Ay! Tanay!

With almost two years of not seeing my long lost batchmates slash blocmates slash sorority sisters, we seriously needed some catching up and what a better way to reunite with them than to go on a quick getaway?  After months and months of planning and rescheduling, finally we were off to somewhere.

If, like us, you're looking for alternatives to beaches then might as well put Tanay, Rizal to your list. Tanay is just two to three hours away from the Metro making it great weekender for nature trippers. 

We reached Tanay around three in the afternoon due to unforeseen circumstances. We didn't pre-book so it took another half an hour before we could check in and another half waiting for our tricycle tour.

First on our itinerary is Daranak Falls. This has to be the most accessible falls I have been to. If you're feeling a bit active, you may opt to walk, of course. Manong trike dropped us off by the fall's ticketing booth, just in time before they close. 

The place is already commercialized, resembling that of an ordinary resort, except that its a waterfall. The path's cemented so worry not if you haven't hiked before. Tables and small huts are also available to rent. Their toilet and showers are quite decent, too. 

We only got a few minutes to enjoy the place so no time to orient ourselves. We dropped our bags and hit the water. The water's icy cold, I think I swore the entire time we were in the water. LOL. The brain freeze was worth it though. After a dizzying trip (yes, I have motion sickness), the refreshing water was really rewarding. 

We took a quick shower as the "resort" was about to close the headed straight to the Tanay Parola just in time for the sunset. I wasn't expecting to see a lot of people there actually but who could blame them? Lovely landscape, lovely sunset, lovely colors. See? It's a nice place to food trip while enjoying the sunset.

The following day we're supposed to go to Tinipak river, Daraitan and Calinawan cave. Unfortunately, we only have until lunch to spend as we are bound back to Manila after lunch. Hence, we had no choice but visit Calinawan cave and groto instead, since they are the most accessible from where we stayed. 

Calinawan is just a small cave, perfect for spelunking virgins. There aren't much to see but our guide kept us entertained with her fun facts. She also told us that the cave is a popular shooting site to most movies, which became evident as we went deeper to the cave. The cave walls were painted gold and glitters. Probably as an added effect for the movies. Its a shame that they tolerate such actions.  

TIP BITS:

1. Just a heads up, some tricycle drivers can be quite aggressive. They horded us as soon as we got off the van, insisting their services on us in such a demanding manner, or creepy if I may say so. 

2. If you're planning to stay far from the hustle of the town proper, make sure to buy supplies or food before it gets dark. Most restaurants and stores are in the town and transportation is quite scarce in the evening, so. 

3. Tricycle tours are pricey even with how much charm and haggling skills you have. Most of the usual tourist destination in Tanay are accessible so try to compress your itinerary as much as you can to save time and money.