Tabon Cave Complex- Quezon, Palawan

The number 1  Philippine cave on my bucket list  explored! Want to see the Phils.' said cradle of civilization? Here's how:

1. Plane ride: Manila- Puerto Prinsesa, Palawan
2.From Puerto Prinsesa, ride a tricycle ( pay P 20 ) going to the van terminals and look for the QUEZON sign
3. Ride a van and pay P 300.00- travel time is about 3 hrs.
4. Upon reaching the Quezon van terminal, ride a tricycle (pay P 10) going to the National Museum office.

note: National museum is open on weekends until 4 PM , but it is not advisable to go there later than 2 PM.You may want to check what's in the museum too, that showcases the cultural and natural heritage of Palawan.

5. Secure a permit going to the Tabon Cave complex, pay P 20.00

6. Ride a tricycle ( pay P 20) going to the Phil. Coast Guard office near the port.
7. Present your permit to the coast guard officer and register
8. Rent a boat in the port for P 800 going to Lipuun Point where Tabon cave is located ( max of 6 riders) or you can opt to rent is by yourself the rate will be the same.
9. Boat ride is wavy! Lasts about an hour.
10. Present you permit to the Tabon cave 'museum' guide, register and enjoy the trek to the caves!

No words can ever describe my feelings while doing the trip to this very significant cave system that was first introduced to me as a kid from my elementary days on my Sibika subject. Who has not been taught about the Tabon caves in elementary school?

After the very long van ride from up PP to the mid section of Palawan in Quezon and almost an hour boat ride towards Lipuun Point, we reached the island at around 2PM after we left PP at 9am. I didn't expect hard caving though since I know that areas of archaeological significance will be closed to the public or any visitors.

The complex has about a hundred caves according to the National Museum curator based at the Tabon cave, only 7 is open to the public and due to time constraint arriving at around 2 PM, we only visited the first 4 so that we can catch the UV express van ride going back to PP on time. There are no hotels in Quezon, Palawan and the last van ride going back to PP departs at 5 PM.

The caves in Tabon are elevated ranging from up to 10 up to 100 meters on the highest point. Liyang cave is the first cave you will see and pass through, a big chamber with lots of bats and guano.

A 20 minute climb and trek on the stairs, the Tabon Cave itself...

This is the Tabon Cave and that ledge was the area where the discoverer, Dr. Robert Fox and the National Museum worked during their excavations.

So it is not actually caving, but a visit to these archaeological site, akin to visiting a museum, well, this is really a living museum.

  Below is the Diwata cave where our ancestors did their worship...

Igang Cave came next after about a hundred more stair climb...

Lots of climbing towards the other caves. The Manunggul Cave below was the last cave we visited. It is where the most famous archaeological find, the Manunggul jars were excavated. Those jars are the urn of the departed...

The beautiful natural bridge above the Manunggul cave

Four caves visited hurriedly on a span of 3 hours, we have to hurry back to Quezon van terminal as we bid goodbye to our awesome guide who had been assigned here for more than a decade.

The view from the cave site to the sea...

Tabon Cave may not be a challenge to a spelunker in terms of doing the actual caving, but it can really give one a chill and amazement on the fact how our ancestors lived their lives before, how they thrived in the caves and even on how they managed to reach this place where it is also said that before the "tulay na lupa" is still there.

The place and  the view is really wonderful. You have to see this for yourself if you love caving and is interested in archaeology at the same time!

The Wonders of Cavinti Caves and Subterranean River System

Our group, the Pinoy Spelunker were very honored to be a part of the Cavinti Underground Cave System re-opening to the public last February 10, 2014. We had waited for this opening since October of last year and even if it fell on a Monday, some took vacation leave just to be here. Present on this event is no other than the Cavinti mayor, Milbert Oliveros and Laguna board member, Angelica Jones. Together with tourism office reps and officials from other districts of Laguna, the opening on the morning of that day is very warm and exciting!

Ribbon cutting at the Cavinti Cave Entrance 

with various city officials, LGUs ang guests

Located at Brgy. Paowin of the province of Cavinti, Laguna, the trip from Manila to the Bumbungan Ecopark at Brgy. Tibatib (just right after Pagsanjan) that serves as the registry point for the visitors and the drop and pick up point of the 4x4 ride is only about 3 hours. Nice view, clean fresh air and laid back skirts of the side of the mountain, you are sure treated with so much nature the trip on the way itself is a refreshing experience.  

with Cavinti Mayor Milbert Oliveros

                                              

Reaching the registry point, a visitor will be asked to register, take a cave tour briefing and pay an entrance fee of P 1,300. A bit expensive by local standards, this amount is currently being reviewed since many locals had expressed dismay for its inaffordability despite the official Cavinti office releasing a breakdown of the cave fee price. The following are the things that are included on the fee: Use of Helmet and headlamp, 4x4 RT ride from Bumbungan Ecopark to the Cavinti Cave site (approx..1 hr, one-way if good weather), balsa ride from the river to the cave, guide fee, environmental fee, packed lunch (since no stores yet are available on site)

This cave system was carefully studied by the LGU and DENR. Knowing that many precious formations can easily be destroyed by vandalism and looting, they had closed the cave system to the public last October although this cave has been known to be discovered since 1980s by a local logger.

Rampant illegal logging is currently experienced on many portions of the mountains in the Laguna area.  On the rough road way to the cave, you can see patches of bald mountain spots cleared away by the loggers. With the deep orange-brown dirt road and bumpy ride, you begin to think that it’s better not to fix the rough road anymore so that the illegal loggers won’t easily get away out of the mountains with their stolen trees and lumbers.

the denuded forest along the way

After almost an hour of uberly bumpy and shaky ride on the open  4x4, you get off with very tensed muscles! You’ll shake it off by about 10 minutes walk towards the river and that’s where your adrenaline will kick in!  Seeing the river view side by side with the mountainous terrain will surely captivate your senses! My impulse is to run straight and dip myself on the river and yes I did that!

There is a balsa or bamboo raft waiting; this will be used to transport you towards the cave side. It can hold up to 12 persons at one time. There will be batching system on the cave trips. A group pf 10 only will be allowed to enter one at a time and as far as I remember only about 70 people per day will be allowed to visit the caves everyday. (I do hope the LGU and tourism management will really stand by this!)

After about 3 minutes ride towards the side of the mountain where the cave is located, you will have to walk a few minutes inside a forest, after which you will see a very unassuming rock cavity that serves as the main entrance to the first cave!!!

Walk on the bamboo ledge and you will get in the first chamber. Now, pictures will tell more so scroll below for what you can see inside the cave…

On the second chamber, you’ll get to experience the wet part of the cave where in you can take a dip and swim in the subterranean river and enjoy the super cold water falls inside!

The Cavinti Underground River cave is said to have about 12 chambers according to our guide, but only 2 is opened to the public, as of the moment. Other chambers contain very delicate speleothems not suitable for public access but only for scientific and education research.  Even though we’ve only been to 2 chambers, the beauty of the cave that unfolded before our eyes is beyond words! I’ve been to almost 3 dozen caves and I must say that Cavinti is really wonderful and perhaps even more beautiful than the Palawan underground river. 

The rough road on the way to the cave site and the river that cuts it off from the land and makes the cave quite hard to reach can be blessing and part of me wish that the tourism office and LGU to no longer fix the road on the way to the cave site to avoid uncontrolled visitors, potential looters and vandals and to mention again, not to make llegal logging more easier for the nature-criminals.

Currently the cave entrance is under review, will update this blog for any changes.  People also has to understand the cost of maintaining the integrity of our ecosystem although the mind-set here locally is that nature is for free, we cannot afford the consequences that might result from abusing it. The cave fee should be reviewed in such a way that local visitors can afford it but not so affordable that mass tourists are encouraged. Let’s remember that tourism should only be a secondary benefit from nature, nature should be conserved and protected first and for most, for the most expensive things and services nature do for us can never be paid off monetarily by the fees generated from tourism!

UPDATE: Last March 27, Cavinti tourism office announced a re-pricing on the entrance fees. The following are the new applicable rates, until further notice.

Cavinti residents - Php 200.00
Filipino Tourists - Php 540.00
Foreign Tourists - Php 1000.00

Sourced: Cavinti Tourism