Underground River in 2027

What changes at the Underground River in 2027?

Nothing announced so far. The 900-a-day limit, the permit rule and the 08:00 to 16:00 tour hours carry into 2027, and the new Sabang Wharf is still at the design stage.

The park has not published any 2027 changes by 15 November 2026. Its January 2026 notices set the frame: a Visitor Entry Permit for every visitor, a cap of 900 a day and tour hours that keep clear of the bats and swiftlets as they leave and return to the cave. The guest-handling process tested at Sabang Wharf since February 2026 is the one new step to know, and your guide takes you through it. The details are in our 2026 updates post.

Two city items to watch. The Sabang Integrated Wharf, designed with TIEZA and reviewed in February 2026, with no build dates yet. And the Subaraw National Music Championship, which the city says it will host in 2027.

The cave with an audio guide, lunch on the beach, the 800 m Sabang X zipline along the coast and the mangrove paddle boat, entrance and zipline fees included.

★ 4.6 · 10 hours · from $72

Explore the zipline and mangrove day → Tour details

What is the weather like in Puerto Princesa month by month?

Warm all year, with average highs of about 31 to 33°C. February to April are the driest months on the averages, and June to November bring most of the rain.

The table gives the average daily high, the average monthly rainfall and the rainy days in each month, from PAGASA's station in the city via Wikipedia. Sabang is on the west coast, about 80 km away, so read the numbers as a guide. The last column is what the month means for planning.

Rain in the forecast does not cancel the cave; the boat ride decides. The park pauses tours only in extreme weather, and the open-sea crossing from Sabang is the reason. On a wet day, bring a light rain jacket and a dry bag for your phone. The full picture, with the hours of the day, is in our best-time guide.

When are the busiest weeks at the Underground River in 2027?

Holy Week, from Palm Sunday on 21 March to Easter Sunday on 28 March 2027, and the hot dry months of April and May. Expect the permit slots to go first then.

With a fixed 900 visitors a day, a busy week means fewer open slots, not a bigger crowd in the cave. Holy Week is a major holiday week in the Philippines, and in 2027 it falls in late March, inside the dry season. April and May follow as the busiest stretch for permits. If your dates fall there, book the tour as soon as they are fixed.

November has its own buzz in the city. The Subaraw Biodiversity Festival runs around Underground River Day on 11 November, per the City Tourism Office, with parades and exhibits in town while the cave tours carry on as usual. December sits in the holiday season, so book those dates early too.

When should you book an Underground River tour for 2027?

As soon as your dates are fixed. Every tour here cancels free up to 24 hours before, and the listings let you reserve now and pay later.

The permit is what you are really booking. Your tour secures it, and you cannot count on a walk-in slot in Sabang: the park says plainly that going straight to the park or staying overnight there does not guarantee one. Booking early also gets you a normal pickup. On the Corazon listings, bookings made after 12:00 noon on the day before count as last-minute and get a later pickup time, after 8:00.

Arriving on a cruise ship? The shared Corazon tours do not take cruise guests, so book the private tour, which the listing describes as perfect for cruise passengers or anyone short on time. How the permit works step by step is in our permit guide.

How much does an Underground River tour cost in 2027?

Plan on today's from-prices: $38 to $60 per person for most day tours, $72 with the zipline and mangroves, $81 with the fireflies.

Prices are in USD and move with the date, so check again when you book. Add the PHP 150 environmental fee in cash for every tour except the tour with fees included, and lunch on the lowest-price tour and the guided day trip. The last column shows what the day adds to the same paddle boat inside the cave.

Optional extras are paid in pesos on site. One listing prints them: PHP 350 per person for the mangrove paddle boat, PHP 550 for the Sabang X zipline, PHP 300 to 650 for Ugong Rock. All of it, with tips, is in our cost guide.

Which Underground River tour suits which month?

Your call, and the month helps. The dry months suit a long day with the zipline; the rainy months suit a shorter day; any month works for the fireflies.

From January to May the long day pays off. The zipline and mangrove day fills 10 hours in Sabang: the cave, lunch, the line along the coast and the paddle boat through the mangroves at the end. From June to November a tighter plan is handy, and the 6-hour tour with buffet gets you there and back with lunch in a shorter day.

The fireflies come out in every season. The river and firefly tour takes you to the cave by day, back to your hotel for a rest, then out again after dark to the mangroves, with dinner. For a first visit with no extras, the full-day trip with lunch is the one most people book.

Frequently asked questions