The waterfalls of Laguna

Featured in this article are four waterfalls in the province of Laguna: the famous Pagsanjan Falls and three others: Buntot Palos in Pangil, Bunga Falls in Nagcarlan, and Taytay Falls in Majayjay. These waterfalls are located in the eastern towns of Laguna. The bountiful waters in the area come from Mt. Banahaw, Mt. Cristobal, as well as the Sierra Madre.

Part 2: Pagsanjan (Magdapio) Falls
Part 3: Buntot Palos (Hidden) Falls
Part 4: Bunga (Twin) Falls
Part 5: Taytay (Imelda) Falls

ITINERARY
WATERFALLS OF LAGUNA TOUR
Day 1
0600 Meet up; ETD for Siniloan via Manila East Road (same route as Mt. Romelo)
0900 Take tricycle to jump-off in Balian
0930 ETA jump-off; start trek
1130 ETA Buntot Palos; lunch. Swim and explore.
1230 Head back
1500 Back at jump-off, proceed to Pagsanjan, Laguna (jeepney ride)
1600 ETA Pagsanjan, Laguna; stay at inn (i.e. Pagsanjan Falls Lodge)
1700 Arrange for Pagsanjan Falls tour the next day
1800 Dinner / socials

Day 2
0600 Wake up; breakfast
0700 Proceed with “Shooting the rapids”
0800 ETA Talahib Falls then Magdapio Falls
0900 Back at the
1000 Tidy up; check out of lodging place
1100 Proceed to Majayjay, Laguna via Sta. Cruz (jeepney ride)
1300 ETA Majayjay. Lunch. Rent jeep to jump-off point.
1400 ETA Taytay Falls. Explore the waterfalls system.
1630 Set up camp; prepare for dinner
1800 Dinner / socials

Day 3
0600 Breakfast
0700 One last dip at the pool; decamp
0800 Take tricycle / jeep back to town proper
0830 Take jeepney to Nagcarlan
0900 Take tricycle to Brgy. Bunga , Nagcarlan
0930 ETA Bunga Falls
1030 Early lunch at Bunga Falls
1200 Back to Nagcarlan then San Pablo City
1300 ETA San Pablo City; take bus to Manila
1500 ETA Manila

SPECIAL CONCERNS
These destinations are usually visited separately; you may just take off parts of the suggested itinerary to suit your purpose. The prices of tricycle fares are usually variable; you could haggle. Generally the locals are honest, although you might be frustrated with the ‘extortionist’ attitude of some of the guides in Pagsanjan Falls. In fairness to the municipal government, they are trying their best to curb this practice and win back tourists to Pagsanjan Falls.

Vigilance is expected of campers in waterfall and river systems; sudden upsurges of water can reach the campsites. More rarely, flashfloods could occur. Throughout the year, waterfalls, due to water erosion, make the catchbasin and the vicinity a hazard due to the sharp rocks that may cause cuts and other injuries. Also, the high moisture gives rise to mosses that make the surfaces slippery. Children must be supervised at all times. Otherwise, these are fairly ‘benign’ destinations with beautiful views and minimal effort.

Entrance fees increase every so often; a generous P40 for each waterfalls is sufficient. Most of the expenses would go to travelling from one waterfall to another, as well as the expensive cost of doing the Pagsanjan experience. For the suggested itinerary, P1,400 is the total recommended budget, including food and transportation.

Cellphone signal is present in most of the destinations featured. Useful numbers include that of the Pagsanjan Tourist and Cultural Development Office (+63498083544).

TRIVIA
Other waterfalls in Laguna include the Twin Falls in Cavinti. There are also cascades of water in the Lumot Gorge near Pagsanjan Falls; this requires river crossings beyond the Main Falls but the rewards are said to be great as the place seems to be unimaginably pristine. An alternate trail, by foot, to Pagsanjan Falls is also news in 2007; we will update on this tidbit. In Majayjay and Luisiana towns, there are other waterfalls, which require further research and exploration.

Pasalubong from Laguna include fruits such as lanzones and rambutan; woodcrafts in the nearby town of Paete, sandals in Liliw, sampaloc candy of San Pablo, as well as the buco pies sold in numerous Colette’s and El Mare outlets along the highway.

This article is the second of a series that will feature the waterfalls of provinces near Manila: Rizal, Laguna, Batangas, and Bulacan. Many thanks to Sir Erick Baustista for sharing his pictures. The author did not have a digital camera yet when he visited these waterfalls.

Related articles
Shooting the rapids in Pagsanjan

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