Exploring Silop Cave of Surigao City

GPS waypoint: N9 44.417 E125 30.977
Location: Brgy. Silop, Surigao City, Province of Surigao del Norte

Buenavista and Silop Caves
In Surigao City, there are 2 popular caves - Buenavista Cave in Hikdop Island, and Silop Cave just 15 mins. away from the city proper. Together with some people who just completed the 3-day tour-guide workshop and tourism officials of the city, we headed out for Silop Cave. The barangay center already had its system in place for cave guests - registration and being outfitted with gloves, helmet and headlamp. The guides have all undergone a DOT-cave training program and are well adept at guidemanship. My guide was Raul Ocampo. After a 15-min trek from the barangay proper and climbing a 110-step concrete stair, we were at the entrance of Cave 1.

Silop Cave of Surigao City

6 Caves of Silop
Silop Cave is actually a massive cave system - 6 caves to be exact. The 6th cave has not even been explored. Cave 1 is not for tourists - it's heavy on bat dung, deep with low oxygen levels and there is a healthy snake population. However, for advance cavers, arrangements can be made in advance. We ventured into Cave 2. It's the tourist-offering with plenty of headroom and cathedral-like expanse. It's actually an ideal cave for beginnners - nothing claustrophobic, you won't wade neck-deep in water and you won't have to squeeze yourself like toothpaste coming out of a tube. The caverns are generous, the ceilings rich in statactite formation, you see connecting columns and a myriad of interesting passageways. Yes, there are bats! After Cave 2, everyone except me and 4 other guides left. With just us, we took on the more technical sections of Cave 3.

First-Time Exploration
To my surprise, not all the passageways of Cave 3 have been explored by the guides. They have their own established route where they take the guests. But there was a gung-ho feeling in the air. We are all fit and curious. We started looking out for promising holes that haven't been penetrated even by the guides themselves. This took us to tight caverns with interesting textures and unique rock formation. There was no milestone discovery, but it was a rush knowing that this section is perhaps the very first time anyone has seen it.

Ending Thoughts
The thing that continues to excite me about Silop Cave are the possibilities of exploring new and never-before seen sections within the cave system. I'd like to crawl down into tight spaces only to come out to what might seem like a different world. I don't mind getting smelly, muddy and wet if need be. Like the famous line in the movie Casablanca, what's between me and Silop Cave is the "start of a beautiful friendship".

Many many thanks to the Surigao City Tourism Office and to my guide, Raul Ocampo

--- TheLoneRider

ps - If you want me to objectively cover the features of your city or municipality or barangay for this website (fiesta, waterfall, mountain trail, lake, river, cave, food, islands, beach, etc.), email me.

To make arrangements for Silop Cave, contact:

Raul Ocampo (Silop Cave Tour Guide)
phone: +63920.456.4949
Rate: P200/guide and one guide/2 pax, up to 2 guides for 5 pax
Soon...the complete Silop Cave guide list!

Silop Cave Tips and FYI

1. the guides will provide helmet and head lamp, but you may like to bring a little flashlight for added focused illumination
2. wear shoes with good traction
3. bring extra clothes...you'll come out smelly and muddy

Silop Cave Fees

1. P50/person on the cave
2. P200/guide on 2 caves, one guide/2 pax, up to 2 guides for 5 pax
3. additional P100/guide if touring a second cave

How to Get to Silop Cave from Surigao City

1. from the public market, take the Arellano-bound jeep/multi-cab and ask to be dropped-off the junction to Brgy. Silop, 10 kms, 20 mins, P30.
2. from the junction, take a habal-habal (motorcycle) to the barangay center, 5 mins., P20
3. If you take the habal-habal from the city public market, it's P50 all the way to the barangay

• About Surigao City
• Hotels in Surigao City
• Things to do in Surigao City
• Culinary delicacies of Surigao City

SUGGESTED ITINERARY
(along the Surigao coastline from Surigao City to Surigao del Sur)

Surigao City

• Rite of Passage on Cantrasa Shoal Jul 12, 2013
• Karma Yoga in Surigao City July 5, 2013
• The Wooden Footbridge and Waterfall of Cantiasay, Surigao City July 1, 2013
• Outdoor Adventure Tour in Nonoc Island, Surigao City Jul 1-2, 2013
• The Deadly Bitaugan Whirlpool of Surigao City Jun 26, 2013
• Beaching it at Pebble Beach and Looc Beach, Surigao City Jun 22-24, 2013
• Exploring Silop Cave of Surigao City Jun 22, 2013
• Free-Diving the Coral Reef of Birok Islet, Surigao City June 12, 2013
• Boat Ride through the Floating Village of Day-asan June 12, 2013

Surigao del Norte

• Island Hopping Adventures in Tagana-an, Surigao del Norte July 23-25, 2013
• Exploring Siargao's Cloud 9 July 18-20, 2013
• Judging Del Carmen's Beauty Pagent and Street Dancing July 15-16, 2013
• Diving the Reef of Cagtinae, Surigao del Norte Jul 7, 2013

Cantilan

• Ayoke Island May 27, 2013
• Casarica Island May 27, 2013
• General Island May 27, 2013

Carmen

• Sua Cold Spring - in Brgy Esperanza. From main highway, get off at Madrid terminal and take motorcycle ride for the spring. If coming from Lanuza, get off at crossing of Cangcaban then take habal-habal for the spring
• Hubason River May 18, 2013

Lanuza

• Lanuza Marine Park and Sanctuary May 17, 2013 - coral reef, snorkeling, cafe. Also a short walk to Magkawas Falls.
• Magkawas Falls in Lanuza, Surigao del Sur May 16, 2013
• Silop Spring May 16, 2013
• Campamento Cave May 16, 2013
• Herrera Ancestral Home

Cortes

• Lubcon Falls - from Tandag, take jeep for Cantilan or Cortes and ask the driver to drop you off at Lubcon Falls, P25, 30 mins, 15 kms
• Burgos Togonan Falls
• Laswitan - strong waves crashing against the rocks and spilling over to fill up a rock pool (while you're dipping in it)
• Campiri Rocks - going over huge boulders, dipping in a rock pool, standing on a rock summit as waves hits and splash against it, and to cap all, you rest on the base of the light house perched on top of the rocks in full view of the magnificent Pacific Ocean
• Bakwitan Cave - a refuge by the towns folk during the Japanese occupation and during the typhoon of 2004
• Buybuyan Beach - small beach, almost like a personal beach, fine white sand (there are no commercial establishments on the beach...its undeveloped)
• Sihagan Beach - fine white sand for long walks on a beach (there are no commercial establishments on the beach...its undeveloped)
• Uba Marine Sanctuaries - scuba dive with gear from the LGU. At P250 per dive, you can't beat it!
• Capandan Marine Sanctuaries - scuba dive with gear from the LGU. At P250 per dive, you can't beat it!
• Balibadon Marine Sanctuary
• Mabahin Marine Sanctuary
• Tigao Marine Sanctuary
• Poblacion Marine Sanctuary

Tandag

• Exploring Dayao Cave of Tandag, Surigao del Sur May 12, 2013
• Brgy. Bongtud - Twin Linungao Island, Mancagangi Island & MPA (Marine Protected Area - fish sanctuary)

Cagwait

• white sand beaches

Salvacion

• Britania Islets May 6-8, 2013 - small islets dotting the bay. Island tour, beach, mangrove forest.

Hinatuan

• Enchanted River May 6, 2013
• Sibadan Fish Cage May 5, 2013

Mangagoy

• Tinuy-an Falls

Caving Blogs by TheLoneRider

1. Canghaling Cave November 14, 2023
2. The Return to Hinagdanan Cave Nov 5, 2017
3. Exploring Hinagdanan Cave Oct 24, 2017
4. Exploring Guimba and Sog-ong Caves of Loboc Oct 22, 2017
5. Exploring Combento Cave Pool June 29, 2017
6. Visiting Cabagnow Cave Pool of Anda Jun 28, 2017
7. Exploring Bukilat Cave, Camotes Islands Feb 28, 2017
8. Exploring Timubo Cave of Camotes Islands Feb 9, 2017
9. Exploring Holy Crystal Cave of Camotes Islands Feb 9, 2017
10. Exploring Bakwitan Cave of Gigantes Island Dec 30, 2016
11. Visting Pangihan Cave of Malay Dec 14, 2016
12. Exploring Maanghit Cave in Libertad Dec 9, 2016
13. Visiting Ati Cave in Libertad Dec 9, 2016
14. Visiting the Elephant Cave (Goa Gajah) July 9, 2016
15. Visiting the Nam Lot and the Pha Khong Caves of Phan District May 18, 2016
16. Visiting Batu Caves of Kuala Lumpur Feb 18, 2015
17. Exploring Silop Cave of Surigao City Jun 22, 2013
18. Exploring Bakwitan Cave of Tuburan, Surigao del Sur May 25, 2013
19. Exploring Campamento Cave of Lanuza, Surigao del Sur May 17, 2013
20. Exploring Dayao Cave of Tandag, Surigao del Sur May 12, 2013
21. Exploring Sumalsag Cave of Manolo Fortich, Bukidnon Apr 21, 2013
22. The Fabulous People of Roxas City (Igang Cave) Nov 25-27, 2012
23. Exploring the Cantabon Cave of Siquijor Feb 23, 2012
24. Marinduque with UPM's Rumble Reggae (Sawa Cave) May 29 - June 1, 2009
25. Backpacking Cagayan de Oro (Macahambus Cave) Mar 7-9, 2009
26. Sagada Cave Connection - Lumiang Cave to Sumaging Cave September 12, 2008
27. Mountaineering with Lakay Kalikasan Mountaineers (Kalinawan Cave) November 25, 2007
28. Sabang, Palawan (Underground River) November 14-21, 2007
29. Sagada (Sumaging Cave) October 18, 2005
30. The Cordillera - Day 5: Sagada (Sumaging Cave) May 3, 2005

Reader Comments:

Raul Ocampo

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