Smart Backpacker: Rizal

Showing posts with label Rizal. Show all posts

Saturday, February 1, 2014

Daranak Falls, Tanay, Rizal

One of Rizal's pride is having the Daranak Falls (in Tanay). But Tanay, the Home of Rock Balancing, has many tourist spots to offer aside from the falls such as the Tanay Church, Grotto, Regina Rica, Parola, Kinabuan Falls, Masungi Rock Formation, Daraitan River, Calinawan Cave, and Tinipak Rock Formation.

But Daranak Falls was my sole destination that day.

How to get there

From Manila, either ride the LRT or jeepney to Santolan and then ride the jeepney or van to Antipolo (fare is P22.00 and travel time is 45 minutes) and alight at Shopwise. From Antipolo, ride another jeepney to Tanay. The fare is P28.00 and travel time is more or less an hour. Then, alight at the public market of Tanay and then hire a tricycle for P300. You can also opt to ride the jeepney to to the site and then alight at the road towards Daranak and then hire a tricycle there but it is difficult to get one once you are there.

Entrance Fee adult - P40

Entrance fee child - P20

Picnic shed - P300

Picnic table - P200

Pictorial (for wedding, debut etc.) - P1,500

Open - 8:00 am - 5:00 pm

Seven days a week

Rubber tube rent

big - P40

small - P30

From the town proper, it took me 30 minutes to reach the spot using the chartered tricycle. The road leading towards the falls is slippery due to the numerous presence of small rocks and pebbles.

There are actually two falls in the site and I also took a picture of the other falls.

And the other falls is the famous Daranak Falls!

And while inside, I also witnessed what Tanay is known for - Balancing of Rocks!!

After one hour inside Daranak Falls, I decided to go back to town. Along the way, I saw the path leading to Calinawan Cave. It was not part of the itinerary that day and I decided to see it on my next trip to Tanay.

I also passed by the road leading to Grotto.

But I simply cannot resist going to the light house.

I have seen so many lighthouses in the Philippines and this "parola" or lighthouse is a must-see eventhough it was not part of the plan that day.

Last stop for the day was the Tanay church. I paid the tricycle ride for P400 and every cent of it was worth it. My guide/driver that day was Mr. JR Amaro (0916-828-0768).

It's really Fun in Rizal!

Youtube link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n9HW044iLl0

Saturday, March 9, 2013

Road Trip to Antipolo

The love for motorbiking started with love for riding a mountain bike.

I have made lone road trips in Laguna, Rizal, Batangas, Cavite and Bulacan.

But the most unforgettable road trip was the group road trip with my brother and cousins from Tanauan City, Batangas, passing Laguna and then reaching Antipolo City, Rizal.

It was October 4, 2011.

Meeting time was 5 am and we started from Tanauan City. We did not use the Calamba route to Manila. Instead, we opted to use another route.

We used the Makiling-Banahaw route which was longer and farther from Manila.

The road to Antipolo via the remote municipalities of Laguna was long and winding. There were times I almost fell asleep. Good thing I was listening to my ipod on that travel.

Half-way through, we reached Pagsanjan and another 1 and half hours of traveling.

The heat of the sun was picking up and my eyes were then burning.

Finally, we reached the Antipolo Cathedral. I usually travel alone. But that was one day I traveled with my Kuya Derik (my eldest brother) and my cousins, Elvin, Hapon and Den-Den. We reached Antipolo after almost 3 hours of traveling.

We even had our motorcycles blessed with holy water in order to have a safe journey home. Talk about being religious..

We ate our brunch at the house of Atty. Jojo Sison in Antipolo. Then afterwards, we started our way home but this time we used again another route via C-5 and passing the old municipal road from Alabang to Calamba.

We made an hour stop at the house of our uncle, Tito Taba. And around 3 pm, we were home back in Tanauan City, Batangas.

It's really fun motorbiking in the Philippines! =)

Wednesday, November 7, 2012

A Day in Rizal

Sembreak 2012. I just finished my Region 8 Tour. I was able to finish it in just eight days. There was still four days left before the start of the second semester in FEU.

For two days, I just stayed home and cleaned my room and my office. On the third day, I decided to go to Rizal!

The only place I had visited in Rizal was Antipolo City. Seven years ago, the faculty members of FEU went to Tanay for the yearly faculty day, and the view of Sierra Madre was spectacular.

A bit excited for the tour, I texted and called my friends to get information on how to go to Rizal’s tourist spots.

And I decided to go only to the places that interested me. I trimmed the initial list into just four, namely – Daranak and Batlag Falls, Wawa Dam, Petroglyps and the Our Lady of Antipolo Shrine.

One of my friends told me that going to Daranak from Angono was good for two hours.

And so I made up my mind and the final list contained only – Wawa Dam, Petroglyps and Our Lady of Antipolo Shrine. And I doze off.

The following day, I woke up 4 am, fixed myself and boarded a bus en route to Cubao and went to the terminal near Araneta Center and Gateway. Thereafter, I boarded an FX ride bound to Montalban. The cost of the ride was PhP40.00. The morning ride was good for one hour and ten minutes. I alighted in the town of Montalban and flagged down a tricycle to Sitio Wawa. The tricycle ride took ten minutes and I paid only P8.00. But before starting with my ten minute trek, I went to the Tourism Office and got myself a map and a brochure of Rizal.

Tourism Office

There were plenty of nature trippers and hikers on that day. I stayed for almost an hour. Took some shots and documented my stay using my tablet.

Going to the dam

Tunnel going to the dam

Wawa Dam

White rocks abound

Then, I went to Angono. Traffic was a bit heavy that day. It took me almost two hours to reach Angono. I went to the Municipal Hall and I saw plenty of Higantes (The festival is on November 22).

Higantes

I went to the Tourism Office (landline number -02-661-3646 ). I asked the officer-in-charge how to go to Petroglyps and they were kind enough to tell me how and the guy named – “Lito “, even chartered the tricycle on my behalf to Petroglyps. I paid PhP200.00 for the trip.

Petroglyps is located at the top of Angono and the landmark that you are near the spot is Thunderbird Resort. Reaching the site, I asked the driver to accompany me inside and we both went to the spot.

Petroglyps

The drawings were magnificent! Imagine the 127 drawings were dated to have been made 3,000 BC.

Viewing schedule: Monday - Sunday / 8:00 am - 5:00 pm (Holidays - by appointment)
Contact no. - (02) 527-4792

I stayed for half an hour and decided to go to the Our Lady of Antipolo Shrine. It took me one tricycle ride and two jeepney rides before reaching the Shrine. The ride was one hour and a half.