Spelunking in Samar: Lobo Cave

Just like exploring a new dungeon in a video game, there’s something so fulfilling about spelunking or exploring caves in real life.

You have to navigate through small tunnels and chambers, find the best route so that you don’t hurt yourself, come face to face with creatures like bats and snakes and overcome all the obstacles in the dark to find the cave exit. It’s not as glamorous as Lara Croft makes it look, but it’s one of the most fun and exhilarating adventures you can do. Particularly if you’re in Samar, the Caving Capital of the Philippines.

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Adventure in Aglipay Caves, Quirino

The jeepney’s wheels spewed out chunks of mud as the driver floored the engine, determined to get the jeep out of the rut. We sat at a distance, drenched in the rain, our feet caked in mud, but still in high spirits. A little rain never hurt anybody.

aglipay caves quirino 01

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Exploring the Underworld: Calbiga Caves, Samar

Encompassing and immense, Langun-Gobingob Caves in the town of Calbiga (more popularly known as Calbiga Cave) in Samar province is the largest cave system in the Philippines. It’s reputed to be the second largest in Asia and the world’s third largest karst formation, measuring 7 km. long with an area of 900 square km. But that doesn’t even begin to describe its vastness.

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With chambers upon chambers as large as coliseums, the light from our headlamps barely made a dent in the dark. The surreal underground landscapes brought images of the Underworld to mind. If you want a glimpse of mysterious underground realms, head to Samar.

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Spelunking in Pinagrealan Cave, Bulacan

The beams of flashlights cast flickering shadows across the damp rock surface of the cave. Once in a while, a blinding flash would go off as someone took a photograph. Then, it was back to the gloom as our group stumbled through the winding caverns. Continue reading “Spelunking in Pinagrealan Cave, Bulacan”