Lagaw Ta! (Let's Travel) to Lusot-Lusot Cave | Caluya, Antique, Philippines

Unspoiled beauty.  Fresh air.  Powdery white sand.  Hospitable people.  These are the words of how I would describe the Municipality of Caluya in Antique.  It is nothing but a privilege that I was able to explore the beauty and experience the serenity of this place.  The adventure is like stepping out of your comfort zone and truly it was all worth it.

Caluya is an island municipality in the Province of Antique.  From Iloilo City Molo Terminal, you can take a bus going to Libertad Antique .  The fare is around P100 - P300.  After dropping at Libertad, it is where you have to wait for the ferry boat going to Caluya.

Reminders:

• There is only one trip going to Caluya. 
• LIBERTAD - CALUYA is at 3:00 AM, daily.  ETA 7:00 AM.
• CALUYA - LIBERTAD is at 7:00 PM daily. ETA 11:00 PM.
• Terminal Fee is P20.00 and the ferry fare is P450.00

The schedule of trip is quite challenging considering that you don't have much options.  Too early, too late.  According to the locals, the reason for the schedule of this trip is because Caluya is only a drop off point going to Semirara and Boracay, that is why the schedule is too early.  By the way, Boracay is only 1-2 hours away from Caluya. 

Our group decided to be in Libertad that afternoon, day before the trip considering that we are kind of hesitant to travel night time going to Antique.  So while we wait for the 3AM ferry trip, we decided to check-in to one of the inns in the area.  The room is P600.00 good for 3 pax, non-aircon.  But if you want cheaper, there are other inns near the port.  Also, they have improvised recliners for P50.00 per night.

 We are very satisfied with our accommodation.  The caretaker is very hospitable.  If you are worried of where to eat or is it safe walking around the town, you don't have to worry about that.  The caretaker arranged our meals and he also walk us going to the ferry terminal at around 2 AM for our trip. 

We also appreciate the help of the Tourism Office of Libertad, Antique headed by Mr. Galahad Garcia for helping us finding this accommodation. 

Yes! We finally arrive in Caluya at around 7:00 AM.  From the port, we took a tricycle for P50.00 each going to the town proper of Caluya.  We ate our breakfast and freshen up a little bit before heading to their municipal hall.  We are very much grateful to Maam Pauline Geroche, the Municipal Information Officer for assisting us.  

Before heading to the tourist destinations, we walked around the town proper and just wow, it's all white-sand!  Crystal clear water everywhere!  And you don't have to walk that far because it's just a few meters away from the municipal hall.  

See this?  This is just a regular view for the locals!  For us tourists, we have to pay tons just to get to see this kind of scenery.  So peaceful. Just amazing!

Seaweed farming is the major source of income of the locals in Caluya.  They export this to some of the big cities in the country and also abroad!  Amazing, isn't it?

Look at the close up picture.  Personally, I haven't tasted it myself 😄

Let's go to LUSOT-LUSOT CAVE !  You can rent a tricycle going here but it would be quite challenging.  The road is super hilly, a regular tricycle wouldn't be able cross some parts of the road. What we did is that we coordinated with the Tourism Office.  They helped us arrange our transportation and also lend us some of their tourism officers and a few tour guides to assist us during the tour.  

Caluya Municipal Tourism Office is on its active campaign to strengthen their tourism industry.  So if you are a tourist, they will be very much willing to assist you.  Yes! We are so excited. 

LUSOT-LUSOT is an underground cave, I can say it's a mini version of the underground river in Palawan.  There is no entrance fee but they would surely appreciate donations.  The steps going to the cave is quite challenging.  Be careful because the its partially rocky.  

The water is clear as the sky you'll be able to see the corals on your feet.  And mind you, it is an open sea so you can really feel the waves and all its crashing.  Quiet dangerous but we are looking for fun, right?  

I am VERY THANKFUL to Manong Tour Guide for not giving up on me HAHA (dramatic!).  I DON'T know how to swim so it was very challenging for me.  Thank God, there's Manong and the magic life vest!  

Reminder:

• Bring comfortable underwater shoes, you can't go barefoot!  There are a lot of sharp corals.
• Secure your gadgets especially your camera. Make sure it has a cover to prevent it from getting wet.  There is no way, your camera will be able to survive the tour without getting drench.

Yes, that's the entrance of the cave.

Here's the dead-end of the cave.  Photo op with our tour guides  😍

It's called Lusot-Lusot (a local dialect) because you have options to choose a different entrance and exits.  It is best you visit the cave on lowtide so you could pass through the exit shown in the picture below.  It will lead you back to the open sea on the further side of  the hill.

We also did visit another island.  The marine biodiversity is very abundant in the area.  Caluya is truly an untouched jewel of Antique.  With its close proximity to Boracay, it will soon rise.

STARFISH  |  CALUYA, ANTIQUE

SEA URCHIN  |  CALUYA, ANTIQUE

This is what it looks like inside the Sea Urchin,  Also, see the yellowish lumps?  It is edible!  If your adventurous enough you could try it.  One of the exotic species you'll ever taste.

This was truly a relaxing trip.  I always make it a point to go somewhere remote once a year.  And this trip surely achieved one of the things in my bucket list!  See you guys in my next adventure!