Cave & Horseshoe @ Sohoton Cove in Siargao

When we went to Hidden Island Resort, we were actually on our way to Sohoton Cove. It's a place in Socorro, Bucas Grande Island that is filled with mystery and we were about to find out why...

So from Siargao, Sohoton Cove is about 1 1/2 hours away... 2 hours if there were moderate waves. But as luck would have it, it was like sailing on a perfect summer morning even if it was July. This is how great the weather is in Siargao. It's like summer almost all the time.

Finally, we saw this huge cottage in the middle of the sea (sort of) where tourists register and rent smaller boats (good for two people: the boatman and the passenger) and snorkeling gear. But then we found out that the newly constructed cottage is not yet in operation so we headed to an older structure across it.

The roof of this building was renovated by 2010 Community Service Group of Gyeongsang National University, Republic of Korea on Jan. 15, 2011. How generous of them! I guess a lot of Koren tourists go here to enjoy and get enchanted by what Sohoton Cove has to offer.

There, we were told that one cannot just go to Sohoton Cove at any time. Tourists should wait for the tide to subside, otherwise, they may be trapped inside the lagoon and it would be hours before they can head back out. This is because the caves hang very low which is also why only smaller, 2-seater boats are allowed to enter. This is actually why the place is called SOHOTON. It's a local vernacular which means "suotan" or "lagusan" in tagalog which pertains to going through tunnel-like places. Because of the nature of the caves, the original bigger boat we rented from General Luna would be left behind.

So, after registering and paying for the boat (total of Php1,230 for the two boats, the 2 guides, environmental fees and snorkeling gear), our original boatmen cooked the food we bought from the market earlier that morning.

It was already around 11 am when we were allowed to finally ride the smaller boats so we can go to Sohoton Cove... Anyway, I think this video below can better describe what it was like entering Sohoton Cove that day...

The water in the cave that we went through was still quite high so we really had to crouch while riding the boat. Otherwise, the sharp stalactites and other rock formation at the ceiling of the cave could hurt us.

Entering Sohoton Cove felt magical. The lagoon was so lush and green, the water was so clear and the place feels magical. I wouldn't wonder why it's considered to be one of the hidden treasures of the Caraga region. In fact, it's even declared as a protected area because of the numerous flora, fauna, and marine species that can be found here.

On the video above, you'll see the famous horseshoe rock formation which signifies that you are officially inside the enchanted Sohoton Lagoon. It was indeed very enchanting!

To be continued.... Up next is the Jellyfish Lagoon experience...