Booking choice: The tour from the city proper, from $50 per person. Check dates Tour details
Two things set the season at the Underground River. The first is the weather bureau's calendar: PAGASA splits the Philippine year into a dry season from December to May and a rainy season from June to November. The second is the sea. The last leg to the cave is a boat of about 20 minutes along the coast from Sabang Wharf, so big waves can stop the tours even on a dry day.
Inside the cave nothing much changes, and the tours run every day the weather allows. Below: the best months, a month-by-month climate table, the cool dry months, the hot dry months and the busy weeks, the rainy season, what happens when the park closes the river, and the best time of day.
The quick answer
March to May is the easy pick: the driest months, and the season Wikipedia's Palawan article calls the most favorable for sea voyages. Book ahead for April and May, the busiest weeks. Any month works if you keep a spare day, since every tour here cancels free up to 24 hours before. The tour from the city proper covers the permit and fees, from $50 per person.
What is the best month to visit the Underground River?
March, April or May. They are the driest months in the PAGASA records for Puerto Princesa, and the sea is usually at its calmest.
The PAGASA climatological normals for Puerto Princesa City, 1991 to 2020, show the dry months clearly. February, March and April average 3 to 5 rainy days each; July and October average 15. How the year splits for a river day:
| Season | PAGASA | For the river |
|---|---|---|
| December to February | Cool dry season | Pleasant days; holiday weeks around Christmas; the sea can be rough |
| March to May | Hot dry season | The driest months and the calmest sea; book early for April and May |
| June to November | Rainy season | Greener and quieter; more rain days, and the park closes the river in extreme weather |
Our pick is March. It is dry, the sea is usually calm, and it comes before the April and May school break. The calendar is national, so read it as a guide: the City Government's page on the park describes it as usually wet from June to December and dry and hot for the rest of the year.
Pickup in the city proper, the cave permit, both boats, parking and terminal fees, and a buffet lunch.
Check dates for the tour from the city properWhat is the weather like in Puerto Princesa month by month?
Hot all year, with mean highs of 30.9 to 32.9°C. January to April are the dry months; from May the rain builds, and October is the wettest.
Monthly averages from the PAGASA station in Puerto Princesa City, 1991 to 2020, as Wikipedia prints them. The station is in the city on the east coast; the park is about 80 km away on the west coast, so take these as a guide to the season, not a forecast for the cave.
| Month | Mean high | Rainfall | Rainy days | For a river day |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 30.9°C | 55.6 mm | 5 | Dry and pleasant |
| February | 31.1°C | 30.7 mm | 3 | The driest month |
| March | 31.9°C | 37.1 mm | 4 | Dry and calm; our pick |
| April | 32.9°C | 49.3 mm | 5 | Hot and dry; busy, book early |
| May | 32.9°C | 125.8 mm | 10 | Hot; showers return; busy |
| June | 32.1°C | 157.0 mm | 14 | The rains begin |
| July | 31.5°C | 170.4 mm | 15 | Wet; keep a spare day |
| August | 31.6°C | 173.4 mm | 14 | Wet; keep a spare day |
| September | 31.7°C | 172.0 mm | 14 | Wet; quieter weeks |
| October | 31.6°C | 212.9 mm | 15 | The wettest month |
| November | 31.4°C | 196.3 mm | 12 | Wet; the rains ease late |
| December | 31.0°C | 174.9 mm | 9 | Drier; holiday weeks |
The station's year: a mean high of 31.7°C, 1,555.4 mm of rain over about 120 rainy days, and humidity between 77% in April and 84% from July to November. For the park itself, the City Government gives an average temperature of 29°C and relative humidity of 85%.
Is December to February a good time to visit?
Yes. It is the cool dry season in the PAGASA calendar, with highs near 31°C. Expect the Christmas weeks to be busy, and an odd day lost to waves.
These are comfortable months for a long day in the van: a little less heat, less rain than the summer months, and the green of the rainy season still on the hills. Lucy, on the river and firefly tour in February: "Very informative and well organised. It was great to be collected from and dropped back at the accommodation." (Feb 2026)
Two things to plan around:
- The holiday weeks. Palawan Daily News reported in December 2019 that the park expected more than 4,000 visitors over Christmas and New Year. Book as soon as your dates are fixed.
- The sea. In February 2018 the coast guard's sailing ban kept the tour boats in for four days because of strong winds and waves, per PTV News, and in December 2017 big waves stopped the tours for a day. A spare day in your stay takes care of it.
Is the Underground River busy in April and May?
Yes. April and May are the school break and the peak weeks in Palawan, and Holy Week brings Philippine holidaymakers too. Book early.
The park lets in 900 visitors a day and enforces a no permit, no entry rule. In the busiest weeks that number is what decides your date, and the park's own line is "Book Early and tour sURely!" What fills the calendar:
- The school break. April and May are the long break between school years in the Philippines, commonly called summer, per Wikipedia's article on the climate of the Philippines. Wikipedia's Palawan article calls the summer months the peak season for the province.
- Holy Week. A national holiday week. It moves with Easter, which falls on 28 March in 2027.
- Cruise days. Cruise passengers book private tours, per the listings, and the city recorded its highest number of cruise ship arrivals in 2025.
The upside is the weather: dry days and a calm sea. Book your tour first and plan the rest of the trip around it; the tour arranges the permit. Johan, on the zipline and mangrove day in March: "A really well composed adventure day. The team is professional with good communication." (Mar 2026)
A top-rated day from the city proper: the permit, both boats, the audio device and the terminal fees covered, with a buffet lunch.
Explore the tour from the city proper Tour detailsCan you visit the Underground River in the rainy season?
Yes. Tours run daily from June to November whenever the weather allows. Rain does not reach you inside the cave; the sea and the current are what count.
The rainy months have their own pull: green hills on the drive north, a full Cabayugan River and fewer visitors outside the holidays. What to plan for:
- More rain days. Expect 14 to 15 rainy days a month from June to October in the PAGASA records for the city, and the most rain in October.
- A strong current after heavy rain. PTV News reported a closure from 3 August one year, when incessant rain made the river's current too strong for the paddle boats; the park superintendent said tours would resume once the weather improved.
- Typhoon days. The listing for the tour from the city proper says the tour may be cancelled for typhoons or strong winds, with a refund. The guided day trip offers a new date or a full refund.
Pack a light rain jacket and the dry bag, and book early in your stay. Every tour on this site cancels free up to 24 hours before, so you can move your date if a storm is on the forecast.
Does the Underground River close because of weather?
Sometimes, for a day or a few. The park runs the tours daily except in extreme weather, and the boats wait when the coast guard stops sailing.
The park's own wording: tours are scheduled daily except during extreme weather conditions. Closures reported in the news show the pattern:
| When | What happened | Source |
|---|---|---|
| December 2017 | Big waves; tours cancelled for the day, the jungle trail stayed open | PTV News, 10 December 2017 |
| February 2018 | Strong winds and waves; boats kept in for four days under a coast guard sailing ban | PTV News, 6 February 2018 |
| August (rainy season) | Heavy rain and a strong current in the river; tours paused until the weather improved | PTV News |
The jungle trail from Sabang, which kept visitors walking in on some of those days, is temporarily closed for renovation per the park. What helps:
- Put the river early in your stay, so a lost day can move.
- Watch the forecast the day before, while free cancellation is still open.
- Follow the park's announcements. The park's information officer pointed visitors to its official Facebook page for updates, per Palawan Daily News.
The fullest day in Sabang: the cave, lunch on the beach, the zipline and the mangrove paddle boat.
Check dates for the zipline and mangrove dayWhat is the best time of day for the Underground River?
The morning. Cave tours run from 08:00 to 16:00, so tours from the city leave early, and the bats and swiftlets have the cave to themselves at dawn and dusk.
The park schedules the cave tours from 08:00 to 16:00 so the visits do not clash with the bats and swiftlets leaving and returning to the cave. Your tour picks the slot, and the van sets off early:
- The tour from the city proper picks up between 06:30 and 07:30, and the operator tells you the time the night before.
- The 6-hour tour with buffet picks up at 07:00 and reaches Sabang at about 09:30, per its itinerary.
- Late bookings made after noon on the day before get a later pickup on the Corazon tours, per their listings.
- The firefly tour splits the day: the river in the morning, about 2 hours of free time at your hotel, then an evening trip to watch the fireflies, with dinner.
Our advice: take the earliest pickup on offer. The morning light on the lagoon is soft, the heat is lower, and you are back in the city with the evening free. Our guide to getting there covers the drive and the boats step by step.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best month to visit the Underground River?
March to May, the driest months with the calmest sea. March is our pick, before the busy weeks of April and May.
Can you visit the Underground River in the rainy season?
Yes. The tours run daily from June to November when the weather allows. The park closes the river in extreme weather, so keep a spare day.
When is the Underground River busiest?
April and May, the school break, plus Holy Week and the Christmas and New Year holidays. The park allows 900 visitors a day, so book early.
What time do Underground River tours start?
Cave tours run from 08:00 to 16:00, per the park. Tours from the city usually pick up between 06:30 and 07:30.
Ready to book
Choose your tour
Free cancellation up to 24 hours before on every option. Prices are from-prices in USD and move with the season.
Underground River Tour from the City with Buffet Lunch
- Pickup in the city proper
- Cave permit, boats and audio device
- Buffet lunch
Underground River Full-Day Trip with Lunch
- Hotel pickup and van, up to 13 guests
- Boat from Sabang and the paddle boat inside
- Guide and lunch in Sabang
Underground River, Zipline & Mangrove Paddle Boat
- Van, boats and a professional guide
- Cave tour with audio device
- Lunch in Sabang
