Igotan Cave : Spelunking and Chasing Waterfalls in the City of Talisay for Just 100.00

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by Chasing Potatoes

Igotan Cave : Spelunking and Chasing Waterfalls in the City of Talisay for Just Php 100.00

 

         I have this kind of stereotyped notion of cities that they are all buildings, malls, people, noise and all the fuss of chaos and crowd. Oh well, those are just my thoughts, but obviously in the real world not all cities have these kind of complications, right.? When I started blogging, I eventually read other blogs too. After reading other blogs, I realized that there are hidden gems not only in rural places but in cities as well, just like in Talisay City where Igotan Cave is situated. As an amateur in outdoor activities, I find  it  surreal to know that this place existed. Imagine a cave and waterfalls all in one together. Well, I couldn’t contain my excitement on this adventure anymore, so let’s get it on…

        But first here’s a short story before that.

       AWKWARD. That was the first word that popped in my mind while waiting for my companions, Idas and Marj, at the South Bus Terminal for our outdoor trip, the first time ever. I waited for them; they came. We conversed first (which I awkwardly did). We shared snippets of stories, and mostly we talked about outdoor activities. Chatting with people with the same passion and sentiments in wandering and traveling as I have,  my awkwardness towards them just vanished. And with that, we were off to go to Igotan Cave.

How to get there?

         Ride a jeep in going to Talisay. The fare is Php 10.00. The drop off area is Tabunok Flyover. Cross the street and look for Rose Pharmacy where habal-habals are waiting for passengers. The fare is Php 25.00. That is already a standard rate. No need to haggle. The travelling time for habal-habal is 10-15 minutes. Upon arrival,  you will see a footbridge where you can pass through, or you may cross the river if you like to wade in it. Then, you’re already near the cave, just trek a little and then your adventure starts.

       YES, and finally we arrived in Igotan Cave. We paid Php 25.00s for the entrance fee and Php 5.00 fee for the guide.

        When we were there we waited for the other groups who entered the cave ahead of us to finish their tour. While waiting we played with these cute puppies. Such an amusing way to start our adventure with  furry friends!

Igotan Cave

        After a while,  I looked around and took some snaps. At the mouth of the cave, there is this signage.  It’s already worn out by time. You can really tell that this cave has been visited by tourists for a long, long time. There are dos and don’ts in the signage which we read before entering the cave.

Igotan Cave

       And the first group was done. It was now our time to venture inside. Upon entering, I realized the narrow passage of the cave. This might be the reason that only one group (5-10 persons) can enter first to avoid overcrowding.  Imagine if you enter the cave and there’s a group going out of it, for sure you’ll walk backwards. That’s how narrow the cave is. HAHA!

  • Tip No. 1  Upon entering the cave, you will notice that there is water at the bottom;  so as you walk, your feet will be soaked in water. You may wear trekking sandals, slippers or you may go barefoot.

          My friends who had worn shoes just left their shoes outside and also our other things like bags and stuffs.

         Darkness welcomed and embraced us, as we entered the cave. I learned from other blogs that Igotan Cave used to have lights but it has been cut out to avoid electrically- caused accidents. The guide provided lamps anyway.

  • Tip No. 2   Be vigilant and extra careful as you proceed on spelunking.  No helmet is provided for this venture.

          I even brought a flashlight. Since I am a newbie, I literally brought a big flashlight for household use and not for the  out-of-doors. Haha!  Just look at this picture where Marj used my big flashlight.

Igotan Cave

         Here’s Idas posing for a picture with a minimal amount of light. Beauty can still be spotted with just a tinge of  brightness. HAHA . And you can really tell how she approved and liked this adventure. Right Leo?

Igotan Cave

         We did not only walk; we also did crawl due to the narrow rocky passageways. I, as a big girl( big girl talaga! haha.) got bump and hit by a rock on my head because I was looking down at my steps not realizing that there was a rock above me. It hurt me so badly… Ouch! …  Huhu… :'(

          The falls inside the cave was not very far, a distance of 100 to 200 meters from the entrance. but it was quite challenging, especially if you are just a newbie in caving.

         And finally we arrived in our destination. We are now in the falls! Oh yessss! This is my clearest shot so far of  the falls inside the cave.

Igotan Cave

  • Tip No. 3  If you bring your camera make sure to hold it in a steady position.  If your hands are moving/trembling, unclear pictures will likely be the outcome. Furthermore, low light in the cave will result in blurry pictures.

         Well, the spotlight is on me and nope, I’m not having a concert here, Haha! I will take a shower and will try to experience the gushing water of Igotan Falls. And It’s cold! I felt relaxed because of the therapeutic effect  of the gushing water on me. My head is healed. Haha!  Imagine having a shower in this hidden gem of Talisay, so dark yet so fascinating.

Igotan Cave

         As you can see the falls is surrounded by this mini-cemented stairs or  whatever you may call that? Obviously this was not in the original phase of the cave. It has been traced, touched and modified by humans. Nevertheless,  this modification is for safety purposes.

Igotan Cave

        The water in the cave flows continuously wherever it flows. It does not create a pool.

        Here’s a pic of three of us  with the guide taken upon leaving the cave.

Igotan Cave

       And lastly I would like to share one of my favorite shots in Igotan,  a portrait of Idas. I just like the mysterious effect of the subject of this picture.  What do you think?

Igotan Cave

  • Tip No. 4   As much as possible never touch any rocks in the cave. Refrain from taking something from the cave to serve as souvenir. ALWAYS PRACTICE LNT (LEave no trace)! Never litter, never vandal. Let’s be eco-friendly for the preservation of the cave.

       Apart from the cave, you can go down and see the rock formations below. There’s a mini pool where you can dip. We saw kids playing and wading in the pool. It looked muddy or brownish  because of the color of the soil. (I think!)

Igotan Cave

        The rock formation, up close.  What a marvelous piece of creation, right?

Igotan Cave

        That spelunking and chasing waterfalls was done in 30 minutes and it was still too early to head back home so we decided to go side tripping in this point of Talisay.

       There was a staircase outside, built in the side of the mountain? We were curious. Hmmm! Where does it lead to? So we climbed the stairs. It was not that far away but my goodness I was out of breath! This was the result of having no previous exercise. HAHA!

Igotan Cave Igotan Cave

        Finally we reached the peak of the mountain and the stairs led us to this church. This church is not just beautiful but also splendidly built on top of the mountain. It seems so close to heaven that in praying, you will feel the closeness of  God who hears instantly your wishes and hopes. It was  such a beautiful location for a church with  a naturally refreshing and verdant view  of  its surroundings.

Igotan Cave Igotan Cave

        And we kept on trotting wherever our feet would take us; explored places wherever the trail might lead us.

Igotan Cave Igotan Cave

       We reached this dam and ooops picture taking is not allowed. So we went off and let go of this beautiful place. It could be a nice back drop for a selfie; but naaah rules are rules. They should be followed or else there might be consequences for wrong doings.

Igotan Cave

       As we continued our exploration, we found four horses, but this horse struck me most. Whatever happened to your eye, you are still a beautiful soul.

Igotan Cave

       And that’s it! Our adventure has just ended. Thank you, Talisay,  for giving me a glimpse of your beauty. Truly there are hidden gems in the city. And to my new friends, thank you, too for this awesome adventure. I hope this is not the last time we wander out. So glad I have met you two.!

       (And as always here’s the moving photo of our adventure. Thanks for watching in advance.) 😀 to be followed 😉

       Estimated expenses for this spelunking and chasing waterfalls in Talisay:

Php 10.00 – Jeepney fare bound to Tabunok, Talisay

Php 25.00 – Habal-habal fare  going to Brgy.  Igotan

Php 25.00 – Entance fee for Igotan Cave

Php  5.00 – Guide fee

Php 25.00 – Habal Habal fare going back to Tabunok

Php 10.00 – Jeepney fare to Cebu

A total of 100.00

*food, souvenirs,  and miscellaneous fees are not included

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Chasing Potatoes

Why Chasing Potatoes? I’m Chasing Potatoes. I chase time and opportunities because just like round potatoes they roll and get lost. I chase them to store memories to last a lifetime. I make haste, running after them, fearful that they might be gone. That’s why I go places on land or in water.My story tells about the journey of chasing time and saying yes to wonderful opportunities.

85 thoughts on “Igotan Cave : Spelunking and Chasing Waterfalls in the City of Talisay for Just 100.00”

  1. Hi Miss chasing Potatoes! this is a really nice blog you made about Igotan. Managhid ta ko nimu maam if pwedi nako e feature ni imung blog sa facebook page namo sa Igotan. Also pwedi pud nako gamiton imong pictures para e post ug kun pwedi akong e background or e profile pic sa Igotan fb? wa man gud mi nindot nga camera maam hehe. Take care!

  2. I have never been caving and would love to visit. This looked like an amazing experience. Thanks for sharing

  6. hi there.. ang agianan padung uli – same ra ba gihapon sa agianan padung? kay nahan mi mangari ba, nya magmotor lang mi.,

  9. Hi. I imagine you are on one of your exotic trips.

    Have messaged you to tell you that my old webadress isn’t working anymore. So please reconnect at sharingtidbits.wordpress.com/. thanks a lot.

  10. Woah! Actually thinking of visiting the place when I get back to Cebu, pero I’m not sure if I can actually make it inside the cave since I have this fright that I might get snuff out huhu. Wasn’t it that suffocating, Ate Gly? I badly wanna go and try pero I’m really scared. Well, I’ll never know if di ko mo try Hahaha. I seriously wanna try your adventures! 😀

    1. Hi Lou..No sweat ra kaayo ning Igotan haha kay dali ra kaayo maabot sa falls mga 10-15 min ra guro though narrow ra jud ang passageway. Hehe 😀 Laag niya tah puhon 😀

  12. Ahh great, this is only the second time I read a travel blog. Thanks for giving out necessary travel information about this trip. Very helpful.

    Luckily, I live in Laguna. This place is just a few jeeps away. Thank you, Chasing Potatoes!

    1. Me too, I was really scared venturing Igotan Cave because of its narrow passageway but I must fight my fear or else I’ll regret in the end. Anyway, thanks Asallows for dropping by. 🙂 xoxo

    1. *you might want to check* (ahh my bad typing skills)
      I forgot to mention, 100.00 pesos for a piece of heaven? Gusto ko na tuloy pumunta sa Cebu!

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