exploring daranak falls

2011 Travelogue : Daranak Falls, Tanay, Rizal

I often look forward to days off from work. Laboring in a call center forges me to grow exasperated and would always want to go out for some fresh air. If not going back to my hometown, I spend my rest day to beaches savoring the sun and the cold waters, getting a sweat on a hike or spending days to a friend’s house doing crazy things.

I sporadically visit my friend’s hometown in Tanay, Rizal and we customarily spend our time at the rooftop nibbling and crooning our hearts away. This time it’s something offbeat. Bob told me about this Falls adjacent to their house and we rapidly cinched to have a hurried swim. What I love about unplanned adventure is that it usually crop up unlike the planned ones where there are instances we still have time to throw in the towel when there are better things to do.

Since the weather is too hot for a rainy season, I think a brisk paddle at Daranak Falls wouldn’t hurt. The place is approximately 15-20minutes ride (tricycle in particular) from my friend’s house. If you’re coming from Manila, you can ride a jeepney bound to Tanay which you can get from Rosario, Pasig (that is if you’re coming from Pasig). You can also find some rides in Crossing (EDSA). And from my friend’s place we took a tricycle headed to Daranak Falls. I can’t remember how much was the fare since I cared less of the idea of taking note of the specific of this venture it didn’t occur to me that I’ll be putting up a blog that includes my travels. Though I have file of my expenses but I’ll have to poke my old files to do so. Anyway, reading travel blogs would help should you wish to get details of how much you have to prepare to get to the place.

I was told that the first Encantadia TV series – a filipino fantasy franchised and produced by GMA Network and first aired in May 2005 shoot some parts of the series here and that dossier turned into curiosity and excitement in me. This could be one of the reason why the place became eminent all the more.

Tanay is a territory of mountains but the place is not as remote as I imagine. I thought we’re gonna have  the whole place at that time all by ourselves since it was off peek season. It was June and it’s a drizzly season. And olah!  the place was teeming with people who, I guess, were trying to catch up with the summer like us. Summer is never too late for people who lust after the heat of the sun while swimming.

Though the place has become popular, the alpine sight is still preserved. The mountains are still green and the waters are still fresh. We indulged ourselves with the cold waters collapsing on the greenish lagoon.

Since it was a bit onerous grabbing a ride back to my friend’s shack, we decided to just hike. I know it can be tedious walking but who cares? It’s how we are. We had our we clothes on while we took pictures with the great view and before we arrived home we’re all dried up.

written on 06.15.2011