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This blog is an amateur photographer's attempt to show how beautiful the world really is. He is drawn to the colors of nature like a moth to a candle light. What are showcased here are nature's grand display of colors at sunrise and sunset, beautiful beaches and off-the-beaten track locations in his beloved Philippines, waterfalls and some of nature's great sculptures, architectural gems, and other views from around SE Asia that he was fortunate to see at one point.

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October 20, 2008

bakas, norzagaray, bulacan


One of the attractions in the town of Norzagaray in Bulacan is the huge formations of large limestone rocks found in Brgy Matictic. It is called Bakas, which literally translates to "marks", "traces" or "footprints".

The top of the large boulders offers a great vantage point to spot those interesting marks, supposedly left by the legendary giant known as Bernardio Carpio, and his pets. The other set of marks can be found in Wawa in Montalban, Rizal.

I biked there last weekend (an 81km loop, see related story here) but arrived when the river started to swell and its impossible to cross to the boulders without a raft. Bakas is downriver from two major dams: the Ipo and Angat dams and they release water from these dams usually at around 11 AM. By noon time the current's too strong that they would not even recommend swimming near the rocks.

If you fancy roughing it out here, the shores in front of the Bakas rocks are flat and wide enough to accommodate quite a good number of tents. There are also makeshift cottages (good enough shelter from the sweltering heat in the summer) that the caretaker is renting out for 200 pesos (overnight stay). Amenities: absolutely none!

There are a couple of nice swimming spots further upriver. But current's still a bit strong so its best to stay close to the shore.

Getting there:
The best way is to catch a bus or jeep going to Tungko from Philcoa in Quezon City. From Tungko there are many small buses and jeeps to Norzagaray town proper. Go to the town market and get a tricycle to Sitio Kanyakan where Bakas is. I have not noticed any jeeps going there so you may have to rent the tricycle also for the return trip.
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Lantaw
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15 comments:

escape said...

i never tried exploring bulacan. wala kasi akong alam na magandang puntahan. at least ito parang ok na ring makita.

lagal[og] said...

ganda nito bai. i saw this in a tv show but your captures are really something else. nakaka-engganyo puntahan.

Lantaw said...

@dom - recently ko lang din nalaman na ang dami palang eco and heritage destination ang bulacan. an daming caves, falls, rivers to explore dun. thanks bro!

@oggie - salamat bai! ang ganda ng mga ilog dun sa bulacan, most are still in their pristine state.

Daxi Weida said...

ganda ng mga kuha mo.. noo'y napasyal ako sa paanan ng bundok banahaw, sa kinabuhayan, dolores, quezon. meron ding tawag nila ay "bakas" (ni Bernardo Carpio). kahugis rin ito ng isang malaking yapak. ang sabi noo'y nasa arayat raw ang kabilang "bakas"; yun pala ay nasa garay, bulacan at meron rin pala kamo sa montalban. salamat sa impormasyon, allan. padayon

Lantaw said...

@daxi - salamat bai! actually mas sikat ang wawa montalban as the site where you can find Bernardo Carpio's marks. Mas marami dun kasi dun sya supposedly natalo at na tambakan ng malalaking bato

Anonymous said...

magkano yung rate nila pag morning and for few hours lng nman

Lantaw said...

@Anonymous - the guides charge 200-300 per group for a short tour of the "marks"

yasmin bernabe said...

ganda talaga ng Norzagaray....
I'm proud to be a Norzagarians....
I love it so much....
mwwwwaaaaahhhhh!!!!!.....




yasmin932 0:)

Liz of Manila said...

This was where we spent our summer outings when I was younger (around 25 years ago). Our relatives are from Norzagaray. Resorts and theme parks were unheard of. We hire a jeep to take the whole clan if we all cannot fit in the car. Pay the entrance fees (because there were "harangs" where they raise a rope stretched from one side of the rough and rocky road to the other,and there are about 3 to 4 harangs along the stretch) then look for a vacant shed where a 20 pesos rental fee is paid (I don't clearly recall since only the adults take care of these matters. hehe). I remember a lot of people go there in the summer because resorts were unheard of. And yes, during those times, there were no amenities. People do their thing in the river so it was not surprising to find yourself shooing away floating stuff together with the occasional seaweed. Through rinsing can be done at home and endure the itchiness of not having a decent shower. There were tire interiors for rent as floaters,some of which were as big as 10-wheeler tires. In spite of all the rustic elements, I will remember my times in Bakas as the most unforgettable memories of my childhood.

Joselito said...

This is a good one... Bakas for me is one of many great places that we have in the philippines.. Once you get to the place im sure you will fall in love with the place....

lean said...

bulacan is really great.im not living there but my husband do.so i have been there so many times and i enjoy bulacan.=D

Anonymous said...

wow nice shot.. i hope pati sa actual maganda siya. what do u think maganda kayang pumunta ngayong nov. sa bakas norzagaray for trip?

Anonymous said...

we have celebrated mother's day at bakas. Maganda ung place,malinis at malinaw ang tubig. Nice shot nga pla, natakot lng ako kc ang lakas ng current ng tubig at inanod kmi pero masayang experience.Next time try nmin pumunta s mga bato,medyo mataas n kc ung tubig nung nandun kami, at nakakatawa p nun nawala ung susi ng van n dala nmin, ligtas nman kming naka-uwi. Salamat s prayer ng lahat.Nice experience tlg. :)

Elena Austria said...

May naka experience ba sa inyo na singilin sa right of way papuntang bakas? Galing kasi kami sa catmon bulacan then we went to bakas after. May mga 7times kami siningil sa right of way. Ang sabi alam daw ng mayor at para daw yun sa mga myembro which is di ko naman maintindihan myembro ng ano. Nakipagaway ako dun sa isang girl kasi isandaan piso ang sinisingil bawat sasakyan. So kung may 3 kayo cars, 300 yun. Iba pa yun mga tag 20pesos from catmon. Nagbayad ako ng 570pesos total for right of way daw. Can anyone tell me legal ba ito? If yes, bakit ka magbabayad ng right of way ng kalye na ipinagawa ng LGU? Saka hindi lahat sinisingil nila. May nagsabi din sa isa sa parang 'checkpoint' ng maniningil ng right of way na depende daw sa sakay at yun mga taga bulacan di na nila sinisingil. How will they know kung taga roon ka or hindi. May iniissue sila na receipt or isang piraso ng papel na may nakalagay na amount ng babayaran mo. Nakakagigil if under the table and form of corruption na naman ito. Unfair kasi bakas is a public government owned ilog. Bakit ka magbabayad ng right of way going there. Mga barangay pa ang kasama naniningil. It's really more fun in the Philippines.tsk.tsk.tsk.

Elena Austria said...

May naka experience ba sa inyo na singilin sa right of way papuntang bakas? Galing kasi kami sa catmon bulacan then we went to bakas after. May mga 7times kami siningil sa right of way. Ang sabi alam daw ng mayor at para daw yun sa mga myembro which is di ko naman maintindihan myembro ng ano. Nakipagaway ako dun sa isang girl kasi isandaan piso ang sinisingil bawat sasakyan. So kung may 3 kayo cars, 300 yun. Iba pa yun mga tag 20pesos from catmon. Nagbayad ako ng 570pesos total for right of way daw. Can anyone tell me legal ba ito? If yes, bakit ka magbabayad ng right of way ng kalye na ipinagawa ng LGU? Saka hindi lahat sinisingil nila. May nagsabi din sa isa sa parang 'checkpoint' ng maniningil ng right of way na depende daw sa sakay at yun mga taga bulacan di na nila sinisingil. How will they know kung taga roon ka or hindi. May iniissue sila na receipt or isang piraso ng papel na may nakalagay na amount ng babayaran mo. Nakakagigil if under the table and form of corruption na naman ito. Unfair kasi bakas is a public government owned ilog. Bakit ka magbabayad ng right of way going there. Mga barangay pa ang kasama naniningil. It's really more fun in the Philippines.tsk.tsk.tsk.

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