hi mam,
The total payment is php42,000. 50% downpayment (21,000) must be done upon confirmation of your tour package. The rest 50% payment upon arrival here in palawan. You can send the downpayment in BDo
DANA BIANCA PAALAN – 5040234474
Mam kindly email the names and bday of 6pax guests. Thank you.”
Contact details of Bianca Ticketing Service : 0947 5514051; 0927 7826202; 0916 5587376 (office address : Rizal Ave. corner Burgos St. PP
really appreciate if someone, anyone with feeling would try to help me because somehow this travel agency may have other more victims to collect
Hi Raquel. I’m sorry I can’t help you with your problem. I’m in the U.S. right now.
Glad I found your blog, next February I will go there and just know about the permit. 🙂
Hi,I and my family (around 10 people including 3 yrs old and 1 yr old) are planning to go in the underground river in puerto prinsesa palawan just by ourselves for we are in budget mode and can’t afford to buy tour, is it possible for us to see this beautiful place without a tour? How much will it cost all in all?
Hi Ann,
Thank you for stopping by the blog! Unfortunately, I’m not on Palawan right now, so can’t answer your question about specific prices and so forth for visiting the Underground River. Yes, it is possible to get their on your own, without taking a tour. There are jeeps going to Sabang at least twice a day.
This is beyond amazing!
Thank you for stopping by!
Hi
We have booked the Underground River Tour very convenient thru http://ppur.com.ph
We really recommend it!