We arrived in Puerto Princesa by plane from Manila. The runway, flat as a table and paved with concrete, was trapped in low, wet clouds. In a convulsion, the plane broke through the rain clouds, thudded onto the runway, bounced a couple of times, and, slowing down, docked at the parking area. There is no actual airport building here. Instead, there is a canopy under which we sheltered from the tropical downpour and collected our luggage.
The western Philippine province of Palawan consists of 1,769 islands. Geologically, Palawan is considered a continuation of the island of Kalimantan, which belongs to Malaysia and Indonesia. Its flora and fauna differ from the nature of the Philippine archipelago islands in their uniqueness and diversity. The climate here is tropical, transitioning to sub-equatorial in the south. The average annual temperature is 25-29 degrees Celsius. Palawan, along with its islets, blissfully lies in the embrace of two tropical seas. There are no volcanoes here, but there is a real mountain range that rises from sea level to a height of 2,050 meters.
The city of Puerto Princesa seemed quite small, without a distinct center. Many side streets are small markets where one can buy fruits and roasted pigs.
The city is named after Princess Eulalia de Bourbon, daughter of Isabella II of Spain, during the 1872 expedition that founded the city on the island of Paragua (also known as Palawan).
There seemed to be nothing to see in the main city of Palawan. The best attraction is our hotel "Laguna" with a beautiful garden, an indoor pool, and cozy rooms.
From Puerto Princesa to Sabang National Park is 75 kilometers. Leaving the city in the morning, we head northeast along the only road that winds through the mountains and tropical forest. We are going to visit the famous Philippine attraction - the underground river of Saint Paul.
It took almost two hours to reach Sabang. The road turned out to be exceptionally interesting. Around us were pristine jungles, sometimes divided by rice fields and coconut palm plantations. Often, the vibrant island landscape featured grazing buffalo and farmers under wide-brimmed hats. The limestone outcrops in pillar form and whimsical shapes added a special charm to the landscape.
The road ended on the western coast, washed by the South China Sea. On a "bangka" boat, known in Indonesia as "jukung," we traveled along the shores of Palawan. Philippine boats, thanks to their narrow hulls, are quite maneuverable and very stable due to their outriggers.
The waves today are substantial. We are tossed up and down like on a roller coaster.
The panorama opening from the sea is simply magnificent - steep stone shores, eroded by tropical rains, jut sharply above the sea cliffs and are inaccessible.
Such relief, as became clear later, is characteristic of Palawan everywhere.
We sailed for about half an hour. The strong surf constantly pushed the boat back into the sea, making it difficult to land on the shore. Finally, the captain managed to catch the rhythm of the waves. It threw us far onto the white sandy strip by the mighty palms bent by the wind.
We walked along a wooden path into the depths of the forest. Monkeys looked at us from the trees without much interest, while huge, bulging-eyed monitor lizards showed complete indifference by the trail. Soon we emerged on the shore of a lake. The steep, sheer banks, densely overgrown with vegetation, were entwined with vines. Like sleeping snakes, they touched the dark green waters. At the foot of the walls, a huge, wide entrance to the cave opened, from which a barely noticeable river flowed.
From here, we set off on a tour underground in a small rowboat.
Daylight disappeared. The boat moved slowly, rounding the carved ledges of the walls. Thousands of bats flitted about on the high ceiling, chirping and flapping their wings. The cave was not equipped. There was no lighting whatsoever.
The only, albeit quite powerful, flashlight was with the guide, who naturally illuminated only those areas he deemed necessary. Fortunately, I had brought my flashlight and was able to expand my understanding of the cavity.
The length and dimensions of the underground river tunnel are enormous. If local brochures are to be believed, it runs through the mountains of Saint Paul and, after eight kilometers of underground wandering, flows into the South China Sea. The underground river, which in the past bore the name of Saint Paul, is considered the most beautiful and longest navigable underground river in the world. A national park has been established in its vicinity, recognized by UNESCO as a World Heritage site. More than ninety percent of the park's territory has been created by karst processes. Sharp limestone ridges and peaks, bridges and arches, wells and caves give the landscapes fairy-tale forms. The landscape around Mount Saint Paul looks particularly impressive. It is from here that rain moisture, rushing into the depths of the limestone mountains, gives rise to the underground river, which, in turn, carving its way to the South China Sea, has washed out an extensive system of underground tunnels in the limestone layers. The true dimensions of the cave are, unfortunately, unknown due to unexplored areas. Filipinos regard the underground world with some skepticism. There are no speleologists in the country. However, year by year, interest in the caves of Palawan from foreign researchers is noticeably growing.
Our underground journey continued. The boat moved in an endless darkness. The cautious rustle of the oars. And the kisses of drops falling from invisible heights.... The beams of the flashlights only caught the tips of the giant stalactites hanging over the water's surface. Sometimes the boat passed close to the shore, where behind the swaying shadows of the ledges new mazes and halls were hiding.
I have spent my whole life exploring caves. As they say, I have seen many wonders, but what unfolded before my eyes here was beyond all delight...
When we emerged from the cave, the sea was raging fiercely. It played with mighty waves, throwing them onto the sandy shore and cliffs of Palawan. Then a tropical downpour began, and it became unclear where the sea ended and the sky began?
As it flows into the sea, the underground river freshens the seawater in a certain section, thereby creating special conditions. A lower salt content and low tides have created a unique habitat for many organisms. Hidden beneath the water's surface are coral reefs of amazing shapes and colors. And coastal niches serve as a refuge for giant transparent shrimp.
Soon the downpour ended, but the sea continued to rage. So we decided to return to Sabang on foot. Moreover, a special excursion trail has been laid through the jungle for this purpose, at the beginning of which a sign informed us - Karst Forest. This meant that the tour of the national park continued the theme of the underground river.
The karst processes that formed the Saint Paul cave not only shaped the underground landscape of the mountain but also created surface forms in the shape of elegant stone cypress trees, high and sheer outcrops, wells, and chasms. Everywhere and haphazardly, a forest grows over all this. On the steep slopes and above the chasms, the trail is equipped with wooden bridges, without which moving around is quite problematic.
Palawan is not only astonishing for its karst phenomena. The northern part of the island is a true gem. Here lies the protected area of El Nido, which consists of clusters of small islands, captivating with the untouched beauty of nature: lush tropical forests, pristine beaches, majestic cliffs, and unparalleled coral gardens.
The famous French explorer Jacques-Yves Cousteau, who has seen many beautiful and amazing places, confessed that he had never seen such stunning beauty anywhere as he encountered in Palawan.
After the rain, it was very pleasant to walk along the shore, watching the persistent foamy green waves and collecting coconuts brought in by the surf.
Despite all the adventures we faced in the Philippines, I consider this day in Palawan as one of the best that fate has ever given me.
We are flying to Tashkent. Eight hours of flight. Time drags slowly. Eight hours is a full working day. But everything comes to an end eventually. This exhausting flight has ended as well.
Tashkent is a complete contrast to what we encountered in the distant foreign land: declarations, inspections, slow processes, unfriendly staff - a completely different world that evokes nothing but regret.
It was fortunate that we were released into the wild. Otherwise, we would have been stuck in the transit "monkey cage" for 14 hours until our flight to Bishkek.
The staff of "Asia Travel," our long-time business partners, arranged a city tour and dinner in good Eastern traditions for us. From the warmth of the meeting and communication with good people, under good words and snacks, I drank "well" and, to be honest, I don't remember how I left the restaurant and what happened next.
Friends nudged me: "Get up, don't forget your passport. Where's your ticket? Hurry, they are waiting for us..." and again, we faced the agonizing hours of waiting in lines for customs, border control, boarding the plane, and inspection.
The half-empty plane, after circling over the city illuminated by night lights, plunged into darkness. But just a few minutes later, a golden ribbon of dawn glowed on the eastern horizon. There, beyond the mountains, our native land awaited us.