Hindang Cave: Creepy but Beautiful

After a two-hour trek uphill at Barangay Hindang, Iligan City, we finally reached Hindang Cave.    We took a rest, ate our lunch and had some chika-chika before we went inside the cave.   

The entrance of the cave is big but we have to climb down to get into the first chamber.   And the path was slippery and the steps are a bit difficult.  

 This is the first chamber next to the entrance.

A small opening, where the two men in white shirts are, is the only entrance to the inner chamber of the cave.

Group photo pic before going to the inner chamber.

A portion of the entrance has a higher opening but we opted to use the lower one because the ground on former opening is muddy and with water too. 

There is a double entrance to the inner chamber. 

The inner chamber is already pitch dark.  You really have to have artificial light to see through.  And we only brought small flashlights, hehe... 

A part of the inner chamber.   I think there are about 4 chambers in the cave. 

See the pitch dark ahead?  And see the beautiful formations on the ceiling?

 Picture taken by Pat without the flash of the camera.  

We  can be seen with the help of the flashlight only. Behind us is another chamber of the cave.  It was on that chamber where I had goosebumps.  Lai and the others had already gone there, and when I approached them, they were already going on the opposite direction.  Yet, I continued on.  And Jam said, "mam binky adto didto dapit sa unahan kay naay nindot nga portion.  Nindot ang gamay nga chamber." (Mam Binky, go farther and you'll find a nice portion.  The small chamber is nice.)   While they were  a few feet away from me, I was facing the pitch dark cave and they were already moving away from me.  I took a step and pointed my flashlight to the walls of the cave.  I could see some formations.  Then I hid my flashlight and I could see total darkness.  Creepy creatures played in my mind.   And goosebumps started.  I moved another step and then I froze.  I got a bit scared already as the group was already away from me.  Jam was still telling me to move on.  Then, putting aside embarrassment, I blurted, "di ko, hadlok kaayo, perting ngitngita". (I won't. I'm afraid. It is so dark.).  Then they all laughed and said they'd come and accompany me.  :-)    

Photo with the flash of the camera on.

Too much flash from Pat's camera.   Photo by Jam

A portion of the chamber where I got scared.  The formations at the wall is very creepy.  Yet when you are there, you cannot very clearly see how creepy it is, only through the pictures.    Though it may be creepy, but it sure is beautiful.   Photo by Lai.

Souvenir photo of Pat and me which Lai took with my camera. Whew.  Good thing I remembered to have a photo with Pat while we were still inside the cave. This is in another chamber.

On a different angle.  Nice one Lai.  I like this.  Thanks :-)

The biggest stalactite in the cave.  Actually there are supposed to be two already but...

The guide said some officials in the barangay opted to cut the stalactite.   They said it is blocking the way.  

Another picture when we got back to the first chamber.

A second opening near the big entrance.  But I think the accessibility here is a bit difficult.

Photo of me taken by Pat before we got out of the cave.

Some candid shots.

I like how the streak of light from the flashlight was captured by Pat's camera.

 Jam, in the darkness, found a big rock to sit on and take have a pose.

Pat taking a photo of some insects.

More photos of how the interior cave looks like.

 A stalagmite forming

 Holes on the wall of the cave created by some creatures (that I do not know).

 One of the ceilings of the cave.  Creepy but beautiful.

 Formations on the wall

 A small inner chamber.

 Doorway leading to another chamber

 Hole created by bats.  It's beautiful, isn't it?   In one of the chambers, there were some bats flying.  They were probably disturbed by the flashlights.

When we were on our way back to the main entrance, we found two insects at the wall of the cave.  It is so weird looking.   And it felt creepy knowing that the cave is very dark and there are crawling and worst flying insects around.   I had goosebumps thinking it would fly and land on my face.   And a few feet from this location, we found more of them.   And I thought, "oh oh, I want to get out of here".

 

 Anybody knows the name of this insect?  Please leave a comment below.  :-)

 Another doorway

 Stalactites formation at the side of the doorway

 More holes on the ceiling

 A formation at one of the walls.   Lai said the one hanging looks like the shape of a sperm.  Jam and I laughed at her imagination.

This formation is already near the ground. It is about knee level (my knee).  It felt so good to see water droplets forming at the tips of the stalactite formation before it fell to the ground.   At the entrance of the cave, we thought that the cave is already a dead cave because the stalactite formation looked dry.  But exploring the inside of the cave, we were happy to know that the cave is not yet dead.  There are still live formations.  And that was good news for us.    I hope we'd get to visit again in the future and  maybe see new formations in the cave.

Pat said that there are at least 5 caves in Hindang and some are even not yet fully explored.  The cave we went into is just one of many caves in Hindang.  And I think it is also the easiest to explore.   I have already visited 3 caves only - one in Initao (our field trip during the high school years), the other in Bohol - Hinagdanan Cave.   And this is the third.  And in my opinion,  Hindang is the best of the three.

For me, the Hindang Cave in Iligan City is way more beautiful than Hinagdanan Cave in Bohol.     For four reasons :  

1) Hindang Cave is way much bigger than the Hinagdanan Cave.  In Hinagdanan Cave, when you are standing at the bottom of the stairs, you can already see the whole interior of the cave.  There's not much to explore.  With Hindang Cave, there are many chambers and many different and beautiful formations on the walls and ceilings of the cave.  

2)  At Hinagdanan Cave, after adjusting your eyes to the darkness, you can already find your way through and they have  put, I think, two artificial lights at the far end of the cave.  And there is also a small opening at the ceiling at the end of the cave, which used to be the entrance before.  So, you don't need to bring a flashlight.  So, there's not much adventure while exploring the cave.  With Hindang Cave, there's a sense of adventure.  You'll feel creepy.  Eerie. Ghostly.  You'll have goosebumps. 

3) They built a stairway with railings at the entrance of the Hinagdanan Cave leading inside the cave which makes the steps much easier compared to Hindang Cave where you have to use parts of the big rocks as steps downward and have to select the best for good footing to prevent yourself from slipping.  One of your hands has to be free to be able for you to hold on to something. 

4) Hinagdanan Cave is very much accessible by anybody.  One can use a private vehicle or take a public tricycle to reach the cave.  But with Hindang Cave, you have to have a vehicle (rent or own) or hire a motorcycle ("habal-habal") to reach the start of the trail.  And then trek your way to Hindang Cave for about two hours, depending on your speed.  For us, two hours is the minimum, including rest stops.  And have to cross streams and climb steep slopes and pass by tall grasses.  Which makes the trek to the Hindang Cave an adventure in itself.  So, with Hindang Cave, you have double adventure -the trek and the spelunking. 

If I'll have my way, it is better to leave as is the trail to Hindang Cave.  It is accessible but not conveniently accessible.  And with that there is a sense of adventure to it.  You'll feel a sense of oneness with nature.  Away from the busy and noisy city life.  It doesn't matter if some could not access it.   Well, that is ok.  Not everybody is built for everything.  There are those who like the sea so they go to the beach.  Those who like man-made thrills, they go to theme parks.  Those who like shopping, they go to the malls.  And there are the backpackers, climbers, hikers, they go to the caves and mountains.  :-)

Updated : September 13, 2011