Minglanilla's Hidden 7 Caves & White Cave



Minglanilla is a laid back southern town 15 kilometres from Cebu City and after Talisay City and is also where I currently live. The Town of Minglanilla is known for it's religious festival called the "Kabanhawan" (Bisaya for "Resurrection") fest which is basically the re-enactment of "Sugat" (means "Meeting") of the risen Christ and his mother. But did you know aside from that, Minglanilla has a secret adventurous side?

The Seven Caves of Minglanilla are renowned for their challenging traverses, spectacular rock formations, treacherous inner cliffs, and quartz crystals. All seven caves are located in Barangay Camp 7 (Kampo Siete Caves), the town’s mountainous boundary with Toledo City. the White Cave is the largest of the seven. Some of the caves are "Dead" already (the ecosystem inside the cave is gone and the formations no longer "growing"), while the ones we were not allowed to go into was very much alive since Snakes were known frequent it.

My last exploration of the highlands of Minglanilla was due to Runilla Running Event.

My co-adventurers for this caving exploration. Noe, Fritxie, Me, and Jobim at the White Cave Mouth
Many adventurers consider these caves as some of the best natural treasures of Cebu. Exploring the caves takes a sense of awareness, accountability and responsibility aside from adventure. The cave system is riddled with challenging passages, jagged stalagmites and stalactites, (wild animals for the still alive caves: snakes, birds, bats among others), and ordinary-awesome-unparalleled beauty. But getting there is no easy feat; you have to walk, hike, trek, crouch, crawl, squeeze, climb into the forest, boulders and cave.

Stretching - you don't want to get cramps inside a dark and enclosed space
Walking, Hiking, Trekking in the forest - That's a huge tree right there!

From the barangay proper, it takes about 15 to 20 minutes to reach Cave 1 and is fairly a quick and short trek in which you will have to go through the cave (for about 50 meters) to exit. Cave 1’s smooth interior walls and floor are in stark contrast to its rocky surface outside. The inside was quite eerie and silent, no fancy rock formations as well -- this can be considered a dead small cave (but who knows if creatures lurk on the inner small chambers as well as under the ground we were stepping on).


Cave 2 has a small opening, but a wide chamber inside. Explorers must make numerous turns until they reach a narrow area where they must climb and slide out of the cave through a hole.


Swallows glide into and out of the cave entrance. Bats hang high in the cave’s inner chamber. This is also a protected area since the swallows are endangered of being hunted for their bird's nest.
We only explored about 4 of the 7 since the three other caves were not cleared for exploration due to the 2013 earthquake, unsafe passages and a lot of snakes as per the guides and local barangay. Cave 3 was a bit more challenging and dirty. Let the pictures explain itself. HaHAHAHa

Chill2 inside the cave pag may time
That's my view - crawling to the exit one at a time
A very difficult pose or basically - no choice pose 
Cave Grofie
Quartz - Sparkling
Ancestral Fools who vandalized the caves Circa 1961-75
The last destination, the finale is the white cave. The cave’s white, chalk-like front wall is so large it appears to be about three times the size of the Metro Cebu Cathedral’s façade - so they say. White Cave has two entrances, each more than six feet in diameter. Their tunnels lead to the same large chamber inside. Also, the ground leading to the cave entrance is thick with bird droppings. 


Another groufie view
White Cave inner entrance
White Cave entrance
White Cave lower entrance view from the top mouth - that's how big it is!!
Here's another view of the White Cave mouth and Facade
Surprisingly inside the cave, the air is cool, as if the chamber was air-conditioned! Also, words cannot describe the atrium-cathedral size inside the white cave.

Around the inner-center part of the white cave - Photo from Gamayng Paraiso Tours

For guiding services get in touch with PYAP Minglanilla through their facebook page Gamayng Paraiso Tours!

Safety and Stewardship First

Even if you're exploring at least four of the seven caves, you're not sure to emerge from the bowels of the earth unscathed. It is recommended to get local guiding services (support the locals and their economy!).
  • -Respect Mother Nature and do not touch anywhere or chip off any rocks to bring home as souvenirs. Low impact exploration/travelling!
  • -It takes millennia for the rocks inside the caves to shape, so don't destroy or vandalize the place. Let other spelunkers enjoy the beauty of nature too!
  • -Listen to your guide. Even if you're an experienced spelunker, the area may be new to you and surprises may be in store.
  • -Always be aware of your surroundings and stay safe even with the guides.
  • -What to bring: Head lamps/helmets, flashlight, water booties or trekking shoes, extra clothes, first-aid kit, and action/adventure camera.
End of the Adventure!
Recovering inside the house of the guides!
Fun Fact

Minglanilla's old name is Buat or Buwat, because fisher folk used to set aside part of their day's catch for drying under the sun. This is the 'Buad' or 'buwad' from the town are sold in public markets and supermarkets and is still in practice today!.

Once again, let us all be responsible tourists, travelers and adventurers by lessening our impact in the area and so that others can enjoy the beauty of the place too!
Minglanilla's Hidden 7 Caves & White Cave Minglanilla's Hidden 7 Caves & White Cave Reviewed by Vernon Joseph Go on Saturday, January 02, 2016 Rating: 5

4 comments

  1. Nice one bro! This blog will help in promoting the 7 Caves to tourists who loves this kind of adventure.Chester here, a resident of Brgy. Camp 7 Minglanilla Cebu. Keep it up!

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  2. How to get there? What i know about kampo siete is that you need to pass by naga then it s a curve road heading to toledo city cebu. We live in toledo before so we usually pass by that place. And now we are living in minglanilla but we never heard about kampo siete being the boundary of minglanilla and toledi...is it not a boundary of naga and toledo instead?

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    Replies
    1. There is a an alternative and shorter way to get there. Just take a habal-habal which terminal is across Visayan Educational Supply in Tabunok, Talisay City. Just ask the driver to drop you off at Camp 7 Elementary School gate (fare: 35 one way-not really sure though) and from there a lot of young people are willing to guide you to the cave. However, if you are driving, I suggest Lagtang-Toledo road since it is shorter than Naga-Toledo.

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  3. hi ask lng unsay mga posible expenses sa caving
    like guide, safty gear & head lamp
    by coordinating to PYAP Minglanilla
    mga pila ila rate, hope sa imo rply thaks

    ReplyDelete