No? This is not a real cathedral. This is a cave with pews. For people who have claustrophobia, this is a nice way to train themselves to get used to enclosed dark zpaces.
Callao Cave has been well known due to the discovery of Callao Man remains inside it. While this is one of the reasons why it is known, I was introduced to this tourist spot after watching a tourism advertisement that features a church inside a cave that’s beautifully lit by a ray of sunshine. This caught my interest instantly and lured me to see it the soonest possible.
After a few years, some colleagues invited us to spend a few days in Cagayan Province. While staying in their hometown, we went to a spot that they refer to as the ‘huge’ cave in their place. After riding a tricycle, an auto rickshaw version in the Philippines, crossing the Pinancauanan River through a wooden boat, and climbing almost 200 steps on a steep uphill, we reached the mouth of the cave. To my surprise, the ‘huge’ cave they were referring to is the cave I’ve been wanting to visit – the Callao Cave.
Upon entering the cave’s huge opening, I instantly felt that the temperature inside is rather lower compared to outside. Upon walking just a few steps from the entrance I have seen a tarpaulin providing information about the archeology of the cave. Since it has been developed, exploring it is fairly easy as its pathway is of least resistance upon not having so much steep ascent and loose rocks. Moreover, it does not have slippery surfaces since we visited it in the summer.
Another reason for the easement in exploring this cave is due to the light that comes naturally through its chambers. When its limestones are illuminated by sunlight, it naturally shines which results in a natural sparkle aesthetic. The best time to see the dark chambers being lit by the sunlight is when the sun is high which is between 10 am to 1pm.
Going further inside, I have reached the main attraction which they call the Divine Room. Instantly I remembered the image of a chapel inside a cave I drooled over before. However, they don’t refer to it as a chapel but consider it as a cathedral since the locals have purposefully converted it to look like a cathedral by putting pews and an altar. In addition, since the structure has a large cavern with a high ceiling it somehow resembles a natural cathedral. Meanwhile, the large opening on the cave’s ceiling allows the sunlight to enter the cavern hence illuminating and making the place look stunning.
Expect that capturing the spotlight effect on the cave’s atrium can be elusive since you have to consider timing and finding the right angle. To have that perfect photo like the ones you may see on postcards and promotional ads, you might have to climb up on a stack of rocks to get that perfect angle. However, it would be safer for you to just find the most comfortable way to position yourself in capturing the best shot that you can have. Though this could look slightly different in advertisement photos since the cave is normally dimly lit, this will give you a more realistic image taken from a different angle.
The cave has seven chambers called Column, Chapel, Skeleton, Elephant’s Head, Praying Angel, Rocket, Lion’s Head, and Dog’s Head, and has irregular texture of massive rock formations and limestones which when accented by the skylight glow in hues of yellow, brown and greens.
I have decided not to explore all of the chambers though I have tried to go to some and try to identify the image that was named after each one. However, I can not visualize the rock formation’s images since I’m just trying to figure it out on my own. Therefore getting a guide would help you identify the images. Moreover, they can assist you to know more about the cave’s history and the mineral formations in each chamber.
Being a popular destination comes with a price. On my visit to this cave, I spotted some vandals on the wall, benches, and rock formations. Though visitors like us would want to leave a mark on the places we have visited, I believe that it would be better if we just take pictures only and let the beauty of the place just leave a mark on our memory. I hope that both the locals and tourists will cooperate in preserving this cave to keep its natural beauty.
Meanwhile, to ensure that you can bring home souvenirs other than the photos you took, you can proceed to its souvenir shop to buy refrigerator magnets, t-shirts, and other accessories. This would certainly remind you of your visit to Callao Cave and a good souvenir gift to your family and friends back home.
Before we headed home, I stayed for a while at the Callao Cave’s viewing deck to enjoy the scenic view of the Pinacanuanan River. I was also hoping to see a Kalaw bird since it was once abundant here hence the cave’s name. But since it is already rare in this place I haven’t seen one, but still, I was happy to finally have seen the natural cathedral of Callao Cave.
✍ Republished August 10, 2023
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