Macahambus Cave

Macahambus Hill Cave


Useful Information

Location: Macahambus Forest nature reserve, Cagayan de Oro City, Misamis Oriental.
15 km south of the city, south of Lumbia domestic airport. At the Cagayan de Oro-Airport-Bukidnon Road.
(8.378808, 124.609879)
Open: no restrictions.
[2021]
Fee: free.
[2021]
Classification: SpeleologyKarst cave
Light: bring torch
Dimension: L=57 m.
Guided tours: self guided
Photography: allowed
Accessibility: no
Bibliography:  
Address: Macahambus Cave, Macahambus Adventure Park, Sinkhole Ventures Inc..
As far as we know this information was accurate when it was published (see years in brackets), but may have changed since then.
Please check rates and details directly with the companies in question if you need more recent info.

History

04-JUN-1900 Battle of Macahambus Hill.
28-DEC-2004 Macahambus Adventure Park opened to the public.

Description

Macahambus Cave is a nice show cave with bats, a historic site and the location of climbing adventures. This place was the site of the Battle of Macahambus Hill in 1900 during the Digmaang Pilipino–Amerikano (Philippine–American War). This was the first Filipino victory against the Americans who occupied the country at this time.

The cave is located at the road south of the airport. It is not well signposted, but there are two small parking lots, one on each side of the road. The entrance to the cave is a staircase leading down from the road, with explanatory signs on both sides. On the right side its written in Tagalog, on the left in English. The were erected by the National Historical Institute and explain historical background of the cave during the battle. On the other side there are stalls where locals rent out lamps and sell souvenirs.

The cave is a small through cave, a single passage which is big enough to walk upright, and some spots which require stooping. A helmet with a headlamp is a good idea. The cave is developed with a level path and easy to walk. It ends on the opposite side of the hill above the meandering Cagayan River. This is probably the explanation for the name, maca means cave and hambus means falling at the point in the river. There is an iron balcony with wooden planks as an outlook. Because the cave is so narrow it is one way, from the northern end of the balcony a trail leads along the cliff and back to the road starts.

The so-called Macahambus Gorge is described as a "circular gorge". Obviously a doline or sinkhole, as there is no such thing as a circular gorge. A river cave collapsed and formed a steep, almost circular hole.

From the cave follow the road 200 m south to Caicai's Barber Show, a green hous, the trail starts on the right side of the house. After a few meters a rickety iron staircase goes down 100 steps to the floor of the doline, some 20 m below the road. The floor of the doline is covered by a lush tropical forest. On the right side is an overhanging cliff with huge stalactites and the resurgence of a cave river at its foot. There is no cave passage, the water emerges from huge boulders. On the other side is a cave where the cave river vanishes again. The upper part of the cave entrance is accessible for about 20 m on a trail along the left wall. The river flows down some rapids and enters a lower level of the cave. There are no leads, but a which emerges on one side of the doline and on the other side. For this doline no equipment is needed, but be careful on the staircase, some steps are missing.

The Macahambus Forest Nature Reserve covers an area of 175 hectares and is located in the barangays of Lumbia and Bayanga.