Category Archives: ACTIVITIES

A Boat Tour Around Boracay Island

Posted on by — Leave a reply

After lunch at Sea Lovers Restaurant along White Beach, Grace, my kids Jandy and Cheska and I opted to do something we haven’t done before in Boracay – going around the island by pumpboat.  Getting a tour was no problem, there are lots of operators going around White Beach offering this service.  All we had to do was haggle for a low price.  This settled, we boarded our boat along White Beach and were soon on our way.

Crocodile Island

Just off the southeast coast of Boracay, we passed by rocky Crocodile Island, so named because of its crocodile shape from a distance.  It has no beaches but is said to be a good snorkeling area and a popular venue for scuba diving.

The entrance of Crystal Cove

After 20 mins., our boat dropped anchor at the white sand beach in front of the welcome arch of Boracay Crystal Cove atTigwati-an Island.  This 2-hectare, privately-owned island, formerly called Laurel Island, is located just off Tabon Point, east of Boracay.

Resting along the island’s circumferential path

To explore the island and its caves, we paid an entrance fee (P75 per adult and P30 per child).The island had a circumferential cement path and, during our tour, we encountered statues of mythical characters. The island’s chief attraction are its 2 caves.

Posing among statues of mythical characters

One is located on a hill top.  There is also a small, 8-m. long cave at the tip of the island which is liberally covered with yellow and orange polyps.  The kids and I were excited to enter it but Grace opted to stay behind and just wait for our return.  The cave has a natural shallow pool on the side of the beach where we swam through.

One of the island’s caves

Back at our boat, we proceeded directly up north, near Yapak, to our last destination – the 800-m. long, blissfully deserted Puka Shell Beach (also called Yapak Beach). This beach, the island’s second longest, covers half of the northern tip of the island and ends abruptly at Lapuz-Lapuz Cliffs on the island’s extreme northern point. This most primitive and rugged part of Boracay has yellow, less fine sand and a stronger surf and a more abrupt change of depth than at White Beach.  We were careful when we swam there.

The blissfully deserted Puka Shell Beach
This beach was made famous by its heishi and shiny white (sometimes dotted with brown) Puka shells (actually part of the core of a shell), said to be the best in the world due to its luster and whiteness. Also found in Bali (Indonesia) and Hawaii, these shells were collected and stringed into fashion necklaces and bracelets and other jewelry in the 1970s and 80s.  Elizabeth Taylor once appeared in celebrity circles wearing such a necklace.  They are now very rare and the collecting, selling and buying of these shells are now prohibited by law.  However, women still collect, make and sell these jewelry pieces.  The beach also has a fine view of Romblon’s Carabao Island.
 
Boracay Crystal Cove: Tabon Point, Brgy. Caticlan, Malay, Aklan, 5608.  Tel/Fax: (036) 288-7482. Mobile number: (0918) 911-8134.  E-mail: info@crystalcoveisland.net. Website: crystalcoveisland.net and crystalcoveisland.com.

Surviving Mt. Hibok-Hibok (Mambajao, Camiguin)

Posted on by — Leave a reply
Mt. Hibok-Hibok

We were now on our fourth day, April 11,  in Camiguin and we felt that our stay here would not be complete without climbing one of Camiguin’s 7 volcanoes (there are more volcanoes than towns in Camiguin).  The king of them all is the 1,250-m.  high Mt. Hibok-Hibok, the island’s only active volcano which, on December 5, 1951, erupted without warning, issuing steaming hot gases and killing 3,000 people who were asphyxiated when huge amounts of oxygen were absorbed in the air.  A glowing avalanche of lava devastated many villages and covered about 10 sq. kms..  More than 30,000 people left the island after the eruption.  

Now, almost half a century later, we were going to test our mettle by climbing this volcano.  Making the climb were  ladies Lulu Siguenza and Rosevie Sevilla and guys Carl Allen, Nubbin Beldia, Henry Chua, Jake San Diego, Randy Ypon, Jandy and I.  We woke up by 7 AM, had our usual Filipino breakfast, dressed up in casual shorts (the ladies wore pants), T-shirts, caps, sunglasses and rubber shoes and sandals, brought our cameras  and were picked up by our usual hired passenger jeepney driven by the ever reliable and friendly Camiguinons Charlie and Rico). We left at 8 AM and arrived, 20 mins. later, at Ardent Hot Spring Resort in Brgy. Esperanza, the take-off point for the climb. 

For provisions we each brought bottled water  (Jandy and I each brought a 1-liter bottle) and 2 loaves of sliced bread and chicken spread bought at the public market. At the resort, we hired the services of Camiguinon guides Hamilton and RV (for the fee of PhP350 each, they also carried our provisions). After about 10 mins. of stretching exercises, we  began out climb at 8:30 A.M..  Hamilton took point while RV took the rear.  We walked through a light forest and a hamlet of two houses and went past a coconut plantation before entering another light forest. The cheerful banter soon gave way to subdued silence as we  made our way up loose soil and  blackened volcanic rocks, grasping at trees and  oftentimes sharp, meter-high spear grass (cogon) for support.  Soon scratches appeared on our hands, arms and legs.  We were also consuming our water at an alarming rate, and I had Jandy to just wet his lips instead and I had to impose water discipline on Jandy, asking him to just wet his lips instead.  Our rest periods were frequent. Carl suggested 2-min. rest period after a 10-min. hike.  Nubbin, on the other hand, suggested the reverse, drawing laughter from all of us.  There’s nothing like a touch of laughter (the best medicine) to make us forget, albeit temporarily, our sore muscles and flagging spirits.

View of White Island

As we went higher up the mountain, the panorama of clear blue sky above, Mt. Tres Marias below, and C-shaped White Island far out into the sea came into view.   An ideal photo opportunity.  We hiked for 2 hrs. and were relieved to enter a gently sloping  light forest.  The tip of volcano still loomed far, far ahead.  From here to the summit it would be a tough scramble on  a steeper, 40-45 degree section over loose rocks, boulders, scree, lava and rock faces.   It was now noon and we decided to have our lunch of bread and chicken spread. We had difficulty washing it down because of our alarmingly low water supply.  We realized how inadequate our provisions were.  Soon they were all gone.   It was also during this rest period that I began to feel pain in my legs.

At the peak of Mt. Hibok-Hibok

We decided to get going at 1 PM in order to make it to the peak by 2 PM.  We estimated a return trip of 3 to 4 hrs., and we didn’t want to be caught by nightfall.  Nobody had thought to bring flashlights.  I was bringing up the rear and, my legs bothered me all too frequently.   When I saw that I was slowing the group down, I told the others to go on ahead and leave me with Jandy.   However, Jandy wanted to join the others so I let him go after getting assurances from the rest that he would be watched and guided carefully.   Soon they disappeared up the trail. 

Nubbin exploring the crater’s rim

During the long wait, I fell into a fitful sleep and was only awakened when they were on their way down the volcano.  Jandy  was accompanied by Lulu, Vi and Henry. According to the group, Jandy was third up the summit, followed by Randy, Carl and Henry.  The women brought up the rear.  All perched precariously on the barely 5-ft. wide knife’s edge on the crater’s rim. After a 30-mins. rest and photo shoot, Jandy, Henry, RV and the women started their descent.  The other guys decided to stay and explore the crater’s rim. It was getting very late and we had to go down as fast as we could before sundown.  Our water supply was now exhausted and we would have to go down the mountain thirsty.

As  the soil  was loose, the descent was slippery all the way and we had to watch our step on loose rocks.  There was also the need to cling to something, but it was painful to just cling to the sharp cogon grass.  Vi made the mistake of grasping at prickly ground ferns.  No one in the group was exempt from bleeding cuts and scratches.   It was also hard on the joints as we sometimes have to slide down the very steep slopes. My knees soon began to ache.  We also had to combat our hunger and thirst.  Jandy wanted to stop and rest, but I had to goad him on as it was getting dark.   RV and V were soon out of sight as Henry, Lulu and Jandy and I  rested, and Carl, Randy and Jake, left behind earlier, soon caught up with us and passed us by.

Relief came in the form of RV bringing our bottles refilled with spring water from the hamlet we passed on our way up.   Our spirits were somehow revived.   It was still a long way off, but now we did not have to contend with thirst.  We reached the Ardent Hot Spring Resort at 6 PM, bedraggled, hungry, thirsty, scarred and weak. It had taken all of 6 hrs. to reach the top and another 3.5 hrs. to make it down.  For 30 mins., we lolled in the therapeutic, but scalding hot, mineral spring waters that gushes forth from the bowels of Mt. Hibok-Hibok into beautifully-designed natural stone swimming pools.  Water temperature reaches as much as 50 degrees and picnickers here boil fresh eggs on the shallow portions. Later, remembering our hunger, we hied off to the restaurant for a well-deserved dinner.  After dinner, we returned to the resort and were all in bed by 8 PM.

White Island (Mambajao, Camiguin)

Posted on by — 1 Comment ↓
Mt. Vulcan Daan

On our third day in Camiguin, April 10, Tuesday, we opted to do some island hopping and what better place to go than to White Island.  After lunch, we proceeded to Caves Beach & Dive Resort along Agoho Beach in Brgy. Agoho.  About 1,5 to 2 kms. offshore is the C-shaped, picture-perfect White Island, Camiguin’s pride. Also called Medano Island, it is a small, uninhabited and treeless sandbar with dazzling white, sugar-fine sand.The island’s shape differs depending on the tides and the constantly shifting currents. The island is also accessible from Brgy. Yumbing, at a boat station behind Paras Beach Resort.

Mt. Hibok-Hibok

We hired two pumpboats at PhP250 per boat to ferry our group and we reached the island after a 15-min. boat ride.  The island’s postcard-perfect view was marred by the sight of makeshift stalls and tents doing brisk business selling buko juice, soft drinks, beer and snacks to visitors at the southern end of the island.  It being the Holy Week, I could only sigh in disbelief at the sight.  However, they do provide temporary shelter and good shade from the hot afternoon sun.

Still, nothing can mar the backdrop of picturesque and majestic Mt. Hibok-Hibok and Mt. Vulcan Daan.  The ladies were off to their usual sunbathing while the guys went snorkeling and swimming 150-200 m. off the island.  Later, as the afternoon wore off into evening, we were rewarded by a beautiful sunset.  The island shrinks substantially during high tide, so visit early in the morning or late in the afternoon.  Not visiting the island would be like not visiting Camiguin at all.

Sunset at White Island

Sunken Cemetery (Catarman, Camiguin)

Posted on by — Leave a reply

From Cotta Bato, we made a short drive to the Sunken Cemetery, site of the community cemetery which sank during the 1871 eruption.  After paying a PhP2 entrance fee, we proceeded down the hill to secluded, brown-sand Sabang Beach.  About 200 m. offshore is the huge concrete white cross which was built from 1997 to 1999 to replace another installed further offshore in 1982.  

Cross at Sunken Cemetery

Sunken Cemetery (6)

Connecting the cross with the shore is a nylon rope from which is tethered a boat for crossing.  We paid PhP10 each for the two-way trip.   According to the boatman, years ago, gravestones were still visible during low tide.  Now they can no longer be seen.  Every year, on May 1, a fluvial procession is held there.  The islanders row out to offer flowers and floating candles to the dead.

View from Sunken Cemetery

From our vantage poin at its terracet, we had a panoramic view of Mts. Vulcan Daan and Tres Marias. Scattered along Mt. Vulcan Daan’s northwestern slope is a winding trail with life-size, white-washed cement figures of the 14 Stations of the Cross depicting the passion death and resurrection of Jesus Christ.

Sunken Cemetery (12)

The last station is a sepulcher carved out of volcanic rock.  During Holy Week, a Panaad is held for religious retreat and penitence.  It features a 2-day, 64-km. trek around the island, from Brgy. Benoni to the Stations of the Cross.  The sun was just setting when we returned to shore and a well-deserved rest back at the resort.  

Sunken Cemetery (9)

Sunken Cemetery (4)

Sunken Cemetery: Brgy. Bonbon, Catarman, Camiguin

Taguines Lagoon (Mahinog, Camiguin)

Posted on by — Leave a reply

We all left Katibawan Falls by 11 AM and proceeded on a 40-min. drive to Taguines Lagoon, near Benoni Port, for lunch.  This beautiful artificial lake has mantles of limpid water surrounded by craggy cliffs, huge boulders and gently rolling hills.  Truly, a relaxing break from a tiring tour around the island.

Taguines Lagoon

We stopped at J.A. Fishpen, a restaurant on stilts overlooking the lagoon.  Around it are fishpens where bangus (milkfish), mamsa (jack), lunab (surgeonfish), katambak (spadefish), danggit (seganid), maming (parrotfish), kitong and alimango (crabs) are bred.  Quite hungry, we feasted, kamayan-style, on fresh-caught and cooked alimango. kitong and bangus, plus fried chicken, pancit canton and halaan soup and washed it all down with buko and green mango shakes.

Image-03

J.A. Fishpen: Brgy. Benoni, Mahinog, Camiguin.  Tel:  (088) 387-4008.

Katibawasan Falls (Mambajao, Camiguin)

Posted on by — Leave a reply
After an early-morning breakfast at the resort’s restaurant, we left at 8:30 AM for our island tour.  The day before, we contracted our jeepney drivers, Rico and Charlie, to give us a tour around the island for PhP1,500. The 5 towns of Camiguin (Catarman, Guinsiliban, Mahinog, Mambajao and Sagay) are all connected by a 64-km. long, almost all concreted  circumferential coastal road which can be circumnavigated in a 3-hr. drive.  While Jandy and I stayed inside the jeepney, the others sat on the roof, always on the lookout for trees while enjoying the cool breeze.  

Frolicking at the base of the falls

Our first stop was the 76.2-m. (250-ft. ) high Katibawasan Falls. Located 5 kms. southeast of Mambajao, on the 1,420-m. high Mt. Mambajao, a dormant volcano, it is one of the highest waterfalls in the country.  After paying the PhP10 entrance fee, we descended a 67-step concrete stairway, passed a view deck, and beheld one of the most beautiful waterfalls I have so far seen in the country.  The slim waterfall cascades precipitously down  to a rock pool teeming with fresh water shrimps and is surrounded by a massive granite mountain wall swathed with ground orchids, wild ferns, trees and boulders.  Eden reincarnated!

Tall and slim Katibawasan Falls

We were soon down to our swimming attire but hesitated upon finding out that the waters were icy-cold.  What the heck!  Lest I change my mind, I quickly jumped in, shivering for some time until my body temperature adjusted to the coldness.   Jandy and the others soon followed suit.  The rock pool was shallow except at the area were the falls hit the water.  We stationed ourselves at the boulders underneath the falls, feeling the cascading waters massage our backs.  Nature’s hydromassage.  Near the falls is a resthouse for changing and a cottage for overnight stays.

Katibawasan Fall: Brgy. Soro-Soro, Mambajao, Camiguin.

Camiguin or Bust

Posted on by — Leave a reply
The island province of Camiguin

I was still deciding on where to go with my son Jandy this Holy Week when my 2 companions from a previous climb up Mt. Makulot – Ms. Lourdes “Lulu” Siguenza, a Warner Bros. advertising executive, and free-lance artist Ms. Rosevie Sevilla – invited me to join them, with some other companions, on a week-long trip to the Northern Mindanao island province of Camiguin, an invitation I simply can’t refuse.  This would be my second trip to Mindanao, the first being in Zamboanga City way back in 1976.  I promptly secured plane tickets for me and Jandy.  

On board the ferry MV Royal Princess

We left Manila on April 8, Palm Sunday, on the 5:15 AM Cebu Pacific flight.  Joining us was Mr. Henry Chua, a Pizza Hut advertising executive and Lulu’s boyfriend.  Upon arrival at Cagayan de Oro City’s Lumbia Airport (Misamis Oriental), we waited an hour for our 8 other companions arriving on the incoming Philippine Airlines (PAL) flight.  On that flight were advertising executives Mr. Carl Allen and Begonia “Goni” Gonzalez of McCann Ericksson, Mr. Jake San Diego of Ace Saatchi, Ms. Tey Abonador of Harrison Communications, Ms. Rose Pantoja and Mr. Nubbin Beldia of Aviacom, Ms. Karen Rosel of Publicis-AMA and Mr. Randy Ypon, a balikbayan from Canada.  Carl and Randy brought along their own diving equipment minus the oxygen tanks which they intend to rent on the island.

Shuttling by jeepney

From the airport, we were picked up by a hired (for PhP2,000) Nissan Urvan to take our party on a 83-km. (1-hr.) trip to the Misamis Oriental ferry port town of Balingoan, the gateway to Camiguin.  Upon arrival, we all boarded the 11 AM ferry MV Royal Princess. Fare was PhP20 per pax  for the 45-min. crossing to Brgy. Benoni in Mahinog.   The boat was filled to the brim with passengers out on holiday, many crowding on the unshaded deck.  The trip was smooth all the way until we reached sight of Benoni. Or so we thought …. We heard a loud crash and were tossed about as the ship hit the pier head-on just when we were docking.  As if it were not enough, the crash was followed by a scraping sound as the ship sideswiped the dock ala Titanic.  What an exciting way to start a vacation!   

Picnic at Digyo Island, Cuatro Islas (Inopacan, Leyte)

Posted on by — Leave a reply
On our last whole day stay in Leyte, Jandy and I were invited by Mr. Roy Perez, a medical representative of Astra Zeneca who toured us around Ormoc City, to join him and his family and relatives on a picnic tour of the Cuatro Islas.  We were picked up by Roy after breakfast and, in his car, we traveled the 107-km. distance to Baybay in about 2 hrs.. At the town’s port, we boarded, together with the others, a large outrigger boat rented for our use.
  
On our way to Digyo Island

As the name implies, the Cuatro Islas consists of 4 lovely islands; Apid, Digyo, Himokilan and Mahaba, all of which are bordered by white sand beaches, rich fishing ground and unexplored coral reefs (a total of 287 species).   Though Baybay was our jump-off point, three of the four islands (Apid, Digyo and Mahaba) belong to the town of Inopacan while Himokilan Island is under the jurisdiction of Hindang.

Digyo Island’s beautiful sandbar.  Across is Himokilan Island

Digyo (pronounced as Dijo) Island, our destination, is the smallest,  prettiest and most popular tourist destination of the four.  After 30 mins., our outrigger boat made landfall at the island’s beautiful sandbar of fine, white sand. Good coral growth, ideal for snorkeling, are located at the western part of the island, facing Apid Island. The island is also a nesting site of sea turtles.  While there, I circled the island in about 20 mins.

Digyo’s white sand beach
Big, delicious coconut-cracking crabs called tatus are found in Himokilan Island, the largest of the four islands. Mahaba Island, serviced by outrigger boats, has a viewing deck, kiosks, sari-saristores and restrooms.  Diving and snorkeling equipment, as well as barutos(stiletto-shaped dugout canoes) and glass-bottom boats, can be rented here.

Marabut Marine Park (Marabut, Western Samar)

Posted on by — Leave a reply
The resort’s beach and catamaran

On April 20, Holy Thursday, I decided to visit to Marabut Marine Park and Beach Resort in Marabut with my brother-in-law Manny and my son Jandy.  Marabut is the last town before the border with Eastern Samar, off the southern coast of Samar.  However, Manny’s car was trapped in the garage due street diggings along the street.  Mr. Victor Macasera, my Astra medical representative guide to Sohoton Caves, came to our rescue by offering to bring us there.  After our usual early morning breakfast and loaded with our usual picnic basket prepared by Paula, manny’s wife, we departed Tacloban City around 9 AM, crossed the San Juanico Bridge to Samar, turned right at the fork to Basey and proceeded, down a well-maintained road, to Marabut town.

Burial cave

Soon, we espied the beautiful stack of small limestone islands of the marine park just off the horizon.  Near the resort, we made a stopover at a small cave along the highway.  Inside, we saw a cross, an image of the Blessed Virgin and a net-covered concrete vault containing the mixed up bones of victims killed by the Japanese during World War II.  About a kilometer past the cave, we came upon the road sign and an  700-800 m. long access road leading to the resort.  Past an old, wooden loggers’ lodge was the entrance to the resort.  We parked our car and rented a picnic shed for our use.

The islands of the marine park

This 1-hectare resort, opened in 1997, sits on a 90-hectare land planted with rice and coconut trees.  It also has a reforestation area planted with mahogany and gmelina trees. The resort is owned by the Unimaster Conglomeration, Inc. of Mr. Wilson Chan, the same corporation that owns the Leyte Park Hotel in Tacloban City.  It has 5 nipa, bamboo and wood duplex cottages with bath, an open-air restaurant and a bar.  Being a holiday, the resort was full of Filipino-Chinese guests brought over from Leyte Park Hotel via a huge double-hulled catamaran moored along the beige sand beach.  Beyond that were the 15 dramatic limestone islands that constitute the marine park, all leased from the local government for the exclusive use of the resort.  Although filled with guests, the beach was surprisingly empty of swimmers.

All geared up and ready to go

As we were going around the resort, we came across a group of tourists milling around a dazed man pockmarked with red sores from head to foot.  He was just bitten by a jellyfish while swimming along the beach and was being administered with antibiotics.  It was jellyfish season. No wonder the beach was empty.  So much for the swimming.   Still the limestone islands beckoned.  As we were preparing the table and ourselves for lunch, I espied a number of brave sea kayakers heading towards the islands.  I immediately made a reservation for a 2-pax, sit-on sea kayak.  If I can’t swim along the beach, I could at least kayak.  The resort has 8 plastic kayaks – 3 single and 5 double; plus one outboard motor boat.   Kayak rental is PhP75 per hour, inclusive of life vests but with no helmets.

However, I was placed on a waiting list.  There was nothing to do at the moment except eat, and eat we did.  With food enough for double our party, we feasted on tipay (scallops baked in garlic), kilawin, pansit canton, grilled tilapia and steamed rice, all washed down with bottled water or canned soft drinks.  We were too full to even touch the ripe mangoes for dessert. Pretty soon, the previous kayakers returned and as soon as the kayaks were parked, I immediately laid my claim to a kayak. Jandy and I quickly applied sun block lotion, packed our snorkels and camera in a dry plastic bag, donned our shades, rubber slippers and life jackets and were soon on our kayak.

Sea kayaking wasn’t a breeze as I first thought it would be.  Jandy was seated up front and it took some time for us novices to coordinate our paddling and maneuvering efforts.  For a time we seemed to be going nowhere, but soon we got the hang of our double oars and were soon on our way in a leisurely, exploratory pace.  Still wary of going very far, I decided first to visit some of the mainland’s inaccessible and scenic hidden coves just around the beach.  Going there only seemed to bring the islands closer to me and, with a little guts and a prayer, were soon paddling full speed ahead.

The nearest was a magnificent 3-peak island with a white sand beach tucked in between them.  Shooting straight up from the sea like natural skyscrapers, the islands’ towering limestone cliffs’ base were heavily undercut by wave action and were topped by dense jungle.  This scenery reminded me of similar islands (although more compact and much nearer) seen as I toured the equally beautiful Dimakya Island (Club Paradise, Coron in Palawan) and Gigantes Islands of Iloilo.

Pretty soon, after about 20 mins. of paddling, its white sand beach hove into view as the surrounding waters became clearer.  We had to maneuver around to avoid some large rocks visible under the water and soon hit dry land.  We were the only visitors there and we both felt like Robinson Crusoe (or is it Swiss Family Robinson?).  We donned our snorkels and explored its clear waters and coral garden of staghorn and brain coral.  No jellyfish in sight. Thank God.  This condition was soon broken by the arrival of 3 other kayaks from the resort, all paddled by Filipino-Chinese guests of the resort.  We gladly lent our snorkels (and rubber slippers) to the group.

I had my eye on visiting the next island’s white sand beach, and seeing a golden opportunity, suggested a joint kayaking safari with our new friends to the island.   Our next destination was similar to the first except that its peaks were not as rounded.  We reached it after 15 mins., but we were not the first arrivals as a large outrigger pumpboat loaded with tourists was already there even before we left the first island.  Snorkeling here was quite a disappointment and the only floating creature I espied was a jellyfish!  We quickly made a dash for the shore.  Instead, I tried to go around the islands’ heavily undercut girt but soon gave it up upon reaching waist-deep water.

From the island we could espy the third island’s white sand beach (only 3 of the 15 islands have white sand beaches).  In the distant horizon was the all too familiar Tooth Island, a bizarre, hourglass-shaped limestone outcrop (no beach) featured in a colored postcard.  My spirit was willing but I was already tired.  I decided to abandon the idea and instead started paddling, together with the others, back towards the mainland.  Although tired, our strokes were more fluid, just like professional kayakers.  After about 30 mins. we were back at the resort, having been gone for 2 hrs., dead tired and with aching muscles.

Jandy and I turned over our kayaks and life vests to Manny and Victor and they were soon kayaking to the nearest island.  While they were away, I decided to interview Mr. Angel Quiminales, the resort manager.  Angel gave me an overview of the resort’s beginnings, facilities and future plans including a future saltwater swimming pool and additional cottages. My heart sank when Angel told me of a hidden lagoon located just 400 m. from, and to the right, of the mainland beach.  It sank even deeper when he told me that the second island I visited had a beautiful cave with beautiful stalactites just around the beach.  It was a frequent destination for foreigners.  If only I knew.  After this 45-min. interview, we decided to call it a day, thanked Angel and paid our bills (picnic shed and kayak use).  We left Marabut by 4 PM and were back in Tacloban by 5 PM.  The next day, being Good Friday, I decided to rest.

Calbiga Caves System (Western Samar)

Posted on by — Leave a reply

I have heard a lot about this relatively unknown, 900 sq. km. Calbiga Cave System in Western Samar, said to be the largest cave system in Asia, and Jandy and I opted to do some cave exploring there. Jandy and I woke up early, had a hearty breakfast, brought my camera, videocam, flashlight, spare batteries and a pack lunch (prepared by my sister-in-law, Paula) of corned beef sandwiches and bottled water, donned our media jackets (with its many convenient pockets) and proceeded, by jeepney, to the Tacloban City bus terminal by the pier.

The low cave entrance

We made the 59-km. (1 hr.) trip from the city to Calbiga via the 7:30 AM regular bus to Catbalogan, passing the same deplorable road conditions we encountered the day before. Upon our arrival at the town, we immediately registered our names at the municipal hall so that a mayor’s permit could be processed and secured.  A group of 9 had registered even earlier, having been in town since 7 AM.  Before we were issued permits, Municipal Administrator Mr. Mario Cabujat gave us a short talk on the past history of the caves and the dos & dont’s in exploring the cave.  After the briefing, we were all given our respective mayor’s permits.   The other group was kind enough to let us hitch with them in their AUV.

The initial 4-km. road going to Brgy. Panayuran was concrete-paved  up to a kilometer, becoming rough the remaining distance.  Our AUV arrived at the jump-off point by 10 PM and parked our vehicle.  We then negotiated with the residents for some guides and working Petromax lamps, settling on PhP250 per guide and PhP50 per Petromax lamp.  I got one guide and lamp while the others got another lamp and guide.  For additional lighting, some brought along some “Molotov cocktails” (actually kerosene-filled bottles with lighted rags as wicks).

A phallus-like stalagmite

Soon after, our group, now enlarged to 14 (another resident tagged along), started our trek along a well-marked trail passing through tall, 10-ft. high cogon grass.  Midway, the trek became steep and rocky as we entered a light forest.  We made a number of rest stops and the trail became narrower as we neared the cave. After an hour’s hike, we reached the dark, low cave opening, located below a limestone cliff studded with weathered stalactites. Going down from the main entrance (there are actually 5) was easy but going about this cave was a struggle as one had to hop from one rock to another with hardly any flat area.  Deciding on which rock to step on wasn’t easy as a lot were sharp and some were loose.  The cave floor was also littered with detached stalactites from previous illegal mining operations.  Some passageways were also narrow and low and one has to watch his (or her) head negotiating these areas.

Vakul

The first chamber, 5-km. long, 40-m. wide  Langun Cave, was huge.  Our flashlights could barely penetrate the darkness, much less reach the over 50-m. high ceiling.  Surprisingly, bats do not inhabit the caves.  The only flying things about are swallows (balinsasayaw).  We rested by a beautiful calcite formation with a small, clear reservoir of mineral water and refilled our water bottles and ate our packed corned beef sandwiches here, sharing some with the two guides.  Water was occasionally dripping from the ceiling, reminding me that it was seeping water that hollowed out these caves by dissolving the limestone and combining to precipitate  calcite over millions of years.  Also, the evaporation of water in places, leaves minute deposits of calcium carbonate that hang hollowly from the cave’s roof (stalactites) or rise solidly and more stumpily from the floor (stalagmites).  It is said that it takes a hundred years to make 1 cm. of pure white stalactite or stalagmite.

“Lady with the Lamp”

After our half-hour lunch, we resumed our exploration, taking my camera and videocam but leaving behind my backpack with my rubbish inside.  Every now and then we would come across beautiful, stalagmites of glittering snow-white calcium carbonate crystal, without a trace of other minerals, carved and combined to form beautiful shapes.  Unlike Sohoton Caves, none of them have yet been named. I therefore dubbed one with helictites (an occasional twisted, twiglike growth) as “The Lady with the Lamp” (in honor of Florence Nightingale, God bless her soul!), a beautiful, bullet-like,  snow-white stalagmite I dubbed as “The White Phallus” (I could think of no other description), another I dubbed  “The Inverted Shoe” (or bakya) and a huge calcite waterfall imbedded with tiny calcite crystals which glittered when lighted by our lamps, I dubbed as “Vakul,” because it reminded me of the Batanes headwear worn by Ivatan women.

“Casper the Friendly Ghost”

Our entry into 270 m. long, 160 m. wide Gobingob Hall, the second chamber, was no less easy and quite unglamorous.  We had to pass through a floor of soft and moist muck.  Our shoes sunk with every step and efforts to raise them was an ordeal.  Oftentimes they remained stuck in the mud.  One member of our party broke her slipper while others just took them off and walked barefoot.  After what seemed an eternity, we were ushered into a huge cathedral-like chamber with huge stalactites hanging from the ceiling. Unlike the previous chamber, the floor here was level, albeit muddy, with long-legged crickets, faded to a pale and sickly hue, hopping around. Inside, too, was an underground stream.  Italian spelunkers have found blind cavefish (the first in the country), crabs and other small shellfish here, true troglodytes wholly adapted to sightless existence in caves.  Try as I must, even with my flashlight, I could not espy a blind cave fish in the still waters.  Other members of the party were able to see one.  I was, however, able to observe, up close, a colorless blind crab caught by one of the group.  It was later released, unharmed.

“The Inverted Shoe”

Our visit to this chamber ended our cave tour. We retraced our steps back to where we left our backpack, proceeded on the cave entrance and emerged, dead tired, at 2:30 PM after 3 hrs. of exploration.  The thought of hiking the 3-km. uphill/downhill trail back to the village daunted me and after a few minutes hike, I asked my guide to carry my backpack the rest of the way.  We reached the village by 4 PM. After washing up, paying the guides (I paid my guide an extra PhP50 for carrying my backpack) and signing the required guestbook, we left the village at 4:30 PM for the trip back to Tacloban.  After 2 or 3 stops due to overheating plus a detour to Basey to drop off some passengers, we reached Tacloban by 8 PM.