Sohoton Caves and Natural Bridge

Sohoton, first protected in 1935 as the Sohoton Natural Bridge National Park and now a park of some 840 hectares inside the Samar Island Natural Park, sits inland from Basey in Samar, reached by boat up a green river between limestone walls - the trip in is a substantial part of the day, past cliffs, fishing villages and forest. The park's two features are the caves and the arch. Panhulugan and the other caves hold large chambers with stalactites, columns and flowstone still actively forming, entered with guides and gas lamps rather than fixed lighting, which keeps the experience closer to caving than to a show cave. The natural bridge is a span of rock left across a side stream where the roof of a former cave passage collapsed around it, with a pool below. Trips are booked through the Basey tourism office, which supplies boats, guides and equipment; independent visits are not really possible. The whole area is limestone country, and the water level in the river governs what is accessible on any given day.

Highlights

• The river approach - the boat run between limestone cliffs.
• The cave chambers - active formations lit by lamps.
• The natural bridge - the rock span over a side stream.
• The forest walls - karst and vegetation along the water.

When to go

December to May, when the river is low enough for the boats and the caves are accessible. Heavy rain closes parts of the park at short notice.

Things to know

Everything is arranged through the tourism office - guides, boats and lamps are compulsory and add up. Caves involve wading, ducking and slippery rock. The day is long, with an hour on the river each way.

Nearby

Basey's mat-weaving workshops are in town; Tacloban and the San Juanico Bridge are an hour away.

Key facts