readyJCgo!: April 2012

Sunday, April 15, 2012

Friday, April 13, 2012

PAGSANJAN FALLS VERTICAL TREK

upon entering the town of pagsanjan you will pass through a century old stone arch. this historical town was formerly part of lumban. the town is occupied by the revolutionist in 1896, by the americans in 1899, by the japanese in 1942.

pagsanjan is a second class municipality in the province of laguna. it is situated about 92 kilometers south of manila. for 170 years (1688–1858), pagsanjan was the capital of the province of laguna. during this long period, the town basked in the magnificent glow of greatness. pagsanjan bloomed as the commercial, cultural and learning center of the province, and was called the "athens of laguna".

pagsanjan is the tourist capital of laguna and the home of the bankero festival. the 'bangkeros' are tour guides, who steer the tourists' bancas. they are the boatmen who shoot the rapids all the way to the famous pagsanjan falls. the bankero festival is celebrated in the month of march. the main tourist spot is the pagsanjan falls or (magdapio falls). a particular highlight is the boatride, which passes through 14 rapids maneuvered by boatmen between rocks and boulders, leading to the main falls.

i am a nature lover and despite the unpredictable weather last august 29, 2011 i pursue my plan of going solo to cavinti town to conquer the cascading waterfalls of pagsanjan.

i took the van from santa rosa in laguna going to pagsanjan town. it’s lunch time when i arrived so i decided to have my lunch in a small eatery just across the town plaza.

from pagsanjan a jeepney ride bound for lucban. i advised the driver to drop me in the intersection going to the town proper of cavinti. from there a tricycle ride to pueblo el salvador in barrio tibatib. the cavinti nature park and picnic grove/pueblo el salvador is the jump off point to the famous falls. this is where the adventure begins. an alternative and cheaper way going to paganjan falls.

rate of boat ride from the hotels/resorts in pagsanjan would cost 1,250pesos/person as what it posted in the billboard across the municipal hall. there is also an advisory to the tourist not to deal with illegal boatmen flaggers running around the road.

kuya uton +639486275163 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting is my tour guide. after paying 150 pesos entrance fee we started to trek going downwards. i am a bit excited to finally full fill my long time dream.

before we reached the world’s famous waterfalls we pass through the metal foot paths, ladders and 600+steps stairs. i am really sweating and my legs were shaking. thank god that i am not afraid of heights.

at last after those obstacles i was able to see the cascading waterfalls of pagsanjan and to my surprised i am the only one in the beautiful paradise of laguna!

how to get there:

catch a greenstar bus in taft avenue corner buendia in pasay bound for sta cruz laguna

from sta cruz laguna hop a jeep/mini bus bound for lucban quezon advise the driver/conductor to drop you at the cavinti elementary school/ intersection going to cavinti town

from the intersection there's a lot of tricycle that will send you to pueblo el salvador