(My Two Days in Abra): KAPARKAN Falls

_________________________________________________________

"My first time to see this kind of waterfalls. It is definitely a must-see"

-pagnapagna

_________________________________________________________

Please, practice the LNT (Leave No Trace) outdoor ethics when going to these nature places. Let us not vandalize/write/etch on its rocks and other surfaces. Manage and dispose our waste products properly and minimize our impacts.

If you find this story/blogpost interesting and/or had helped you in any way (in your researches, works, travels, blogs, adventures, homeworks at school, a personal project and more), I'd like to hear a word or two from wonderful people like you. It gives me inspirations or simply Like "pagnapagna" in facebook. Cheers!

-my pagnapagna-

Saturday 

(September 17, 2016)

Early morning around 2:45 time, from San Fernando City (La Union), I rode a bus (Viron Transit) bound for Bangued, Abra. I alighted from the bus at their Bangued terminal at around 5:35 am and rode a tricycle going to their public market hoping that I can take some videos and photographs of it but it was still too early. Instead, I went to their plaza and lingered there for a while.

It was around 6:30 am when I went to ask somebody (probably a security guard) at the provincial capitol about their tourism office and a phone number to get in touch with but he seems not to know. I thanked him and went to the Casamata hill nearby, came back and lingered at the stage fronting the provincial capitol building hoping that I can catch a glimpse of the tour truck but after an hour or more, I never did saw anything.

At 7:30 time, I went inside of the capitol building and asked about how to contact their tourism officer or where to find them. But again they do not have any number to give me. I mentioned about the "Kaparkan falls" and one of his companion said, "Ay napan dan. Nasabet ko tattay duwa da nga lugan" (Oh, they left. I met them a while ago in two vehicles). "Dapat nagparegister ka kuma pay" (You should have registered first), the other one added.
 I asked any contact number so I can register but they can't give anything and they advised me to just go and inquire at DZPA which is a radio station.

I went to the radio station. It was there that they told me to go to Origines Hotel (pronounced as O-ri-gi-nes). I thanked them and went to the Hotel.

I rung the bell at the counter top of the Hotel and the lady came to whom I asked about the Kaparkan falls. She said that they had left early this morning at around 7 o'clock. "Nu kasta a ket agregister ka ta nu bigat kan tu mapanen" (You will register and go there tomorrow), she said. Since I planned to go out just only for the day and I'm on a budget, after contemplating and some serious budget calculation :-) , I decided to have an overnight stay in Bangued so I can go to the waterfalls the following day as I was dying to see the waterfalls.

She contacted through phone the tour coordinator and said "Urayem mon ta umay dyay tour coordinator" (You just wait and the tour coordinator will come to see you).

She offered me to just stay the night at their Hotel which I did.

She said, "Umay ka pay ta agkape ken mangbigat ka pay ta pagururayam" (Come have a coffee and have your breakfast while waiting). In my head I said, Oh no another added expense, budget! Budget!

I went to have a coffee and had a breakfast at their restaurant room. At the middle of my breakfast, the tour coordinator came. He is "George" and introduced himself as the tourism consultant and registered me for the next morning tour even though it was already fully booked, I just have to squeeze myself in the truck.

Since I have an added whole day to explore Abra, he offered to tour me to the Carino Ancestral house later on that day. I thanked him and I finished my breakfast.

After spending the day walking at their public market, sketching at the San Lorenzo Ruiz Shrine, visiting the Cariño Ancestral House and walked around the town of Bangued, I went back to the hotel for the night.

At Night time, It rained. I was hoping it would stop so I can go to the waterfalls the following day. But it rained harder and it was a heavy downpour. I prayed, even though it rained hard that night, make it sunny the following morning so that the tour will not be cancelled due to bad weather.

Sunday

(September 18, 2016)

Morning came and it was still gloomy but I thank God it was not raining.

After preparing my bags and ready to go for the visit to the waterfalls, I went down (my room was at the third floor) and the counter man told me to have a breakfast first, which I did.

A little surprise, after finishing my breakfast, the counter man handed me a plastic bag of food and said, "Sir, balun yu kanu mapan dyay waterfalls" (Sir, this food is for your travel to the waterfalls). What can I say? How sweet of them! I was very thankful. 

I checked out from the hotel with a positive disposition and a smile.

Just in front of the hotel, there were two trucks ready to transport the visitors/tourists. I registered and paid a fee.

Note: 
Because of the rising influx of tourists going to the falls and the limited number of trucks as well as limiting of tourists to avoid overcrowding.
 PRE-REGISTRATION is REQUIRED.
(Fees may change without prior notice)
300 pesos per person for group of 30 persons
590 pesos per person for group of 10 persons

At around 7:30 am, we left Bangued. There were three vehicles in the convoy, two trucks and a jeep.

At 8:45 am, just before the branching road, we stopped for the installation of chains on the wheels and after which the travel went on. We turned left to that branching uphill road. We were on the second truck of the convoy while the jeep should have trailed behind but we never saw it.

Since it rained very hard the night before that day, the road was muddy and the chains on the wheels were of great use. The ride turned out to be a roller coaster ride with most of the time the girls were screaming with a thrill and laughs afterwards. The vehicles goes down on one side (left or right and front or back) due to uneven softening of the muddy road. Just remember to have a good grip on whatever you hang on, be careful not to bang on any hard surface and those brushing tree branches along the way may bruise or brush away your hats and caps. My cap was brushed away. I've learned later on that the kids who were seated beside the drivers were crying due to the bumpy ride.

At around 10:30 to 11 o'clock, we arrived at the drop-off area and walked our way down on a rough road for around 15 minutes to the waterfalls.

Just before the waterfalls is an ample space where visitors can have their picnics.

The Kaparkan falls

It's a terraces of natural pools of overflowing water that stretched its way down among some trees at the mountainside with a big balete tree at one area. These pools are of different sizes for wading or a little bit of immersing. 

The falls is at its grandest during rainy season when water is plenty.

After lingering there, taking some photographs, shooting some videos and making a quick sketch, I left the area and went up to where the vehicles were parked.

For my Sketch of the waterfalls CLICK HERE

We should have left the area at around 2:30 but we waited for the jeep contingent to finish their visit at the waterfalls since they arrived late at the area due to perhaps they have been stuck in the mud when they went up.

We finally left the area at 3:55 pm and went on the same roller coaster ride as a convoy with the jeep at the tail end as it will be pulled by the truck when it got stuck in the mud.

We reached the intersection at around 5 o'clock and arrived downtown Bangued at around 6:30 in the evening.

I went down from the truck and rode a tricycle for the Partas Bus Terminal.

What a great day it was, i finally rode the bus and I'm bound for Home Sweet Home.

-end of pagnapagna-

NOTE:
The above story is an account of my PERSONAL travel at that time (time and chance happened) and it may differ to your future travel to the said destinations. For Kaparkan Falls Tour, this will serve as a reminder TO PRE-REGISTER first before going. 
"KNOW FIRST BEFORE YOU GO"

My very Special thanks goes to:

DZPA-AM 875 khz Abra Community Broadcasting Corp.

Ma'am Lydia of Origines Hotel and Restaurant

Capitulation St., Calaba, Bangued, Abra

For more info and your reservation on the tour to the waterfalls:

"George" (Tour Coordinator)

Edmar Guquib of www.edmaration.com
(where I got to know of this waterfalls)
And to all whom I rode with on that truck, 

You know who you were... 

Thank you! Agyaman nak!

God Bless! What an experience it was!

For my walk at their public market CLICK HERE
For my visit to the municipality of Tayum, Abra CLICK HERE
For my previous visit (year 2013) to Abra CLICK HERE

UPDATE:

The KAPARKAN Weekend Group Tour had temporarily STOPped and will RESUME ON JULY 2017

Meanwhile, you may inquire for other tourist spots in the province of Abra.

_____________________________________________________________

     Subject: Kaparkan Falls

     Location: Municipality of Tineg,

                      Province of Abra

     How to get there:

        Weekend Group Tour

        -requires pre-registration 

        -usually scheduled every Saturdays and Sundays

        ______________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________

© All original content Copyright 2012-2016. Please ask permission before using content.

_________________________________________________________________