Maalangaan Caves in San Rafael, Bulacan

I have been very busy that I got so many backlogs on my blog posts. Anyway, this post is an account of a unique place we went to last Holy Thursday, more than a month ago.

My brother-in-law have arranged a summer outing for his workers, and we just tagged along as soon as we arrived from Laguna. The place is called Maalangaan, with natural spring and cave system in Brgy. Tukod, San Rafael, Bulacan. Coming from Bagong Barrio, it took us about 45 minutes in cemented and rough road to arrive in the area.

While the kids are swimming on the shallow natural pool, and the lechon is still being roasted, my son, my nephew, and myself ventured into the cave system of Maalangaan. Unfortunately, we don't have flashlight nor headlamp with us, so we cannot do a complete in-depth tour of all the caves.

The caves are composed of lime and marble stones, carved by rains and  ancient rivers perhaps thousands of years ago. I estimate the total linear length of the cave and river system to be about 300m, with many branches on the side. 

The rains, river, sun's heat, wind, and natural forces have carved these rocks to produce the various formations below. Sunlight produce different glows of the marble inside the cave as well.

A limestone tower fell down to block the riverway. Its edges are sharp, like coral stone. It makes me think that these caves and rocks may have been formed when Luzon is still submerged under the sea.

Aside from the rock formations, some wildlife are also present, like the bird I saw under the tree foliage.

Locals say that the place used to be bigger and more beautiful. But marble miners have destroyed much of their natural resource, and irresponsible visitors have vandalized the place.

Outside the cave system is the natural spring on the left side that feeds the shallow pool above. A river runs on the other side of the cave system.

I would like to revisit the place on December or January, when there are less visitors, and the water is clearer with blue color in the morning. When it happens, I would surely see the inner cave formations, hehe.