Taytay Falls, Majayjay, Laguna

road to Majayjay

Ever since I started riding my bike in 2008, Majayjay, Laguna is one of my favorite spots to visit. The twist and turns of the road from Nagcarlan, Liliw and Majayjay will surely give you the goose-bumps while you are riding your mountain bike or your motorcycle. I have passed this route for so many times ever since I enjoyed my annual visita iglesia of the different provinces in Southern Luzon and the Pahiyas Festival in Lucban.

It was a welcome opportunity for me to take this route anew for my motorcyle tour of the different falls in Laguna. Usually, I travel alone but Alvin Mendoza decided to join this tour and it was another opportunity that I won't miss.

How to get there

There are so many options on how to reach the spot.

Option 1 - Sta. Cruz Route (best route)

From Buendia, Pasay, ride the the bus (DLTB or Greenstar) going to Sta. Cruz, Laguna. Fare is P140.00. Travel time is 2-3 hours depending on the traffic in Calamba and Los Banos, Laguna. Then, alight at Sta. Cruz and ride the tricycle to Sta. Cruz market (loob ng palengke). Ride the jeep going to Majayjay. Fare is P35.00. Reaching the town of Majayjay, ride the jeep going to Taytay Falls. Fare is P16/pax. The availability of the jeepney ride is from 6 am - 10 am only. After the said hours, you have to rent the tricycle for P700.00.

Option 2 -San Pablo Route

From Buendia or Cubao, ride the bus going to Lucena.

From Buendia, ride the Jacliner, Jam, DLTB or Lucena Lines bus going to Lucena. Fare going to San Pablo City is around P100.00. Travel time to San Pablo City is more or less 1.5 hours. Reaching San Pablo City, ride the tricycle to the terminal of the jeep going to Nagcarlan. Then, jeepney ride to Nagcarlan. Fare is P40.00. Then, another jeepney ride to Majayjay. Fare is P16.00. Then, ride the jeep going to Taytay Falls.  Fare is P16/pax. The availability of the jeepney ride is from 6 am - 10 am only. After the said hours, you have to rent the tricycle for P700.00.

Option 3 -  Antipolo Route

From Antipolo, Rizal, ride the jeepney going to Siniloan. Reaching Siniloan, ride the jeepney going to Sta. Cruz. Fare is P35.00 and travel time is 45 minutes to 1 hour. Reaching Sta. Cruz,   ride the tricycle to Sta. Cruz market (loob ng palengke). Ride the jeep going to Majayjay. Fare is P35.00. Reaching the town of Majayjay, ride the jeep going to Taytay Falls. Fare is P16/pax. The availability of the jeepney ride is from 6 am - 10 am only. After the said hours, you have to rent the tricycle for P700.00.

Option 4 - Lucena Route (farthest from Manila)

Ride the bus going to Lucena either from Cubao or Buendia, Pasay.

Fare from Buendia to Lucena Grand Central Terminal is P209.50 (127 kilometers). Travel time is 3-4 hours from Buendia. Arriving at the Lucena Grand Central Terminal, ride the mini-bus/jeep going to Lucban, Quezon. Fare is P35.00. In Lucban, ride the jeep going to Majayjay. Fare is less than P10.00.  Alight at Barangay Gagalot, Majayjay, Laguna. Then, ride the tricycle going to Taytay Falls for P20.00/pax.

But it was different on our part, Alvin and I are from Tanauan City and we used our motorcycles for this tour. We left Tanauan City 5:30 am and after 2 hours of biking, we reached the town of Majayjay. We have not taken our breakfast and we took it at Titanic Restaurant. They offer a variety of dishes from pork, chicken, goat, carabeef, horse and beef. A place for your appetite!

Alvin and I enjoying the meal

  

We tried their kambing (goat), horse and carabeef dishes. And we were all set and ready to go to the falls after the meal.

Alvin with his favorite pose

Just beside the resto is the famous and national treasure, Majayjay Church. And we visited the church as part of the morning ritual.

From Majayjay town, we rode for more or less 15 minutes before reaching the Barangay Hall of Gagalot.

There I met Kagawad Larry who was kind enough to give me the details of the Taytay Falls and even his contact number.

Entrance fee - P20.00

Overnight fee - P30.00

Rent of tent - P200.00 (good for 4 pax)

Rent of tent - P350.00 (good for (7-8 pax)

Tent space - free

Rent of hammock - bring your own

Best time to visit is summer.

Lean month is December.

Barangay Hotline - 0915-527-8826

parking area

  From the Barangay outpost to the parking area, the walk itself is less than 2 minutes.

food establishments

Food is not a problem here. There are so many food establishments (or turo-turo) within the vicinity. There are even lodging houses inside the parking area for your accommodation in case you do not want to sleep at the falls. But I saw a videoke bar just beside the entrance of the falls and surely, that would deter the tranquility of the night.

entrance

From the entrance/jump-off point, it took us only less than 10 minutes before we reached the site of the falls. You will enjoy the scenery along the way.

If you happen to be a nature lover, then, you will surely enjoy the sight of nature as it unfolds right before your eyes while you are taking your walk towards the falls.

And after minutes of walking, you will reach the camping site. There are toilets and places for your cooking needs which are provided for free once you have paid the entrance fee.

A couple more of steps and you will reach the Taytay Falls. There is actually a man-made basin nestled at the bottom of the falls. There you can enjoy swimming in the cold waters of the falls!

Again, you will surely be delighted to the sight of the falls and its surrounding areas.

You will surely stare at the falls for a couple of minutes. We did!

After more than 30 minutes, we decided to go to our next destination, Bunga Twin Falls in Nagcarlan, Laguna. There are a total of 14 prohibited acts at the site of the falls. Just make sure you read the banner at the entrance. Almost all the acts mentioned pertain the eco-tourism activities.

There is another falls in Majayjay called Bukal Falls. We decided not to go there since the trek to the falls is 2 hours. The site of the falls is near the boundary of Majayjay and Liliw, Laguna. Another place to visit is the Majayjay Paradise. 

It was Really Fun in Taytay Falls!

  

Bunga Twin Falls, Nagcarlan, Laguna

Underground Cemetery

Nagcarlan, Laguna is known for having its Underground Cemetery.

But other than this tourist spot, there is also another one that you should not miss.

Inside the Underground Cemetery

It was a beautiful Sunday morning and Alvin Mendoza and I decided to cruise around Laguna and visit the various water falls of Laguna. Our first stop that day was the famous Taytay Falls in Majayjay. Going back from Majayjay, our next stop was the Bunga Twin Falls in Nagcarlan, Laguna. But along the way, we had to stop and take souvenir pictures of this national treasure - the Nagcarlan Underground Cemetery. 

After our souvenir shots, we decided to head towards our destination.

The starting point of the tour was Nagcarlan Municipal Hall. From there, we headed to Barangay Bunga and you will definitely enjoy the view while cruising towards the falls.

How to get there 

From Manila (Pasay) or Cubao, ride a bus going to Lucena.

From Buendia, Pasay (Manila), ride either DLTB, Jam Liner, Lucena Lines or Jac Liner going to Lucena. Fare is around P100 only. Travel time is more or less 80-90 minutes. Alight in San Pablo City, ride a tricycle to the terminal of the jeep going to Nagcarlan, Laguna. Travel time to the tricycle terminal is 12-15 minutes. Reaching the Nagcarlan jeep terminal, ride the jeep to Nagcarlan. Fare is P25.00 and travel time is 15-20 minutes from San Pablo City to Nagcarlan. Alight at the Nagcarlan market, and then ride the tricycle to Bunga Twin Falls (Barangay Bunga). Rent of the tricycle is P60.00 or P20/pax. Tricycle ride is 8-10 minutes.

You will enjoy the trike ride to Bunga Twin falls because of the scenery along the way.

There is another mode of going there. But this time the route is from Antipolo. But I do not recommend this if you are staying in Manila. 

From Antipolo, ride the jeep going to Siniloan. From Siniloan, another jeepney ride to Sta. Cruz. From Sta. Cruz, another jeepney ride to Liliw, Laguna. And from Liliw, another jeepney ride to Nagcarlan. And from Nagcarlan Market, the tricycle ride to Bunga Twin Falls.

And the last mode is via Sta. Cruz, Laguna.

     

From the town of Nagcarlan, it took us less than 10 minutes before we reached the parking area. The fee for the parking area is P15.00/ vehicle.

A couple of steps from the parking area, we reached the entrance of the falls and paid P5.00/pax as entrance fee. 

From the entrance, Alvin and I had to descend towards the falls. The path is quite easy, unless it rains of course, and it then becomes slippery. It took us only less than 2 minutes before we reached the site of the falls.

And finally, we reached - Bunga Twin Falls!

panoramic view

Honestly, I prefer Bunga Twin Falls vis-a-vis Taytay Falls for the simple reason that it is not yet developed compared to the numerous structures in Taytay Falls. More so, the crowd is lesser than in Taytay Falls.

Entrance fee - P5.00/pax

Rent of cottage - P200 or P300

Overnight rent of cottage - P400

Payment for the barangay tanod (security) for overnight stay - minimum of P300 or higher depending on your kind discretion

Tent rent - bring your own 

Tent space - no fee (best spot is at the parking area)

hammock rent- bring your own

Place to set up your hammock - there are plenty to choose from at the parking area

Activities

swimming, nature tripping, trekking, camping

Water is deep!

Contact person/OIC at the entrance - Ms. Rema Ortiz (0949-625-9301)

With Biyaheng Tipid (lady in brown) and Larga-Bista (guy in red)

The best part of the tour was that  I got the opportunity/privilege of meeting my fellow bloggers who were taking a dip in the cold water of the river. I met Biyaheng Tipid and Larga-Bista! I hope in the near future I will be given the chance to meet my idol Pinay Travel Junkie! That would surely be a moment to remember! =)

It's Really Fun in Bunga Twin Falls!

Hidden Falls in Hidden Valley Springs, Calauan, Laguna

from www.traveltophillippines

From Majayjay, Laguna, Alvin Mendoza and I cruised our way back to Batangas. 

We had our motorcycle tour and went to Taytay Falls in Majayjay and Bunga Twin Falls in Nagcarlan, Laguna. 
Our target that day was touring the different falls in Laguna. 

Bukal Falls in Majayjay was stricken out from the list since the trek was good for 2 hours. The last stop of the motorcycle tour was the Hidden Falls in Hidden Valley Springs in Calauan, Laguna. It was past 1 pm when we reached Alaminos, Laguna. 

And the rain was about to pour. 

Apasan tricycle terminal

How to get there

From Manila (Pasay) or Cubao, ride a bus going to Lucena. 

From Buendia, you can ride either Jacliner Bus, Lucena Lines, Jam or DLTB. Travel time from Buendia to Alaminos less the traffic is 1 hour. Fare is P90.00. Alight at 7-Eleven (town proper) in Alaminos or in Alaminos market. Then, go to the market and look for the terminal which says "Apasan." The fare in the tricycle ride is P80, for non-guest, or P200 for guests (2-3 pax only). The distance from the terminal to Hidden Valley is 5 kilometers.

I asked the staff of Hidden Valley whether it is possible to go directly to Calauan instead of using the Alaminos route and he told me that it was not possible since the connecting bridge is broken. 

Well, If you have your car, you can drive directly to Alaminos, Laguna.

It was different on our part since we came all the way from Majayjay, Laguna. From the tricycle terminal, we passed by Alaminos Church. Initially, I thought that Hidden Valley Springs was in Alaminos, Laguna.

Alvin Mendoza onboard his bike

 Until we passed by the signage which says - Calauan, Laguna.

The motorcycle ride was  a bit tough since the road leading to Hidden Valley was rough. But it was all part of the adventure and I was so excited since it was my first time to see Hidden Valley Spring.   

Hanggang gate lang ako =)

And after nearly 10 minutes of joyride in my bike, we reached the entrance of Hidden Valley Springs. I made the necessary inquiry about the spot and we were told that the day tour costs P2,200. Unfortunately for us, it was past 1 pm and it we already missed half of the day. And so we decided not to have the tour. 

But nonetheless, I will still give to you details of the brochure handed to us by the staff of Hidden Valley Springs. =)

Hidden Valley Springs

Alaminos, Laguna, Philippines

Resort Tel. # 0919-540-1766

G/F Cattleya Gardens, 111 C. Palanca Jr. Street Legazpi Village, Makati. Philipipnes

Reservation Office Tel # (02) 840-4112-14 / (02) 818-4034 / Fax # (632) 812-1609

Overnight package Rates (effective May 1, 2013)

Casita De Luxe          Overnight package per night

1 Adult / room             P9,000

2 Adults / room           P12,500

Prices of the other accommodation ranges from 15,000 to 30,000 depending on the number of persons.

Child (5-10 years old)  P2,400

The fee includes welcome drinks, buffet lunch, afternoon snacks, buffet dinner, full breakfast, de luxe accommodation with full amenities and use of resort facilities. Extension lunch for overnight guests P1,100.

Day Tour Packages per person

Includes welcome drinks, buffet lunch, afternoon snack and use of resort facilities

Adult - PP2,200

child (5-10 years old) - P1,100

4 years old and below - FREE

Night Tour Package per person

Includes welcome drinks, pm snacks, buffet dinner and use of resort facilities

Adult - P2,500

Child (5-10 years old) - P1,250

4 years old and below - FREE

Hidden Valley Springs

Going home, the rain poured...

   

Packers' Adventure in Panguil River Eco-Park, Laguna

Last Holy Week (2014), we were in El Nido, Palawan and this May after several choices of destination (Anawangin, Baler, Matnog, Legazpi), we ended up in Panguil, Laguna. For a change, we tried camping.

Only Jen, MJ, Rico, Nikko, Glaiza, Vangie (not in the picture) and I joined this adventure. Lester just arrived from Malaysia that day. Jonas was busy in his business. Dave is in New Zealand. And the rest of the packers are just busy in their respective careers either as a mother or as a girlfriend).

Anyway, meeting place was in SM Calamba 7am. But Glaiza arrived 8:15. 

How to get there

From Buendia, Manila or Cubao, board a bus (DLTB or Greenstar) going to Sta. Cruz, Laguna. Travel time from Manila to Sta. Cruz, Laguna is 2-3 hours depending on the traffic in Los Banos, Laguna. Fare is P140 from Buendia. From Calamba, fare is P61 only (in some buses P80) and travel time is only 1 hour and 20 minutes. 

Reaching the capital of Laguna, board a jeep going to Siniloan. Fare is P35 only and travel time is 50 minutes. Then, once you have reached the town of Pangil, board a tricycle to Panguil River Eco-Park and the fare is only P10/pax. Travel time is less than 5 minutes from the town.

If you are from Rizal, you can go to Antipolo City and then board a jeep going to Siniloan and then, Siniloan to Pangil, Laguna. 

It is better to buy the supplies in Sta. Cruz than in Pangil. 

Once you are at the Eco-Park (0915-379-5866/0932-372-9861), you have to pay P75 for the entrance and P100 for overnight stay. But we paid P120 that day since we arrived 2 pm and will check out the following day at 12 pm. Overnight stay is 6 pm to 6 am only. Rental fee for the tent is P300. We rented 4 tents that day and much to our dismay, we waited for the availability of our reserved tents.

After fixing our respective tents, we started our Ambon-Ambon Falls trek. We paid another P75 for this adventure. We had to trek from the base camp up to the site of the falls.

   

We had to board the bamboo raft for three times before reaching the spot. But some of us decided to swim in the river.

After almost an hour, we reached Ambon-Ambon Falls.

 And this is Ambon-Ambon Falls!!!!

It was F U N!

We stayed for more than an hour and took several souvenir pictures including this one!

Then, we decided to go back and relived our bamboo rafting adventure!

Another selfie onboard the boat won't hurt!

Reaching the camp, we cooked our dinner. Hotdogs and chicken adobo.

Dinner time, we ate and afterwards we enjoyed our drinking spree of 2 bottles of Alfonso Light. Then, exchanged jokes and played our syllable game. We missed Lester and Jonas playing this game, they are the experts on this game.

Day 2

I did not sleep much that night either because it was hot or because of the sound of videoke that night and I woke up 4 am. I prepared the hot water for the coffee and bulalo cup noodles for our breakfast.

Past 7 am, we started our trek to Hidden Falls or Buntot Palos Falls. We hired Mang Del (0910-500-1728) to be our guide for that day for P500. 

Mang Del was my guide a few months ago when I visited the Eco-Park, He was also our guide at the Ambon-Ambon Falls. He is kind, accommodating and courteous.

Normally, the trek is good for 2 hours. And the ascending trek is good for 45 minutes and the rest is simple trekking.

  

Halfway through, we passed by a natural source of water and quenched our thirst.

And after almost 2 hours of walking, we reached our destination - Hidden Falls or Buntot Palos Falls!

We stayed at the base of the falls for 1.5 hours and enjoyed the water and the scenery!

Afterwards, Rico and I decided to go ahead and ended up on a different trail. We arrived instead at Barangay Niyogan and reached the camp ahead of time.

This tour is different from the other tours with the packers. MJ did not join us in Romblon, Calamba and in El Nido, Palawan. And I was so happy to see and be with her again. She was my former student and now, my mentor. She was the one who taught me how to blog. I OWE IT TO HER! Master!! =)

Worthy of mentioning are Jayson. Dave, Jonas, Lester and Peng! I miss you guys! Till our next adventure. My 40th birthday first in October then, Mt. Pulag on December.

Till our next travel guys!! =) 

If you want to find a place to eat in Pangil, please do drop by at this eatery - Pangilenean. It is situated just beside the church of Pangil and the terminal of jeep and tricycle. You will love their halo-halo!

Youtube link:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=peyxRebBUY0
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3uGgujiPiqA

Related links:
Romblon - http://junvillegas.blogspot.com/2013/04/backpackers-adventure-in-tablas-romblon.html
El Nido - http://junvillegas.blogspot.com/2014/04/el-nido-island-hopping-tour-tour-and-b.html
El Nido -  http://junvillegas.blogspot.com/2014/04/inland-tour-in-el-nido-palawan-biking.html
Puerto Princesa - http://junvillegas.blogspot.com/2014/04/sabang-beach-puerto-princesa-city.html
El Nido - http://junvillegas.blogspot.com/2014/04/corong-corong-beach-el-nido-palawan.html

Backpackers first trip - Puerto Galera -

http://junvillegas.blogspot.com/2013/03/puerto-galera-with-friends.html

Backpackers trip to Sagada -

http://junvillegas.blogspot.com/2013/03/backpackers-trip-to-sagada-my-third-trip.html

Related youtube videos:

Falls, Tablas, Romblon - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=voZ6YIbi944

Roadtrip in Tablas - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_UxFiYsFXKY

Carabao Island - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MHIShr2Frrs

Carabao Island Tours - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_TP6oZNvEaE