BUNTOT PALOS FALLS, LAGUNA

Living in this exquisite world today is the finest feeling, merely because we got a chance to experience the genuine beauty of our natural surroundings. I've been travelling and visiting different places for years now, with confidence I can say "it's a great to live through travel". Now, let me share it to you my latest discovery. A new destination to savour our love for waters, rocks, trees, hills, mountains and even food. Yes indeed! There are lots of undiscovered places and allow me to take you in a hidden area that only few knows how to get there unless you have the power of being  a researcher. Whenever I feel dead beat in my day to day of working, I decided to take a trip from Metro Manila just to explore the places I've never been to especially to a place with what we call natural world. Natural because it really soothes me and bring the other side of me. Nature as define as the physical world and everything in it is actually fascinating and refreshing. The hidden area that I am referring with is none other than Buntos Palos Falls in Pangil, Laguna which is just few miles away from the city of Manila. I read articles about the place and it makes me thrilled when I saw the photos. It looks calm and very thirst-quenching especially for those people who matters most with nature.

How to get there:
Riding a Bus from Buendia-LRT Taft to Sta. Cruz is the most comfortable transportation before taking a Jeepney bound for Siniloan than crossing to Tanay Rizal, tell the driver to drop you at Brgy. Balian Outpost. From there you need to a register and pay a fee of 25.00 for day a hike while 75.00 for an overnight. One of the requirements before climbing to Buntot Palos is to hire a local guide for a fee of 300.00 for a day hike and 600.00 for an overnight.

We started the trek around 07:45 in the morning and the roads isn't easy going up to the mountain for it is too steep, full of huge rocks and shits of horses scattered along the way.

I can't even count how many times I took a rest on my journey to Buntot Palos falls. It was very humid you can't feel the winds at all. For those who wants to climb during summer days, bring lot of water with you to avoid sunstroke or heatstroke.

I feel relieved when I saw this greenly scenic view almost from the top of the mountain. The blue skies, the mountains, the rice fields and the overlooking Laguna de bay. It was very relaxing and peaceful to indulge.

After almost 2 hours of tiring trek, finally we've reached the hidden paradise of Pangil, Laguna.  Buntos Palos is extremely beautiful because of its majestic and exhilarating 80 meters high water falls.  I feel the fresh air, the sounds of birds singing from the trees and the whack of cascade from the top is extremely uplifting.

And I had fun plunging down the basin of this falls since no one was there yet and the water was so cold.

The catching basin of Buntot Palos

Another thing that is good in this travel is if you're hungry and probably thinking of where to devour before heading back to Manila after the tiring trek and the water falls soaking. There's a famous eatery located at the Main highway of Pakil Laguna, it's just a trike or a jeepney ride from Brgy Balian outpost called Manay's Eatery. They're serving plenty of Filipino cuisines that's surely suffice your cravings and it tastes really good at a very reasonable price. You may also try their halo halo for only 50.00. 

huge bowl of Steamed chicken in Tamarind for 220.00 (4-5 person)

ITINERARY & ESTIMATED EXPENSES

SLEX
Time		Description			Expenses
04:00		LRT Buendia Taft to Sta. Cruz Laguna			140.00	Bus Fare
		Sta Cruz Terminal to Siniloan			35.00	jeep
		get off Bgry. Balian Outpost
07:30		ETD l Registration
		Entrance Fee			25.00
		Guide Fee			300.00	group of 5
08:00		Start of Trek
09:45		Buntot Palos Arrival
10:00		Picture taking/ Swimming
12:30		Wash up/ Jump off Arrival
13:00		LUNCH	Manay's Restaurant
15:00		ETD to Manila			175.00
18:30		Manila
					675.00

It was a wonderful and life changing fund activity for a traveller like me for I experienced the real beauty of nature with head up high. With this travel, I can say "It is great to be on top of nature" and I am longing to see more.

Thanks for reading!

Special Thanks to:
Ms. Erma Acdal- My personal Editor in Chief :)