Callao Caves: Cagayan North Series

I almost forgot this part of the trip. Well, it's not already part of Sta. Ana. After that memorable trip to Palaui and its surrounding islands, we headed back the next day, refreshed and recharged to Tuguegarao for our flight back to Manila.

Most of us were able to visit the Callao Caves way back in 2008, but we decided to revisit the place, for the sake of those who haven't experienced it yet. Callao Caves is located around 30 minutes away from Tuguegarao, in the town of Penablanca.

There is an entrance fee to the caves, and the last time we visited, there was this boy wonder of a tour guide, who followed us through the caves with stories and descriptions of the rock formations. We were looking for boy wonder, who spoke fluent English, but he wasn't available.

You go up around 100 steps to reach the cave entrance. Then, in the second chamber, you will fall upon this magnificent chapel inside. You may have seen this photo in most magazines, but it's still different if you're already there. The chapel is not maintained though, and curses to all those who have vandalized the pews.

The last time we went here I think was at 3PM, so the sun wasn't shining high. Now, we arrived a the perfect time of noon, where the sun beams straight down its glorious rays through massive openings on the rocks.

There are 7 chambers in Callao Caves that are accessible by visitors. The rest are closed down. It's really not difficult to navigate your way, since the place is huge. It is best to wear rubber shoes though, as the ground can get slippery especially when wet.

The Callao Caves may not have the best rock formations, but it has the largest chambers. The grandness of the chambers makes up the enchanting appeal of the entire place, that should be visited by anyone who finds his way to Cagayan Valley.