Sohoton Natural Bridge Natural Park

Sohoton Natural Bridge Natural Park was created in 1935 in order to preserve its geographical features. The park is a karst area with weathered rock and limestone formation, waterfalls, caves and subterranean river, situated in the town of Basey in the province of Samar. Here lies a natural carved structure made of limestone pillars bestriding two mountains.

It takes an hour drive from Tacloban to Basey and an hour boat ride going to the national park. The 840 ha Sohoton Natural Park has a rich ecosystem and heritage. During the Fil-American War the place has been a bastion of Filipino fighters against the American Force.

The cathedral-like caves serves as the three main areas in the park: Panhulugan I and II, the Sohoton and Bugosan. All caves in the area have been used as an entombment sites for the indigenous people in the area. The Sohoton Cave is one of the best attractions of the park; it is a cathedral like dome with spike-shaped crystalline stalactites hanging on the ceiling and stalagmites on the cave’s floor. Within the dome is a 15 m foyer of a parabolic arch, a level floor and a 50 m high main chamber.

The Sohoton Natural Bridge is a huge natural arch-shaped rock bridge with a vertical clearance of 23 ft, 8 m width and 40 m length that connects the mountain ridges straddling the Sohoton River.