DIY Trip: Tanay and Paete: Three Waterfalls, Two Churches and One Mountain

by lakwatserong tatay

Here's another set of my DIY's trip, one day of full packed adventures. Two provinces visited "Rizal and Laguna", two towns were visited "Tanay and Paete", seen three waterfalls, visited two churches and one quick hike in a mountain. Been living in Antipolo for more than three years and i had never chance to visit again Tanay which is really near to my place, an hour ride of Tanay bound jeepney is needed to reach this city. So, i say to my self i have to go back to see Daranak and Batlag Falls, where i last visited wayback college years. So i set a day trip together with my Tropang Tits & Pips. I've made an itinerary which supposed to visit 4 waterfalls, 3 churches and 1 mountain to be trekked. But due to time constrained and enjoying each of the sceneries we've visited that time. The trip i called 4W3C1M was changed to 3W2C1M...it was really an awesome adventure backpack trip....and here it is...^_^

road going to Tanay

It was just a usual Saturday morning, most of the trippers meet at McDo EDSA Crossing, and yours truly join them when they reach Antipolo (syempre sayang sa pamasahe...^_^). They meet around 4am and less than hour they reach Antipolo and add another hour....whala.....we're on our 1st stop....one of the municipalities of Rizal province. Tanay, a town that offers wide range of outdoor adventures like caving, waterfalls and river exploration. For this trip, our first plan was to visit Tanay Church also known as San Ildefonso Church is one of the oldest churches in the Philippines, second oldest church in the Rizal province and founded by the franciscans....read more here about Tanay Church....

it's me @ San Ildefonso Church

Done with 1st church "San Ildefonso Church of Tanay", next stops are two waterfalls of Daranak Falls and Batlag Falls. Both falls are located in Brgy. Plaza Aldea. After a rented tricycle ride uphill to entrance of the falls and few minutes of walk, we reach one of the majestic falls that is hidden in Tanay, known as Daranak falls, cames from words "Dadanak ang Dugo (Spilling of Blood)", maybe due to Time of Katipunero's where most of the resistance during Japanese occupation happened in Rizal area.....read more here about Daranak Falls.....

The pristine falls, Daranak Falls

So after few shots and a self portrait photo with Daranak falls, we had to take a break because one of my co-trippers feels dizzy and almost fainted. Together with the two other girls, they take a break and rest for a while near the store which is the entrance to our next stop, Batlag Falls, is more peaceful that Daranak falls, with its three cascading waterfalls make it different, aside from it lush greenery surrounding and few basins of water make it more comfortable or i may say it much more nicer to stay on Batlag Falls. Although this place is now privately owned and had a separate entrance of php50 while Daranak Falls (php20). Both falls are known to be used in movie and commercial shootings, pre-nuptial wedding photos and many more. I just hope that the city government and private owner of one of the falls will maintain its pristine conditions, for my kids to see this place in time...read more here about Batlag Falls...

The simple, Batlag Falls

Back at the city proper of Tanay, done with one church and two waterfalls, 3 more activities is remaining. Next stop is Paete, Laguna. It was about lunch time so we filled our empty stomachs that time...thanks to carinderia inside Tanay Public Market.

Tanay Public Market

We stayed around for more than an hour, with energy got back and filled stomachs, were up to our next stop and rode a jeepney bound Siniloan, where we have to transfer and ride again a Sta. Cruz bound jeepney that would passed by the town of Paete.

our jeepney ride....^_^

First stop in the town of Paete, one of the towns in Laguna that is famous in wooden crafts and sculptures. The hike up to a mountain locally known as Tatlong Krus, a religious pilgrimage during Holy Week, which is also known as Mt. Humarap, located in Brgy. Ilaya Norte is part of our itinerary for that day. This was actually a surprise trip and trek for them because they just think that this would take a simple walk in the park, but it took us hour and a half to reach this three crosses....^_^..read more here about Mt. Humarap (Tatlong Krus)...

Lakwatserong Tatay at Mt. Humarap (Tatlong Krus)

A great sidetrip when hiking this mountain is a visit and swim at Matabungka Falls, a steep cascading of waters, and a small catch basin perfect for small group to swim. Sad to say on our part, we just have to take some photo opps because the time is not on our side. We have to go back to city proper before the sunset...but we promise to ourselves, we'll be back to this place and enjoy its clear water....read more here about Matabungka Falls...

Matabungka Falls...

It was almost sunset when we reach the town proper and had a quick stop for blessing in the Church of Paete, known as St. James the Apostle, one of the oldest churches again in our country, built in 1646 and went to different reconstructions due to several earthquakes. We did not have the luxury to take many shots because of the mass held that time.....read more here about St. James the Apostle Church....

St. James the Apostle Church, Paete

So after all of the photo souvenirs we had and success 3W2C1M challenge, we ate heartily at a local restaurant known as Benga's, but sad to say all of us forgot to take souvenir pictures at the place, even the big servings of food we had that time maybe because were so tired and hungry. Add to that, were in hurry to catch the last trip going back to Siniloan to Tanay....here's one last photo opps we have before riding a jeepney bound to Siniloan...^_^

The Tropang Tits and Pips...^_^

So to wrap it up, it was a fun, sunny day trip and a very exhausting adventure to all of us. But it is all worth it, we manage to visit two provinces and three towns and finish our desired goals of three waterfalls (Daranak, Batlag and Matabungka Falls), two churches (Tanay Church and Paete Church) and a mountain (Mt. Humarap "Tatlong Krus").

So check out the other links for additional information, photos and adventures we had in those places.
Next stop of Tropang Tits and Pips are Mt. Talamitam, Nasugbu, Batangas and Taal Basilica, Taal, Batangas.

Reminiscin....Mt. Makiling

by lakwatserong tatay

This is one of my past climbs that i really wanted to share...even though  my draft post as of now is almost a year nah...^_^. I just want to share all of past trekking experiences and let me start with this one......^_^. Here's one of my climbs together with my outdoor group...SPIMC..A tree planting activity inside UP Los Baños grounds. One memorable climb because of the "limatiks". Sidetrip to "mud spring of Mt. Makiling, and a two days of outdoor activity together with other outdoor groups and 100 plus outdoor enthusiast that is headed by Bahaghari Outdoor Group and White Mountains, in part with UPLB College of Forestry.

Prior to this 11th Makiling Tree Planting Activity, the rain from that past few days where kinda notorious and nonstop. Most of us were hesitant to join the event due to the situation, specially on our group most of the participants that time were girls and some is our big bosses...^_^. But the organizers are eager to continue the event and already scaled the difficulties we could encounter.....wahla....in the 8th day of August, our group commenced to UP Los Baños for the said activity.

I packed my bag, tent and necessary things needed for the said event and headed to our office and ride our shuttle service to UPLB grounds which is the foot of Mt. Makiling. As a first timer on this mountain, i felt the excitement that time, my main goal is to summit it, to see the famous limatiks and the mud spring of this mountain, that is said to be a dangerous area...

1st day, the assembly, in one of the building inside UPLB and few meters is the start of the trek to Mt. Makiling. The program commenced and its introductory part, where the organizers, representative from DENR, Dean and Professor of College of Forestry UPLB and some staffs that will assist us on tree planting activity.

the organizers...

Few of the SPIMC group...

me @ the assembly....^_^

Of course, in every tree planting activity, there's always a presentation on how to prepare, plant and to do it proper way, that tree will be sure to grow and be part of the nature.

some of us with UPLB organizers...

But before we start to get into full of muds.....we treks first up hill and up to college of forestry which is located inside Makiling Rainforest Park. Where we will used its grounds to stay at night, having the usual activities such as getting to know each other...(gaano kaya katagal matapos yun sa dami namin nun...^_^), socials and games with prices activities by the organizers.

So as we arrived in the grounds of College of Forestry, all of the groups scattered around and placed their respective tents. Prepare some things for the tree planting activity in the placed named as "Saimsim tree planting site".

trek again....^_^

As we start to enter the forest and few meters to tree planting site. The trail was full of mud, where we sank our shoes and some where already barefooted trekking including me....^_^ into the wet grounds of the path of the Saimsim tree planting site. On our way we saw some trees that was planted years back. Some were already big while some are just feet tall. We planted as many as we can, scattered to the whole site and went straight to the campsite after.

my barefooted mud trek...

done and already tired...^_^

The night arrives, not all of the participants joined the tree planting activity, as for our group there was also joiners that choose to stay at the campsite and prepare the dinner for us....wah...how sweet...^_^. It was fast and the place got darker as the time passed by.....most of the groups were done with their dinners, and after few moments a get together again was formed, few conversations and some games where conducted and of course there prices for each games, all of the items given were for mountaineering equipments and the major price that night was a daypack coming from conquer outdoor shop....(sayang wala ako napanalunan nun...)

2nd day and the last day, our group decided to do two activities, to summit and reach Peak 2, encounter the famous limatiks, and right after proceed to Mud Spring. However some of us contended to see the mud spring of Mt. Makiling. At first i was undecided, because of lack in sleep and a bit drunk that time, i joined some of the mountaineers going to mud spring, called to be Mt. Makiling's crater.

Based from some information, this Mud Springs is erroneously known as the crater of Mt. Makiling. But where all wrong, this site is used to be one of the mud pots left in the mountain. A type of hot spring that is formed when due to volcanic heat, sulfuric acid breaks down to its surrounding rocks into clay. The clay mixes with water to form mud that is very hot (approximately 80°C) and with sulfuric acid, which may vary on its consistency and color of the mud clay.

This boiling pots of mud produces very strong and distinctive sulfuric smells (warning to those person who have asthma or other respiratory diseases). Thick smokes also coming out from its sulfuric vents. Getting close to these boiling muds can burn your skin. Camping near this area is highly prohibited and the area is a danger zone. Always follow the instruction, do not go beyond on its fence area. For us travelers/mountaineers alike, just be content in gazing on its mystical scenery and don't forget to have photo opps...^_^

DANGER ZONE !!!!!!!!!!!!!

a water stream before to mud spring...

group photo opps...^_^

Right after our visit to Mt. Makiling;s mud spring, i've decided to go up to Peak 2, but only few responded, because there were a bit tired and some just want to have rest and prepare to break camp early. So were just down to 4 persons who braved to follow the others, luckily we conquered it and reach the Peak 2, and even faced the famous limatiks, that's the first time i've bitten by a blood seeker limatik, as far as i remember, i got it thrice...^_^. The SADDEST part was i was the only person who got camera on our group that time and my digicam got drained while were up to reach Peak 2....huhuhuhuhuhu...wala man lang ako souvenir pics pataas and sa Peak 2.....So i said to my self i will go back and had a revenge photo opps on this mountain...hopefully a MAKTRAV or even this Los Baños Trail.....so who ever read this post of mine , if you have a climb on this mountain, i would be great, if you will include me in your list of invitees...^_^.

So, i would end this outdoor trip, with a bang!!!!. With all of those muds, the stroooooong winds that we encounter that afternoon while pitching our tents, the broken tents, the notorious limatiks, the prizes won, the happy trees that were now been planted, those memories will be keep forever, and the new friendships we found, added and formed. Hopefully, i could joined the upcoming events for Makiling Tree Planting !!!!

Lakwatserong Tatay @ Makiling Forest Park Grounds....^_^

How to Get There:

By Commute: Ride a bus coming from Buendia or Cubao going to Sta. Cruz, Laguna. Likewise if your coming from Alabang, ride a bus going to Calamba, and then ride a jeepney going to Los Baños. Get off to Los Baños Crossing, walk towards to "El Danda St." (beside Robinson's Mall), take another jeepney ride to UPLB Forestry. If you have big group, it is better to rent a jeepney from El Danda that will take your group straight to UPLB Forestry all the way to the jump off of Flat Rocks and Mud Springs.

By Private Vehicle: If your coming from Manila, drive through SLEX, take the Calamba exit. Go to UP Los Baños College of Forestry and find the Makiling Rainforest Park.