Barefoot Mt. Maculot pioneer batch (c) Ms. My

In an earlier post, I've made it clear that I'm not a mountain-climbing type of person. Last January, however, I decided to give it another try. What changed you ask? Well,  Mt. Maculot happened, that's why. As simple as that. 

I fell in love as soon as I saw a photo of Mt. Maculot on the internet. It's nothing like I've seen before, really. Located at Cuenca, Batangas, it is one of the few mountains in the Philippines overlooking a lake, or water for that matter. 

With months of inactivity, an all-ascend trail (well, most if not all) is certainly not the first thing you'd like to try, which otherwise happened to me. Bummer. So to divert my attention from  the challenging trail and the pain that's starting to linger in my thighs,  I let my mind wander from time to time. Thus, I give you eight of my realizations (which are applicable both in real life and in this climb)  in Mt. Maculot. For the record, I was supposed to give you guys ten, believe me, I tried to make it ten but I guess eight's all I got. Ha-ha!

En route to the Rockies.

Anywho, let's begin with the obvious. (1) There's no glamorous path to success. Figuratively and literally. There's are no easy paths and shortcuts to anything. One has to work hard, in one way or another. The same applies for this climb.

(2) Strangers are not the strangest people you'll meet on earth. Another thing that I noticed from this experience was that whenever hikers come across each other on the trail, they greet each other regardless if whether or not they're from the same group. I don't know if its customary or those people are just courteous.

(3) No matter how prepared you think you are, life always has its way to surprise you. Physically, mentally, and emotionally. For this climb, I wasn't physically prepared, as I have mentioned earlier, but some of us were. To my surprise though, they too found the trail challenging. 

The next one hit me as soon as we reached the so-called 711 in Maculot. (4) Sometimes the best things in life are the simplest. Don't believe me? Try having pancit canton (instant noodles), halo-halo (shaved ice with milk, fruits and sweet beans), or even a humble buko (coconut) juice after a tiring hike. Trust me, you'll get a taste of heaven. 

(5) Learn when to hold on and when to let go. I'd like to take this opportunity to apologize to dozens of tall grasses and yards of vines that I pulled just to keep myself from rolling downhill. Haha. 

Earth, Air and Water

(6) Keep your gaze forward and never look back. Things are behind us for a reason. Focus on what's ahead and not what's behind you. Remember this whenever the past hunts you or when you take your final ascend to the Rockies.  :)

(7) When you're one with nature you'll never be truly alone. Of course, I'm not really alone during the hike but you get the gist. 

Ms. My of Barefoot Travels doing her headstand. 

(8) The hardest paths are the most rewarding. Inhale. Exhale. They are not exaggerating. The view is truly breathtaking! All those ascends are totally worth it. 

We survived the rockies! Well done! (c) Patty Platon

Note:

For this climb my cousins and I joined  Barefoot Travels day hike to Maculot. This, I must say, is the best public group tour I've ever joined. They truly deliver a hassle free trip and their coordinators were sooo accommodating and fun to be with. Are their group tours solo friendly? Yes, actually we had three solo travelers in the group. Would I join their group tours again? Definitely! For more details and destinations, please visit their page.  xxx

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. 

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. 

San Antonio, Zambales, home to the lovely coves: Anawangin, Talisayin, Nagsasa, and Silaungin, is just approximately 4-5 hours away from the Metro and is just 30 minutes away from my hometown San Narciso. Whenever people learn that I'm from Zambales I'm often asked if I have been to Anawangin. With much shame and regret I would answer, "No, I haven't". Over the past years, Anawangin and the other coves have gained popularity and became one of the top picks for quick getaways. I intended to know why so I finally gave in.

What started as a drunken conversation eventually turned into an impulsive getaway. While some of us were still terribly hungover, we packed the leftovers from the night's party and hit the road. We didn't have any concrete plans until we're in Pundaquit. Lucky enough, one of my cousins have a friend there who happens to have boat rentals. 

After some discussions and more haggling, we finally came up with an itinerary. Since we went on a sunday and some of us have works the following day, we opted for just a day tour. (Funny that I have to use the term "tour". I sounded like a tourist for a moment there. Hmm. )

Le Cousins at Capones Island.

First off, Capones Island. What others didn't know is that there are two entry points to the island. If you want to see the old lighthouse, just tell your boatman to anchor your boat on that side of the island. Otherwise, they would take you to the opposite side. Just like what happened to us. Another lesson learned. 

This side of the island wasn't that bad, though. It's a long stretch of white sand beach. The sand's not as powdery as the other islands in the country but we didn't mind. The patterns of the wall caught my eye. Mix of browns, greens and some grays, very earthy. On both ends of the island, you'll see an array of rocks in all sizes imaginable. That would've been my spot if we stayed longer. Sadly, we only stayed for half an hour.

Touch down Anawangin! 

Alright, first impressions. The waters looked more inviting to me than that of Nagsasa and Talisayin. Read my post about Talisayin Cove here.  It's a lot smaller compared to the other coves, though. I finally understood why many people refer to this cove as "tent city". I expected it to be crowded but I didn't expect it to be this crowded. 

Carefree weekends, Bro! 

To stray away from the crowd, we went to a quick hike to the view deck. There are no guides for this but  worry not,  the trail's easy. No diverging paths whatsoever. Just follow the path until you reach the top. From here you'll see the entirety of Anawangin, it's shore and the lagoon opposite to it. Mountain, beach, lagoon and agoo trees, I just love the contrast of colors, very vivid. 

The unknown cove on the opposite side of Anawangin

After admiring the view and some photo ops, we started the descent. As soon as we reached our table, we had lunch and of course, some more beer. Ha-ha. Though we only stayed for the afternoon,  I'm guessing that an overnight camping would have been as fun. :)

P.S terrible hangover + tipsiness + 30 mins boat ride = Not a good idea. 

TIP BITS: 

1. Boat rides can be very pricey since the cove has gone overwhelmingly popular to tourists. If you want to save, better be in groups, the more the cheaper. The locals are friendly so feel free to haggle but please, please,  do it humbly and politely. I've seen tourists shouting and even threatening the locals just to get a discount. Tsk.

2. There are small stores in the cove but commodities are sold in much higher prices. Better yet,  bring and cook your own food. Water and coolers with ice are already included in some boat packages. Grillers are free to use, too. 

3. To save more, you can bring your own tent or hammock so you won't need to rent one. Tent rentals costs approximately 300 Php per night. 

4. If you want to push your getaway further, try trekking to the cove via Mt. Pundaquit. Guides are available at the jump off point. If you want to trek but still want to go island hopping, no problemo. Trek your way to the cove then  by boat, take a side trip to the islands on your way back to Pundaquit. :)

Photo Credits to Aunt Emy for our group pictures and Cousin Irma for my solo pictures.

"Seriously? In Nueva Ecija?" That was my reaction when I came across a photo of Minalungao National Park on the internet. Not much was written about it at that time. From there, I knew I had to see it for myself. 

Dubbed as "Nueva Ecija's Well-kep Secret", this  "hidden gem" can be found at Gen. Tinio (formerly known as Papaya), Nueva Ecija, just a few hours away from the Metro. With those abstract rock formations, towering limestone walls and emerald waters, at first glance, the place is to some extent reminiscent of the lakes in Palawan. 

The color of the Peñaranda River was eye-catching but unlike in Palawan, the water isn't really pellucid. The water's actually more of opaque than translucent. Nonetheless, the unique rock formations surrounding the river really amused me. As we explored the place, I took my time admiring the rocks. Some of the rocks were irregularly shaped but smooth, making them slippery. It's like stepping on a bathroom tile, so watch your steps, guys. According to the locals, the water level used to be almost as high as the limestone walls, carving the rocks over time. 

Cliff jumping is a must! Well, it's actually more of jumping off a huge rock because there was no cliff to start with. I did much higher and terrifying jumps before but I must admit, I was a bit hesitant on this one. Probably because of the opacity of the water. I wasn't that comfortable not knowing what's under that water.  He-he. 

(On the left: Sequence shot of my second jump as we failed to capture the first. Ha-ha! 
 On the right: On weekends, most of the guides in Minalungao are children. This is their way of earning for their school expenses. They don't have fixed rates so you can give them whatever you can. They're even polite enough to say "Bahala na po kayo." )

Hard work knows no age. 

In my honest to goodness opinion, I think the place is a bit overrated. It's ideal for picnic goers and lazy weekends but not really for adventure seekers.  Still, who would have thought that something like that lies in the heart of Region III? It's still worth visiting, though. Will I go back to this place? Most likely. 

Tip Bits:  

• It's cheaper to rent a tricycle in Gapan going to the Minalungao National Park than to get another one from Gen. Tinio (Papaya).
• Guides are optional. The place is just small so you can explore it on your own. 

(Credit goes to my father for my solo pictures. )

A year ago, I was invited to an all-expense-paid day tour to the bigger yet lesser-known brother of Anawagin Cove ---Talisayen Cove. According to one of the locals, the cove derived its name from talisay  (or commonly referred to as lugo tree or umbrella tree), which used to be abundant in the area. It took us more or less an hour of boat ride going to this cove as it's farther from the shores of Pundaquit. 

The features of Talisayen is very similar to that of the other coves of San Antonio: clean and calm waters, light gray sand, and the plethora of agoo trees.  Talisayen doesn't have a lagoon unlike Anawangin or waterfalls unlike Nagsasa, but it does have a wider shoreline. Perhaps twice as wide as Anawangin. 

The rocky side of the cove, en route to the view deck. Nice spot to have a pictorial. He-he. From here you'll reach the view deck in about five minutes as the trail is just short and easy. 

Compared to Anawagin and Nagsasa cove, Talisayen have a concrete view deck. It's like a huge balcony atop the hill. This is a double-edged sword, though. With the balcony, there's no need to worry if you'll slip or if you're standing too close to the cliff. On the other hand, it also altered the natural structure of the hill.  Either way, the azure sea was truly a sight to behold. 

(c) Shella Limos

If you're trying to relax and avoid the crowd then this is the cove for you. What makes it favorable over the other coves is its quietude. It's not as commercialized and crowded as the others. Also, if you're not into camping, cottages are available for rent. 

Just a friendly reminder, the waves are stronger in the afternoon. So if anyone in your group is faint-hearted, I suggest you guys leave earlier when the sea's calmer. Remember, the cove is an hour or so away from Pundaquit, so it'll be one hella of a boat ride.

Way back in highschool, we were asked to identify one historical place in Zambales, visit the site, make a presentation and paper about it as a part of our final requirement in History. This shouldn't be a problem since there are a lot of historical places in the province that are accessible, plus written sources are readily available. However, our group wanted to take it to the next level, so we rooted for Mt. Pinatubo. 

Geographically speaking, Mt. Pinatubo is situated at Botolan, Zambales, which is just about an hour away from our hometown, San Narciso. Going to the actual site from Botolan proper is another story. We were told that the trail was only known to the Aetas and that it would take us days to reach the crater. With that being said, we opted for our Plan B. Not a bad choice actually, we still got a high grade. Hehe

Anyhow, it was not until 2013, when I resided in Clark, Pampaga,  that I learned about the alternative route to Mt. Pinatubo --- via Sta. Juliana, Capas, Tarlac. The route is safer and easier that the trek can be done in a day. I told myself I have to go ASAP while I'm still not that busy. I intended to travel DIY style, as always,  but this time it turned out to be more expensive to travel solo, so I searched for the cheapest public tour online. 

Gladly, I found TriPinas!  They were offering the cheapest All-in Pinatubo public tour so I booked immediately. My transaction with them was uber fast and hassle-free, I must say. 

I told my father about my plan and he asked if he can tag along. Though I wasn't that sure if he is still fit to do so, it's not everyday that he would volunteer on trips like that so I agreed without hesitations. Perfect timing as this served as our Father-Daughter Post-Valentines date. I'm not loveless, mind you, but I just wanted to approach this day differently, meaning, to stray away from all the cheesiness, or bitterness, if I may add, that this day usually brings. Ergo, yes to the outdoors! :)

(Grand) Canyon de Pinatubo? Look how happy he is. :)

Ms. Ann herself,  the head/founder of TriPinas, was our tour coordinator that day. Everything was organized and in accordance to the itinerary. Kudos!

Considered as a minor hike, the trail's easy and beginner-friendly. Perfect for those who want to try hiking or trekking for the first time. We used the old way so it took us more or less two hours to reach the crater. The first part of the trail was a lahar (lava) area so almost everything's just dry and hot, hot, hot. For me, the scorching sun had to be the biggest hurdle in this terrain, as there were no trees or huge rocks to seek shade to. Good thing there were some small stream crossings which helped us cool down a bit. As we passed through some lush vegetation, we knew that we're just a few steps away from the crater. 

I wasn't expecting to be this chilly here, so hello for a sunbath! :)

Upon reaching the crater, Ms. Ann gave a quick lecture about the history of Mt. Pinatubo. She also explained why the color of crater lake differ from time to time. Apparently, we were eluded by the blue green algae, the ones responsible for the turquoise color of the lake. The lake was somewhere between dark green to blue green when we were there.  Nonetheless, it's just as rewarding. 

The Majestic Mt. Pinatubo, February 2014.

Adieu, Your Majesty. Hope to see you soon in turquoise. :)

(All photos were taken by yours truly. Self portraits were shot with the use of an improvised tripod.)