I have only known few caves in the Philippines and Capisaan Cave is none of them. It starts when I tell a good friend of mine regarding my plan in visiting Northern Luzon. I mention to Jay that I will be visiting the caves in Tuguegarao. Jay then suggests to visit the caves in Kasibu, Nueva Vizcaya.
I immediately do some research on what cave he is talking about. I have not known any cave in Luzon aside from Sumaguing Cave of Sagada and Callao Cave of Cagayan Valley. When I try to search the Internet, there are only few articles regarding the cave. It excites me upon reading each article. I continue my research until I come across a Facebook page on Capisaan Cave. I send private messages and asks them the best way to get there.
They suggest several options to me. One is to drop at Solano City and catch the once a day trip to Capisaan. It is also better to stay at Capisaan after the caving activity and catch the trip the following morning back to Solano City. Another suggestion is to hire a jeep going there for us to have a waiting transportation going back to Solano City after the activity.
I am always eager to know how to get there using a private car. I am asking the FB page regarding the road conditions, the travel time and the best months to get there. They simply tell us that as long as its not rainy, it is okay to go there. The Bambang road to Kasibu is the best way to get there and it is likely to take at least 2 hours to arrive at the Barangay Hall of Capisaan. So I’m okay with my research and I am now looking for a companion to come with me to this adventure.
Months after knowledge of this fabulous cave, my friends and I are talking about spending Holy Week in the North. While drafting our itinerary, excitement is on my part in inserting Capisaan Cave as part of it. My companions approve my itinerary so we finalize the dates. We come up with a plan leaving Manila on Wednesday night, March 23, 2016.
We arrive Bambang, Nueva Vizcaya at 08:30am on March 24, 2016 where we take a quick break at Shell Station in Bambang. Mia, Bing and I eat our breakfast and have coffee for a while. We also gas up full tank for us to be safe while out somewhere we don’t exactly know.
At past 9am, we drive towards Kasibu. I am initially thinking that the cave is located just near the town center of Kasibu. So when we queue our GPS it says that we will arrive there in less than an hour. Oh well, we laugh at the articale saying we will get to the cave in 2 hours.
Arriving Kasibu after almost 40 minutes, at the end of my GPS tracker, there’s no such sign of any Capisaan Cave. We still drive ahead towards the town center and there is none. We approach one local along our way and ask him for a direction towards Capisaan Cave. He says that Capisaan Cave is about 27 more kilometers pointing to a direction ahead of us. He instructs us to simply follow the road and the travel time will be more than an hour.
We gratefully thank him and proceed our way according to his instructions. Few kilometers from the town center is a very nice, concrete huge highway going up the mountains. Then suddenly we arrive at the end of it. All the roads that we are traversing are rough and quite narrow. Good thing even if it is rough, it is still passable. So we trust what the guy tells us to just follow the road ahead. Eventually, from time to time we check the accuracy of our way by asking some locals if we are on the right direction. We are very thankful for their very honest response to us.
After more than an hour of this exciting maze, we finally see a road sign directing us to the registration area in Capisaan Cave. Upon arriving there, there are several tourists already in the area ready for their adventure. I personally laugh at myself since we just have a sedan while others have their 4 x 4’s.
It is almost 12 noon when we arrive at the area. We immediately walk to the Barangay Hall and tell them first our purpose changing our outfits. They strictly impose wearing of proper caving attire. They have prescribe outfits and they require every participants to adhere to it. If you don’t have shoes, you may rent from them. Headlamps and helmets are also available for rent at minimal fees.
After completing our gears and outfits, one personnel conducts the briefing and history of the cave. It is just the normal precautions, things to do in and out of the caves, the behavior when caving, and the things to do in case of emergency. We avail on the traverse taking the 4km trail from the Alayan Entrance towards Lion Entrance. The trek will approximately take 4 hours depending on the pacing of each of the participants.
When all the necessaries are set, we drive to the jump off area to commence our adventure. We say a prayer and hike our way towards the mountains. A short walk from the parking area is the entrance of the caves. We are the only group doing the traverse trail that time.
Arriving at the entrance of the cave, it seems like just a normal entrance featuring huge rocks with a passageway in between. Our lamps are ON and there is nothing special from there. According to our guide, the cave is safe from snakes and other cave dwellers but we’ll still need to be cautious as if they are just around.
Walking farther towards different chambers until we reach total darkness. Only the lights from our lamps light the cave and also hearing nothing but our voices. It is exciting to see natural formations inside though in the beginning, the formations are not that attractive at all. I feels like dirty, later on, our guide explains that the discoloration of the formations are due to the stains which the flood left during rainy season.
As we go further, the formations are turning into jewels. I am not expecting to see such kind of formations wherein it is already dark in color yet it is still alive. As far as I’ve known, once contaminated, it will die but this cave it’s not; it continues to live. Some stalactites are half white and half brown. You may even see the crystals forming in it.
Near the entrance, it is quite muddy. Maybe that explains why when there is flood in the cave; it normally stain those formations being hit by floods. Seldom you will see some stalagmite formations in the watery areas. As we all know that these formations will take several years for a centimeter to grow, and with regular flood visits, it is understandable that only few stalagmites are existing. At some elevated parts though there are formations but not the usual scene you’ll be expecting from other live caves.
It is a surprise that maybe a quarter way from the entrance of the cave you may notice several formations. I am not a cave explorer but I always notice that on other caves, only few styles of formations are abundant in a particular cave. Unlike here in Capisaan Cave, from the entrance to almost half of the spelunking activity, several fantastic formations are nicely forming. May it be a formation from the ceiling, on the walls and even on the elevated portions of the floor. If I may explain, it is like a combination of several caves that I have been into.
With the features of this cave, it will really amaze you on its rare beauty. Sometimes it leaves me speechless when I come to see some spectacular formations along the way. All the time, my mind is playing on the formations I’ve seen, comparing it to objects or fruits or other things that may resemble its shape. Some shapes you can’t ignore being a shape of a man’s asset.
Most of the trails inside the cave are okay. However, there are some that requires us to swim into its chest-deep waters in order to reach the accessible part of the cave. Some challenges also requires us to crawl into a small hole just to get to the other end. Another challenge is to pass through a narrow passage on one side of the cave. The very good thing, they mount ropes for us to hold while climbing up to another chamber.
By the way, we are thankful for the management’s effort to strictly impose proper caving attire. It is also for the safety of its visitors. Along the way, there are several entrances. Some of the cavers opt to do the easy and quickest way to the cave. So along the way, expect to some noises and meet several explorers. The management figures out a good route not to congest visitors inside the cave. They also employ expert cave guides with enough experience in which the not only function as guides, they also are knowledgeable on the history and activities inside the cave. I really commend the management and its employees.
To continue our journey, there are several formations featuring different cave activities. Some drippings are heavily pouring on one area so the formations as well are existing there. There are areas wherein it is like literally raining. It is super live that it has this tiny stalactite sticks forming and continuously dripping. If I am to describe it, it is like pretzels at the ceiling with dripping waters. It’s so nice to see this huge area of the cave.
Another part of the caves wherein stalagmites formation are like several sticks being mounted on the ground. Some sizes are a like of a normal grip of a human being. It is so amazing having seen these wonderful creations. We feast on these beautiful sceneries along the way. Most of our delays are caused by our fond of taking pictures. We cannot help but pose on every unique and distinct formation we’ve encountered.
Reaching almost the end of the cave system is the Lion’s mouth formation. It is like a hungry or somewhat an angry lion willing to crunch anybody near it. The description of the formation really reflects the name of the cave. Yet it is a rare formation of stalactites and stalagmites on that particular area only. There is a big open space near it but what really highlights the area is the mouth of that angry lion. So incredible.
We finish the trek for almost 4 hours. We haven’t notice the time that even our empty stomach knocks on us only mid way. When we come out of the cave, we see several tourists also busy taking pictures at the map; oh we don’t want to miss it also.
Just a short walk from the exit towards is the Barangay Hall. Our guide have his motorcycle ready and drives me towards the Alayan entrance where I park my car. I am drive it back to the Barangay Hall for us to fix ourselves. They have several rinsing and changing areas for the visitors. We immediately organize ourselves and hurriedly leave Capisaan since it is already getting dark.
The whole adventure is an A+ to me; a surprising combination of several caves when it comes to cave formations. Though the place for now is not that known to tourists, I commend everybody that they capitalize on caring and preserving the treasure that they have. In addition, they also impose strict compliance on the safety of their visitors.
I am really hoping that they will continue conserving this nature’s gift so the next generations will have its glance and ideas on how these things evolve. I am also thankful to Jay for giving me an idea on this treasure near his hometown.
As of the time we visit Capisaan Cave, there is an on-going road concreting project. Hopefully in a short period of time, it will be very accessible passing along the new highway of Kasibu, Nueva Vizcaya.
Been here: March 24, 2016
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