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CAVING exploring the underworld

Written by Mr. Travel Guides    Monday, 13 October 2008

CAVING: exploring the underworld Caving offers a thrill like no other adventure sport. The spelunker - the technical name for the person who explores caves - can immerse himself in a surreal, almost fairytale, world with hidden under-ground rivers and spectacular limestone and crystal formations millions of years old but untouched by light. The thrill is intensified by the knowledge that he may be treading, crawling or slithering where no human has been before. And when you add to this an undeniably addictive sense of adventure and exploration, it is easy to understand why hardened spelunkers are passionate about exploring caves. Getting started Spelunkers use a variety of techniques to move through the caves. Many of these are borrowed or adapted from other sports, such as rock climbing or scuba-diving. As a beginner, the most important skills to learn are basic rope techniques and the use of specialised climbing equipment. That frees the spelunker from being confined to horizontal passages, so the range and type of caves that can be explored is much greater. By using ropes, harnesses, hooks, pulleys and other equipment, the spelunker can descend into deep holes, crevasses and underground rivers, or he can climb to high caverns and passages. Needless to say, training, skilled supervision and experience are absolutely essential. Exploration will involve constantly squeezing through narrow passages, negotiating underwater streams and scaling walls, so a reasonable level of fitness is needed. But attitude is just as important; a willingness to put up with being wet, dirty and uncomfortable, and to accept the inevitable scrapes and bruises that will be picked up are desirable character traits in a caver. Underground Asia Asia is riddled with caves, including some of the most extensive and spectacular underground systems ever discovered. A few years ago, most of the caves that had been explored and mapped were those discovered by foreign expeditions, but now caving groups are springing up everywhere, from Guam to the Philippines. This has resulted in many more cave networks becoming accessible for recreational exploration, and the sport has become easier to get involved in. In some of the better-known caving destinations, specialist operators offer adventure caving tours and rent equipment. Mulu, Sarawak This is the big daddy of caving. Beneath the jagged limestone peaks of Mulu National Park lies a record-breaking network of caves that includes the world's largest underground passage - the Deer Cave. Four caves are designated as "show caves". They are open to the general public and have plank walkways and fixed lighting in places of interest to make them accessible to large numbers of people. But for the full involvement of a caving expedition, explore what the national park authority has designated as "adventure caves". These must be crawled, swum, ascended or abseiled to be appreciated in their full splendour. A highlight is Clearwater Cave, a massive 75km-long passage with numerous minor offshoots. Most adventure caving trips can be taken as long (nine-hour) day-trips from the park headquarters, or as overnight trips with accommodation in a jungle camp. A number of local adventure tour operators now offer caving trips to Mulu. Contact Borneo Adventure, tel: (6082) 245 666, 245 175, 410 569, 415 554; fax: (6082) 422 626. Northern Thailand The caves around Pang Mapa, southwest of the infamous Golden Triangle, are some of the finest in the region, outstanding for the exceptional beauty of their limestone formations as well as their great size. Throughout this region, most of the bedrock is limestone, so beneath the ground there is a vast network of chambers, tunnels and passages to suit both the experienced and novice caver. A popular site is Tham Lod, a long, winding tunnel lined with dripping stalactites and stalagmites which meet to form magnificent natural sculptures. Experienced guides are available. For more information contact John Spies at Cave Lodge, 15 Moo 1, Bhan Tham Lod, Pang Mapa, 58150 Mae Hong Son, Thailand. Cagayan, the Philippines Of the many outstanding cave networks in the Philippines, among the most spectacular are those under the province of Cagayan in the far north of Luzon. The greatest concentration of known caves is around Penablanca, 40 minutes by road from the provincial capital, Tuguegarao, and the best place to start underground explorations. The most famous cave in the area is Callao, a huge, open-air passage natur-ally illuminated by wide skylight entrances. The openness, accessibility and imposing size of the entrance have made it a popular tourist destination. Much greater challenges await further out in the surrounding countryside. A favourite among cavers is Heaven Chamber, a spectacular room of crystalline white rock formations. The best season for caving is between March and May, the driest months. Guam This tropical island is better known for its beaches and tourist resorts, but beneath the surface lies an extensive network of caves. They are the result of a combination of volcanic basalt, coral growth, fault lines and rainwater erosion. They are hardly explored, but with a little effort the enthusiast can discover a variety of spectacular caves with stunning formations. Some of the passages can get tight, but when a cave is given a name like Belly Crawl, what can you expect? n Adapted from Action Asia, the region's premier adventure travel magazine

Last Updated ( Monday, 13 October 2008 )