67
Fantastic treks
We hit the road at an early hour, in
the midst of a light drizzle, headed
for Barangay Inuntan in Basey. There
we proceed to sign the register and
meet local guides, who arrange a boat
ride down Golden River, whose name
was inspired by the wonderful sight
it presents at sunset. Our destination
is Sohoton Cave, where local tour
guides walk us through the stunning
interiors and offer information on the
fascinating geographical formations.
The tour costs about P2,000 per
person.
At the riverhead, we enjoy a peek
into the daily routines of locals living
in the rustic huts that dot the banks.
From our boat, we see them heading
out in their tiny boats or rafts, doing
their laundry and filling pails of water
fair weather, as the cave conditions
keep the dried tikog pliable and their
work enjoyable.
Made up of women of various
ages, the group is their version of
a quilting circle. Susan Grabillo,
a member of the paraglara
cooperative, says the number
of banig weavers has grown in
response to the increasing demand
for the product in recent years.
Though their output is limited — in
part because weaving is a time-
consuming, manual process and
there’s often not enough capital
for supplies — banig-weaving still
makes for a good home business. A
banig large enough for two people
lying flat, which goes for around
P450, takes four days to make. A
family-size banig sells for a little
more and takes about a week to
produce. I purchased three of
their creations, each with colorful,
geometric patterns, and I continue
to marvel at the quality of their
handiwork and relish the sweet,
grassy smell of their creations.
Banig in tow, we leave Basey and
make our way to the quieter and
much smaller town of Marabut,
where you can now procure
hardwood from all the trees felled
by Haiyan. Here we find a secluded,
white-sand beach, crystalline waters
and beautiful rock formations a few
meters from the shore. There are
no resorts in this particular area,
only a few roughly constructed huts
available for rent at P500 for the
day or P1,500 for an overnight stay,
with the option to use one of the
small boats anchored by the shore.
It’s the perfect spot for soaking up a
bit of nature and just roughing it —
city slickers in dire need of a digital
detox and a major reboot can expect
to find just the fix they need here.
As we head back to the city at
the end of the day, I reflect on the
charming ruggedness of the place
and the warmth of its people. There’s
a definite air of pride about their
home and its sights, and no hurry
to have it discovered, just a genuine
eagerness to welcome whomever
finds their way there.
From top:
the entrance
to Sohoton
Caves; tapping
stalactites to
produce sound;
local kids
horsing around
by the river;
amazing rock
formation inside
Sohoton Caves
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Off the road
and into the
water
DAY2
