Growing up in San Narciso, Zambales,  I've heard stories after stories from our elders about a waterfall nestled in the mountains of Omaya but since means of transportation was still scarce at the time, no one,  (or at least, we didn't) dared to chase it.

Two decades later, the area was re-evaluated as a possible hiking destination in San Narciso. The local tourism office had conducted an ocular inspection just a month ago but details on how to get there and who to coordinate with is still a blur. Since then, numerous nature-seeking groups from different parts of Zambales have been flocking in. So did we.

Name confusion. According to the locals and contrary to some posts circulating on Facebook, the name of the waterfall is Veto Falls and not Palacapac. Veto Falls is a three tier waterfall. Locals refer to them as V1, V2 and V3 respectively. Palacapac is a plateau above the three waterfalls. There's a small creek in it instead of a waterfall. The jump off point to Palacapac is at Omaya. 

Trail et.al . Trekking Vito Falls should take around one and a half to two hours only and not four hours as earlier posted. Jump off point is at Brgy. Paete , thirty minutes from San Narciso town proper, in a privately owned land by the Sabangan family. Although the jump off point is at Paete, Veto Falls is geographically a part of Omaya. 

First half of the trek is fairly easy with only a few ascends and steep descends. The trail is mostly sand, similar to what can be found in beaches. It's loose when dry and it gets too soft when wet, so mind your steps especially near the slopes.  Good thing, most part of the trail is covered by bolos and bamboos which you can cling on whenever you're unsure of your steps.  

Second half consists mostly of river trekking, rock and boulder hugging. The rocks are mossy, an indication that the trail's not used often, if not new. Despite being slippery, the boulders and cascades under towering trees are picturesque.

The main event. After almost two hours of non stop trekking, we reached Vito Falls. It's a plunge type waterfall with a small shallow but rocky basin. The safe enough to take a dip and enjoy the ice cold waters. 

Penny for my thoughts. Overall, the trail is beginner friendly but still can be challenging even for experienced trekkers. The local guides are still on constant search for a much safer trail but all in all, Veto Falls is definitely worth it. It is not something every true blooded Narcisenian should miss. Would I visit again? A hands down YES. 

(Sorry for the lack of photos. It was raining the entire time so we're soaked by the time we reached the falls.)

HOW TO GET THERE:

1. Ride a bus going to Iba/Sta.Cruz and get off at San Felipe town proper.

2. Ride a tricycle going to Paete (same route when going to Anghalo Falls). Drop by the Paete Brgy. Hall first to inform them of your intent to trek so they can assist you in getting guides and permission from the Sabangan family. (UPDATE: Here's the contact details of Paete Brgy. Capt. De Dios - 09493045099)

3. Get to the jump off point (Sabangan property). You'll pass by Mabato Elementary School. It is on the left side with an improvised bamboo gate. 

TIP BITS:

• Do not trespass. Seek permission where its due.
• Don't be hesitant to ask for guides. The trail can be tricky and who knows them better than the locals. 
• Practice LNT (Leave No Trace). Be responsible for your trash.
• Waterproof your belongings, just in case. 
• Enjoy! ☺

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I met Nice and Sarah a few years back when I was still working for a Korean company in Clark, Pampanga. We haven't seen each other since I left the company and it felt like it was about time we reconnect. Since I'm already based in Zambales and Nice and Sarah were both based in Pampanga, we thought we could meet halfway. We were all looking for some peace and quiet as we reassess ourselves so... our destination --- Oyster Island.

Formerly known as Playa La Caleta, Oyster Island is an islet approximately 30 minutes away from the crowded shores of Bagac, Bataan. I learned about this through Bataan Nature Adventures. They offer packages on the island and its nearby cove. We availed of their 2D 1N package for 1600.00 PhP per head inclusive of tent accommodations, toiletries, island tours and  eat-all-you-can buffet (breakfast, lunch, dinner, plus snacks and socials), booked through Sir Mike. I mean come on, how can we say no to this?

DAY 1

I got to Balanga earlier than Nice and Sarah so I took the liberty of exploring the town while I'm waiting for them. Picked up a few items from the local convenience store and returned to the Balanga Central Bus Station just in time for their arrival. From there we were picked up by Kuya Glen  to join the other campers who were already at Jollibee Plaza. After a few chitchats,  we're off again to the Central Bus Station. Haha. Kuya Glen, really? We didn't mind, though, since we were all excited. From the terminal, we rented a jeep to Bagac. Then from Bagac, a speed boat was already waiting for us. Interesting boat, seats were not arranged like the usual island hopping boats do. Seats were arranged like that of a bus' and surprisingly comfy, too.

After some 20 or so minutes we were greeted by clear waters and a lovely cove in sight. Touch down! The sand was not white and sure, it could be finer, but what matters is that the shoreline is clean.

Our tent was already set up for us with each of our team names attached to it. Ours was Team Ja, that's me. :) Our tent was huge, I think you could fit six persons in it. I'm loving this whole Survivor-themed escapade so far.

We were welcomed by Sir Mike's team with fresh mango juice and singkamas on a stick with alamang. Talk about merienda ala probinsya. Wait there's more! I wasn't expecting much of the buffet lunch but boy oh boy, was it a lot! Half of the dishes, I haven't heard of but they look so inviting, I couldn't resist. This was the first time I had rice after how many months. Haha. That in itself was worth the price. I couldn't believe that was just our first meal. Haha.

After lunch, sunlight's already painful. We took a nap. After which, we had a few beers and resumed swimming and photo ops until sun down.

(my photo)

Thank you Sarah G for this. :)

SOCIALS

It's mandatory. Worry not my introvert friends, I'm anti-social most of the time too but I have to say, the socials was pretty darn genius. I have always wondered, how can one be in such a large group tour yet not share a single word with his or her tourmates? Well, this might be the answer to that.

Grill sets were arranged at the dining area per team. Sausages, smores, junk foods and even fondue. Yes fondue, smores and fondue, someone pinch me. Quick roll call and team introductions and the socials began. During the socials, different teams (the one clipped at your tent) compete against each other. I won't spill the game for you guys, sorry, find it out for yourselves. Lol. The losing team at the end of each round had to take shots of the island mix prepared by Kuya Mike himself. Our team was very competitive, we lost only once that other teams shared their shots to us just so we can taste it. Lol. T'was such an awesome experience. We stayed at the tables even after the games and shared stories with new found friends until midnight over a bottle of vino Shout out to Sir Edwin and co. 

DAY 2: ISLAND TREKKING

After a hearty breakfast, we're off to explore Oyster Island--- the very core of this entire escapade so this should not disappoint. Plus we were told that we will be cliff diving/jumping so you can only imagine how excited I was. The terrain was easy, it should not take you more that 30mins to reach the island by foot, yep you heard me. Very accessible as you can just walk through the stone bar (see what I did there? ) to reach it. Of course, I preferred to be at the back of the pack so I can snap photos whenever I want to without worrying the person after me. 

The landscape was just beautiful. Next to Palawan, this has to be the clearest waters I've ever laid eyes on. Yes that was me after the jump. I honestly wanted to tell you more about this island trekking experience but no, I'll just leave to it you guys, discover this gem on your own. I tell you, it doesn't disappoint, totally worth the try. See the photos for yourselves. :)

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They say that every great story should be told so as not to be forgotten even years after, but I'll say some of the greatest stories are just too great to even start telling and be best kept treasured in our memories. Same is true for this one. So allow me:

What happens in Daraitan, stays in Daraitan. 

Worry not, though. I may not give you the gist but I'm known for my generosity in giving previews. Trolling. 

1. This is my third time joining Barefoot Travels.  Also, my third time to be in their pioneer batch (quick trivia, we're one of those who requested for a Daraitan climb) but second time to be in an all girl group. 

2. I've never camped in the mountains before, so this is my first ever. By the looks of it, definitely won't be my last. :)

3. There's something ethereal with Tinipak River. Take the photo above as reference, doesn't it look Game of Thrones-ish to you? :)

4. I'm not sure whether this one's considered as major hike or not but whoever told you that the trail is difficult, believe them 'coz they ain't kidding you. I thought to myself, sh*t got real, man. To think that we took the (relatively) easier but longer trail.

5. Always. Always. Always expect the unexpected. Weather at the summit may be quite unpredictable. It was a perfectly good weather when we reached the summit but when it was already our group's turn for photo ops, it started raining cats and dogs, thus zero visibility as seen in the pictures. Really an iyak-tawa moment but it was epic!

Kudos to the Barefoot team for another amazing climb. Can't wait for the next! :D

xxx 

This La Union trekking-surfing trip was initially planned as another getaway with le cousins but it later turned out that only Jenny and I were available that day. We were ready to travel on our own until our folks learned about our getaway and started nagging to take them with us. We saw the trip as a mini family reunion , so we agreed. We prepared everything, making sure everything will be comfortable for our folks without compromising the thrill out of the trip. We even oriented them about our itinerary and what to expect. Much to our surprise, as soon as we got to the hostel, they started complaining about everything. I don't remember them to be so grumpy and honestly for a minute, I was pissed. The other guests were already looking at us. Oh well, this was not the best idea after all, wasn't it?

"Bad vibes, be gone." I chanted to myself. After series of explanations, our folks were already convinced and finally,  we were able to proceed with our itinerary. Whew! High five, Jenny! This is nothing but another spice added to our adventure!

Tangadan falls is located at San Gabriel, La Union, around 30 minutes to the jump off point from Urbiztondo, San Juan via jeepney. We inquired by the hostel's front desk and decided to join the other groups. The more the merrier, as they say. 

From the jump off point, it would usually take one to two hours of river trekking to reach the falls but it would still depend on your pacing, of course. We went on a rainy season and it was mostly cloudy during the trek but we're still lucky for not being rained on. There were no ascends but don't underestimate the terrain, it's not exactly a walk in the park either. The irregular and mossy rocks made the trek really challenging. 

Me, Cousin Jenny, and Aunt Emy. (c) Uncle Jojo

We had our lunch by the cliff jumping site.  The others rested for a bit then got themselves ready for the jump. As for me,  I got my camera ready for documentation.  I was hesitant to jump at first. Since I came from a night shift, I was only able to sleep for 2 hours. I worry that my body can't handle the fatigue and won't be able to resurface. However, the thought that it's a 25-foot jump, awakened the adventurous in me. The fear and doubts were all worth it, let me tell you. I would've jumped twice or thrice if only we weren't in a hurry. 

Cousin Jenny taking the leap. Way to go! Unlike her, I don't have a photo of my jump to boast. Hehe

By the time we reached the falls, I'm already shivering. It was a bit windy plus we're soaking wet. 

Tangadan Falls has to be the biggest falls I have seen. The vigorous gushing of the waters from the hill was overwhelming. The current was so strong that we didn't even dare to swim near it. On my next visit, I'll make sure to include this again in my itinerary. ☺

TIP BITS:

1. It's better to trek during the summer season as the water level of the river is lower. The current is weaker making river crossings easier. 

2. Start your trek in the morning. First, to save yourself from the scorching heat. Second, in case you got lost, you'll still be able to return before dawn.

4. If you came to LU mainly to surf, make sure to check the surf forecast first. The waves were too flat when we went there but worry not. There are a lot of activities you can do in LU aside from surfing. ☺

3. If you're looking for a cheap and unique accommodation in LU, I highly recommend The Circle Hostel. Truly living up to their motto, "There are no strangers", the staff and guests treat each other as family. Their rates ranges from 350 to 550 PhP depending on what month you'll visit.