Rough Diamond
The Travel
The way to and from Bakngeb from Surallah is a bit of a challenge. There are rough steep roads so don't bring your car here. Rent a motorbike or get a habal-habal in Tiboli town.
The River Cave
The cave and the river running through it is a wonder of nature, it is amazing. However, the price for the rafting ride of PhP100 (USD2) per person may be a stretch as it lasts about 10 minutes and take you maybe 30 to 50 meters only into the cave as the walls get narrower inside and the raft can't fit to get you further in. After an hour and a half of a rough travel from Surallah, the very short cave excursion might be a let down.
The River Rafting
Aside from the cave, river rafting is offered for PhP150 (USD3) per person which will take you through waist deep rocky shallows for about 15 minutes downstream.
The Community
The place is managed by the community and you can see from the moment you arrive and with the guides that accompany you inside the cave and in the river rafting that they believe that they are offering you the best of their place and the best of their services. I really appreciate our river rafting drivers who, even though not as trained as your regular rafting guides, did their very very very best to navigate. Believe me, i can see from their worried and sweaty faces that they are are doing their best.
The Culture
Indigenous meals are offered in the place. Although a bit on the opposite of the cheap side, we paid PhP350 (USD7) for a not so big native chicken cooked inside a bamboo, which was great in a novel kind of way. We were served the meal inside an indigenous long house where we sat on the floor and used indigenous utensils made of wood. All of these were great.
Overall.
Although rough on the edges, the experience would be great if you appreciate culture and advocate support for community based local tourism. Come and see the best of our Tiboli brothers and sisters and see how they are developing their...
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