I was told not to leave Sagada without checking off Cave Connection on my list of must-do in the province. It's not part of our the tour itinerary but TBH I had no idea what to expect but from the name itself, it does sound like a series of caves. I'd been to Sumaguing Cave and I seriously enjoyed it more than Palawan Underground river which of course is also exceptionally beautiful hence securing its spot on the Wonders of the world. But Sagada is immensely unique and the experience I've had 10 years ago is exponentially different from what I've seen/encountered during this trip.
Truth be told, Cave connection requires endurance and physicality. It can post real life danger hence caution is advised. Now don't get discouraged and dismiss this activity from your itinerary. Had I known this 10 years ago, I would have tried it and emerged as a bad ass right after ( I was probably more fit and have had high tolerance for exhaustion).
As our group all agreed to do Cave Connection - Sumaguing Cave ( not realizing what we're getting ourselves into ) and even signed up for the Certification ( yes we want our bragging rights); we were told that it may take 4-5 hours to traverse inside the cave and exit at Sumaguing. It was about 2:00 pm when we started our descent. I have been inside big caves before but this is the longest I've been and the most difficult one I must say. We entered Lumiang Cave with 3 of our travel guides and their lamps in tow. The cold breeze started to creep in. It was sort of easy at first then it became more and more difficult as we get deeper inside the cave. You literally have to squeeze and slide yourself in small openings which I thought was amazing. How on earth did we manage to fit in? The guides know the caves too well and they will be the one lift you at times and pull you up. You will be stepping on their legs, shoulders and back every once in a while and trust me they know when it is time to take a photo. Your Life is in their hands. I lost count at the number of times I slipped and bumped my knees, elbow and thighs. Landed on my bum more than 6 times and I resorted to taking my slippers off out of fear that the next time I slip, I may never make it out of the cave alive. If you're claustrophobic, it is imperative to check whether you are up to this challenge. The are a lot of small openings and most often than not, you'll find yourself squeezed in between rocks.The water inside the cave can be very cold ( between 5-7C) but you can opt to take a dip if you can stand the cold temperature.
All of the scrapes, bruises and exhaustion paid off when we gazed at the rock formation. The cave is filled with stalagmites and stalactites beautifully shaped by nature itself.
Here are some of my travel tips for a safe cave exploration
1. Get a tour guide
While being adventurous does sound crazy fun, it is of utmost importance that you get a guide. Get yourself registered at the tourism office. No matter how good you are at spelunking, I wouldn't suggest traversing the cave by yourself. The guides are well trained and they will also share tidbits of stories while injecting humor to their anecdotes.
2. Wear appropriate Outfit
The rocks can be slippery hence wearing flip flops or rubber sandals are encouraged. You will be asked to remove them and you'll definitely get wet at some point. Make sure that you are wearing either workout leggings or shorts. Wear anything comfortable and not necessarily fashionable. Err, you can color coordinate if you can't resist.
3.Ziplock Your Gadgets
I didn't bring my phone and my camera inside the cave. But of course you want to capture those IG worthy shots of the rock formation so I'd suggest you place them in zip locks or life proof. My friends had their Go Pro so I just relied on them for the photo op. Hang them on your neck or place them in your back pack. You need your hands free during the hike.
4. Patience Is a Virtue
At some point you'll ask. "are we there yet?" It's pitch black inside the cave and everyone is advised to take precautionary steps. No pushing or horse playing. You'll have to wait for people to finish climbing the rope, you'll have to wait for others to finish making their way inside a small opening. There will be a lot of waiting so yes, you really need to work on that patience.
5. Have Fun and respect nature
It's an incredible experience to successfully complete Cave Connection and the opportunity to marvel at God's creation. No matter how tiring and difficult it may seem; remember to have fun. You made the decision to go there and what better way to admire nature's treasure than to enjoy every opportunity we get to commune with it. Leave nothing but memories and cherish the time you spent. At the end of it, you have a story to tell and a certificate to boot :)
Cave Connection + Sumaguing Cave + Certificate = 450PHP
Don't forget to give tip because the tour guides deserve them. The effort they put in to ensure our safety, is priceless compared to the small amount you can bless them with.
Love,
Jhesy
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