Sikatuna Hanging Coffins

Overview

The Sikatuna Hanging Coffins in Barangay Libjo, Sikatuna, are the remnants of a prehistoric burial practice in which wooden coffins were placed within or on the faces of limestone cliffs. According to source accounts, the cave was used during prehistoric times as a storage area for wooden coffins that were retrieved and used for burial as needed.

The coffins are boat-shaped — a form consistent with animist burial traditions in the pre-colonial Philippines, in which the boat shape symbolized passage to the afterlife. Cliff and cave burials of this general type reflect a belief that placing the dead at height aided the spirit’s transition.

In recent years, the remnants of the wooden coffins are no longer suspended but have collapsed or been placed on the cave floor. What remains are fragments rather than intact suspended coffins.

Note: online corroboration for the Sikatuna site specifically is limited. The hanging coffin tradition is best documented in Sagada, Mountain Province. Verify the Sikatuna site’s condition and visitor access before publishing.

Location

Barangay Libjo, Sikatuna, Bohol. The cave requires a trek through rocky terrain, overgrown paths, and cliff edges to reach. Approximate walking time to the cave mouth from the trailhead is 15 minutes.

[TO ENRICH: GPS coordinates, trailhead starting point, whether a local guide is required]

Getting There

From Tagbilaran City, travel to Sikatuna by jeepney (approximately 30–45 minutes). From Sikatuna town center, a habal-habal reaches Barangay Libjo. The trail to the cave begins from within the barangay.

[TO ENRICH: specific departure point in Sikatuna, fare to Libjo]

Practical Info

• Trek difficulty: moderate — rocky path, overgrown sections, cliff faces
• Walking time to cave: approximately 15 minutes
• Coffin condition: remnants on cave floor (no longer suspended)
• View from cave entrance: wide view of Sikatuna and neighboring municipalities
• Guide: [TO ENRICH — local guide recommended given terrain]
• Entry fee: [TO ENRICH — this is an undeveloped natural site with no visible visitor infrastructure]

What to Expect

The approach to the cave passes through a physically demanding trail — rocky stones, overgrown vegetation, and cliff sections. The cave mouth opens to a clear view over the lowland greenery of Sikatuna and surrounding municipalities.

Inside the cave, the wooden coffin remnants are found on the floor. Visitors should calibrate expectations: the coffins are fragments rather than the visually striking suspended coffins seen in Sagada. The interest is primarily archaeological and anthropological — evidence of a pre-colonial burial tradition in Bohol’s limestone interior.

Notes

• Research confidence for this site is low — limited independent sources confirm its current state; verify before publishing or before advising visitors
• The source profile mentions the coffins were historically suspended; current condition (floor-level remnants) was noted in available sources as of 2021
• Sources: https://bestinbohol.blogspot.com/2021/02/sikatuna-hanging-coffins-bohol.html | https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hanging_coffins
• Combine with Sikatuna Blacksmith Industry and the tarsier conservation area for a full Sikatuna day