Good day, everyone!
A post of 
However, this cave is not situated in Tabogon but, rather, in the town of Carmen, which is three towns away.
You know what makes an adventure truly epic? It's when there's a memorable twist that you can't help but laugh about whenever you retell the story. And in this case, the story revolves around Shiekinah, one of our fellow adventurers at the time. She arrived at the wrong bus terminal, and despite her insistence that she was already there, we couldn't spot her amidst the compact North Bus Terminal. Instead of heading to the North Bus Terminal, which was our intended destination as we were heading to Carmen in the north, she had mistakenly arrived at the South Bus Terminal. Hahaha, it was one of the funniest mishaps we've ever experienced.
To resolve the situation, she quickly booked a motorcycle taxi from the South Bus Terminal to the North Bus Terminal. Once we were all together, we set out for the town of Carmen.
CARMEN is bordered by the town of Catmon to the north, Tuburan to the west, the Camotes Sea to the east, and the City of Danao to the south. It is located 41 kilometers from Cebu City.
We arrived at Carmen's Public Market at 7 AM and waited for some of the participants who hailed from the northern areas. While waiting, we purchased our snacks and lunch. After nearly an hour, our group was complete, and we were ready to embark on our adventure.
Our journey commenced with a trip to Brgy. Santican, the starting point for our trek to Mt. Mago. Before reaching Lapos-lapos Cave, we needed to conquer Mt. Mago first.
Mt. Mago is a favored destination for hikers and outdoor enthusiasts, owing to its picturesque landscapes and sweeping views of the surrounding mountains. It straddles the borders of Carmen, Danao, and Tuburan towns.
The ascent to the rolling hills of Mt. Mago is relatively gentle, making it ideal for beginners, but it's important to have sun protection or an umbrella since it can get scorching in the afternoon with no tree cover to shield you from the sun's rays.
It's also an excellent spot for camping, as it sometimes treats visitors to a sea of clouds during the early morning hours.
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After reaching the summit, we decided to descend and return to the starting point.
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However, we stumbled upon a bamboo hut, which prompted us to have our lunch there. A sari-sari store just a few meters away provided us with refreshing soft drinks.
Following our meal, we resumed our hike towards the jump-off point. When we arrived there, it unexpectedly started raining, causing us to pause our journey to Lapos-lapos Cave. Fortunately, the rain ceased quickly. We walked from the jump-off to Lapos-lapos Cave on a slippery cemented road.
Finally, after an hour of walking, we arrived at the gate of St. Benedict's Monastery.
The trail leading to the cave is situated within the monastery. We followed our guide through a small entrance beside the monastery's fence, leading to a forested trail covered by trees. It appeared to be a less-traveled spot, as it was not particularly accessible.
At the trail's end, we were greeted by large boulders at the cave's entrance. Initially, it felt quite dark, but as we ventured deeper, a magnificent sight awaited us: a large statue of Mother Mary standing beneath a massive hole in the cave's ceiling, allowing light to illuminate the statue.
The sheer size of the statue left me in awe, and I couldn't help but wonder how it had been placed there in such a challenging location.
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The silence within the cave added to its sense of sanctity, and I found myself sitting, gazing, and offering my prayers to Mother Mary.
After taking turns capturing the moment with photographs, we gathered for a group picture to immortalize our experience.
But our adventure didn't conclude there. As we delved deeper into the cave, we encountered another immense entrance, the largest cave I had ever seen. The mouth of this entrance appeared to be about nine to ten-stories high. Regrettably, we hadn't brought flashlights, so we opted not to explore further.
We concluded our adventure by lighting candles in the church, offering our gratitude to God for the safe and enjoyable experience we had just had in Carmen, Cebu.
About the Author
Meet Kevin de Arca, a Data Analyst by profession and an adventurous wanderer at heart. With a passion for exploring new places and cultures, he uses traveling as a way of distressing and making unforgettable memories. He is always wondering where to wander next.✈️ 🏖 🌅