Jiabong, Samar Lobo Cave

Lobo Cave

Samar has the largest karst formations in the Philippines.

Many of these limestone caves are just now being explored by spelunkers and cavers from the Philippines.

A local explorer, Joni Bonifacio, has the expertise and equipment to guide visitors through these majestic caves.

Samar doesn’t get the tourists that the other islands do at this time but his company is sure to take off as word of these spectacular caves gets around.

Many of the clients come down from Manila and other parts of the Philippines to explore Calbiga Cave, the largest cave that has been discovered so far.

A team of Italian cavers did an exploratory mapping expedition in 1987 and interest in caving in Samar has been growing slowly but steadily ever since.

New cave systems are being discovered every year.

Yesterday, Joni took me through the Lobo Cave which he just discovered in 2006.

He gets information about caves from the local farmers and then proceeds to have a look.

In general the local people tend to be afraid to go into the caves because they have a reputation for holding evil or be full of snakes and they have a basic fear of the unknown.

In the Lobo Cave we dropped through a narrow chimney to a large chamber below.

In many of the passageways there were rivers that required swimming up to 100 meters in some cases.

During the rainy season many of the routes are full to the ceiling with the runoff and are impassible.

As it was, we just bobbed along keeping our heads with the carbide lamps above water.

At times there was barely enough clearance and you had to thread your way through the stalactites, trying not to bang them with your helmet.

Samar is an undiscovered gem that is definitely going to get tourists in time.