The Caves of Bohol, Philippines

The Philippines is a country with rich culture and history, it is where diversity is not only expected but respected as well. It is made up of 7,107 islands with a land area of 115,739 sq. m. The islands are mainly grouped into three; Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao. The capital is Manila. The Philippines has only two seasons; hot and rainy and there are two official languages; Filipino and English. In a country which honors diversity, there are 8 major dialects; Tagalog (the national language), Cebuano, Ilocano, Ilonggo, Bicol, Waray, Pampanga and Pangasineses.

Located in one of the provinces of Visayas, is an island called Bohol. Bohol is comprised of 47 towns and the capital is Tagbilaran City. This province equally boasts of a rich cultural and historical heritage. It is also the home of numerous caves, some of which are still left undiscovered.

GETTING THERE

To get to the island of Bohol you can either take a direct flight from Manila to Tagbilaran via NAIA or for those who are coming from the province of Cebu, you can take the short flight from Cebu to Tagbilaran via Mactan Airport. For travelers who are more adventurous, you can take ferries that ply the Cebu-Bohol route throughout the day. It takes aprroximately 90 minutes to get to Bohol on board these ferries which go by such names as Supercat and Waterjet. These "fast cats" depart several times a day from Pier 1 situated a few blocks from Fort San Pedro.

THE CAVES

To date, there are around 1,400 caves that were discovered throughout the island of Bohol and perhaps there are still a few more left unexplored. Some of the most noted caves are the following:

Francisco Dagohoy Cave - Located in the town of Danao, this cave was the headquarters of the Boholano patriot named Dagohoy. Dagohoy started a rebellion versus Spain in 1744 when the Philippines was under Spanish rule. The rebellion will last until 1829 and it is said that Dagohoy would swim underwater to a route leading to dry land to hide whenever Spaniards would come to search the cave.

Hinagdanan Cave - This can be found in the island of Panglao. It is one of the well-known and easily accessible caves in Bohol. The cave leads to a large underground pond where residents and tourists alike may swim although it is not very advisable due to the waters condition. All throughout the caves are stalactites which hang from the celing and stalagmites which protrude from the earth.

Bingag Cave - Also in the island of Panglao, it is very tricky to traverse since the passages vary in size. The entrance to the cave is narrow that only one person at a time can pass. It has become a favorite spot for excursionists and picnickers.

Buhong Tiawan - Located in the town of Antequera, one has to walk about one kilometer through dense vegetation to reach the mouth of the cave. Inside the cave are various types of dripstones. In World War 2 the cave served as a hideout for locals but Japanese soldiers eventually discovered and raided it.

Hagakgak Cave - Two kilometers out of Antequera, this cave is harder to get into. One has to squeeze through narrow passages in order to enter the cave. Stalactites and stalagmites abound in this cave as well as some rare animals like the albino crabs and various fishes.

Inambacan Cave - Also two kilometers from Antequera, you can find this cave through road access. Flowing water fills most of this cave often 1.20 meters deep. There is not much air space between the current and the ceiling so if you're not experienced in cave exploring, it is not advisable to go here.

Carmaloan 2 - In the southeastern part of Bohol in a town called Jagna are many more caves. Most noted is the Carmaloan 2 which has an impressive depth of 149 meters.

Sudlon - This is the largest cave in this Visayan province. Located in a picturesque mountainous area, Sudlon is a popular dwelling place for bats.

Truly, the island of Bohol has a lot to offer. The numerous caves are but some of the interesting places to see in this beautiful island paradise.