Tili ti Nuang Falls, thus that ring a ding-a-ling ting-a-ling bell to you?Wondering why it is called Tili ti Nuang?What is in the name?What thus it mean?Come and join me as i narrate my travel to see this waterfall and get to know the reason behind the name "Tili ti Nuang Falls".
-pagnapagana
Please practice the leave no trace outdoor ethics when going to these nature places.
Let us not vandalize, put graffiti on their rocks and stone walls.
Manage and dispose our waste products properly.
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-my pagnapagna-
The mini-bus bound for Baguio City i rode on was moving a little bit slow. It had to scoop as many passengers along the way as it possibly could (not good when you are in a hurry). Other buses and jeeps were passing by - ziiing! There it went. Overtaking - ziiing! I should have ridden that bus going ziiing! Ha ha ha! What can i do, I'm in this mini-bus for now but not forever.
I arrived at Naguilian, La Union Town Plaza at 7:45 in the morning, a 45 minutes mini-bus ride from the City of San Fernando, La Union (25 pesos fare) then walked my way to their Public Market. There were jeeps bound for the town of Bagulin at the Northeast side of the Public Market but it would take some time to be filled with passengers. I decided to just ride a tricycle. We departed Naguilian at 7:55 am (100 pesos fare). Passing by the drop-off point to Tuddingan Falls at 8:06 am, the Bagulin Welcome Arch at 8:17 am and finally arrived at Bagulin Town proper at 8:24 am.
At Bagulin, I asked directions from the policemen at an outpost fronting the Municipal Hall.
From the Municipal Hall, I walked my way towards the hanging bridge.
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With people walking at the hanging bridge at the same time, it rhythmically bounces which made walking a little bit difficult. At times, it swayed me to one side. I made it to the edge of the bridge where a waiting shed is located. Walked further up following the foot trail to a cemented main road above. It was there where I got a back ride on a passenger motorcycle that transported me to Barangay Cardiz.
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| Parked motorcycles waiting for passengers, a few walks going up from the other end of the hanging bridge. |
We left at 8:50 am (without helmets on). Generally an uphill travel, we passed by barangays Dagup and Alibangsay (some scenic mini-rice terraces at the neighboring mountains can be seen at this time of the year - planting season).
We finally arrived at the drop-off point at 9:25 am and paid the driver 180 pesos (reduced price from the asking price of 200 pesos). The "Drop-off point" is fronting a waiting shed where a rough road going down at the other side is located and a steel communications tower stood nearby.
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| It is rainy season. The road and trail from the drop-off point going to sitio Amstipneng of Barangay Cardiz was muddy and slippery in general. In the photo, i was going down and looked back taking a picture of one of the people i met along the way. |
As i walked on the slippery and muddy road, I met some people along the way. One of them was a woman who smiled back at me and said "Papanan yu kadi pagpasyaran sir?" (where are you going to visit sir?).
I answered back "Apanak kuma dita Tili ti nuang falls nang" (I am going to Tili ti nuang falls ma'am).
The woman said "Ay, isu met naggapwak dyay nga lugar, idiay pay ag-cross ka pay ti waig. Basta diretsuwem latta dita ta addan tu balballay ken ada maararamid nga bridge ediay" (Oh, i just came from there. It is still farther there, cross a stream and just go straight. There will be houses and a bridge is being constructed at that place).
I replied smiling "Sige, ngarud nang thank you" (Okey, ma'am thank you).
After walking few steps, she added "Kusto kuma nu idi kalman ka immay ta adda agtrabtrabaho ediay bridge" (You should have come here yesterday because there were workers on the bridge).
I smiled back again and said "sige nang" (Okey ma'am).
I noticed that the trail was all downhill. Going back will be surely an all muscle wrecking uphill assault.
Walking farther on rice terraces and fields, i came across a man and talked to him. Within the conversation he said "Diretso ka lang dita ta addan tu mamaysa nga balay ediay kakaykayoan agdamag kanto ediayen" ( Just go straight ahead and there will be a lone house in the trees, just ask directions there). I thanked him and went on my way down to a hanging bridge at 10:10 am.
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From the hanging bridge, i continued my hike again uphill and into a rice terraces. There seems to be no people around. Looking at the foot path, it leads to a garden of tiger grass (which they use to make soft brooms) and into a hanging bridge below where a small waterfall cascades at the other side of the river.
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| For a while, i thought this is the so-called "Tili ti Nuang Falls" so i went down and took some pictures but it was not. |
The trail going down was steep but i managed to be at the hanging bridge and eventually at the river at 10:30 am. Lingered some time in the area thinking that this might be the Tili ti Nuang Falls. At 11:05 am, I went back to the rice terraces above, saw a lone house farther and a picturesque cascades at a distance. Now I felt that that must be the Tili ti Nuang Falls in that area. The trouble is i do not know what the waterfall looked like so I'm guessing and relying on my instinct. I should have asked the people I met along the way what this waterfall looked like.
Amazed by the cascades, there i went to see. At its banks, i put down my backpack and decided to wet myself with its cool waters. It was very inviting that i can not resist its waters. While at it, it began to rain but it stopped after some few minutes.
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| Another great cascade that i mistook as "Tili ti Nuang Falls" |
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| Here i am enjoying the waters of the cascades after some rain. |
It was some few minutes pass twelve o'clock when i decided to head back. At the rice terraces above, it seemed that i have lost track of the trail. A path led me near a house above. I was astray. Looking up at the lone house above i saw a boy and called his attention. Because of the notable distance from him i shouted "Ammum anya ti dalan mapan agsubli ediay Cardiz?" (Do you know the trail going back to barangay Cardiz?). He pointed a direction which i can not visibly see. So, he came down to where i was and tried to show the trail.
One final thing, I showed him the pictures I took for him to verify if one of them was the Tili ti Nuang Falls but not one of them was the said waterfall.
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| "Elmer" my instant accidental guide. |
He gladly accompanied me to where the specific waterfall was. With "Elmer" leading the way, we walked farther on the trail passing by the rice terraces and into another lone house (with lots of dogs). We finally reached the "Tili ti Nuang Falls".
TILI TI NUANG FALLS
The falls is actually located at a river that serves as a boundary between the two La Union Municipalities of Bagulin and San Gabriel. With this, my accidental guide "Elmer" told me that there is some sort of a race between the two municipalities or adjoining barangays to make use of this place as tourist spot. As I'm writing this blog, a hanging bridge is being constructed just on top of the Tili Ti Nuang Falls connecting the barangay of Bagulin to the barangay of San Gabriel. (I wonder if it is a shorter hike coming from the San Gabriel side at Barangay Amontoc where Tangadan Falls is Located).
The cascades are not that high but its pool area looked deep. It is an array of different cascades. The one I mistook for Tili ti Nuang falls are actually the lower cascades farther downstream. Some cascades can also be seen at a distant upstream.
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In translation:
Kankana-ey Ilocano Tagalog English
TILI Ubet Puwet Anus
TI Ti Ng Of
NUANG Nuang Kalabaw Carabao
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So, Tili Ti Nuang Falls is translated as "Anus of a Carabao Falls" (Carabao is a water buffalo).
It is so called because at the side of the main cascade, water had forced its way through its bedrock creating a hole resembling an anus of a carabao. Specially during summer, water only comes out from that hole. But when we got there the hole was blocked by a rock that limited the flow of water coming out.
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| Finally, This is the "TILI TI NUANG FALLS". |
Around 1:30 pm, we went back. He accompanied me until near their house and showed me the trail going back. Thanked him and went on my way. Midway on my hike going back, I began to get tired of the uphill assault. So many times i stopped to take a rest. At 3/4th of my uphill hike, my thigh muscles began to twitch and stiffen. I relaxed them once in a while and finally made it to the "drop-off area" (3:22 pm) where I got a motorcycle ride back. Arriving at the parking area of passenger motorcycles at 4:00 pm and paid the driver 150 pesos. Afterwhich I walked my way to the hanging bridge and into dowtown Bagulin. Tired and hungry, I went to eat at a carinderia (canteen). At 4:25 pm, in front of Bagulin Municipal Hall, I got a tricycle ride going to Naguilian for 100 pesos arriving at the Bus stop area at 4:52 pm. Then took a mini-bus ride going back, arriving at Downtown San Fernando at 5:25 pm.
Now I am at Home Sweet Home.
-end of pagnapagna-
Here is the Video of the Cascades
Fare:
Naguilian to Bagulin (tricycle) vice versa - 100 pesos
Motorcycle ride to Cardiz (going up) - 180 to 200 pesos
Motorcycle ride from Cardiz (going down) - 120 to 150 pesos
Subject : TILI TI NUANG Falls
Location : Sitio
Pat-og, Barangay Cardiz
Municipality of Bagulin
Province of La Union
How to get there:
From Manila take a bus bound for any of these Nortwest Luzon places : Laoag
City (Ilocos Norte), Bangued (Abra), Vigan City (Ilocos Sur), Candon City
(Ilocos Sur) and San Fernando City (La Union).
You have to get down
at the Bus stop near the Town Plaza of Bauang, La Union (just before the Bauang
Municipal Hall which is across the road). The Municipality of Bauang is
located just after the town of Caba, La Union and just before the city of San
Fernando, La Union.
At the Bus stop
which is a waiting shed, walk your way northwards to the intersection. A road
intersects the main highway coming from the east which is called Naguilian
road (The road goes all the way up to Baguio City).
Walk some few meters
going east at the intersecting Road (Naguilian Road).
There will be an
array or stalls of eateries (Carinderia or locally called turo-turo) on the
roadside. You may wait for jeeps bound for The Municipality of Naguilian, La
Union there. Naguilian, La Union is the next town from Bauang, La Union going
east.
You may also walk
further passing by the eateries and into the public waiting shed (fronting
the Public Library). At the waiting shed, wait for the mini-Buses bound for
Baguio City and get down at Naguilian, La Union Town Plaza.
At the plaza you may
now hire a tricycle to transport you to the interior town of Bagulin, La
Union.
You will get down infront of Bagulin Municipal Hall.
Ask directions going
to Barangay Cardiz from the policemen around.
Walk your way to the
Hanging bridge and cross the river with the said hanging bridge. At the other side of the river,
there will be a waiting shed located at the end of the hanging bridge. Just
follow the foot path or trail going up, it will lead you to a cemented road
above. Passenger motorcycles are parked here, you may now hire one of these
motorcycle (with a driver) to take you to the “drop-off point” at Barangay Cardiz.
The “drop-off point”
is near a steel tower and a waiting shed.
Walk your way down
to Barangay Lower Cardiz and start hiking on dirt road, trails and on top of rice
terraces’ walls.
Ask directions from
people you pass by. Enjoy the views and the experience along the way until you get to the “Tili
ti Nuang Falls”.
The road is already finished,not in the hanging bridge,
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