The Tagalog word “Ugong” is loosely translated into vibration or rumbling. And since the stalactites and stalagmites in Ugong Rock vibrate and give off a low sound when slapped, I can think of no other name more fitting for the place.
Of all the caves that I have visited, this is the first one I have come across that actually gives off a sound when rocks are slapped.
And if that isn’t enough of an adventure, the cave is located inside a mountain. As you go through it, you also climb the mountain. Once at the top, getting down was as easy as riding the fastest zip line in Puerto Princesa.
Table of Contents
Background
Exterior
There was a time when the village around Ugong Rock used methods that were destructive to the surrounding landscape just to survive. Due to abject poverty, they slashed and burned the forest so they could make room for crops. In the case of the cave, they cut and sold off what they could to developed nations eager to turn stalactites and stalagmites in to medicines and decorations.
But thanks to the López Foundation, the natural resources of the area was developed in to a viable tourist destination. And instead of destroying the environment to survive, the village now preserves it to provide sustainable livelihood for many families.
Entrance
The thing that makes Ugong Rock different from the other tourist destinations is that the community directly benefits from any tourist income it generates. In contrast, income from places like the Palawan Underground River goes to the local government, who, in turn, maintains this Natural Wonder of the world.
Before jumping to conclusions, both are not bad. The former is great because the money goes directly to the community. In the case of the latter, the Palawan government appears to be taking care of its natural resources while balancing it with tourism.
Equipment
The cave is actually very short and very easy to go through. It doesn’t require any special skills or equipment. In fact, all the guides in the cave wore slippers as they brought us around. Ditto for a third of our tour group, where our guide Dean and other tourists also wore slippers as they moved about.
Climbing
That’s not to say I would recommend wearing slippers. The last part of the cave requires people to climb up a two-story vertical wall. And though you will be wearing a harness, you will be climbing a ninety degree angle of hard rock. If you happen to be wearing slippers and they come off your feet while climbing, it can be a tad bit uncomfortable. Uncomfortable for the guy who has to pick up your slipper and pass it up to you.
[Coz’ by that time, your slippers would be sweaty from all that exertion! Blech!]
Kidding aside, I do suggest wearing something that won’t come off easily. It doesn’t have to be hiking boots or rubber shoes, but they can be helpful is getting traction during the rainy season. In our case, we just wore the Aqua Shoes we had when be visited the Underground River earlier. While the other people in our tour group had a combination of sandals and inexpensive flats on their feet.
Interior
It is worth mentioning that once we got back to our van, our Aqua Shoes were dusty. The people wearing slippers had the same slightly damp soil on their feet too. Most of them washed off the thin layer with bottled water as I didn’t notice a faucet near by.
Head lamps or flashlights are also not necessary as the there was more than enough light streaming through the various cracks in the cave walls. In fact, this is one place were a Point and Shoot camera can be used without difficulty.
And since people are not expected to bring their own hardhats and gloves, these are provided for free at the jump off point.
This is the main reason I suggested that you skip using your Point and Shoot camera my article about the Underground River. Since it is too dark there, you will likely end up with black pictures. And by the time you get to Ugong Rock, you won’t have any battery power left.
Cave
As I mentioned, the cave is short, so short that we went through it in a little over an hour. That may sound long, but that hour was punctuated with a lot of stops where everyone in our group posed for pictures. Without the pictures, a quick group may have finished in half the time.
Interior
All the rock formations inside the cave were Limestone. Most of the floor where we stepped was also made of the same hard rock that the ceiling was made of. As we snaked through the cave, we noticed a few patches of soil at the lowest parts of the tunnels.
The white color brighten up the cave as it helped to reflect the light streaming in from the walls. This means that you can get by with a flash in certain areas.
Though the cave was dry, there were damp patches of soil scattered around. This is most probably because there is a lack of sunlight to bake the moisture out of it. The slight amount of water wasn’t enough to make it It slippery or thick enough to stick to our Aqua Shoes in clumps. But it was enough allow a thin a thin layer of soil to stick.
Interior
Most of the rock formations were smooth and white, so the danger of getting cuts was minimal. The path we took also minimized the danger of slippage since we didn’t have any serious climbing to do. We did have to crawl through a tight space or two. This meant a bit of contortion was needed to keep our arms and torsos from getting soiled.
The biggest temptation when going through the cave is to slap each and every stalactite and stalagmite that we encountered. The thing is, not all of them are hollow, so not everything will hum. One of the guys in our tour group tried doing that but gave up after his hand started to smart from slapping all that rock.
Ladder
To avoid ending up with a swollen palm, just ask the guides which formation have that musical ability. With the right one, you can finally engage in something more than singing in the shower. Instead of just having that enclosed sound, you will now have that low beat.
[Bom-bom-bom-sh-sh-sh-bom-bombom…]
By the time you get to the part wherein you have to climb a rope up two stories, you’re near the top of the mountain. Once over the wall, the last leg will be several flights of stairs and a ladder that start within the cave and open up by the side of the mountain.
Even with the trees and a few rocks in the way, the view is beautiful and the air is fresh. So take a moment to take it all in because when you ride that zip line, everything will go by in a flash.
Zip Line
The fastest way down is to take the zip line from the tip of the mountain. Sure, you can go back the way you came up, but then why see the same thing when you can experience something new?
Zip Line
Of all the zip lines in Puerto Princesa, this is considered the fastest because of the speed you attain and shortness of the cable.
If it is your first time to take a zip line, I’ll tell you, there is nothing quite like dropping down with just a metal wire and a few synthetic strips holding on to you.
At the take off platform, a helmet will be placed on your head and you will be strapped to a harness. If you are wearing slippers, they will be removed and tied to your harness. Any loose equipment will need to be kept in bags or tied to you.
In my case, they tried to tie down my camera so it was facing forward. Unfortunately, it ended up pointing down to the ground as I was launched from the pad. And since I needed to hold the supporting cable to keep me from twisting around, I could not hold my camera forward.
Zip Line Path
The moment your feet leave the platform is the time your breath leaves you as a yell or scream. But since the drop is so sudden, you ‘ll run our of breath after a few seconds, ending whatever you let out with a sigh.
There is a trick to controlling your speed, though. If you want slow down, let your legs dangle below you. This will cause more air drag and slow you down.
Zip Line Path
But if you want to go really fast, lift your leg up in the air by pointing your toes forward. With the least amount of drag, you’ll be rocketing down at breakneck speed. Thankfully, there is a net to catch you if you happen to be moving faster than normal.
In my case, I never got to the net as the brakes in zip line cable stopped me. However, I was worried about my camera as I slammed in to them.
[Actually, it was more like smashed in to the brakes as I was going pretty fast.]
Souvenirs
As you come down the zip line, a person at the bottom takes a quick picture of you. So if your face is contorted in a tense grimace, rest assured it will be immortalized.
Stairs
You have the option of not getting the picture, but then why not? That shot will, most likely, have captured your raw emotion so it is worth keeping. That way, if something is getting you down, all you have to do is pull out that picture and remember that any problems can be overcome with a quick zip down a steel cable.
Finally, you get to leave a memory of yourself by signing your name on the whiteboard by the photo booth. Yes, I know, it’s a white board so it can be erased and re-used. But if you take a picture of it, like we did, it can become immortal.
Final Thoughts
Whiteboard
And that ends our tour of Puerto Princesa in Palawan. Since this was the last stop in our Palawan Tour, our trip back to our room in Kinawayan Resort was composed of a lot of snoring.
[Yup, nothing tires is more tiring than screaming your lungs out as you barrel down a mountain.]
We were so exhausted that we didn’t notice we were near our stop already. Our guide Dean was awake by the time our van let us out at our corner and we said our sad goodbyes to everyone.
Travels and Resources
Before heading back to Kawayanan Resort, we took a few minutes to buy several bottles of honey at the Department of Trade and Industry, or DTI, store at the corner. Then we leisurely walked back to our room, feeling melancholy that our Palawan adventure would soon be over.
The only time that remained was one last night; and we intended to use it by eating at Badjao Seafront Restaurant, another place highly recommended by the locals.
Till next time, keep your cameras ready, your eyes peeled, and your minds open. You never know where your next adventure will take you!
Must Do’s
- Slap the stalagtite or stalagmite your guide points to and hum to the sound.
- Travel light and leave any unnecessary stuff like bags in the van.
- Keep a bottle of water handy if you want to rinse off your feet.
- Use footwear that won’t slip off easily.
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