Wear comfortable hiking shoes or sandals. The trail starts by climbing a number of stairs towards the cave (you need to have head lights/ flashlight with you since you're going to start the hike early in the morning there's no sunlight yet). Our guides were Kuya Duds and Bhert (not sure if this was his name but it starts with a B). The Group was okay with the change in itinerary. who takes charge of Mt Manalmon (was supposed to do Mt Gola but according to the locals it's no longer part of their jurisdiction hence they suggested we do Mt. Registration starts at 4:15am with the local guides or the Madlum Cave Guide Group Organization Inc. Arrived at the jump-off point around 4am. The trip from Manila to San Miguel, Bulacan was short around 1.5-2hrs. Matinik with other people but joined the group as solo traveler. Take that road on the right and then, about 1 km farther, there would be another intersection, and the road on the right (eastward) will lead straight to Biak na Bato.Visited Mt Manalmon and Mt. It should have a sign that points to Biak na Bato National Park. About 7 kilometers from San Ildefonso, keep an eye for a Y intersection. From the exit, head north along the National Highway towards Plaridel, Baliuag, San Ildefonso (about 28 km). Take the North Luzon Tollway and exit at Sta. Bird species like kingfisher, layong-layong, tree sparrow and green doves are noted. Faunal dwellers like mudfish, tilapia, biya, eel, freshwater shrimps, minimal bats and bivalves teem the undergound river. Marvelous stone formations like stalactites and flowstones deck the small dome of the cave. From the mouth of the cave flows crystal-clear icy waters emanating probably from a major groundwater recharge reservior. The Bukal Cave situated on the approach of the Aguinaldo Cave. In exactly 3 minutes at 6:15 p.m., the daily phenomenon ends. Tourists are treated to a rare and astounding display of natural beauty as the mammals fly overhead and out of the cave - aligned in two fronts and to converge some 200 meters into the sky on a single formation, only to disappear in the darkening horizon. Beneath the gigantic portal, which stretches to about 30 meters up forming a large dome, are big boulders the size of a two-storey building and the way up the narrow and brittle natural bridges that lead to the inside are truly very dangerous. The cave is entered via a higher orifice, and one must clamber down to get to the water's edge.īahay Paniki Cave (House of Bats), located some 300 meters south of the Aguinaldo Cave, is a bit risky to penetrate, considering the tons of debris filed by torrential floodwater (more conducive to cold-blooded snakes and poisonous scorpions). At the lower mouth of the cave, one can sit on the rocks and cool off with naturally chilled air from an underground cold spring. To reach the cave’s chambers, one has to wiggle, waggle, wriggle, squirm, push and pull to get to the inside. The cavern has two long, branching natural tunnels: one extending from the portal to about 130 meters horizontally lain the other descended by a vertical crevice about 10 feet deep which situates the various chambers. Some palisades have developed into walls, partitioning off the cave area into several rooms. Local lore claims it to be "La mesa de Aguinaldo", the table on which Aguinaldo signed the historic peace treaty.Īside from the presence of stalactites and stalagmites which come in various hues and sizes, the cave also boasts of palisades or rows of columns (stalactites and stalagmites which have united in the course of time) which local residents refer to as the Cuarto-Cuarto Cave or cave of many chambers. The enemy has to literally crawl through the low portal and would run smack against the waiting defenses of Aguinaldo's men.Ī ten-minute boat ride into this underground river leads to a stalactite-accented cavern where, at its center, a smooth triangular block of marble juts above the surface of the clear emerald water. The cave has narrow but long entrance coupled with the existence of secret chambers can waylay intruders. Emilio Aguinaldo, once took refuge while leading the resistance movement against the Spanish and American colonizers. The notable Aguinaldo Cave is where the late hero, Gen. It is one of the best tourist attractions in the town of San Miguel. Located within the territory of Biak-na Bato National Park, Aguinaldo Cave is one of the three prominent caves that exist along the banks of the Balaong River that circumscribe the historic barangay of Biak-na-Bato.
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