A pleasant day at Mt. Cagua

No trip to Gonzaga, Cagayan could ever be completed without seeing Mt. Cagua.

“Cagua Volcano is a stratovolcano located in the Philippine province of Cagayan. It is one of the active volcanoes in the Philippines and has erupted twice in recorded history. Its last eruption was in 1907.”

My special thanks to the very helpful and friendly staff of Gonzaga Tourism Council who were prompt and on time, most especially to sir jay suba for making this climb possible.

Chasing waterfalls series : Nagsasa Falls - Third time's a charm

They say a trip to Nagsasa is not complete without visiting its waterfalls. On my third visit to Nagsasa cove after my trek from Mt. Bira Bira FINALLY i was able to visit its beautiful cascading waterfalls. I guess the third time’s a charm, as they say.

The falls is located in the forested part at the foot of Mt Balingkilat-Bira BIra trail.The water from the falls is cold and clear. It is actually a series of waterfalls that is best visited only during the rainy season.

Pinsal Falls - Chasing waterfalls in Ilocos Sur

One of the many reasons why anyone should visit Sta. Maria in Ilocos is for Pinsal Falls.

Pinsal Falls is considered as  Ilocandia's largest waterfalls. It is only 30 minutes away from the famous Sta. Maria Church. And, From the drop-off point, it would be almost only two minutes walk away to the falls. 

There were only four of us then at the falls, so we were able to own the falls. And since it’s the month of October,there is a big trackings of water drizzling over the rocks. SO, the best time to go is during the rainy season. 

From the drop-off through a cemented walkway and to the fascinating turquoise-green waters, it’s an other-worldly experience altogether. You can either approach it from the bottom or go up the staircase to the right of it and view it from the top. So Prepare to be enchanted.

What Makes Pinsal falls special? The falls are just beautiful. And in order to appreciate more of its beauty it is best to go to the highest point of the falls, and  get to walk on top of the waterfalls - and on the top there are natural pools found which is good for swimming.

Difficulty: Easy. It is only 2 minutes walk from the drop-off all the way to the falls.

How to go to the falls? Private: From Manila, travel to Ilocos Sur. Upon reaching Sta. Maria, Ilocos Sur, go to the bridge that connects to Narvacan, then turn right to a small path and go straight there until Barangay Baballasioan. It may take 30 minutes of travel from the highway. Public: Ride a bus bound to Vigan, Abra or Laoag. Ask the conductor to drop you to Sta. Maria. From town proper, hire a tricycle ride going to Pinsal (P250 fare one way).

Food: There is one store selling snacks.

Best time of year: September to January –  when it’s wet.

Chasing waterfalls series : Gabaldon Falls - Sweeter the 2nd time around

They say that any place is sweeter the second time around.

As such, I was so happy when I went back to Gabaldon Falls for a quick dip after a tiring dayhike at Mt. sawi. Team Push It and I shared the clear and cold waters of the falls and I fell in love with Gabaldon all over again. I realized then that love, is indeed, sweeter the second time around.

How to Get to Gabaldon Falls

Take a bus from Manila to Cabanatuan City terminal, fare is around Php185 and travel time is roughly 3 hours. Then from Cabanatuan City Terminal, you can ride on a jeepney or a mini bus bound to Dingalan, Aurora. Alight at Nueva Ecija University of Science and Technology Gabaldon Campus, look for tricycles going to Gabaldon Eco Park. 

Chasing waterfalls series: Bao Bao Falls in Lianga, Surigao

There's no shortage of cool places to take a dip in Surigao. And, If you’re looking for a waterfalls that’s convenient and easy to get to, this one is perfect. A sidetrip to Bao Bao Falls in Lianga, Surigao del Sur will surely complete your trip. 

Bao bao Falls might not be the most imposing, but it definitely has its own beauty.

A relatively short and easy walk going to bao bao falls makes it a perfect getaway. You’ll just have to go down a cemented walkway. It will only take you around 5 minutes to get to the falls.

The water is very clear and light green in color. The water is very swimmable. It is so stunning. And, there is a wide swimming area to enjoy the gush of water. You can also jump from the top of the falls since the basin is deep enough.

Chasing waterfalls series: Experiencing Colorado falls

What do you think of when you think of visiting Baguio? Mines view? Burnham Park? Strawberry Farm in La Trinidad?  or The Diplomat Hotel at Dominican hill?

For those who have visited Bguio, it is relly all of that and or there is something more??

How about a visit to a waterfalls?

Well, Baguio is unusually suited for waterfalls. At 5,200 feet above sea level, Baguio enjoys low temperatures with cold weather - so when i speak of Baguio and a visit to its waterfalls - everyone thinks I'm crazy.

I was unaware of this before, but I soon found out of this waterfalls when a friend from Tuba invited me for a quick dip at its cold waters.

I love the place, it's near the city's other attractions - so it's worth it, the views are different and it's not a long walk.

How to get there?

-Ride any PUJ that passes by Kennon road.  Ask the driver to drop you off at  Camp 4 near an Elementary School.

Mt. Singakalsa Traverse - Timbak-kabayan

Mt. Singakalsa also known as Mt. Timbak is the 3rd highest mountain in Luzon as well as the 9th highest peak in the Philippines. Though this is my 3rd time to climb Timbak, it is actually my 1st time doing the kabayan traverse.

After 5 hours of travel from Manila, we reached Baguio at 3 AM - a quick breakfast at session road - then another 3 hours ride to Atok Benguet – the highest highway in the Philippines.

8 Am

We were dropped at the waiting shed of Atok, Benguet in km. 55 marker. After a 5 minutes break we already started the ascent to Mt. Timbak summit. The trail started on a cemented road, turning left on a fork, then passing by Mongoto Elementary School.

The walk up to the summit of Mt. Timbac was fast and easy. An hour and a half of knee pain walk along a cemented road makes up the first part of the trail, then after the last fork, the summit would be just 15 minutes away.

On the way to the summit, we passed by farmers' houses and vegetable plots of potatoes, carrots, and cabbages. Less than two hours of trek in total, we reached the summit. The sight around Timbak is great. From here we took our first 20 minutes break, we also waited for the clouds to clear so we could take some shots of the neighboring peaks. Unfortunately lady luck did not smile upon us that day, the whole place was covered with so much fog, still, the view is breathtaking. It was actually seemed to be a walk in the clouds.

At 1045 AM, we decided to make our descent to Kabayan. While we were all tired and wet from the drizzle, we were all pleased and feeling fulfilled.

If it took us Less than two hours of trek in total to reach the summit of Mt Timbak, the traverse is a different story. I though the walk going up was already a punishment - i was wrong. This trek was the most strenuous of all from my previous climb. Going down to Kabayan was a hurtful and knee breaking experience. Yeah, there is no doubt that a long descend will definitely make a knee-pain worst.

How to get to Mt. Timbak : 

-From Manila, take a bus bound for Baguio city. P450

-From Baguio, go to Dangwa Terminal or at the Slaughterhouse bus terminal along Magsaysay Avenue. Public van transportation departs from Dangwa terminal in as early as 6AM while bus from Slaughterhouse departs at 5:30AM and 10:00am daily P120. No more public transportation departs after lunch.

-Tell the driver to drop you off at KM 55 in Atok.