Samar’s Adventure Guy

 

So you want to go spelunking in Samar? Chance are that your my will be organized by only one guy : Joni Bonifacio Since 2000, he has been organizing caving and other outdoor trip for people with with adventurous spirits through his company Trexplore The Adventure

Although Trexplore is pretty much a one-man operation, Joni has build a reputation as SAMAR’S poster boy for adventurer and eco-tourism. He’s also been featured in Lonely Planet’s Philippines guidebook since it’s 2006 edition. Which isn’t bad for something that started out as a hobby.

According to him, he got the outdoor bug some fifteen years ago when he got into spelunking. Which he since become a way of life for him. Today he operates his company in downtown Catbalogan City which he also sells souvenirs items and adventure gear from a local and international brand.

 

Joni is not difficult to spot when you’re meeting him for the first time. After all, he’s probably the only one you’ll see wearing outdoor clothing as Jack Wolfskin in a town where majority of the people wear regular clothing. More than the clothes, though he thoroughly knowledgeable guide when it comes to Samar fantastic caves that include Calbiga Langun Gobingob Cave system, which is important since this cave system is the largest in the Philippines and it takes 3 days to explore it completely.

Before any caving trip, joni brief his group about And although it may seen that he just reads if off from his printed laundry list of safety tips, he actually explain each trip thoroughly to the group, ensuring that every member understand how to stay safe wherever inside the complex maze of the cave. Got question? Joni, a soft spoken guy, will explain it to you as clearly as possible and with smile

Of course, knowledge of the trail and love of adventure can only get one so far. He has one more sacred that’s made him exceptionally successful: his marketing savvy.

 

Joni uses the power of the internet to spread the world about his company and outdoor tours. Just type in something as simple as “Caving in the Philippines” in Google and you’ll mostly find results that point to his numerous Multiply pages. An in Multiply, there are photos of every spelunking trip he’s led, plus information on how to reach him. Simple yet powerful. He’s also on Facebook, which is a great if you’d like to reach him as quickly as possible since he’s often online there.

Which explains where his free time goes. When not leading caving trips, ” I just stay at my shop, always in front of the computer posting pictures videos of my trips and promoting Samar online.”

Truly, Joni has done a fantastic job at promoting Samar as an eco – adventure destination. When asked what drives him to do this, his answer is simple ” Samar can offer the ultimate caving adventure. That’s why I’m promoting the Island as the caving capital of the Philippines” Well said and there’s no arguing about that statement.