Samar Island – composed of the provinces of Samar, Northern Samar, and Eastern Samar – is not a destination that readily comes to mind for tourists. To be honest, I only became curious about it when I decided I would explore Visayas’ islands for my first solo backpacking trip years ago. Even today, Samar Island is nowhere near the fame of Visayas’ Cebu, Bohol, and of course, Boracay.
The island, accessible from Leyte via San Juanico (the country’s longest bridge), does have its draw of travelers, though, particularly outdoor adventurers. Home to the country’s largest cave system, it has the most number of caves in the Philippines: approximately more than 1,000 caves, with only 100 explored by humans.
As a first-timer on the island, I wanted to visit one of them. My guide, Joni Bonifacio, a certified spelunking expert who promoted caving in Samar Island and the rest of Eastern Visayas, told me Lobo Cave would be ideal.
Reaching Lobo Cave
Lobo Cave is located in the municipality of Jiabong. After my guide drove us to the jump-off point, we trekked up and down a hill, then trekked some more.
We passed a small barangay, whose quiet was occasionally broken by children’s laughter. The kids greeted us and waved like they were happy to see us.
Past the village, the trail opened to tall grass and men carrying pineapples in woven baskets. I got one and bit into what surprisingly was the sweetest and juiciest pineapple I have ever tasted, its juice freely dripping down my chin.
I later learned the locals of Jiabong take pride in their pineapples, and rightly so! These were planted in fertile upland soil, which we also passed during our trek.
Along the way, we also saw neighboring mountains stretch before us, as well as the blue-gray sea. We were not yet inside the cave, and yet nature already gave us a visual treat.
After crossing dry river beds, we reached the mouth of Lobo. My guide thoroughly briefed me on what to do, including how to use my headlight. He also told me not to touch the stalactites or stalagmites, as doing so would affect their growth. I was pleased at his commitment to protect the cave.
Spelunking Lobo was a full-body adventure. Many times, I was on my hands and knees. We waded and sometimes even swam through the water. What was most challenging for me was finding footholds and handholds while climbing up cave holes and walls. It was a good thing I had a harness on for safety.
After that, having lunch by the cave’s waterfalls was a welcome respite.
The most fun part for the kid in me was doing one mud slide after another and having a “facial” in the “mud bath” part of the cave.
Lobo is said to be one of the country’s most beautiful caves, with its glittering crystals and unique cave formations. My favorite is one shaped like angel wings. I realized I did not have many photos as I was immersed in the experience. Sometimes I was just focused on the “survival” part of it, especially the swimming and climbing.
A Smaller Cave
As I was doing the shorter tour of Lobo Cave and not a full expedition, we exited the cave early afternoon and had the time to explore a smaller cave: Panaghoyan. Much of the cave is immersed in water, so we swam through dome-like passageways.
This time, we did not trek to get back to the main road. Instead, we took a canoe along Panaghoyan River. We paddled through the quietness of the waters and were treated to the surrounding green of nipa palms and plants growing on towering rock formations — a perfect way to wind down after a day of spelunking.
Out of Samar Island’s over 1,000 caves, I can now say that I have visited two. I certainly do not plan to go to all of them, but just exploring Lobo and Panaghoyan is enough to make me appreciate just how beautiful and varied each cave must be.
