Showing posts with label DIY. Show all posts
Showing posts with label DIY. Show all posts

National Museum of Natural History: How to go There and What to Expect


When we talk about about weekend getaway, the usual places that come to a weekend warrior's mind (including mine) are mountains, beaches, and out of the city staycation. But there is a new and awesome destination in the heart of Manila you can visit for free.

Let me introduce you to the National Museum of Natural History.

National Museum of Natural History
The Tree of Life

How to get there?

Well, this is probably the most basic destination you can visit. Just ride a bus, a UV Express, or a jeepney that will pass by Luneta. Alight at Luneta. From there, the white, and majestic pillars of the Museum can be clearly seen. 

How much is the entrance free? 

Zero. Entrance is FREE, free free free (Fading echo)

What to Expect inside the National Museum of Natural History


The Museum has six levels with each levels dedicated to one area of specialization.

National Museum of Natural History

Level 1 is the Introduction to the Museum. Audio-visual booths are located here as well as the base of the Famous Tree of Life. This is where the Lower Entrance Hall is located.

Level 2 features our Natural Inheritance like the taxidermied remains of Haribon and other endemic species of our country.

Level 3 is an awesome exhibit of the different wetlands in our country. Learn how important mangroves are and how bodies of water are interconnected with each other.

Level 4 will take you to the Highlands and Wetlands of the Philippines with large dioramas and exhibits. Know the difference between Mossy Forest and Montane Forest and show off your knowledge next time you climb a mountain. Also, look for the Country's Most Famous Wetlands, and maybe visit them yourself.

Level 5 will give you the opportunity to have a close look at the different minerals and precious metals found in our country. Learn where our energy comes from and how we generate them.

Level 6, as of the writing of this entry, is not yet complete. According to the directory, it will be the spot for a sun garden. Right now, an exhibit of Benham Rise is at place.

There are lots of neat stuff to find in this Museum. Here are some of the photos we snapped during our visit.
National Museum of Natural History
Temporary Exhibit of the Month: Dinosaurs!!! Rawwrrr!
National Museum of Natural History
A diorama of an entomologist camp during field study
National Museum of Natural History
Megalodon Jaws: The blogger for scale


National Museum of Natural History
My Spirit Animal

Lolong the largest crocodile ever caught
The taxidermy of Lolong: the largest crocodile caught alive
Lolong and the blogger for scale
Lolong and the blogger
National Museum of Natural History

Things to Remember before Visiting the Museum

1. No large bags nor umbrellas are allowed inside the museum
2. Food and drinks are also not allowed
3. Keep your hands to yourself (hehehehe!) Strictly no touching of exhibits.
4. Be aware of lines on the floor. There are some exhibits that can only be appreciated from a certain distance
5. Avoid wacky poses. It's part of the museum policy, okay?
6. If you're going to choose a date of visit, might as well avoid weekends since the place will be packed

Beautiful places are not always in the distant lands. But you only have to open your eyes to see them. So I hope you get something from this entry. I'll see you peeps on the road!

-We often overlook what's in front of us.

Adrian Villaflor, January 2019




Mt. Gulugod Baboy: Complete Itinerary and How-To-Guide

Gulugod Baboy
Mt. Gulugod Baboy
Are you going for a swim or a hike? This is a usual trade-off for climbers especially during the summer months. However, what if I tell you that there is a climbing destination that can satisfy your need to climb and can get you your beach tan at the same time?

Let me introduce you to Mt. Gulugod Baboy.

Quickfacts
Height? 525 MASL according to Pinoymountaineer.com
Trail Difficulty? 2/9
Jump-off? Philpan Resort, Anilao, Mabini, Batangas
Roped Segment? None
Guide? Not required but available at the JOP
Beginner friendly? 100% YES!

How to get to Mt. Manabu
1. Ride a bus going to Batangas City. Alight at Batangas Grand Terminal. 
2. From the grand terminal, ride a jeepney going to Mabini
3. Alight at the Mabini Junction. There, you will see a tricycle going to PhilPan Resort. Ride the trike and tell them you plan on hiking Mt. Gulugod Baboy. 

Tale of the Trail

After a 30 minute tricycle ride, we were dropped off at the JOP. It is just a waiting shed with tables on it. It was already lunch time so the place was empty aside from the people manning the registration.

Everyone who's planning to climb the mountain is required to register at the JOP. You can go up without a guide since the trail is well-established and straight forward. But for us, we chose to get a guide since we were not very comfortable with our orienteering skills. (HAHAHAHAHA!)

We were assigned a seven-year old girl as our guide! I was starting to feel regret for getting a guide when Pearl struck a conversation with Sarah (our little guide) so I realized that our guide fee will go a long way.

The initial part of the trek starts at the earthen stairs at the left side of the registration area. You'll climb it for about 5 - 10 minutes until you reach a concrete road. Turn right and walk straight ahead until you see an ascending trail at your left.

Gulugod Baboy

The ascending trail is the formal start of your climb to Mt. Gulugod Baboy. Going up is through a mini-forest so you'll be protected from the sun all through out. Take note that the trail of Gulugod Baboy is quite short, but a continuous ascent with very minimal flat area.

It was surprisingly tiring, given that many of the online sources explicitly says that this mountain is easy. (Thanks ha!! JK)  However, the wit and the childish stories of Sarah kept us entertained the entire time.

After an hour of walking through the forest, we finally reached an open area that will take us to the summit of Mt. Gulugod Baboy.

At this point, Sarah told us that she can no longer accompany us since she had to go home and their house is still a long way. In other circumstances, I may have argued that our fee is supposed to take us to the summit but since Sarah is just seven years old, we gave her the money and some of our snacks and bid her goodbye.

When you reach the grassland, it means that the summit is just less than 30 minutes away. We were quick in finding a suitable campsite when we reached this spot. Be wary of cow dung! It would really be a hassle if you mistakenly pitch your camp atop of this organic bomb.

summit gulugod baboy
The summit! Yey!
Since there are only two of us, we pitched our tent first before we assaulted the summit. We were a bit nervous that our things might get stolen so every minute we were throwing glances on our camp. 


summit assault
Assault to the summit
The trek up the summit was a breeze. We were both excited to see what was in store for us. At the summit, you'll have one of the best views of sunset ever. Feast your eyes on the beaches of Anilao, the Maricaban Strait and the distant Mindoro Island. Try to find the famous Sombrero Island if you're at the summit.
the restless soles
The blogger
The sun quickly set but fortunately we already pitched our tent earlier. Some of the other trekkers found it hard to pitch tent since the evening wind came with punishing strength that blew away anything not weighted down or pegged. We took our dinner and prepared to go to sleep. 


batangas


It was a good hike in Mt. Gulugod Baboy. However, when the night came, so are the other "elementals".  These people were (for lack of other term) a nuisance to all climbers that night. I am betting my money that these bunch are not mountaineers since they don't have any idea of proper mountain etiquette. 

They were pointing there strong flashlights on tents, talking, ehrrmm, shouting without any care to others, minding other people's business, and just being invasive. 

I was tempted many times to tell-off these people but Pearliloo kept on reminding me that they are probably drunk and I may end up beaten up by this people. It was a sleepless night,  trying to shut-off the shoutings and other noises emanating from their camp.

garbage
Garbage! oooh! Another garbage!
This was what greeted us in the morning! Garbage, and oooh, more garbage. There were lots of empty alcohol bottles strewn around the campsite but the people responsible were nowhere in sight. 

We picked up some of the garbages near our camp but unfortunately, we cannot carry more on our trash bag. I personally reported the incident to the person-in-charge that morning and he said that they'll burn the rubbish later. 

It was a bit disappointing that such behaviour is being brought to the mountains.

After a quick breakfast, we broke camp and proceeded on our descent. One thing we noticed was a tricycle driver offering a ride down of the mountain.

In order to go down the mountain, you'll have to backtrack to the same trail you used going up. It took us maybe an hour or so to reach the registration area. Remember to log-out at the registration area before anything else.

There are lots of private houses near PhilPan resort where you can use comfort rooms and shower. The fee for the use of the said facilities is 20 pesos per person.

We rode a trike back to the jeepney terminal. As we rolled faster and faster, we caught an amazing glimpse of the sparkling, blue sea of Anilao, Batangas. A place where the water kisses the blue sky.

A place with no past and future. Only present. 

-Adrian Villaflor, 2018 

My thoughts regarding the constructed concrete road leading to the summit of Mt. Gulugod Baboy

Many of Gulugod Baboy's visitors are not mountaineers but rather excursionists who ride their way up the mountain. I based this assumption on our experience since there are only one other group who we had shared the trail going up but the summit is very much crowded.

While it is satisfying to see kids, old people, couples and entire families enjoying the scenic beauty of Batangas from Mt. Gulugod Baboy (made possible by the concrete road), there are some trade-off that we have to consider.

1. More people, greater impact on the mountain. If left unregulated, it is not very long before the beauty of Gulugod Baboy is diminished.
2. Attracting "climbers" who are not really into nature. Since it is far easier to climb this mountain, people who don't have a heart for nature will see this as just another spot to loiter and vandalize. For mountaineers, a mountain is a sacred place.
3. Massive commercialisation on the mountain. This is an inevitable truth for some mountains aside from Gulugod Baboy. During our visit, there are lots of stores and peddlers on the mountain to accommodate the sudden influx of visitors and mountaineers. While earning a living is okay, there must be some regulations to it.

Things to Remember 
  1. Practice Leave No Trace Principle. Do not be one of the a***oles who come to the mountain to act like a caveman. Being civilized and disciplined is needed all the time. Okay? If you can't practice LNT, don't go near any nature spots. 
  2. If doing it commuters-style, remember to bring extra cash. The trike ride is a bit expensive, 200 pesos one way. 
  3. The mountain tends to be very crowded during the summer months especially during holidays and weekends. Consider moving your climb date during off-season or weekdays at least. 
So you've read yet another entry from us. Check out our other stories for more adventure. Always remember, life is made up of experiences, so have as many experiences as possible. 


Thank you from the Restless Soles!

Purgatory-Mangisi Traverse

Purgatory-Mangisi Traverse: Hiking Tips

blogger atop mt. purgatory

Everything in Life is risky. So we might as well take a risk doing the things that make us feel alive. Life is not meant to be spent indoors where you are safe and tuck all the time but rather, living means taking chances, conquering fears and collecting experiences.

Background

Purgatory-Mangisi Traverse is a series of mountains namely Mt. Pack, Mt. Kokompol, Mt. Mangakew, Mt. Tangbaw, Mt. Bakian, and Mt. Purgatory. 

This hiking destination features primeval mossy and pine forest, mountain communities and even a sea of clouds making Purgatory - Mangisi Traverse a must try for any would-be mountaineers. 

Mt. Purgatory got its unique, but a bit notorious name from two American soldiers who used to man an observation post in one of its many peaks. The soldiers described that the mountain is too cold as if they really were in Purgatory. The remark stuck thus the name of the mountain. 

The Team

The climb was organized by Team iClimb, headed by one of the finest organizers I've met,  Sir Alfred Asan III. The climb date was June 2 - 3 2018.

iClimb at Mt. Purgatory
Team iClimb headed by Sir Alfred Asan III

Fast Facts

Difficulty: 6/9, Major Climb
Elevation: 2329 MASL at the highest point
Trail Description: Mossy Forest, Mountain communities
Starting Point: Brgy. Japas, Bokod, Benguet
Ending Point: Brgy. Ekip, Bokod, Benguet
Guide/s: Required
Rope Segments: None

Tale of the Trail

The entire trail can be divided into three segments based from the characteristics of its surrounding. The initial part of the trail is through mountain communities, the second part cuts through a mossy forest and the third, from the last mountain to the exit point is through a pine forest. 

After a seven-hour ride from Manila, we had finally arrived at the JOP at Brgy. Japas in Bokod, Benguet. After stretching a bit, we started walking towards the registration area where we'd met the Local Tourism and DENR officers. The territory where Mt. Purgatory is situated is part of the Ancestral Domains of multiple ethnic groups of Cordillera and also a protected landscape by the DENR. Such as this, all would-be climbers of Purgatory-Mangisi are required to participate in an orientation seminar. 

The orientation seminar will last for about thirty minutes. Try to maximise your time in the registration area. Listen intently to familiarize yourself not only to the description of the trail but also to gain insights about the culture and way of life of the people.

Two guides were assigned for our group. 

Purgatory-mangisi traverse Map
Purgatory-Mangisi Traverse Map


mt. purgatory

First Segment

From the registration area, we went back to the road and had a short prayer of thanks and blessing before hitting the trail. 

The initial trail was through a forest and mountain communities. The trail was a gradual ascent with thick forest cover so you are protected from the punishing sun rays. It will take you about an hour or less, depending on your pace to reach the first of the many mountains in Purgatory Mangisi Traverse, Mt. Mangakew






Mt. Mangakew has a mountain community on top, so people still have access to electricity and running water. We took this chance to refill our water bottles and use their facilities since you'll be more or less cut-off from the usual comforts of home beyond this point. 

Mt. Mangakew at Purgatory
Mt. Mangagew, the first mountain of Purgatory-Mangisi Traverse
From Mt. Mangakew, it will take you another an hour or two to reach Mt. Pack. Going there is a bit more challenging since you will have to leave the forest cover on the first part. The trail from Mt. Mangakew to Mt. Pack will start off descending, so everyone knows that the next part will be an unforgiving ascend. 

The top of this mountain has lots of foliage so the view is not really on the actual summit but a few meters away from it. Just make sure to be careful in your wanderings since deep ravine may be concealed by the flora. At this point of our climb, we can feel the sudden drop in the temperature as the clouds slowly descended on us. 

Mt. Pack
Blogger at Mt. Pack
We stayed atop Mt. Pack for only 30 minutes before deciding to proceed to probably the most arduous part of our Purgatory-Mangisi Traverse, the mossy forest trail to Mt. Purgatory. 

Second Segment

The sky darkened, threatening to give us a shower. So from Mt. Pack, we decided to hit the trail again despite the fact that we were there for only few minutes. We were kinda wearied that the trail will be infinitely more difficult if the sky decided to let us have it while we're inside the mossy forest. 

The mossy forest trail looks like a landscape from a mystical stories in fairy tales. Feast your eyes on the wonderful flora inside the forest. The trail will take about 3 hours before you reach Mt. Purgatory. Changes in elevation inside the Mossy Forest is minimal. However, the challenge we'd encounter was the low lying branches and leaves that may scratch or entangle you as you navigate thru this almost-mystical place. At first, we are much engrossed with the primeval beauty of the mossy forest, but after hours of walking inside it, you'll want to get out of there fast.

The Mossy Forest

A Bit of Supernatural

Halfway thru our hike within the mossy forest, I was looking at the ground for a minute when someone shoved me and run ahead. I looked up and realized that one of our members ran ahead as if running away from something. When asked, she answered that while walking, she saw a small, dark figure watching her by the side of the trail. She was creeped the hell out so she ran ahead. 

It was a hell of a motivating factor as we quickened our pace upon hearing her story. 

Mt. Purgatory
Mt. Purgatory, yey!

After three and a half hours of walking inside the mossy forest, we finally reached Mt. Purgatory. There's a general sigh of relief as we are finally out of the labyrinth-like forest. 

We had a few minutes of rest and picture taking at Mt. Purgatory. We took an extended break to recuperate from the long walk.  I personally asked Mr. Alfred Asan if there will be more mossy forest ahead. When he answered no, I felt so relieved. Whew!

Mt. Purgatory
The team at Mt. Purgatory

From Mt. Purgatory, our next stop was Bakian Village followed by Tangbaw, where our homestay was located. The trail going to Bakian Village has a very different vibe to that of the previous trail. The ground is covered by pine needles, and from it, you can see more of the sceneries of Cordillera. 

Dips and assaults are in the minimum from here on forward so I personally enjoyed this part. It will take you about an hour and a half before you reach Bakian Village. We breezed through Bakian Village since the night was fast approaching and everyone was more eager to reach the homestay than have another sidetrip (including me).
Mt. Bakian

Tangbaw is just a stones throw away from Bakian Village. It took us only 15 or so minutes before we reached the quaint village of Mt. Tangbaw. Sir Alfred quickly put in the work for our dinner. By nightfall, we finally got the chance to fill our stomach with something substantial, sinigang with rice. 

After dinner, we had a bit of socials before I dozed off to dreamland. 

Second Day

I was the first one (or so I thought) to woke up the next day. The temperature was refreshingly cold. I was quick to explore the village and its vicinity, walking up and down the slope near our homestay and just appreciating this piece of paradise. When I came back, everyone was up and preparing themselves for the last mountain in our itinerary, Mt. Kokompol. 

A handful of our members decided to stay in the homestay to rest since our itinerary changed a bit. Instead of doing the entire traverse, we will climb Mt. Kokompol then backtrack to homestay to pick up our things before proceeding to the exit point from Tangbaw . We did not proceed with the usual itinerary since a landslide made the trail from Mt. Kokompol to exit point more perilous. 

Mt. Tangbaw, mt. purgatory
Sea of Clouds as seen from Tangbaw Viewpoint

From Tangbaw Campsite, it will take you 50 minutes to reach Mt. Kokompol. The trail is scenic with gradual ascents. Fifteen minutes before the summit, you will enter a forest where the trail increase in steepness. 

We were bit in a hurry since other groups are also aiming to summit Mt. Kokompol the same time as we. We were able to be the second team to reach the summit (yey for us!)

The view on Mt. Kokompol is just amazing. It is not an understatement to say that this place is where dream and reality meets. I was quite surprise to see a sea of clouds since there are only few literatures mentioning the sea of clouds in Purgatory-Mangisi. Watch as the sun slowly disperse the low clouds, showing the Cordillera mountain range with all its glory.
Mt. Kokompol Mt purgatory
Sir Rommel at Kokompol Marker
Sir Al, with the sea of clouds as his background
After having our fill of awesomeness of the view, we went back to our homestay in a much quicker pace. After collecting our things and tidying up the place, we bid our farewell to our good host.

Third Segment

The descent from Tangbaw to Pethal is pretty straight forward. You'll have to walk for a few minutes through the community before you reach a wide trail leading down. Before taking the trail leading down, you can walk straight first to visit the Mt. Tangbaw Marker. It is just a 5 minute or so walk, then just backtrack.

mt. tangbaw mt purgatory

This segment is probably the easiest in the entire climb. It will take you about 3 hours to reach the jeepney pick-up point and ascents are very minimal. The first hour will be composed of walking under the canopy of pine trees and wide trail as seen on the photo below. 
Mt. Piurgatory trail
The trail leading down the mountain
After an hour, you'll see a sari-sari store where you can rest for a while. From this point, the trail will cut through mountain communities, meaning you'll have to walk on cemented trails which I very much believe to be brutal on your knees. This community walk will last for about an hour also.

Mt. purgatory
The sari-sari store
Then yet another hour, you'll be pretty much be in the middle of nowhere again. There will be some ascents but do not worry since you are nearing the conclusion of your climb. I'm not very fond of bringing my own trekking pole, so when the trail started getting steeper, I created my own expedient staff made of a tree branch.

Mt. Purgatory
The Basura Man of Mt. Purgatory
The view on this part was simply spectacular. You can see the glorious Cordillera Mountains, as well as the seemingly endless rice terraces. There are some portions in this trail that the soil is loose so proceed with caution.

After three hours of walking, we finally reached the jeepney pickup point. We took lunch here while waiting for our ride to arrive. After an hour of waiting, the monster jeep finally arrived. 

The jeep will then take us to the Bokod Municipal Hall where our van going back to Manila is waiting. Some of us rode at the top load just for the kicks, this is a bit of a bumpy ride so remember to hold-on to your seats. You'll pass by tobacco plantations and more of the mountain communities on your ride back to Municipal Hall. 

Mt. Purgatory
The ride down to Bokod Municipal Hall
This ride will only take about 15 to 20 minutes. Use of  comfort rooms and shower rooms are available for only 20 pesos per head. Me and some of the boys used the shower rooms in one of the private schools near the Municipal Hall. After 48 hours, I can finally peel myself off of my sweaty clothes (hahaha!). It was damn refreshing. 

Bokod Benguet

Bokod Benguet

Team ICLimb
Team IClimb
It was tiring, punishing to the body and mind (my left knee hurts like hell during the entire descent) but it was worth it. What made it more worth it is the quality of people whom you climb with. Special thanks to iClimb Mountain and its organizer Sir Alfred Asan III. 

After our "certificate shot", we finally boarded the van. As the wheels of the van slowly pick up speed, and the mountains slowly fades away in the distance, a sublime feeling came over me. I just survived another mountain. A pang of sadness, as I know I'll be leaving another small portion of my heart to this place. 

Thank you Lord, Thank you for this gift of Life and Nature.

- Adrian Villaflor, 2018

Things to Consider


1. If there's one thing I'll never get tired of reminding people is to always practice Leave No Trail Principle. If you find yourself unwilling or incapable of following this sacred mantra, then mountaineering or any other nature activity is not for you. 
2. Prepare yourself. Personally, I found Purgatory-Mangisi a bit easier than the other mountains I had climb. Probably because of experience and so many other things. But always put into mind that anything is difficult for an unprepared person. 
3. Check the weather before climbing. It is imperative to always check the weather condition especially if you're going to a mountain in Cordillera. Heavy rains may result to landslides that may leave you stranded or worse. 
4. Be mindful of your actions and words, especially towards the indigenous people (IP). Remember that all the locals you'll be interacting with will be an IP.

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A Quiet Place: Sta. Lucia Falls

A Quiet Place: Sta. Lucia Falls

Sta. Lucia Falls, a quiet Place
A Quiet Place





A Quiet Place? Why would I want that? Isn't that scary? No, of course. (Thanks to you Hollywood!) 

Spending a day of peace and quiet is such a rare thing. What's more difficult is finding a place where you can remain silent for a long time, not minding your emails, deadlines, bills and other stressors.

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 

eight members of team palavern
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. 

Stair to Sta. Lucia Falls
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. 

Steep stairs to Sta. Lucia Falls
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. 

One of the many grottos in Sta. Lucia Falls
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. 

Boulders of Sta. Lucia
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.

Stone cairn
Stone Cairn
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

Things to Remember

remember these

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!

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Gallery

serenity

gloomy skies

immensity

into the unknown

Team Palavern

Dj Plywood
Memay 

JCO
Sy Boss Manager
Pearlilooliloo
Denver The Last Dinosuar 
Iansky

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A Quiet Place: Sta. Lucia Falls

A Quiet Place: Sta. Lucia Falls A Quiet Place A Quiet Place? Why would I want that? Isn't that scary? No, of course. (Thanks...