Batungay Cave

Useful Information

Location:	Trinidad, Bohol. Brgy. Santo Tomas, Trinidad, 90 km northeast of Tagbilaran City. (10.0380520, 124.3107380)
Open:	no restrictions. [2026]
Fee:	free. [2026]
Classification:	Karst Cave
Light:	bring torch
Dimension:	L=900 m.
Guided tours:	self guided
Photography:	allowed
Accessibility:	no
Bibliography:
Address:	Batungay Cave, Trinidad, Bohol, Tel: +63-.
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

Description

Batungay Cave is geotope G15 of the Bohol Island Geopark. It is also frequented by traditional healers aka tambalans as site for their rituals. In the Langub Sa Binlanan chamber they prepare their medicinal herbs and do their oraciones or rituals. And it is a part of the Trinidad Cave System, which developed in the Carmen Formation. The name is derived from bato, which means rock, and ngay, which means twins, in other words twin rock because there are two distinct rock formations above the cave.

This is the only part of this system which is open to the public, it is guided with cave trekking tours, locally called ecotours. The cave is level, but there are no developed trails and no electric light. The tours do not require crawling or climbing, but good shoes and a little surefootedness are necessary. You should start at the Batungay Tourism Complex, where you can book the tours. It’s possible to visit only the first chambers or make a two-hour tour which shows the full 900 m of cave passage.

Batungay Tourism Complex is primarily managing the Way of the Cross, a classical catholic Way of the Cross on the hill. They organize walks on the way on catholic Holidays. But they also organize the cave trekking tours. Unfortunately they do hot have a website, address or contact data, at least we were not able to find it. If you are interested in a tour we recommend to ask the concierge at your hotel, he is probably able to contact them.

During World War II, Batungay Cave served as a refuge for local residents fleeing attacks by Japanese soldiers. It was never bombed, most likely because it was hidden by the forest and the Japanese did not know about the site.

There was a diwata in Batungay who was very generous to the residents. She lent a wedding dress, pots, plates, and glasses for the banquet to a woman who were about to get married. But the people did not return the things, and so she vanished and never returned.
Legend told by Pantaleon Cajes, the first Barangay Captain in Sto. Tomas.