Q: What does Bulacan offer to travelers besides Malolos Church and Biak-na-Bato National Park?
A: The Pinagrealan Cave. Found in Bgry.Bigti, Norzagaray can be a good destination for those who love spelunking or caving.
It was my first real experience of caving. Not that I haven’t seen a cave before but I think it was the longest time I was inside one. I thought I will not get wet but I was wrong, there were times when water was waist deep. I wasn’t afraid of the dark I guess I just don’t like the idea of exploring something you can’t see. haha
A young lad dwarfed by the hugeness of one of the chambers inside the cave.
Not for the one in photo above, he is one of our guides inside the cave. He told me that this is his playground and his friends often go here on weekends to swim, without lights just trusting their instincts. It became their element.
Anyway, it was a fun experience because we explored the cave together, a bus load of travel bloggers and everyone from the mainstream media got wet and dirty inside. This is part of Lakbay Norte 3, an 8-day adventure of rediscovering Northern Luzon.
I was glowing inside the cave.
I learned something about Philippine history too. I learned that it was once a hideout of Katipuneros and Gen. Emilio Aguinaldo himself hid in this cave. I was imagining that it was filled with stories of war. Maybe its one of the places wherein they planned their tactics against the Spaniards. I wonder how many guarded the entrance to protect the general.
Cave entrance when at the time we visited. You will not see these drum & lyre group when you visit on a regular day.
So how about the experience? As I said, it was dark and wet. We were newbies and no one even brought a flashlight or headlamp. Good thing our guide provided for some, but those where not enough. But for the sake of adventure, we went inside!
Gael of ThePinaySoloBackpacker.com having a hard time navigating the narrow opening, still smiling.
It was amazing to see stalactites and stalagmites inside, some rock formations and natural pools. What I don’t like are the vandalism inside the cave. I was saddened by the papampam people who write their names on historic sites like this one. So loser! Hope you don’t add to their folly when you visit this Pinagrealan Cave.
Dear Tourists, Please stop being “PAPAMPAM.” Love, Gen. Emilio Aguinaldo
How to get to Pinagrealan Cave:
Take the bus going to Norzagaray (Garay). From Garay town, hail a jeepney going to Brgy. Bigte and tell the driver to drop you at the Rotunda. From the rotunda, you can hire tricycles that will bring you to the entrance of the cave.
Entrance fee: Php20
For more information, do contact the Bulacan Provincial Youth, Sports, Employment, Arts, Culture and Tourism Office (PYSEACTO) at email: psyeaco@bulacan.gov.ph or call landline: +63 (44) 791-6604.
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Lakbay Norte 3 is an 8-day adventure trip to Rediscover Northern Luzon; organized by the North Philippine Visitors Bureau in cooperation with Manila North Tollways Corporation, Victory Liner, Mc Donalds, Petron and Universal Robina Corporation.You can read more articles about it by checking the links below:
- 7 Best Experiences accdg to Travel bloggers
- Eco-Trail Run & Tree-Planting at Bacnotan, La Union
- Photo Duel: Frozen Margarita or Strawberry Shake
- Accommodations in Northern Luzon during Lakbay Norte 3
- Spelunking Adventure at Pinagrealan Cave in Norzagaray, Bulacan
- Sportfishing at Pantabangan Lake, Nueva Ecija
- Whitewater Rafting at Chico River, Kalinga
- Surfing and Paddle Boarding in Ilocos Norte
- My Fave Foods during Lakbay Norte 3
- Photo Duel: Roads
- 4 x 4 Ride, Sand Spa and Mudpack at Puning Hotspring
Naaliw ako sa picture nina Gael at Marcos
)
Hindi ko pa nata-try ang spelunking. I feel sad din everytime may nakikita akong mga vandal sa caves
same thing happened when i was browsing over the pics. haha
some tourist are really disgusting
this is great find! i will surely inform some friends on this new cave to visit … the only cave i visited in bulacan was the Puning cave …will surely a good way to compare the two.
thanks Love Mindanao!
i havent heard of that puning cave. glad to know there are lots of people who are into spelunking
Hope no one adds vandals anymore to the cave, spelunking is a beautiful experience and I love the most when you were wading in water, it makes it really fun.
ditto!
most of the caves i’ve seen has vandals.. poor tourist, sooo losers!
Wow! It was pretty amazing that finally the local government of Norzagaray,Bulacan develop this natural land mark.
I was there once and honestly I’m not sure of going back there, it’s really dark, if you lose your candle in the water, you’ll loose your way out! But now, glad there are guides and they also provide flashlights.
I am not sure if the blogger reached the end of the cave. But my fellow girl and boy scouts, said the end shows some artifacts, tools, even tables and chairs that proves that this has been a hiding place of Gen. Emilio Aguinaldo before.
This place is something Bulakenyo’s can be really proud of, I myself am proud of this land mark.
we were not able to see the end of the cave bec we are running out of time.
i really hope that people will visit this spot.
and hope that the lgu would continue to develop sustainable tourism here
vandalism in caves = UNLIKE!!!
Just for info, Pinagrealan Cave shall no longer be under the LGUs care, it shall be privately maintained again by the Cruz-Castro Family. The Cruz-Castro family that owns the land surrounding the said historical cave has been the guardian and protector of the cave for more than a century now. The cave has been preserved and has escaped destruction through quarry by enterprising politicians and small and large scale mining corporations who had laid mining claims for its limestone marble hills through the efforts of the Cruz-Castro family. Our family has permitted the LGU to open it to the public with the aim of preserving it and educating the public about its scientific and historical significance; however, talks with the LGU regarding its development as tourist attractions collapsed because the family did not like the LGU’s exploitative proposal.