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Under ground river runs into nature's artworks
PUERTO PRINCESA CITY, Phillippines: "Have you ever seen nothing?" the tour guide asked as he paddled a 10-seater wooden boat deeper into one of the world's longest underground rivers located in the western Philippines. Robin Moreno, a tour guide for eight years at the Puerto Princesa Subterranean River National Park, then asked one of the tourists holding the lone spotlight on the boat to turn it off. Total darkness enveloped the cave and the eerie silence was broken only when Moreno declared, "Now that's nothing." Such little surprises punctuate the 45-minute tour of the underground river, where visitors are treated to a majestic display of nature's hidden works of art. The subterranean river is the main attraction at the national park, named after Puerto Princesa City, capital of Palawan province, 600 kilometres southwest of Manila. It was declared a World Heritage site in 1999. It runs 8.5 kilometres under the limestone and marble peaks of the Saint Paul mountain range. One of its distinguishing features is that it empties directly into the South China Sea. Once inside, tourists are greeted by amazing caverns and domes at each turn. Dripstones or stalactites jot out from the ceilings, while stalagmites rose from under the calm waters, reflecting colours of yellow and reddish brown. The stalactite and stalagmite formations resemble fruits, vegetables, animals, the face of Jesus Christ, a naked woman, body parts and whatever shapes one's imagination can conjure up. Thousands of bats inhabit the cave, but are often asleep during the day tours. "Keep your mouths closed when you look up," Moreno advised. "I don't know if that's water or something else dripping from the ceiling." Halfway through the tour, which runs just 1.5 kilometres since the rest of the river is being preserved for research, tourists come to a huge chamber with a ceiling extending 65 metres high and an altar-like formation bounded by pillars. "This is the cathedral," Moreno noted. "The altar is up there, and can you see the Holy Family? That's Joseph and Mary with the baby Jesus at the manger." The underground river, estimated to be at least 16 million years old, has been known to local people since ancient days, but was not explored then due to beliefs that a spirit inhabited the area. The cave was believed to have been formed by ground water that gradually dissolved the mountain's limestone as the tide rose, with the naturally created artworks a legacy of geological processes down ages. To this day, the gallery of art inside the underground river continues changing. Water ripples of various shapes, sizes and directions become etched deeper onto the cave's walls, creating fascinating patterns and textures, while new stalactite and stalagmite formations develop all over. The jump-off point for the river is Sabang district, 81 kilometres north of the city proper, where at least an overnight stay in a native cottage is a must to enjoy its powdery sand beaches, lush greenery and spectacular sunsets. From the pier, it is just a short boat ride to cross over Sabang's picturesque coast to the entrance of the Puerto Princesa Subterranean River National Park. Tourists can take a detour and hike through a jungle trail first to explore the park's flora and fauna, which includes monkeys, otters, hornbills and even some of the country's endangered species such as monitor lizards and Philippine cockatoos. While there are numerous other spectacular attractions in and around Puerto Princesa - including islands, waterfalls and dive spots - locals say an absolute must for tourists is the city's mystical underground river.
(China Daily 05/03/2005 page6)
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