Experiencing Sumaging cave is like cheating death

The Sumaging cave, aptly nicknamed as the Big Cave for its enormous size and unimaginable depth, is one of Sagada's main attractions. Travelers wishing to explore these magnificent natural structures would need the assistance of licensed guides from the local municipality equipped with lanterns and ropes. Trust me, these experienced individuals are necessary companions for exploring this cave.

Sumaging Cave
Originally uploaded by RyanG.

Upon entering, explorers have to walk down a steep and slippery path all the way to the cave's main chamber. Visitors will never fail to be awed by Sumaging's sheer size, fascinating rock formations, some of which are dubbed as the "King's Curtain", "Rice Granary", "Cauliflower", and "Dancing Hall", to name a few, all for their larger than life resemblances of the real things.

Going further inside the cave, a famous spot known as "The Tunnel" consists of a series of tiny passages, resembling giant rat holes, which would require explorers entering these parts of the cave to do limbo-like movements and much crawling to pass through.



Never mistake some holes to be just simple cracks filled with water; some of these have depths beyond measure. There will be some parts of the exploration that would require walking through watery chambers and climbing up a rope against a tall limestone wall.



Experiencing and going through Sumaging cave is like cheating death - you'll be grateful for surviving a dark, cold subterranean cave filled with bottomless pits and unknown elements. Definitely, it is an unforgettable experience that will be forever etched in my mind.