First went to Pinagrealan over a year ago but the big group I was with did not enter the cave as it was merely a part of a full-day itinerary. Last Sunday, a small group from FUNtastic Philippines Fun Group went spelunking, organized by a family from Norzagaray. An adventurous family – – they are all members of our travel-photography group and they were in the same cave just two weeks earlier.

Our group, ready for spelunking

According to the Tourism website:

This cave is a subterranean network of caverns extending more than a kilometer deep. The Katipunero Revolutionaries during the war against Spain used it as a camp in 1896 and again during the Filipino-American War in 1898 as hideout of General Emilio Aguinaldo (the First President of the Philippines). It was also used as a sanctuary by the Japanese Imperial Army when the Philippines was liberated by American Forces.

I will share with you the experience via the photos taken from my mobile phone and from the mobile phone of FPFG member Arvin who handed his phone to our tour guide RJ so we can get good coverage of our cave exploration.

Helmets will be provided by the guides. Bring your flashlights. Headlamps are excellent. Cameras should be in dry bags. Guide RJ is our “official photographer”

You will have to wade into pools of water, some chest-high

Getting soaked in water

we had to line ourselves up at some point to give way to another group on their way out

the exciting part is squeezing yourselves into narrow crevices to get to the next chamber

Relaxing in natural formations, perfect for profile photos

HOW TO GET THERE:

We went by private transportation. But Pinagrealan is accessible by public transportation. Get to Norzagaray from SM Fairview. Stop at barangay Bigte. You can hire tricycles from there.