It was my first time to do spelunking in Sagada and my first impulse was to bring everything that I might need in the trip. Good thing I thought of ways to protect my body, arms, legs and feet! Haha. You'll find that most of the shots here are from somebody else in our group. This is because I know a camera on my neck will only weigh me down. I knew I must focus my energy on caving (for the first time haha) and one small slip or mistake might lead to something serious. I also know that my camera can't handle super dark places and my hands are shaky especially after a workout. I might also bump it on a rock with icky bat poop or it might fall in the water. Plus, I don't have the skill yet and time to play with the manual setting like the professionals with me ;) Lastly, I just wanted to have fun and not thinking about it too much coz I had no clue on the details of the trail and the cave haha. The end result of thinking that ahead and knowing your limits was great! It was one of my most memorable trips ever and it was just AMAZING inside. I got so close to the formations and even hang on some for my life haha. Just look at my pic below. I was psyching myself before I strategically climbed down a humongous wall of limestone hehehehe.
Some Images from Kuya Boyd of ATI
What to Wear Caving / Mostly Women's List of Suggested Things to Bring to Sumaguing Cave / Things I Brought to this Sagada Spelunking Adventure
Sample Trail inside:
1. Mojo Slippers / Anti-slip Footwear - My Mojo slippers were a bit big so all the dirt went to the extra space and protected my feet! Haha. It was a very nice spelunking slipper, not slippery. You can find the list of places to buy Mojo sandals here.
2. Spaghetti Strap Inner Top - so you have an extra layer if you want to take off #3
3. Roxy Rashguard Zip-up Type (Dual-Purpose Jacket) / Tattoo Sleeves - to protect your elbows from scratches and body from the cold
4. Yvonne's Leggings / Easy-dry Fit Clothes / Long (Below-knees) Leggings to Protect the Knees - pullable up or down =)
5. Cotton Gloves / Worker's Gloves - guano everywhere (bat discard) so that hanging on to anything at the first dry part of the trail wouldn't be a problem
6. Water (optional) - you can all just share
7. Camera with flash (optional)
Left this at the car:
- Water
- P20 to pee in the Comfort Room / Also entrance fee if it's not included in your packaged tour and fare to your lodging
- Complete Set of Dry Clothes / Sarong / Big Plastic Bag (to sit on the car or just sit on the car floor like me LOL) - was wet from head to toe
- Camera (at your own risk or leave at the lodging)
Added Tip:
- Start stretching in your room before this activity! ;)
- Do not stare up the cave with your mouth open haha. Bats pee and poop ;)
Added Tip:
- Start stretching in your room before this activity! ;)
- Do not stare up the cave with your mouth open haha. Bats pee and poop ;)
Scroll down for lots of pictures inside Sumaguing Cave. =)
This is the last part of my Sagada series. Check out other posts below:
Eat, Walk and Trek in Mt. Province - Things to Do in Sagada Part 1 and My Mojo Slippers - Sagada Weaving, Pine Trees, Food Trip, Lemon Pie, Yoghurt, Souvenirs and Many More!
Things to Do in Sagada Part 2 - Sunrise, Market, Hanging Coffins, Trek to Lumiang, Sumaguing, Sagada Pottery Training Center, Lake Danum, Sunset!
Things to Do in Sagada Part 2 - Sunrise, Market, Hanging Coffins, Trek to Lumiang, Sumaguing, Sagada Pottery Training Center, Lake Danum, Sunset!
Timestamp: 9:40 a.m. The Before Shot at the entrance haha.
Images without Watermark from Kuya Ben of ATI
10 a.m. All guides ready! Briefing check! Buddy system check! Last matinong pic! Hahaha. Time for some action!
We were pretty much like this inside. 2 to 3 sources of light. Single-file. Weak and slow ones in front.
We encountered traffic and others going to the other direction on some routes.
Sometimes, hugging the rock is your best option. Cliff / point-of-no-return-for-an-amateur / long way down on the other side.
10: 20 a.m. You would definitely use your hands and hang on to something solid.
10:30 a.m. No playing around. Serious stuff.
10:40 a.m. Water inside the cave! The rocks also change! Limestone!
We left our slippers and my gloves here (came back for it later). Wouldn't be needing it.
This limestone formation is pretty cool. If you look up, there's natural light coming in from a hole. One of my fav experiences! =)
My fingers and toes also stuck well to the limestone (has lots of friction, not slippery).
Parang gecko / felt like Spiderman haha. Amazing!
You may think I'm posing but well, this is the way down for me (stayed close to the ground and low) =)
11 a.m. What an experience!
At pababa lang nang pababa hehe. Kuya explained about the formation of limestone, black mix of limestone and carbon deposits, crystals and diamonds. If there weren't people going in and out here (heat), bet they'll be lots of that (diamonds) formed already here!!! There's a Crystal Cave trail also and a link to this cave somewhere.
This was one of the harder parts.
Prepared! My turn! Hahaha.
Kuya: "Step on my foot then step on my other foot." x 20 people x lbs. O_O
11:15 p.m. You'll get here - the first group photo opportunity. Haha. From this point on, the professionals already gave their cameras to the Kuyas (put in their backpacks for safekeeping) because you would be asked if you want to go into deeper (~chest-high) water. If not, lights out for you and you wait here haha.
There was one tight situation where we had to crawl and rotate our bodies to get through the hole. Then the ground I was stepping on was soft but icky haha. The water is super clear from the natural filtration but I think there's bat poop mixed at the bottom haha.
We came from that black hole below. There's rushing water below and we had to hang on to the rope and walk on the wall. The Kuyas had to help us cross it one by one! Upper body workout..
I think this was the most difficult part for me because I couldn't reach the other side without help. It was also just a (regular) rope for support..
It didn't help that there was gushing water and due to my height, I could drown if I don't hang on to somebody.
Well, I got a bit scared and sorta wanted to go back already haha. Hope they could install something more professional and safer there.
12:10 p.m. The worst part is over. Whew! All clothes wet at this point. 10 minutes rest! Haha.
But wait! There's more! There was this walk sideways challenge that scared me too because it was slanted and we could fall face down into rocks.
There was limited space up there too so we had to glue ourselves to the slanted wall.
12:20 p.m. One of the last challenges was to climb up a rope to get to the pool where we were earlier!
I was kinda woozy from that point and just kept on going back up until I saw the light outside hahahaha. Maybe took us around an hour more hehe. I couldn't find an after picture XD but 'twas super fun to realize that I can do this sort of thing. Haha. I just need to focus and to bring the right gear ;)
Until the next adventure!
What to Bring for Sagada Spelunking? / What Is It Like Inside the Sumaguing Cave Beginner's Trail?
I'd love to hear from you below: Have you ever tried caving / spelunking? Which cave in the Philippines have you heard about or gone into?
