Into the Uncharted Caves of Balbalan
Balbalan in Kalinga is poised to attract more visitors to this town blessed with Karst topography. Balbalan caves are underground marvels with some some having a subterranean river, teeming with below ground fauna, and with marvelous speleothem formations.
Contents
Location
Address: Balbalan, Kalinga, Philippines
Google Map:
DENR Cave Classification
Most of the Balbalan Caves are not yet classified by the DENR. Only a couple has been included in the official roster of classified caves.
Spelunking in the Uncharted Caves of Balbalan
Balbalan is a landscape of sinkholes, sinking streams, caves, and springs. This topography is usually a result from the excavating effects of underground water on massive soluble limestone [1]. Balbalan caves are underground marvels with some some having a subterranean river, teeming with below ground fauna, and with marvelous speleothem formations.
Geograhically, and population-wise, Balbalan is a relatively small with low population municipality. Balbalan has a small population of 12,195 per 2015 Philippine Statistics Authority data [2]. This represents only 5.73% of the total population of Kalinga province, or 0.71% of the Cordillera Administrative Region. Historically, Balabalan was under the Province of Kalinga-Apayao. Later, Kalinga became a separate province by virtue of RA 7878 in 1992 [3].
Within the past decade, the Balbalan caves have been highlighted in posts of local and international spelunking groups. The conservation as well as planned opening to tourists had been started mostly in 2019. Unfortunately, the pandemic brought about by COVID-19 has temporarily put it to stop as restrictions in travelling locally and inter regionally is being implemented.
Maaya-ayas Cave
Maaya-ayas Cave in Buaya, Balbalan, Kalinga is an exceptional work of nature as it boasts an active subterranean river as well as beautiful stone formations. Maaya-ayas Cave found its spot in the limelight when photos taken by Northern Luzon International Caving Expedition Philippines (NLICEP) members. One of the foreign explorers was so amazed at Maaya-ayas Cave, that it is one of the best he had ever seen [5]. He said it’s an active river cave with beautiful formations inside. Most of all, it is highly technical.
Magangab Cave
According to the locals, Maganga Cave is probably from one of their vernacular word “aggab”. This term describes the sound of moving boulders beneath the earth being carried by strong current of running water, commonly during heavy rains [4].
Stone formations are abundant inside the cave. Like any other caves, speleothems in the form of flow stones, columns, canopies, shields, draperies, stalactites, stalagmites, among others are everywhere. In an image uploaded by a visitor in social media, microgours are also seen in some sloping surfaces.
Since the cave has a subterranean river, expect to be muddied along the way. Thus be prepared to remove your shoes if you don’t want them to get dirty and soaked during spelunking. Fortunately, it is not as knee deep muddy as the passages of San Carlos Cave in Penablanca, Cagayan. In parts of the subterranean river where there is no mud, the water is crystal clear, like in Aran Cave in Benguet and Capisaan Cave in Nueva Vizcaya. The water also is freezing, like in most underground rivers. Just make sure to get extra set of clothing, including under wears and socks to change to after your spelunking session.
Not far from the cave at a lower elevation is the Timod River [5]. Possibly, some water from the cave drains to this body of water, which in turn joins the Cal-owan River of the neighboring community. You can have your picnic or take a quick dip here after exploring the cave.
Dinugdugan Cave
Because of the incomparable beauty of the cave within the municipality, some locals are hopeful that this will become the ‘goddess of all caves’ in Balbalan. Unfortunately, the local government and DENR had it closed to tourism traffic yet. This will remain so until the cave is safe for tourism [well, also until preparations are good enough to safeguard the cave from tourists].
Unlike other caves with small entrances, Dinugdugan Cave has a dome high entrance. It is wide that it could fit a bus terminal. The cave also has an active subterranean river snaking through its passages; it has a variable depth of around 5 feet and changes between seasons and rainfall [6]. Possibly, the water drains to Timod River near the cave.
Speleothem formations are highly abundant inside the cave. This is the reason why it could be the most beautiful among Balbalan Caves. Like any other caves, speleothems in the form of flow stones, columns, canopies, shields, draperies, stalactites, stalagmites, among others are everywhere. As the location of the cave is at the headwater of Timog River, the continuous trickles on its upper surfaces will continue to change the sizes of speleothems inside.
Uguid Subterranean River
What is different and exciting about Uguid Subterranean River is that it is a talus cave with an active river inside. Uguid Subterranean River is also known to be the 8th deepest cave [2]. It was first surveyed by a local exploration team in cooperation with an international group sometime in 2013. On 2018, Uguid Subterranean River was assessed by the DENR, though no cave classification was published yet.
Uta Cave
Uta Cave is otherwise known as Uta Lyang among the locals. In the vernacular of Balbalan folks, lyang means cave.
Apparently, Uta Cave is not laden with stone formations like other caves. However, the thrill of crawling through its narrow passages will test new spelunkers’ might in the dark. According to the old folks in the community, the name of the cave is associated to “disgorged food and liquid from vomiting”. Kabunyan did this from intoxication from drinking basi , fermented sugar cane sap, while on his way home from a wedding celebration [7].
The cave had its own unique subterranean beauty. Unfortunately, it has been a victim of vandalism, a local menace to natural wonders. On a positive note, the local government had made efforts to conserve it and had even poised it to open to the public.
Maanus Cave
Maanus Cave is situated about a kilometer away from the community center. Upon arrival, you will be greeted with a meter-wide hole. However, the main chamber is so vast that it could fit a decent-sized bus terminal [8]. This evident after crawling for about an meter. from the entrance. Inside, century-old stalagmites and stalactites decorate the walls and ceiling of the cave. Its development is currently underway, including training of guides, clearance of pathway to the entrance, as well as some facility on site.
Stone formations are abundant inside the cave. Like any other caves, speleothems in the form of flow stones, columns, canopies, shields, draperies, stalactites, stalagmites, among others are everywhere.
There are also other caves in Balbalan like Kiling and Banig which may also open once conservation and planning has been implemented. Who knows, there are more undiscovered lyangs (caves) in the municipality as it has a natural karst topography.
Contact Person/Group
- Social Media (Balbalan Tourism Facebook Page)
- Municipal Tourism Officer Desginate
- Office of the Mayor
Registration/Guide Fees
- As of last quarter of 2019: Php1,000.00 per guide for a day.
- Will be updated once data are available
How to Get to Balbalan
By land:
- Get to Tabuk, Kalinga
- From Manila (approx 12 hours travel time): Take a bus bound to Tabuk, Kalinga. Victory Liner has a direct route from Sampaloc to Tabuk; or take their bus from Pasay to Tuguegarao, then take a PUJ to Tabuk. Florida Bus also has a Sampaloc to Tabuk and Cagayan route.
- From Baguio City (approx 9 hours travel time): Dangwa Bus, Auto Bus, and GL lines have buses to Tabuk.
- From Bontoc (approx 6 hour travel time): PUJs and buses are available to Tabuk via Kalinga Highway and Tinglayan. First trip is at 7 AM and last trip at 11AM.
- Tabuk to Balbalan
- There are PUJs from Tabuk to Poblacion, Balbalan; their terminal is located at Block 3, Purok 5, Bulanao, Tabuk. Schedule of trips are 7am, 10am and 1pm. fare is around Php180.00
By air:
- Get to Tabuk, Kalinga by air
- From Manila, there are Philippine Airline flights direct to Tuguegarao. From Tuguegarao, take a PUJ to Tabuk.
- Tabuk to Balbalan
- There are PUJs from Tabuk to Poblacion, Balbalan; their terminal is located at Block 3, Purok 5, Bulanao, Tabuk. Schedule of trips are 7am, 10am and 1pm. fare is around Php180.00
Nearby Non-Spelunking Destinations
- Banao Protected Landscape
- Balbalasang National Park
- Waterfalls: Tawang Waterfalls, Bagawat Waterfalls, Lultoan Waterfalls, Ligayan Waterfalls
- Giant Bathtub Pool of Ligayan Waterfall (Battong Allan”)
- Palit Lake
- Bolo-Nawoy rice terraces
- Giant Serpent, Gawaan
Reminders
- Always practice leave-no-trace principle. I have to highlight to please not leave anything inside, do not vandalize, and do not take any physical memento from the cave. Whether it is under the protection of the DENR or not, treat nature with respect.
- If you plan to go there during dry season, please bring enough water to quench your thirst on the way to the cave and during the spelunking activity.
- It is highly advisable to contact your guide a day before and arrange transportation in advance if you are not commuting or using private car.
- Wear a comfortable non-slip, close-toed rubber shoes for the hike to the cave.
- Get a complete extra set of clothes to change to after you get out of the cave.
- If there is a subterranean river inside, bring zip bags for your gadgets. Also, consider re-scheduling your activity if there had been a continuous heavy rain in the area.
References
[1] The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica, n.d. Karst. [online] Encyclopedia Britannica. Available at: <https://www.britannica.com/science/karst-geology> [Accessed 24 August 2020].
[2] Philippine Statistics Authority-Cordillera Administrative Region. 2020. 2019 Registered Births Marriages And Deaths In Kalinga. [online] Available at: <http://rssocar.psa.gov.ph/Kalinga/releases/2019%20Registered%20Births%20Marriages%20and%20Deaths%20in%20Kalinga> [Accessed 27 July 2020].
[3] Donqui-is, J., n.d. The Kalinga – National Commission For Culture And The Arts. [online] National Commission for Culture and the Arts. Available at: <https://ncca.gov.ph/about-ncca-3/subcommissions/subcommission-on-cultural-communities-and-traditional-arts-sccta/northern-cultural-communities/the-kalinga/> [Accessed 27 July 2020].
[4] Balbalanlink.blogspot.com. 2019. The Tawang Magangab Cave Of Balbalan. [online] Available at: <http://balbalanlink.blogspot.com/2019/09/the-tawang-magangab-cave-of-balbalan.html> [Accessed 24 August 2020].
[5] Balocnit, P., 2019. Balbalan To Open Its Cave To Tourists. [online] Pia.gov.ph. Available at: <https://pia.gov.ph/news/articles/1031760> [Accessed 21 July 2020].
[6] Balbalanlink.blogspot.com. 2019. The Dinugdugan Cave Of Tawang, Balbalan. [online] Available at: <https://balbalanlink.blogspot.com/2019/09/the-dinugdugan-cave-of-tawang-balbalan.html> [Accessed 24 August 2020].
[7] Balbalan Tourism Facebook Page. 2019. “In celebration of the 2nd Tourism Week of Balbalan, we visited the legendary UTA CAVE..” [image] Available at: <https://www.facebook.com/balbalantourism/posts/926938317706341> [Accessed 6 November 2020].
[8] Balbalan Shines facebook Page. 2016. MAANUS CAVE: Barangay Tawang, Balbalan, Kalinga —. [online]. Available at <https://www.facebook.com/permalink.php?story_fbid=1003348486379029&id=943414549039090> [Accessed 12 November 2020].
Disclaimer: As much as we want to give the most accurate information for the readers, change will always occur (e.g., contact number, transportation, fees, etc.). With this, please do comment below any updates as well as corrections on the content, anything amiss, or any information that you think is crucial to the readers. Iyaman!
