Palawan: the Philippine island home to one of the world's natural wonders

As the boatman paddled us across the small mangrove-fringed lagoon towards the jagged opening in the rock, there was no clue that one of the natural wonders of the world – and that is an official designation – was about to swallow us up.

We gently coasted from piercing light into utter darkness before our eyes slowly blinked into focus, our helmet-lamps picking out the unfolding riot of swirls and shapes.

We had entered the longest subterranean river on the planet that is accessible to regular travellers – the five-mile-long Puerto Princesa Underground River. 

This beguiling sliver of water snakes through the middle of Palawan, an island of empty beaches, emerald lagoons, towering limestone cliffs and diverse marine life.

Still largely unexplored and unexploited, this could be one of South-east Asia’s final frontiers, closer to Borneo than it is to the rest of the Philippines. To an outpouring of great national pride, the river was voted one of the New Seven Wonders of Nature in 2011. The United Nations body Unesco had already granted it World Heritage Site status back in 1999, describing the mountain-to-sea ecosystem, the impressive cave systems and the tidal flow between underground river and ocean as a “significant natural global phenomenon”.

The mysteries of the cave complex are still being navigated and charted by an intrepid group of speleologists, geologists and explorers from the Italian group La Venta. In one of their recent expeditions, they discovered that the underground river has a second floor, which means that there are small waterfalls inside the cave.

But for tourists making the one-hour trip, the experience is much more sedate. The glories in the gloom emerged as we slipped deeper into the subterranean world, accompanied by the relentless banter of our irrepressible guide.

A mysterious and majestic expanse of cathedral-like chambers adorned by an explosion of stalagmites and stalactites took shape in the lamp-light – resembling at times nothing less than an entombed and ancient geological version of Gaudi’s Sagrada Familia basilica in Barcelona.

The yawning, high-walled chambers invoked awe, while the frenzy of weirdly shaped stalactites tapering down from the roof and stalactites jutting up from the ledges were otherworldly.

Our torches picked out large colonies of sleeping bats as they clung to the roofs and walls of the chambers. Sleeping space here works by a time-share arrangement as the caves are home to bats by day and millions of swallows at night. Their roles are reversed at dawn and dusk as the nocturnal and diurnal inhabitants trade places, flocking into and out of the caves via the same small sea opening.

Alone among the world’s notable underground rivers, this is the only estuarial one that flows direct into an ocean. That is more than just a trivia fact, for it also meant that we arrived by a dramatic seaborne approach, speeding through the waters from the nearby town of Sabang on a wooden banca, the open outrigger that is a ubiquitous form of maritime travel in the Philippines.

Back at the landing point, we chose the overland route home through the park along the Monkey Trail, seen off by one of the giant prehistoric monitor lizards that linger at the start of the walk in search of scraps and pose menacingly for photos.

It was an invigorating 90-minute hike of peaks and dips through ancient forest and dramatic rock fissures, with the accompaniment of the jungle chorus of cawing birds and chirping cicadas. 

The five-hour road trip that followed, on to El Nido, the island’s second Unesco-recognised site, flew by in a reverie of spectacular views across mountains, coves and beaches. All glimmered magically in the tropical heat, bursts of vibrant bougainvillea delivering colour to the rainforest that carpets the sparsely populated terrain.

We had one short compulsory stop when the vehicle was searched at a checkpoint for illicit mangos as the authorities are trying to stop the spread of the mango pulp weevil from the infected parts to the uninfected north. With no forbidden fruit aboard, we were allowed to continue our journey.

Another hour later, we arrived with jaws dropped as we soaked up our new surroundings in one of Asia’s most beautiful, least crowded and most sympathetically developed destinations – the Bacuit archipelago, more commonly known simply as El Nido.

Here, craggy limestone islands rise out of clear waters towards a horizon shimmering in the haze of heat. And dotted amid them, tucked into small bays of palm trees, are the glorious retreats of El Nido Resorts.

Elsewhere in South-east Asia, the better-known haunts of Krabi and Ko Phi Phi in Thailand and Halong Bay in Vietnam offer similar views. But they have long been discovered by the tourist masses, their undeniable charms unavoidably diminished by their popularity and accessibility. For seascapes and land tableaux just as gorgeous but without the crowds, this is your place.

We stayed first on Lagen island in cottages perched on stilts over a calm shallow lagoon, sheltered inside a natural auditorium of limestone cliffs.

One day, we hiked the half-mile across the island, its hornbills keeping us cheerfully raucous company, to a private beach where the chef prepared the freshest barbecued fish and prawn and all our castaway dreams played out.

The cliffs of El Nido are home to swiftlets that use their saliva to produce the edible birds’ nests (“nido”) that give the area its name and are prized in Chinese cuisine. 

And when we kayaked back around Lagen to our cottages, we passed the simple bamboo structures of bird’s nest hunters strung perilously to rock faces.

Another day, we struck out with our guide, his badge name bearing his nickname Lover, effusive even by the never under-stated standards of the Philippines, to kayak to the twin lagoons – Great and Small – of Miniloc. Serene waters were walled in by looming rock faces topped by thick vegetation and eagles swooping overhead. It felt like nothing if not a scene from The Land That Time Forgot.

El Nido Resorts are rightly proud of their emphasis on the environment. They have another retreat on Pangulasian, where an early snorkel in the house reef was rewarded with an encounter with reef sharks. Two darted towards us, checking out the new arrivals close-up before heading off again into the depths.

There was one more treat in store before we left. El Nido Resorts operates its own airline as the only flight connection between El Nido and Manila, and as our propeller plane made the journey, we were given a final tantalising view of the blue seas, hidden beaches, rugged cliffs and rocky outcrops. 

The castaway dream is alive and well, just an hour from Manila. But don’t tell everyone.

Getting there

Audley Travel (01993 838 100; audleytravel.com) can tailor a 15-day itinerary taking in Manila, Bohol, Puerto Princessa and El Nido, including international and domestic flights with Philippine Airlines, from £3,510pp on a b&b basis.

Where to stay

El Nido, Bacuit Archipelago

El Nido Resorts (00 632 902 5951; elnidoresorts.com) has properties in four islands. 

At Lagen Island, a forest room is £320 a night. At its most upscale resort on Pangulasian, a canopy villa starts at £437. 

Sabang, Palawan

The jumping off point for the Underground River. I stayed at the Daluyon Beach and Mountain Resort (00 63 48 433 6379; daluyonbeachandmountainresort.com); rooms start at £87 a night.

Amazing things to do in the Philippines

Bohol Island, Visayas

Bohol is home to 1,200 or so limestone mounds known as the Chocolate Hills, that are a bit like giant Maltesers melted across a huge tray. Pleasantly unusual to behold, go in the summer (January to May) when they’ve dried out to brown.

Also living on the island are tarsiers, one of the world’s smallest primates. At less than six inches high, these furry little fellows have huge adorable eyes but are rather shy and endangered, which is why they can be found at a sanctuary in Corella.

Connected by bridge to Bohol, Panglao Island has miles of dazzling white-sand and is often cited as one of the world’s best diving spots. 

Boracay Island, Visayas

Imagine a gently sloping shore of talcum powder, and you’re close to visualising Boracay’s White Beach. This white-hot little treasure has been internationally praised to the skies, so is anything but quiet, with dozens of restaurants and bars.  

On Boracay’s northern tip, Puka beach has more of a rugged castaway wilderness feel. 

Bantayan Island, Visayas

Unknown even to most Filipinos, Bantayan is not the easiest place to reach – but the island’s quiet, beautiful white-sand beaches deserve the effort. Its splendid isolation has saved it – so far – from package travellers and hotel chains. 

By motorbike, you can tour Bantayan in half a day, or, as it has few contours, cycling on quiet roads shaded by coconut trees is an easy, invigorating way to beach-hop. Kota Beach has the advantage of a mini lagoon, protected by a white sandbar formed between January and June. Contrasting with Boracay’s party scene, Bantayan’s nightlife is limited to a few casual bars. 

Banaue rice terraces, Luzon

If you’re feeling beached-out, hit the high road for some cool green refreshment.

Rising to nearly 3,000 metres, the Cordillera Central mountains in north Luzon – nine hours from Manila – provide a dramatic but tranquil alternative for hikers. Banaue is perhaps the most famous attraction in this area, earning the tiny town a place on Unesco’s list of World Heritage Sites with its ancient, towering rice terraces.

Negros Island, Visayas

So many exciting underwater adventures await on the sugar-rich island of Negros, divers might think they’ve died and gone to Atlantis.

Apo Island is home to sea turtles and spectacular coral gardens; Bais Bay has dolphins and huts on stilts overlooking turquoise water and a long white sandbar; Siquijor has miles of deserted beaches; and at Oslob, whale sharks will be your giant swimming companions.