This day will be a Tour day…a day to tour what I have been
planning to visit. A day before this, I have given Ate Fei my list so her
husband, Kuya Mike, our ever patient tour driver, can check if he knows the
way. Can google, map our way? Well, I have no intention to push what’s all in my paper as long as I
enjoy the tour with the whole family.
Hoyop hoyopan cave
Caving…the third that I will get through…first
in Sagada, second in Bohol…now in Bicol. Hoyop hoyopan cave is located in
Camalig Albay and is privately maintained. Its name was derived from the word “hoyop”
which means “blowing of air or wind” in Bicolano. An entrance fee of P50/pax is
needed to enter the cave with the cave tour guide. We are just lucky that all
of the children are free of the entrance fee as we are almost a dozen.
Tourists are expected to observe the
rules inside the cave to maintain its natural form and avoid untoward accidents
i.e no touching of stones. The cave is really different from all other caves
that I have been through. A claustrophobic person might enjoy this as we surely
enjoy the cool, fresh air as the wind passes freely through the different
opening in the cave. Of course, nobody else is the perfect man to capture our
moments inside the cave than our tour guide as he knows where the “perfect
spots” are.
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| The Cave Rules |
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| At the Cave Entrance |
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| see the concrete stairs? |
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| imagine what this is? |
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| just one angle of a shot |
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| another angle of a shot |
Concrete steps are mounted at the rear of the main entrance and incandescent
light bulbs are strategically placed around the cave, making it easy for the
visitors to navigate the area. Though, the passageways will test your skill in
squeezing, crawling, and kneeling to get through in order to reach the
different chambers, including a mini-pond and a dance floor. Inside the
cave are wonderful formations of stalagmites and stalactites, as well as hidden
sacred knowledge of the life of our ancestors — the early inhabitants of the
area. I remember, manong tour guide would relate the dance floor as where parties
are held inside the cave as curfew were strictly imposed during the martial law
era.
Camalig Greehills (Solong Eco Adventure Park)
Just a few minutes travel away from Hoyop hoyopan cave, we visit the
greenhills of Camalig. It is just like the chocolate hills of Bohol. A few
hundred steps up the mountain, you can see the numerous hills mountain
formation.
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| the view down from atop |
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| the Solong cave...a seat beside the entrance |
The Solong cave was explored for
a few minutes by some of our brave companions with just a flashlight, not to mention that most of them are just teens. (",) Perhaps, if you are a real cave explorer,
you will enjoy the challenge as they told us that it will take you more than
hours to explore the whole part of the cave.
Next…Jovellar Underground River ;D
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