Tags: Natural Wonders
By Anna Valmero
STA. CRUZ, MARINDUQUE – The province of Marinduque is also home to the Bathala Caves – a complex network of caves covering an area of more than 17 hectares and said to have a mystical vibe.
Some guidebooks claim there are seven caves in all, but some explorers claim that there are actually 20 caves, most of them unexplored (and yet to be named). It is highly recommended that you visit the caves during sunrise or sunset to get a good look at the church-like natural rock formations.
Of the seven navigable caves, the Simbahan (Church) cave is said to be the largest—and where, according to cave guide Alex, the cult Kultong Gunaw, whose members believe the world will end in 2000, have taken refuge, believing the caves can protect them since it was a worship area for religious sects.
It was believed that Simbahan Cave is the home of Amang Bathala, the Supreme God of the Tagalogs, according to the blog Philippinesbestplaces.com. Other religious sects, including the Pulajan Movement and Samahang Tatlong Persona Solo Dios of Mt. Banahaw, hold worship rites in the cave. They believe the Bathala Caves are “spiritually” connected to Mount Banahaw in Quezon, also believed to be mystical.
Some 100 meters from the Bathala cave is the Cemetery Cave, where there are burial jars and remains excavated by French archaeologist Alfred Marche. One of the caves, the San Isidro Cave, has an underground river. (Watch video on this page.)
Another interesting area for spelunking is the Python Cave, so-called because of the existence of pythons inside. Locals say the pythons inside the cave have not attacked a single visitor because they are believed to be pets of Bathala.
The Python Cave was featured in the TV show “Born To Be Wild”, wherein the host showed the many creatures living inside the cave. (Watch video of the episode here).
How to get there:
From Araneta Center in Cubao, take a bus bound for Talao-Talao port in Lucena, Quezon. From there, take a ferry bound for Buyabod port in Sta.Cruz.
Photos taken from VanessaRocks, Bonggaba and Wikipedia
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Poisonous python??? Hello?? No such thing!