Sohoton Natural Bridge

A Limestone Arch Over A Jungle River With Caves In The Walls, In A Park That Has Been Chronically Under Resourced For Decades · Basey, Samar

SOHOTON IS A LIMESTONE ARCH SPANNING A RIVER IN THE SAMAR INTERIOR, WITH CAVES IN THE WALLS AROUND IT AND JUNGLE CLOSING OVER THE WATER - reached by boat up the Golden River from Basey, past karst that rises straight out of the banks. PANHULUGAN CAVE HOLDS STALACTITE CHAMBERS AND A NATURAL WINDOW over the gorge; the arch itself is best seen from a small boat underneath it. THE HONEST PART IS THE PARK'S CONDITION. IT WAS DECLARED IN 1935 AND HAS BEEN CHRONICALLY UNDER-RESOURCED EVER SINCE - visitor facilities have come and gone, lighting and boardwalks have decayed, and the arrangement for getting in changes. ACCESS DEPENDS ON THE RIVER LEVEL AND TRIPS ARE CANCELLED when it is too high or too low. Ask in Basey rather than assuming; this is not a place with a ticket office and a timetable. Trips are put together at the Basey municipal tourism office with a boat, a guide and lamps, and the caves need wading and scrambling rather than a boardwalk and a handrail.

Sohoton Natural Bridge National Park, Basey, Samar, Basey, Samar, Philippines

SOHOTON IS REACHED FROM BASEY IN SAMAR, about an hour from TACLOBAN across the SAN JUANICO BRIDGE, and then by BOAT UP THE RIVER for roughly an hour. TRIPS ARE ARRANGED AT THE BASEY MUNICIPAL TOURISM OFFICE, which assigns guides and boats; THERE IS NO WALK-UP TICKET SYSTEM and arrangements change, so enquire ahead. ACCESS DEPENDS ENTIRELY ON THE RIVER LEVEL - too high after rain and the caves flood, too low and the boat cannot pass, and TRIPS ARE CANCELLED either way. CAVE VISITS REQUIRE LAMPS AND GUIDES and involve wading, scrambling and low headroom. THE PARK IS UNDER-RESOURCED and facilities are minimal. BASEY IS ALSO KNOWN FOR BANIG, the woven mats, which are made in the town and are worth the stop.

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