SIARGAO ( DAY TWO ) Bucas Grande Sohoton Cove Hagukan Cave Magkukuob Cave Jellyfish Sanctuary

Bucas Grande

Bucas Grande is an island in the eastern part of Surigao del Norte. It’s blessed with nature attractions including powdery-sand beaches, offshore islets, inland lakes and caves.

The best places to see in Bucas Grande are Sohoton Cove and Jellyfish Sanctuary.

Sohoton Cove

Sohoton Cove is a maze of beautiful islets and caves. The only entrance is a low-hanging cave accessible only during low tide. It’s easy to get lost inside Sohoton Cove because there are a lot of pathways, so the tour guides have developed a marking system to find their way. A horse foot -
shaped rock formation marks the entrance and exit to Sohoton Cove.

We have two destinations in Sohoton Cove: Hagukan Cave and Magkukuob Cave.
Hagukan Cave is also called the “Snoring Cave”, referring to the sound of the waves crashing through the cavern’s roof. The entrance to the cave is submerged underwater, so you have to dive to get inside.

Inside the cave, it was dark and the water glowed in a luminous green light. There are stalactites inside but we didn’t see it because of the darkness. There was nothing to hold onto except the cave walls, so we had to keep paddling to stay afloat. It was eerily beautiful and the experience is definitely one I won’t forget.

Our next stop is Magkukuob Cave. Inside, you need to wade in waist-deep water. There are mineral-encrusted stalactites and stalagmites adorning the cave interior. You then need to come outside to a cliff and then jump from a 5-meter-high diving board. This is how people get back to the boat.

Jellyfish Sanctuary

The Jellyfish Sanctuary is one of the most known tourist spots in Bucas Grande because it’s home to stingless jellyfishes. Actually, a marine biologist explained that the jellyfishes still sting, but mildly that people can’t feel it. The sanctuary is formerly called Tujoman Lagoon since it was originally inhabited by sea urchans or “tujom”.

The best time to go is from March to July, which is the prime jellyfish season.

To get to the lagoon, we had to transfer to paddle boats that fit only 2 people. Each of us was accompanied by a local guide. The view on the way to the lagoon was as grand as everything else in Sohoton Cove. We were surrounded by emerald water and undisturbed fauna.