Camalig

Camalig – the town of Gabi Leaves and the home to the Pinangat Festival, that is celebrated in the mid of June. Pinangat is a main dish with gabi leaves as its primary ingredients. This town is reach in healthy and delicious Gabi for it was situated in the foot of the Mayon Volcano and most of the time, this town is the place where the ashes falls every volcanic activity that causes their soil very rich in organic fertilizer.

Here’s what I visited in the Municipality of Camalig:

• St. John the Baptist Church – said to be the oldest catholic church the Bicol Region, it was situated in the heart of the town.

• Hoyop Hoyopan Cave – most famous cave in the province of Albay, still holds the mystery of how it blows air. Hoyop is a local term for the word BLOW. And Hoyop Hoyopan may be translated as “Trying to do some blowing”. Situated in the southern part of the town, this cave is mysteriously blowing air outward from one of its entrance. Starting on the main entrance, you’re gonna take a muddy path to explore the cave. After taking the exit at the back most part of the cave, you’re going to climb a pathway to enter another entrance. Before you take your entrance, you’re gonna feel the fast blow of the wind coming out of the entrance and that is why it was called Hoyop Hoyopan Cave. For it was trying to blow air. Great scenery will await your attention after entering the second entrance such as a bell like ceiling, a skull like ceiling, rock formations and others.

• Quinalabidungan Cave – a home to a colony of bats, this mini underground river, is a local version of the world famous Puerto Princesa Underground River. Yes, you read it correctly. It is a cave with a river inside of it. But unlike in Palawan that uses boats to explore the cave, you just need a flash light and the courage to swim in the dark and cold water inside the cave. Kalabidong is a local term for bat. And it was called Quinalabigungan Cave because of the bats living in the heart of the cave. This local bat cave could be found just after the Hoyop hoyopan cave. May be a 30 minute drive on a rough road after the Hoyop hoyopan Cave.