The island of Cebu has a lot of natural wonders that serve as playgrounds for those with adventure in their hearts. Limestone cliffs, mountain ranges, coral reefs, waterfalls, rivers—you name it, we got it. And, of course, Cebu is pockmarked with innumerable caves that are waiting for those who dare to enter into the world of darkness and into Cebu’s innards.
Metro Cebu is obviously a very well developed city. Highly urbanized, it offers locals and foreigners alike countless opportunities for work, living, and leisure. But just like in any highly urbanized metropolis in the world, something must inevitably give way. In most cases, it is nature that is forced to step aside. Cebu’s rapid growth and progress has led to denuded forests, cleaved mountainsides, damaged reefs, polluted waters, and dried-up rivers.
As an archipelago with over 7,107 islands, the grandeur of the Philippines can be daunting when searching for the perfect vacation spot. So many of the islands are tourist friendly, and with so much to do, even a quick trip to the Philippines gives vacationers the chance to truly customize an unforgettable trip.
In the Philippines, there are two things that define a classic summer: swimming at the beach and island hopping. In Puerto Princesa, you get both! We capped our third day of adventuring with a boat tour on the islands that dot Honda Bay, a natural, serene, and scenic bay at the east of Puerto Princesa’s City Center. Honda Bay has several islands but only a few of them are open to tourists. The rest are protected areas or are now privately owned.
After concluding our Puerto Princesa Underground River tour with a sumptuous lunch, we headed to Barangay Tagabenit to try out another one of Puerto Princesa’s Ugong Rock Adventures. This was not included in our tour package, but we decided to visit Ugong Rock since we felt we need a dose of adrenaline. But before we reached the destination, we stopped by this magnificent, colossal karst mountain the locals call Elephant Cave.
In Part 1, we told you about the beautiful scenes and adventures as we journeyed to the Puerto Princesa Subterranean River National Park. Now, let’s go into the subterranean cave itself.
The Puerto Princesa Underground River is basically a complex river-cave system that has been carved inside the stunning karst mountain called St. Paul’s Karst Formation by the forces of Mother Nature. For millions of years, the constant flow of water from the Cabayugan River coupled with rain that seeps into the ground slowly but surely carves passages and cathedrals inside the mountain. The mountain itself is 1,026 meters high, and the entire park is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
The Philippines is laden with wondrous natural treasures whose beauty defies imagination. Unfortunately and unfairly, these magnificent sites are unheard of due to the lack of a clever, strategic tourism campaign. Most tourism campaigns focus on enchanting but the same old things about the country—white-sand beaches, rich diving sites, Spanish churches and remnants, exotic culture, delicious food, and hospitable locals—for years. The Philippines needs something new to promote.
Adrenaline Romance 