Anda Cave Pool Circuit

Overview

Anda municipality on Bohol’s eastern peninsula sits on porous karst limestone, and millennia of groundwater erosion have opened more than 20 cave pools within a compact stretch of the interior — formations that echo the cenotes of Mexico’s Yucatán in both geology and appearance. Cathedral-like chambers open above still, freshwater pools fed by underground aquifers. Cabagnow, Combento, and Kaligoon Cave Pools are the three most visited, each differing in chamber size, light penetration, and water depth.

The pools draw far fewer visitors than Panglao’s dive sites and beaches, and the range of difficulty — from shallow, calm pools to cliff-jumping platforms — makes the circuit workable for families as well as more active visitors. Swimming, snorkeling, and cliff-jumping are the main draws, and each pool shows off stalactites and layered limestone walls.

Most of the pools are managed as small barangay-level operations rather than a single municipal concession — a caretaker collects the entrance fee at each site, and that income, however modest, supplements the fishing and farming that otherwise support the surrounding households in Anda, a municipality established in 1850 whose interior stayed largely unmapped for tourism until the cave pools began drawing attention.

Tour operators offering full-day cave-pool circuits from Anda or Tagbilaran quoted prices of approximately ₱3,500–5,500 per person at time of source recording, including habal-habal transport between pools and basic guide services — confirm current pricing directly with operators, as tour rates change.

Individually verified entrance fees and conditions for the three most-visited pools: Cabagnow Cave Pool charges ₱50 entrance plus a ₱30 environmental fee (waived with proof of a same-day Anda environmental fee paid elsewhere), runs 8:00 AM–3:30 PM, and closes to swimmers on Mondays and Fridays. Visitors describe it as the largest and deepest water-filled cave in Anda, with a mixed fresh/saltwater pool, a cliff-jump of roughly 4–5 metres, exit by ladder only, three lifeguards on duty, life jackets for non-swimmers, and a coffee stand on site. Combento Cave Pool, in Barangay Birhen near Bitoon White Beach, charges around ₱10–20 entrance, runs roughly 6 feet deep at its deepest point, and is capped by a distinctive dome-shaped ceiling. Kaligoon Cave Pool sits a short walk before Combento, smaller and shallower, with a lower ceiling. A fourth site, East Coast Cave Pool in Barangay Candabong (within the East Coast White Sand Resort), charges around ₱100 (free for resort guests), runs deeper than Combento, and has carved rock steps with electric lighting.

Location

The cave pools are distributed across several barangays within Anda municipality. There is no single central site — they are reached by habal-habal from Anda Poblacion. Cabagnow is the most commonly listed starting point. The pools are spread across roughly 5–10 km of the municipality’s interior. Approximate coordinates: Cabagnow Cave Pool 9.7333, 124.5703; Combento Cave Pool 9.7303, 124.5468; Kaligoon Cave Pool 9.7298, 124.5469 — Kaligoon and Combento sit close together in Barangay Virgen, while Cabagnow is roughly 2.7 km to the east.

Getting There

From Tagbilaran, travel by bus or van to Jagna (approximately 2 hours), then habal-habal or van to Anda (30–45 minutes). From Anda Poblacion, local habal-habal drivers operate the inter-pool circuit and serve as informal guides. Full-day tours can also be booked from Tagbilaran or Alona Beach (Panglao) with transport included.

Practical Info

Each cave pool charges a separate entrance fee — see the confirmed Cabagnow (₱50 + ₱30 environmental fee), Combento (₱10–20), and East Coast Cave Pool (₱100, free for resort guests) rates above; Kaligoon’s fee was not independently confirmed. A dive light or waterproof torch is useful for darker chambers. Water shoes are recommended — cave floors and entry rocks can be slippery. Guide hire is available locally and is advisable for navigating between pools. Best visited in dry season when pool levels are stable and roads to pools are passable. Avoid typhoon-season months (July–September) when flash flooding is a risk. Cabagnow is closed to swimmers on Mondays and Fridays and keeps hours of 8:00 AM–3:30 PM; hours for the other pools were not confirmed.

What to Expect

Each pool occupies a carved limestone chamber with an opening to the sky or a narrow cave mouth. Water is clear and cool — freshwater fed by underground sources, though Cabagnow’s water is a fresh/saltwater mix. Cliff-jumping heights vary by pool; Cabagnow offers a jump of roughly 4–5 metres, exited by ladder only. Combento and Kaligoon are shallower and calmer, better suited to non-jumpers. Multiple difficulty levels are available within the circuit. Snorkeling is possible in the cleaner, larger pools. Cardinal fish have been observed in some cave pools, consistent with brackish-water karst environments.