A Quiet Place: Sta. Lucia Falls
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| A Quiet Place |
A Quiet Place? Why would I want that? Isn't that scary? No, of course. (Thanks to you Hollywood!)
With the sudden spike of interest in travelling, it's almost impossible to find a single square inch of peace in supposedly "peaceful settings" like mountains, seashores or even a parks.
Try to sit and meditate on the summit of mountains near Manila and you'll know what I'm talking about. I'll not be long into your meditation before some 'igers and FB travellers start invading your peace circle.
Anyway, fret no more!
We got your back on finding the best to finally unplug. Let me introduce you to Sta. Lucia Falls.
The Team
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| Team Palavern |
Team Palavern namely, Memay, Dj Plywood, Denver the Dinosaur, Syrill Mariposa, JayCo and Pearlilooliloo and Ian (photographer). Travel date was July 8, 2018.
How to get there
Sta. Lucia Falls is located in the town of Dolores in Quezon Province. It is about 80 kilometres south of Metro Manila.
1. Ride a bus going to Lucena, Quezon then alight at San Pablo Medical. If you're coming from Alabang, the fare is 98 pesos each.
2. From San Pablo Medical, ride a trike to the jeepney terminal plying to Dolores, Quezon. 10 pesos each.
3. From Dolores Jeepney Terminal, ride a monster jeep going to Dolores, Quezon. Fare is 40 - 50 pesos each. Tell the driver to drop you off at Sta. Lucia trail head.
The Trek
Upon getting off the jeepney, you will be greeted by a quaint talipapa. There, you will find stalls selling various amulets and even water jugs. Water jugs? It is said that the water from the falls has some miraculous healing properties. Locals and visitors alike fetch this miraculous water for different purposes. (Sorry no photos here!) Despite the stores, there are only few people present outside so we were not able to ask permission to snap some photos.
From the talipapa, just continue walking straight until you see a cemented trail. This trail will cut through a community. This part of the trail last for about 10 - 15 minute walk. At the end of this path, you will find a stair leading down to the water below.
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| Stair to Sta. Lucia Falls |
The stair leading down is quite steep so be very careful. Compounded by moss, this descent from steep stair is a recipe for a nasty tumble.
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| Steep stairs to Sta. Lucia Falls |
Sta. Lucia is a pilgrimage site first and a trekking destination second. Upon your descent, the first thing you will see is a grotto. Here, you can light a candle and offer a prayer for you and your team's safety.
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| One of the many grottos in Sta. Lucia Falls |
From the top of the stairs, you will take about 20 - 30-minutes before you reach the bottom. Halfway through, you can easily hear the flowing water below.
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| There are many large boulders along the waters of Sta. Lucia Falls |
This place has a very different vibe to it. Upon arriving on the falls, you will find the place almost devoid of human noises. The only thing you can hear is the flowing water, the rustling of leaves and the sound of wind. Going here will not give you an "outing" like experience but rather like going on a nature retreat.
We thought we had the entire place to ourselves until we stumble on several groups of pilgrims.
Religious statues and inscriptions are present along and above the flowing water. We opted not to snap any of it for two reasons. 1. There are people praying on them so we want to be respectful. 2. We just feel inappropriate to do so. This place is more of a sacred place first before a tourist spot.
This is, for me, one of the best place to meditate and reflect. The water was very cool, and refreshing. It was not very deep so instead of swimming, wading is more of a proper term on what you can do here. Aside from water wading, you can just sit on one of the many rocks and enjoy the view and the ambience. If you're the pious kind of person, Sta. Lucia Falls offers a sanctuary for prayers
ONCE AGAIN, let me remind you of some things you have to consider if ever you want to visit Sta. Lucia Falls.
1. Practice Leave No Trail Principle. Despite the relative obscurity of Sta. Lucia Falls, it was not saved from the acts of vandals and litterers. Let's help in preserving the beauty of the location.
2. Be EXTRA silent. This is a sanctuary and a holy place.
3. There are no fees to enter the place. But this may change depending on season. E.i Holy Week. So check with the local officials for confirmation.
4. Check for weather forecast. Threats of slipping and possible flash flood can occur in times of heavy downpour.
5. Though named Sta. Lucia Falls, the actual cascade is not seen on the immediate vicinity. We were not able to find the source of the water but we reckon that the actual falls is just a few minutes upstream. Before doing so, please have a guide with you.
I hope you enjoyed our guide. Now, what are you waiting for? Pack your bags now and just go!
Show us some love and please share and subscribe!
We thought we had the entire place to ourselves until we stumble on several groups of pilgrims.
Religious statues and inscriptions are present along and above the flowing water. We opted not to snap any of it for two reasons. 1. There are people praying on them so we want to be respectful. 2. We just feel inappropriate to do so. This place is more of a sacred place first before a tourist spot.
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| Stone Cairn |
Things to Remember
ONCE AGAIN, let me remind you of some things you have to consider if ever you want to visit Sta. Lucia Falls.
1. Practice Leave No Trail Principle. Despite the relative obscurity of Sta. Lucia Falls, it was not saved from the acts of vandals and litterers. Let's help in preserving the beauty of the location.
2. Be EXTRA silent. This is a sanctuary and a holy place.
3. There are no fees to enter the place. But this may change depending on season. E.i Holy Week. So check with the local officials for confirmation.
4. Check for weather forecast. Threats of slipping and possible flash flood can occur in times of heavy downpour.
5. Though named Sta. Lucia Falls, the actual cascade is not seen on the immediate vicinity. We were not able to find the source of the water but we reckon that the actual falls is just a few minutes upstream. Before doing so, please have a guide with you.
I hope you enjoyed our guide. Now, what are you waiting for? Pack your bags now and just go!
Show us some love and please share and subscribe!
Gallery
Team Palavern
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| Dj Plywood |
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| Memay |
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| JCO |
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| Sy Boss Manager |
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| Pearlilooliloo |
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| Denver The Last Dinosuar |
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| Iansky |
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