There is a relatively new nature site in Argao called Coal Mountain Resort and it is offering an underground tunnel tour to both day visitors and overnight guests. (Update: We wrote about experience in the resort here: Coal Mountain Resort in Argao is retreat heaven.)
Argao Vice Mayor Stanley Caminero, whose family owns the mountain retreat, said it is in the mountainous barangay of Linut-od, which is an hour away from the main town center.
We asked for more information about the underground exploration, and he told us that it happens in a demo tunnel used by miners for their safety training.
Underground tunnel
This demo tunnel is 70 feet below the ground and 475 feet in total length, according to a Coal Mountain Resort brochure.
Visitors have the option of going down in complete mining gear and paying P80 or doing without for P30.
Coal Mountain Resort appears to be very interesting the way the vice mayor described it, and we’re already planning our visit.
The vice mayor said there has been a lot of interest in overnight stays and rooms, which can accommodate a maximum of 50 persons, are usually full. To ensure that you can be accommodated, the safest option would be to book a room a week in advance, he added.
Coal Mountain Resort
Coal Mountain Resort amenities and activities include:
* Spring-fed pools: 7 feet deep for adults and 4 feet deep with slides for kids; diving pool (16 feet diving bottom, 7 feet general depth)
* Restobar with videoke (P5 fee for two songs)
* Conference/Dining Hall
* Multi-purpose Covered Court
* Cable Car (220 meters) P100 one way
* Zipline (220 meters) P100 to P120
* Demo tunnel (70 feet below the ground, 475 feet total length)
* Canopy Walk on hanging bridge
Accommodations
Accommodations come in three kinds: rooms with twin beds that can accommodate four persons for P1,000 a night, rooms with common shared bed good for six persons at P1,200 a night, bahay kubo good for four persons at P1,000 a night.
Coal Mountain Resort is located 468 meters above sea level and used to be a grazing ground for carabaos owned by the Caminero family.
In the 1950s, farmers discovered and started mining coal in the area and neighboring sites. Underneath the resort, a network of tunnels still exists which is why the family decided to call it Coal Mountain.
Transport services
Coal Mountain Resort offers transport services, either from Cebu City or Argao town center, with the following fees.
For more information, check out InnoPub Media’s mobile web guide to Argao or download the Android app Argao guide. The guides contain a listing of places and activities of interest in the town as well as important contact numbers.
