Mystical Cave
Mystical Cave
4
What people are saying
It's Mystical for a Christian Catholic Believer if He Had the Imagination
Dec 2019
I have visited a few caves in the country and it's always similar-- stalagmites, stalactites, crystals, dripping water from the ceiling, pool of water, rock formations, others.But if you believe on the agony of Jesus Christ and with much of imagination the rock formations and structures on the walls and on the floor become mystical---of course with the aid of a guide. The guide uses the beam to show you the half side of the lying image of the body of Christ .The beam also shows a half image of a skull Another shows the the Virgin Mary carrying the baby Jesus. There are other formations he calls the Apostles. There is also a wishing well, a dried pool and "bell" that when hit hard by your hand produces a ding-dong sound of an ancient bell---if you would imagine it as sound from a bell. During my recent visit there was a group of touch healers who came to draw some "powers" from the mystical cave. They regularly use the cave to pray, according to Lito, my guide.My advice is take the Marcos highway access if you have your own car. Upon reaching the boundary of barrio San Luis turn right to a rough road and in less than five kilometers you are at the foot of a pathway going to the cave entrance. Do not use the Antipolo City access because of the steep downhill and uphill road that traverses through a private subdivision. If you commute, motorcab fare from the highway is 40 pesos per head. From the cathedral it's P150 per trip. There are trips going back to the highway.

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Detailed Reviews: Reviews order informed by descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as cleanliness, atmosphere, general tips and location information.

4.0
25 reviews
Excellent
4
Very good
15
Average
5
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Terrible
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Jun Ruaya
Calamba, Philippines52 contributions
Dec 2019
I have visited a few caves in the country and it's always similar-- stalagmites, stalactites, crystals, dripping water from the ceiling, pool of water, rock formations, others.But if you believe on the agony of Jesus Christ and with much of imagination the rock formations and structures on the walls and on the floor become mystical---of course with the aid of a guide.
The guide uses the beam to show you the half side of the lying image of the body of Christ .The beam also shows a half image of a skull Another shows the the Virgin Mary carrying the baby Jesus. There are other formations he calls the Apostles. There is also a wishing well, a dried pool and "bell" that when hit hard by your hand produces a ding-dong sound of an ancient bell---if you would imagine it as sound from a bell.
During my recent visit there was a group of touch healers who came to draw some "powers" from the mystical cave. They regularly use the cave to pray, according to Lito, my guide.My advice is take the Marcos highway access if you have your own car. Upon reaching the boundary of barrio San Luis turn right to a rough road and in less than five kilometers you are at the foot of a pathway going to the cave entrance. Do not use the Antipolo City access because of the steep downhill and uphill road that traverses through a private subdivision. If you commute, motorcab fare from the highway is 40 pesos per head. From the cathedral it's P150 per trip. There are trips going back to the highway.
Written 22 December 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Princess Angel
Luzon, Philippines2 contributions
Aug 2019 • Couples
Nakakatakot as in. Para kaming nasa wrong turn ng boyfriend ko. Walang katao tao tapos wala ring dumadaan na sasakyan. Yung tipong kahit anong sigaw mo walang makakarinig sayo. Wala ding mapag iwanan ng sasakyan. Di ko alam kung wrong timing lang kami ng punta or inabandona na sya ng nga tourist guide? 😞
Written 25 August 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Kristalady Amamio
Makati, Philippines16 contributions
Mar 2018 • Friends
This is also included during our day tour. Paakyat pa lang papuntang bukana ng cave is super chalenging na agad, di naman kami na inform na mataas din pala talaga yung aakyatin :D Pero kung ikaw naman yung taong pro sa hiking ganyan di ka na mahihirapan sa ganung sitwasyon :) As we enter the cave, bubungad sayo ang napakapreskong feeling. hahaha! malamig jusko nakakakilabot :D pero sa umpisa lang pala yun, haynako. lahat talaga sa umpisa lang naman magaling. Haha! Charot! Medyo madilim sa loob guys so advantage ng mga may flashlight ang phone kasi magagamit nyo talaga sya sa loob, mas makikita mo yung mga rock formation na ituturo nung nag to-tour bes. Well wala naman masyadong ganap, unless interesado ka sa mga pamahiin and all. More on biblical characters din yung mga andun na rock formation na sabi nung nag guide samin eh napabasbasan sa priest. And ayun kay kuyang nag to-tour samin, ang cave daw na iyon is napanginipan ng isang babae na taga visayas ata yun i think, tpos ayun sinearch daw yung cave na yun. Nagamit ndn daw yung place na yun sa isang shooting, yung teleserye ni Ella Cruz nun na sirena sya. Ayun, okay naman yung place, perfect sa mga adventurous din talaga na person.
Written 5 April 2018
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Luci S
7 contributions
Mar 2018 • Friends
It is indeed mystical! Better to go along with tour guides for you not to get lost. Rock formations was very astonishing. Advisable to bring a flashlight with you and plenty of drinking water it’s a stiff road up ahead before you reach the caves and the top of the mountain is just a superb view of Antipolo. It’s best to see the sunset but I would advise commuters that it’s hard to get a ride back to Antipolo proper when it’s too late. They charge 50 pesos each person for entrance fee. One thing that they should improve are the restrooms not so pleasant and tourist friendly though.
Written 31 March 2018
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

scorp1107
Antipolo City, Philippines43 contributions
Oct 2017 • Family
My son left me a note before going to work a week ago saying he wanted to visit the cave i mentioned when we were searching for a house in one of the subdivisions overlooking its location. And so we did. After bringing my mom to church, I told my two kids we'll be heading to the cave. The hike going to the cave's entrance is fairly okay. Inside you will see the shiny stalactites/stalagmites, crystal clear water, and "religious" rock formations. You will also notice that the cave smells like fresh water - doesn't smell like bat poop :-) You will be assisted by a tour guide. They will give you the history of when and how the cave was discovered.
Written 17 October 2017
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Kat H
Gilbert, AZ30 contributions
May 2017 • Family
A lot of hiking. Very very beautiful. Check out the cave and once done climb up to he top of the mountain for a view. Will see chickens and pigs on way up! Be prepared to get muddy!
Written 25 May 2017
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

ardieclicks
Quezon City, Philippines16 contributions
Apr 2017 • Family
Not wanting to join up with the thousands of people heading out of town for the holy week, my wife suggested a nearby attraction/destination that would be worth going to, that wouldn’t take up the entire day. We agreed to head out to the Mystical Cave in Antipolo. It took us just a bit over an hour to get there from Katipunan avenue via Marikina, on a Black Saturday, so I’d assume it’d take around 90 minutes on an average day. It’s situated at Barangay San Luis, Puting Bato, Antipolo. It’s plotted on Waze and it’s searchable on Google Maps too.

It’d be fairly difficult to get there without your own vehicle, and quite easy to drive up in your own. I guess if you’re over 50 and not very physically active, you’d find the long and steep flight of stairs getting to the cave entrance beyond the main gate quite strenuous, but if you pace yourself well, it should be nothing to be concerned about. The place is run by a community of friendly folk who’ve come to depend on visitors for livelihood, and they’re generally polite and helpful. It’s the tricycle drivers you should be wary about, since they tend to take advantage of tourists (I’ve read accounts of them charging ludicrous rates when heading out of the area), if you happen to just commute to the cave.

Anyway, on the last kilometer when you’re about to ascend to the dirt road leading to the cave’s vicinity, someone will flag you down for a P20 fee per car, and he’d (dodgily) explain that the area’s on private property, hence the fee. I figured for that amount, I shouldn’t bother quizzing him about it. Driving to the area, a bunch of vendors and small food stalls will let you know you’ve arrived (I think there’s a small sign too). Entrance to the cave is P50 per head, and a guide can accompany you (recommended), and their fee is up to you- like a tip, I guess. The guided tour would probably take around 45 minutes, but you get to dictate your pace and explore more.

The cave is huge, and quite impressive. Naturally it’s a bit humid inside, but comfortably cool. Bats don’t settle there, so there’s no odor of guano. It’s actually little birds locally called “Balinsasayaw” (Philippine Swiftlet) that live there, and they’re harmless and hardly seen. It’d be nice to have the cave to yourselves, but even if there are groups of people around, it takes a lot (like going on a Good Friday) to congest it. Fascinating formations of Stalactites and Stalagmites are everywhere, and sections of the cave are lit with electric bulbs, so you can see them well even without the aid of flashlights. Flashlights would be useful to light the path you’re walking on for safer footing- so it’s suggested that you bring your own.

The guide’s spiels are on the mystical aspect of the cave, pointing out formations that do resemble shapes of Christ, Mary, the apostles, and several other configurations and combinations of them, and with the power of suggestion, they’re even more apparent. Whether you’re a believer or not, you’d understand why many make pilgrimages there especially during holy week. There’s even a section there that they call the cathedral, which would surprise you- since after going through an entrance just big enough for one person stooping down to enter, it opens up to an area about half the size of the entire cave with even more impressive formations to see. The cave was discovered in 1970 by a lady named Nelly Deles, who dreamt of it when she was a child. Looking all over the Philippines, she finally located it in Antipolo. Legend has it that when it was discovered, the entrance was the size of a mere coin, and by blasting an entrance, the whole cave network was revealed. Despite its huge size, we only explored the first level. We’re told that there are seven levels more, underground- and the entrance to it looks daunting to say the least. Obviously, you should only explore its lower levels if you’re an experienced climber/cave explorer, with proper gear and competent companions.

Wear dry-fit uppers, as you’d certainly work up a sweat if you decide to explore more thoroughly. Use rubber shoes with “teeth” or soles with aggressive tread patterns (e.g. hiking shoes), as flat shoes can get slippery on the moist rock surfaces. Bring flashlights, your own water, and of course, a camera as lots of areas are photo-worthy as you’ll see from my post. I suggest partaking of snacks you can buy outside after touring the cave, to help out with the local community’s commerce, and they’re not bad at all. I’m sure the halo-halo and Kwekwek tasted much better after exploring the cave for over an hour. Right next to it, is the climb to the White Cross, which deserves a separate post. Overall, I’d say touring the Mystical Cave was an experience everyone should go through at least once, as it really is impressive; an educational experience for kids and adults alike, a good opportunity for family bonding (especially if Netflix and eating out is the norm), and a nice way to support local tourism without breaking the bank or taking too much effort in any way. Enjoy! ☺
Written 16 April 2017
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Erika C
3 contributions
Jan 2016 • Family
The place is not known, we asked few people and some of them doesn't have any idea where the place is. I highly suggest you bring your car for commuting will be hard tho i don't know how much it will cost. Our group was the only visitor that time and we were fascinated by the view especially the crystals that is everywhere in the cave. Our guide was very kind and approachable. We even reached the top which the cross is seen. The hiking went fine and it made us really exhausted! It was a nice experience overall!
Written 23 October 2016
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

travelholicena
Luzon, Philippines21 contributions
Aug 2016 • Couples
The cave is a highly recommended place to visit when going to Antipolo. I highly recommend that you put on a lot of insect repellant as my feet were infested with mosquito bites. The entrance remains at P40 and the manong tour guide is the nicest ever. You can tip him at any amount and you will not hear any complaints. He was very knowledgeable, humble and honest. He told us the average rate of the tricycle ride from the the corner of the Padilla and Puting Bato road which was according to him around P50 and the trip from the town/church was around P150. We brought our own car but opted to ride a tricycle seeing that the start of Puting Bato road was unpaved. We asked the rate and was told that it was P20 per person so we decided to go ahead and leave the car and take the tricycle. We were just a 2-person journey/passengers. As we were about to ride the tric we asked about the round trip rate, and that we will take about just an hour. We were again told that round trip will cost P80 as he will be waiting for us. Upon arrival at the foot of the Mystical Cave, we were again told of the change in rate that it is now P200 for the round trip. We felt like it was highway robbery as we had no choice for the transportation to go back to our car. It ruined the whole cave experience and also afterwards. I think we were picked on because we looked like we could pay more as we had our own vehicle. This is so unfair. We felt like the same as when we had the same experience in Bangkok with the Tuk-tuk drivers. It sours the whole experience and tend to avoid going to the same place again. It is not about paying a higher amount but in principle, knowing that people want to take advantage of you. That feeling is very lousy. Improvements I would like to suggest/see is to have the transportation rates posted outright at the terminals to prevent these kinds of situations.

I hope that this does not happen to anyone else. I urge everyone to be wary and not allow people to take advantage of you. It is very embarrassing for our countrymen as this does not reflect the kind of people we are. I hope that this can be controlled and not dampen the enthusiasm of people who want to appreciate this very organic attraction.
Written 27 August 2016
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

MWertheimer
39 contributions
Dec 2015
We're a bit skeptical on our way to the cave but its totally worth it. You have to be ready for with your sneakers as you need to go through lots of step going up to the entrance of the cave. Try to bring your own flash lights so you can enjoy the view inside and bring your bottled water with you.
Written 23 July 2016
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

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MYSTICAL CAVE: All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go (with Photos)

Frequently Asked Questions about Mystical Cave