While its raining almost everyday in Manila, weather in Gumasa, way down south in Sarangani province, was pleasantly summer-like. Last weekend was a few days of sun, sea, and sand (and with a weather like this, one can't help adding another "s" - shoot photos!). I had the whole family with me, but I managed to sneak out a few times to take snaps :D. More photos in the coming days.

My mission that weekend: photograph a waterfalls, no hiking/camping, day trip only, on a shoestring budget. Its rainy season again and its the ideal time for shooting waterfalls.

Balagbag Falls is a perfect candidate for what I wanted. Its just a 3-hour ride from Manila, and its practically near the side of the road (no hiking!). Surprisingly, not a lot of folks go there, so the place is quite pristine - unusual for a waterfalls that is so accessible. I've been there last year and enjoyed the trip so much that I figured its worth another visit.



Weather was (initially) perfect that morning: overcast skies and it drizzled every now and then. Fog still hang around as we snaked our way through the Sierra Madre mountain range. Several friends decided to tag along, excited on seeing Balagbag falls up close for the first time.



But Nature often throws curve balls. As we headed down the Sierra Madre to the coastal town of Real, the sky cleared and the sun shone brightly! Sunny weather and shooting waterfalls do not exactly go well together.


Balagbag on a sunny day

I was able to shoot when passing clouds momentarily blocked the sun, but it was a sun shiny day most of the time. Balagbag falls has a twin cascade configuration but I concentrated on the primary falls to leave out the sky in my composition.



It was a wait and see game. But good thing we had an "alternative" to pass the time while waiting for the perfect moment to shoot the falls :).

When you are in the town of Coron in Busuanga, climbing Mt. Tapyas' 718 steps is a must. At the summit, one is treated to a breathtaking view of the nearby Coron Higantes island and the rest of the islands in the Calamianes group.
I mustered what strength I have left after a day of island hopping and headed up to Mt. Tapyas late in the afternoon. The chance to see the sunset from 210 meters above sea is too good to pass up. My wife and her friends decided to come with me after some convincing: either we climb Mt. Tapyas now or we do it at 4am the next day.



The start of the climb is a short tricycle ride away from Coron's public market. At the base of the mountain, we were met by a group of children hawking bottled drinks. They have this habit of following hikers up the mountain, waiting for you finally give in to your thirst and buy drinks from them. Mt. Tapyas is practically barren and the cemented stairs going up is without any cover, save for a few rest stops along the way.



We met two interesting characters: Emil and Joaquin. These two young boys (about 10 years old) seem to know exactly how many steps one has already taken and would sometimes offer encouragement to some of the struggling hikers. "327 more steps Ma'am, you are almost there ... would you like some mineral water?", one of them would quip. They also had no trouble operating DSLRs when hikers would request them to take posterity shots.



At the summit, all sweaty and panting, one gets rewarded with the great vista. The top of Mt. Tapyas is also marked with a large metal cross lit-up with light bulbs at night. There are several small gazebos just below the summit on the western slope, perfect for viewing the sunset.


 sunset gazebo

I headed to one of these gazebos and waited for the sunset. I had great luck with the light the previous day, and was hoping for another great display this afternoon. Emil and Joaquin had taken a special interest in our group and followed us around, looking after our stuff while we busied ourselves with our cameras.


fading light

We were lucky to see yet another great display of nature's colors. While most would go down after sunset, we stayed a bit more, trying to enjoy every last bit of color. It was already dark when we decided to head down.

I was hoping to see the lighted cross after dark but unfortunately there was a power outage. We made the trip down in the dark, our path illuminated by our cellphone's faint light.


Tip: After a trip up to Mt. Tapyas, go to the nearby Maquinit hot springs to soothe those tired muscles. You can rent a tricycle at the base of the mountain to take you to the hot springs.

Bantay Abot rock formation greets visitors heading to Maira-ira’s Blue Lagoon cove (officially known as Malingay Cove). This distinctive attraction, naturally sculpted by the waves and winds of South China Sea, is a favorite stop over and offers a view of the rugged seacoast.




The rock formation is very accessible; it’s just a few meters off the road. From the road, one descends makeshift steps of rocks to the shore below.



Most refer to Bantay About as a “cave”, but I don’t think it accurate, at least now if you consider its current configuration. Bantay Abot is more like a “doughnut hole” - in fact “bantay abot” means “mountain with a hole”. It probably is a cave a long time ago but the steady beating from the harsh elements must have collapsed some of the walls and ceilings.



I had the opportunity to visit Bantay Abot twice. The first time I passed there was on the way back to Vigan after spending the night in Blue Lagoon. It was noon time and the place was empty, but it can get crowded at times. The latter was the case on my second visit (we stayed in Bangui, about 30 minutes away, for the windmills, and headed to Blue Lagoon after breakfast for a quick dip). It was mid morning and from a distance I could see a steady stream of tourists going down to the shore and heading up to the hole to take photos or have their (prerequisite posterity) photos taken. It is quite understandable, considering that Bantay Abot is really hard to miss.



If you love shooting landscapes, you’ll love the shores near Bantay Abot at low tide. You’ll see rocks covered with green sea weeds and algae, adding a nice texture to your foreground while having the rock formation in the background.



The vantage point on the road near Bantay Abot also offers a great view of the shoreline and the lush verdant mountains beyond.



But the best thing about Bantay Abot is what its distinctive presence indicates: the azure water of Blue Lagoon is just minutes away now.