Cagayan and Its Many Caves

CAGAYAN’S MANY CAVES

The predominantly Spanish-influenced Cagayan Valley, the most peaceful region populated with the most friendly and very religious people, takes pride in its being celebrated as the Philippine’s Caving Capital, Number One of which is the seven-chambered Callao Caves nestled within the Peńablanca Protected Landscape, 24 kilometers from Tuguegarao.

Living up to its moniker as the country’s “Caving Capital,” the Valley has more than 300 cave systems and the region has been hosting for the last five years the National Caving Congress. For those who love to discover caves, framing marvelous limestone and other rock formations, the bat-colonized Callao Caves tops the list. It even has awesome skylights and a chapel within. Jackpot Cave in Sitio Tumallo, Bgy. Quibal, Peńablanca is touted as the country’s second deepest cave. It has a walking passage, winding streams and various-sized pools, multi-depth shafts and drops for lots of rope works.

Callao Cave

The Callao Caves at Peñablanca, Province of Cagayan offers world-class caving adventures. Even the most experienced cavers would be awed by the unspoiled beauty of the limestone formations that are “hidden in the dark” subterranean natural structure. A unique adventure in the subterranean world. See spectacular rock formations or speleothems– stalactites and stalagmites: flowstones and glittering dripstones cave curtains: crystal helictites: columns, etc. Crawl, climb, dive or simply admire what is hidden in the dark. Top this with relaxing swim at Mororan while awaiting the spectacle of the circadian flight of bats.

More than 300 cave systems await the cavers and other outdoorsmen in the more than 4,000 hectares area of Callao Caves Tourist Zone.

Mountaineering, river trekking and kayaking are added activities in this portion of the Northern Sierra Madre Mountain Ranges.

Odessa-Tumbali Caves

The Odessa-Tumbali caves in Sitio Abbenditan also in Bgy. Quibal is the country’s third longest cave. Known to locals as Abbenditan Cave, its active and flood-prone passages is great for wet sport caving. Its canals and lakes are ideal for swimming.

San Carlos Cave

Known as the toughest cave to conquer, the San Carlos Cave has a chamber dubbed Ice Cream Parlor. The grotto has white stalagmite clusters like scooped ice cream. Sharp, rough stones, on the other hand, dot its John the Baptist chamber, half of which is enclosed by cold running subterranean water. Here, spelunkers can learn about the art of crawling the arduous way.

Duba Cave

Duba Cave is not only a wet river cave but a swimming cave. Almost all passages with water, which is about 70% of the way to the Skylight Falls, have large breakdowns or walls without handholds along the side so the only way through is to swim. Because of this, it is highly recommended that personal floatation devices (PFDs) are used by all entering the cave. This will ensure a safe return trip especially after the long swim-in.

Truly, spelunking, hiking, mountain climbing, rappelling are just some of the most popular adventures within the region.