Last March , my college friends planned to have an out of town trip. We are suppose to visit Nagsasa Cove in Zambales but most of us could not go due to tight budget (tipid kami eh.. :p), so we decided to explore one of Laguna’s most popular tourist attractions- the Magdapio Falls, also known as "Pagsanjan Falls"
Our original plan is to reach the falls via "shooting the rapids", a thrilling boat ride from the town of Pagsanjan, but it costs Php 1,500 per head. That includes the boat ride with 2 boatmen, a life vest and a helmet, entrance fee, and the bamboo raft ride to the devil's cave. Fortunately, we found an alternative way - cheaper and more adventurous. It can be done through vertical trekking and rappelling from the jump-off point in Pueblo El Salvador Nature's Park located in Brgy. Tibatib, Cavinti, Laguna for a total fee of Php 270. That already includes the entrance fee, safety harness, and the raft ride. Sounds great right?
We started the trek at around 9:30 in the morning. It takes 45 minutes or an hour depending on your speed to reach the riverbank. We are greeted by verdant trees along the way and after a few minutes, the path becomes muddy until we reached the statue of El Salvador Del Mundo.
At this point, we are asked to wear safety harness as we will be descending on a vertical metal ladder enclosed by spiral railings. You may choose to rappel to make it faster. The next pace will be (more or less) 600 steel steps and another vertical staircase.
After challenging our endurance.. tadaaa!! we are greeted by these colorful canoes at the riverbank. And yes, we finally got to see what we're looking for- the magnificent Pagsanjan Falls!
All of us were excited to get into the bamboo raft that will take us right through the falls to reach the Devil's Cave. After putting our life vest, we were asked to board the raft and the raftsmen pulled the rope where the endpoint is nailed at the main falls. We are all screaming out of sheer excitement as we're getting nearer. It feels like we were in the middle of a storm.
We also spent some time swimming in the Devil's Cave. Nothing much to see in the cave; we just relished the cool splashes of the water as tourists come and go.
After the exhilarating waterfall experience, we rested for a few minutes and prepared ourselves for another climb back to the Eco Park.
It was a fun experience indeed! Worth the sweat!
Helpful tips:
1. Do not forget to bring lots of water. It is also advisable to bring food! You will sure starve after a tiring trek.
2. Wear something comfortable.
3. Bring extra clothes
4. Do some stretching before the trek.
5. Be environment friendly. Please be mindful of your trash.
6. Best if you have a dry bag to protect your things from getting wet.
7. Bring a waterproof/underwater camera :)
Expenses (per person):
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