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The Lost Underground River World in Paradise | Mysterious Universe

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The Lost Underground River World in

Paradise
2 Comments

January 29, 2015

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Brent Swancer

As much as we have explored our planet and cataloged the myriad forms of life that
inhabit it, there are still mysteries that have managed to remain largely hidden from the
gaze of mankind. From lost forest worlds to underground lakes in Antarctica, to deep
sea abysses, our planet manages to continually surprise and tantalize us with its
seemingly endless enigmas and new, awe inspiring realms we have only just begun to
understand. One such place lies on, or rather under, Palawan Island in the Philippines,
one of the most pristine tropical islands in the world. Here beneath the sunbathing
tourists, majestic mountains, and white sand beaches of this island paradise meanders
one of the wonders of the natural world; one of the longest and most mysterious
underground river systems in the world.

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Palawan Island, Philippines

Palawan Island is about as close to a postcard picture perfect island paradise as youre
likely to find. The largest island of Palawan Province and the fifth largest in the
Philippines, Palawan Island has nevertheless remained one of the least developed and
sparsely inhabited. Verdant jungle mountains, pristine, ancient virgin wilderness
brimming with wildlife, and unspoiled white sand beaches are par for the course here.
http://mysteriousuniverse.org/2015/01/the-lost-underground-river-world-in-paradise/

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The Lost Underground River World in Paradise | Mysterious Universe

The island boasts one of the most stunning arrays of biodiversity to be found in the
Philipines and indeed the world, and it has often ended up on lists of the best island
getaways for years. Palawan also has the distinction of being ranked as a Biosphere
Reserve and holds one of the most intriguing UNESCO World Heritage Sites there is; the
stunningly surreal and beautiful underground river and cave system of the Cabayugan
River.

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Puerto Princesa Subterranean River National Park

Within the Saint Paul Mountain range lies Puerto-Princesa Subterranean River National
Park, which is located north-west of Puerto Princesa, the capital of Palawan Province.
The park is dominated by a striking landscape comprised of around 90% karst limestone
ridges, peaks, cliffs, pinnacles, and shafts that meander along the west coast of
Palawan Island. Much of the park is heavily forested with various species of hardwood
trees, and the coastal area is lush with mangrove forests and colorful coral reefs. Even
the steep limestone formations hold vegetation that hangs precariously from ledges
and cliffs. Beneath this rugged terrain of forest and jagged limestone sprawls a vast
underground cave system that is 24km (15 miles) long. It is through this cave system
that the Cabayugan River passes; beginning around 2km south-west of Mount Saint
Paul and flowing for around 8.2 km (around 5 miles) underground through spacious
subterranean chambers and caves to end its journey at an outlet into St. Pauls Bay in
the South China Sea.
The underground Cabayugan river long remained hidden from the Western world and
was once held a mythical status, the only evidence of it being the stories and rumors of
the native people of the island. In 1898, the American Zoologist Dean C. Worcester
spent a good deal of time studying the fauna of Palawan and made mention of the
mysterious river, saying, If accounts are to be believed, of a lake opening to the sea by
a subterranean river.

The underground river of Palawan

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The Lost Underground River World in Paradise | Mysterious Universe

Considering that the entrance to the system is a small opening in a cliff half submerged
by a lagoon surrounded by thick trees and subject to the rising and falling tides, it is
perhaps no wonder the Cabayugan River remained hidden from the modern world for so
long. Of course, it did turn out there was just such a river, and a truly unique and
breathtaking one at that. The longest navigable completely underground river in the
world, the entire 5 mile length of the river system winds through dramatic subterranean
realms of soaring stalactites and stalagmites, vast cave chambers measuring up to 60
meters high, and dark tunnels leading off into the unseen murk beyond. Many of the
stalactites and stalagmites here shimmer with glimmering water crystals formed by
eons of precipitation and erosion, sometimes giving the impression of being a forest of
crystalized trees. Along the way, the river branches off into smaller tributaries that
snake off into the darkness.

The entrance to the subterranean Cabayugan River system

This underground cave and river system and its surrounding environs are home to a
variety of organisms, many of which are considered to be endangered species and
some of which are rather unique. Within the caves and chambers one can find large
numbers of cave swiftlets; unique birds which navigate the darkness using sonar like
bats and use their unique glue-like saliva to stick to walls and fashion nests. There are
also millions of flitting hordes of bats representing 8 different species, as well as
numerous species of cave crickets and other invertebrates, and reptiles such as lizards
and snakes. Within the rivers waters one can find a variety of species of fish, shrimps,
and other crustaceans.
The extent and diversity of the fauna of the underground cave and river system of
Puerto-Princesa Subterranean River National Park is still little understood. The mostly
unexplored caves sprawl for miles, with countless chambers, offshoots, caverns, and
tunnels, and the river has many smaller streams branching out into the darkness. It is
almost a certainty that new species lurk somewhere within, some perhaps beyond our
wildest imaginings. Locals tell tales of all manner of mysterious cave denizens, such as
giant lizards, strange dwarf-like humanoid beings, and various aquatic beasts such as
mermaids and sea serpents prowling the rivers waters. Is there any grain of truth to
these accounts? What might we find in this lost land deep under the earth?

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Already there have been strange findings within the subterranean river system, with the
discovery of a fossilized Sirenia, a type of prehistoric sea cow which lived around 20
million years ago in the Miocene Age, embedded in the cave walls. The finding is quite
unusual for several reasons. Although dugongs, which are similar to what a Sirenia
would have been like, are occasionally known in the coastal areas where the river exits
to the sea, they are not known to travel at all into the underground river itself. How did
this Sirenia wind up here? In addition, the finding is doubly strange because Sirenia
were only thought to have been found in Europe, the Mediterranean and Africa, making
one on Palawan Island in the Philippines quite out of place indeed.
In recent years as more people have become aware of the existence of this magical
place, tours of the underground cave and river system of Puerto-Princesa Subterranean
River National Park have become more popular, and it is even possible to get a look at
the fossil, although it is difficult to go there and a special permit is required. Once
underground on the river, the amount of access granted to the public is limited, but it is
still possible to get a feeling for the haunting grandeur of this unique, surreal domain of
soaring cave chambers and crystal rock formations.

Tour in the Puerto Princesa Subterranean National Park

With its sun soaked beaches and gorgeous scenery, Palawan Island is a tropical
paradise for tourists from all over the world, yet it is what lies underground that makes
this place truly a treasure. As people hike the trails and enjoy themselves above
ground, below ground the Cabayugan River flows hidden from sight as it has for
millions of years and will for millions more.
TAGS: biology, Cryptozoology, lost world, natural world, strange places

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The Lost Underground River World in Paradise | Mysterious Universe

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Syd Moran

4 days ago

That beats "It's a Small World" in my book! or, Locals Make Good. Well done.

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the unraveler

5 days ago

My mom was born in Palawan. :) I can confirm, it's an amazing, amazing place.

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