Sibud-Sibud Cave: A Hidden Spelunking Destination in Abra

Sibud-Sibud Cave in Tineg, Abra offers multitude of mineral deposit formations and is slowly gaining its momentum in spelunking tourism.

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Contents

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Location

• Alaoa, Tineg, Abra

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How to get to Sibud-Sibud Cave

• Get to Bangued, Abra
  • From Manila: Partas Bus (fare and schedule here) or Dominion Transit Bus bound to Bangued. Approx. trip duration: about 9 hours.
  • From Baguio City: Take a Partas Bus (Php314.00*) or a mini bus (Php250.00*) bound to Bangued. Approx. trip duration: about 6 hours.
  • Private vehicles: Directions can be easily asked from the friendly Abra locals.

• From Bangued to Tineg:
  • Single motor
  • Jeepney

Any fees, scheduled trips, routes, or facilities mentioned here are subject to change according to existing and current government, private, or association rules.

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Drop-off Point

• Tineg Road, Alaoa, Tineg, Abra, Philippines
• Registration area: [to be updated once information is available]

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Contact Person/Group

• Tineg Mayor’s Office: (074) 752-8118/8620
• Tourism Officer: Romulo Marcos Villamonte
• It is best to contact or visit the provincial tourism department upon arrival in Abra for assistance, especially in planning your itinerary and transportation arrangements. Their office is located at DPWH compound in Bangued (click here for the google map).

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Fees/Rental/Facilities

• Registration Fee: As of 2016, none [will update once info is available].
• Tour Guide Fee: Php200.00** (maximum of 10 pax/guide) as of 2016 [will update once info is available].
• Hard hat, knee & elbow pads rental: None.
• Shower facility: Not needed.

Any fees, scheduled trips, routes, or facilities mentioned here are subject to change according to existing and current government, private, or association rules.

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Cave Characteristics

• Mineral deposit formations: Abundant.
• Underground river: None.
• Bat population: Numerous.
• Multichamber: Yes.
• Human artefacts: None discovered yet.
• Cave floor fill (aside from stone formations): Bat droppings, soil, mud, and pebbles.
• Spelunking duration: approximately an hour.
• DENR Cave Classification: III (DENR Memorandum Circular No. 2016-05). Cave is generally safe to inexperienced visitors with no known threatened species and archeological, geological, natural history, cultural and historical values. These caves may also be utilized for economic purposes such as guano extraction and edible birds nest collection.

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Description

A cave newly put under the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), Sibud-Sibud Cave in Tineg, Abra, with its offering of multitude of mineral deposit formations without the usual wall cliff hanging to crawling through narrow crevices, is slowly gaining its momentum in spelunking tourism.          

Sibud-Sibud Cave is situated in Barangay Alaoa in the beautiful, mountainous Municipality of Tineg, Abra. According to the locals, the cave was named Sibud-Sibud because it had been a habitat of numerous birds decades ago. Its name is derived from the Adasen word sibud, meaning bird. Unfortunately, only bats occupy its chambers this days. Possibly, there might be other birds seeking sanctuary as well as accidental animal inhabitants in the chambers near the exits. Its approximated year of discovery has not yet been established, though the locals verbalized that it has always been there as a bat-hunting ground of their forefathers.

Further, Sibud-Sibud Cave is a multi-chambered cave with a couple of caverns and beautifully-formed mineral deposits. There are two entry point to the cave, thus a traverse route can be done; though, the tourist may opt to trace back his initial point of entry as his exit. Like the Ambongdolan Caves in Tublay, Benguet and Capisaan Cave in Nueva Vizcaya, Sibud-Sibud as a Class III cave, does not require tourists to crawl or slide through crevices, wade through icy waters, or climb stone walls. It is an easy trek save one area where climbing through a makeshift wooden ladder is needed, unlike Aran Cave where you need to exert a lot of physical effort. Portions of the cave floor are wet from the accumulated continuous drips from the rocks above.

Moreover, mineral deposit formations are numerous starting a few meters from each entry points, thus giving tourists immediate wonderment. These formations like small to giant banana blossom, heart, flaccid, uncircumcised male genitalia (complete with scrotum), dome-like roof, golden walls, terraces and others are all over the place, from the walls, the floor, to the roof of the cave. Fortunately, the stone formations are well preserved and vandalism is only seen outside of the cave, unlike Libtec Crystal Cave. Add the flapping and squeaking of hundreds of bats, it is a surreal experience.  It is a haven for non-rigorous itinerary spelunkers.

On the other hand, Despite of the beauty of the cave, the distance, lack of public transportation and the often misunderstood stigma of Abra are high hurdles in its promotion as an excellent ecotourism destination. As of writing, the Sibud-Sibud Cave has an informal tourist program. There are two local guides who have been accompanying tourists in and out of the cave. Interestingly, it is a father-son tandem. The younger guide, Jamsie, lives at the start of the hike. Devoid of the innuendos and catch phrases learned from a standard guide training, the local guides are very much sensitive in safeguarding the well-being of the tourists, en route and inside the cave. Ask the history of the place and the cave and the guide would give you his personal experiences as well as knowledge passed by their forefathers. It is basically an innocent, honest guiding.  

By year 2016, Sibud-Sibud Cave had been identified as Class III cave and added in the hundreds of caves under the protection and management of DENR. As embodied in Memorandum Circular 2016-05 signed by DENR Secretary Ramon J.P. Paje, this classification ensures the preservation of the caves for the enjoyment of the public (Department of Environment and Natural Resources, 2016). Class III caves can easily be explored by inexperienced tourist albeit with the assistance of guides.

Other notable tourist destinations in the municipality are the Camouflage Rock formation, Kaparkan Falls (Molawin Falls), Tineg River and several water falls.

Lastly, and again, no matter how good or beautiful the cave is, it will decay if we will not protect it. Please practice the LEAVE NO TRACE PRINCIPLES.

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Gallery

This is it, lets go!

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Wait… Notice the vandalized stone; fortunately, it is only outside the cave. Further inside the entrance. It looks ominously narrow but you can actually stoop walk through it.

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Once you are through the entrance, you will be greeted by this. And the wide-eye-open-mouth syndrome starts. Aside from the formations, you will also be greeted by the inhabitants with squeaks and flapping sounds.

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Feast your eyes on the numerous banana blossom-like formations along the walls and ceiling. Don’t forget to close your mouth, a bat might dive into it.

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A closer look at what I call the “Angel’s Wings”.

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There’s always a heart-shaped formation inside caves… and something phallic. This time, another scrotum-like.

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These stone formations are around 4 meters long. You can only see its size en face or when a man if standing beside it when taking pictures.

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Even the ceiling is undeniably a nature’s masterpiece.

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Cacao fruit? A bird’s head?

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Bats and bats! When I went there in 2016, the cave is haven for bats. As tourists will explore its caverns, bats may leave their home.

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Some of the narrow pathways.

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This made me remember the anime FairyTail [anime addicts can only relate to this].

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This is something that will interest you everywhere you look. Those who have long-range camera lens will feast on the stone formations far from the paths.

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A prisoner heart? A misshapen angel? 

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Oral cavity with uvula?

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Well, I will let your imagination grow wild in these formations. I rest my case as to what it resembles.

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Careful when you pass through this part, your head might be snagged. Well, the ceiling is smooth, yet somehow, mineral-rich water had found minute spaces to ooze and later form these stalactites.

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The color of the stone formations starts to whiten near the exit.

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This is the part where you will need agility–going up to the upper chamber of the cave, towards the exit.

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Blossoms and hearts guarded by the bats.

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As you near the exit, the color changes.

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The inconspicuous exit!

For responsible spelunking/caving please do not forget the LEAVE NO TRACE PRINCIPLES.

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Reference

Department of Environment and Natural Resources (2016). DENR puts 39 more caves under protection. Retrieved from http://www.denr.gov.ph/news-and-features/latest-news/2619-denr-puts-39-more-caves-under-protection.html.

DENR Memorandum Circular No. 2016-05. Additional list of classified caves [pdf file]. Retrieved on 2019 Jan 20 from https://server2.denr.gov.ph/uploads/rmdd/dmc-2016-05.pdf

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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!