Palawan's main attraction, the Puerto Princesa Underground River, was officially named one of the world's new natural wonders in January 2012. Such prestige has easily placed the south-western island in the list of the world's most desirable tourist destination. This year, Palawan landed a spot in Travel Leisure magazine's selection of the world's best island for travelers.
What makes the Puerto Princesa Underground River enticing? The hidden river boasts a kind of beauty that goes beyond its value as a favorite spot for a great ferry ride. Its charm is definitely more than skin deep for nature lovers, spelunkers, science enthusiasts, and anyone else with a spirit of adventure.
The River's Natural Allure
The Puerto Princesa Underground River is one of the world's longest and most navigable subterranean river. Joining Tubbataha Reef as a UNESCO World Heritage site, the five-mile river features one-of-a-kind cave formations. Its cavern showcases impressively large chambers that are at least 60 meters high and 120 meters wide. Geologists have discovered a dome inside the cave measuring 980 feet from the river's surface. They have also found that the cave holds a second floor, an indication of the presence of waterfalls in the area.
Although the Puerto Princesa Underground River is a subterranean body of water, it is well above sea level. The lower half of the river, which flows into St. Paul Bay, is brackish water. It is more salty than fresh water, but it cannot be regarded as salt water. Nevertheless, this part of the river is influenced by the ocean tides, making the World Heritage site a highly unique natural phenomenon. The waterway's entire length is navigable inland by up to 4.5 kilometers. The river cruise through the cave allows a view of the extraordinary karst landscape. The difficult subterranean structures in the deeper areas of the river's path, however, make it nearly impossible for people to travel the whole length of the river. For this reason, tourists are only allowed to take a tour of the first few kilometers of the river.
A Haven for Biodiversity
The Puerto Princesa Underground River tour offers an extraordinary experience to the typical nature-lover. Apart from its exceptional geological features, the island is a complete mountain-to-sea ecosystem. It nurtures diverse forms of life. It is home to eight types of forests, some of which are important forests in Asia. Its Palawan Moist Forest has the richest tree flora with outstanding levels of endemic plant and animal life. Even the Worldwide Wildlife Fund Global Report has recognized it as Asia's most valuable lime forest.
Beatrice writes blogs for Hopping Buddies Travel & Tours, a registered travel agency in the Philippines that offers affordable packages to Puerto Princesa, El Nido and Coron. Visit their website for more information on their packages, tours and other services.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Beatrice_Afra
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