Balincaguin Conservancy Grotto

By Charles M. Nelson

Traveling from Alaminos town proper proceed in the direction of Mabini town traveling 8 kilometers and turning left at the Barrio Tagudin waiting shed. Travel down this road in the direction of Brgy. Villacorta for 3.8 kilometers and on in front of you will be a small cement bridge across the road. Just before the bridge there is a one lane road or trail on the right hand side. Turn right traveling on this lane for 1.2 kilometers parking any place your vehicle will fit off of this lane. A hill with the single large tree marking vertical cave Bintanilya will be in view and on your right hand side. The distance to the parking place is 13 kilometers.

Bintanilya is a vertical cave requiring on rope experience and equipment. As the place to park is approached the hill and predominate tree at the very peak is visible and only hundreds of meters away. Proceed walking past Makalangiking Cave, which is located on the left, shirting the hill just below its low point. Go no more than 150/200 meters and there will be a cloth marker(s) marking the vertical trail leading to the top. The final destination is ‘The Tree’ and this is where the rigging can be safely attached remembering to rig high. N16 deg 03.240  E199 deg 57.689 is the location. A safety belay line is also a must because the tree is right on the edge of the pitch.

The first drop is more than 21 meters (70 feet) with one rub point requiring a rope protector. Once off rope walk to the back of the cave and another pitch will be visible, which is no more than 15 meters (50 feet), but demanding rope protectors and two separate rup points. Rigging low on two vertical stalactites will allow a “Y” rigging of less than 90 degrees. The host formations are rough so protect your rigging straps too.

Upon reaching the bottom, for those familiar with the Cacupangan horizontal mother cave, it become immediately apparent that the two caves link up, thus proving another part of my common sense theory. The link up is before the Binmatya exit and the very wet crawl and swim area.

From the bottom other skylights can be seen not too far from the Bintanilya’s first pitch. It is estimated the drop is more that 30 meters (100 feet). The area has not been surveyed to determine rigging requirements. Dense foliage requires pathways to be cleared paying close attention to safety considerations.

During December of 1999 a 6.5 earthquake changed some of the cave’s basic structure opening up new skylights and creating debits field containing some rather large boulders.

Both Makalangiking and Bintanilya caves were entered during March 2004, although my first visit during 1984 when I lacked a cave diving buddy and personal vertical experience. During that time frame a road to the site did not exist and the walk cross country was just under one hour.