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Although during these months the waters at the waterfalls are slowly dwindling, I smiled again for this waterfalls!
-pagnapagna
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Please practice the Leave No Trace (LNT) outdoor ethics when going to these nature places. Let us not write/etch on its rocks, trees and other surfaces. Manage our waste products properly and minimize our impact.
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!
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-
(November 7, 2016 a Monday)
After around 40 minutes mini-bus ride from San Fernando City (La Union), I arrived at Balaoan (La Union) town proper two minutes before seven o'clock in the morning.
Alighted from the bus, I went to see the tricycles bound for the municipality of Santol. It was the one with yellow color and their terminal was in front of Sophia store which was somewhere along the road going east after the church block.
Unfortunately they have to fill the tricycle with 5 passengers of 20 pesos fare each so, we waited.
Finally the tricycle departed at 7:23 am and reached downtown Santol at 7:43 am particularly at their market place. Just in front of their market place, after telling that I was going to the said waterfalls, I rode a passenger motorbike going to the upland barangay of Ramot. It was the same road that goes to Magew burial cave but it left turned to the road after where the mountain side was carved to make way for a road.
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| The carved mountainside (taken when we were going back to downtown Santol) |
After some steep road, we stopped at a drop-off and walk down a trail (8:03 am). The trail at that time was newly cleaned. Free from overgrowth of shrubs and grasses. The steps were even freshly carved from the sloping ground.
Along the river, I have to remove my rubber shoes at some point and walk barefooted (my shortcomings - no sandals/slippers).
We arrived at a small cascade and above it was the "Pimmalangka falls" (8:25 am). We walked farther above to where the cascades of the "Bimmulalakaw falls".
"Bimmulalakaw falls" was made up of different tiers.
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| The lower cascade of Pimmalangka Falls |
As we arrived at the "Pimmalangka falls", my guide who was the motorcycle driver sat down and rested.
He said that I can go above to the visible uppermost tier/cascade through the rope that was provided and left hanging on one side of the rock wall. Carefully, I went climbing on that rock wall and made it to the uppermost cascade.
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| At the Bimmulalakaw (Bulalakaw) Falls with driver-guide "Romy Gorospe" |
He said that I can go above to the visible uppermost tier/cascade through the rope that was provided and left hanging on one side of the rock wall. Carefully, I went climbing on that rock wall and made it to the uppermost cascade.
After shooting some videos and photographs, I went down and descending was more difficult but as always, I carefully and safely made it back to the lower cascade.
After an hour at the waterfalls, we left (9:26 am) and made it to where the motorbike was parked at 9:37 am.
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| The different cascades of Bimmulalakaw a.k.a. Bulalakaw Falls |
After an hour at the waterfalls, we left (9:26 am) and made it to where the motorbike was parked at 9:37 am.
Rode the motorbike and passed by the waiting shed where we left-turned from the main road earlier at 9:47 am and safely made it to downtown Santol at 10:03 am.
After thanking and paying "Romy" the driver. I went to see their Tourism office just nearby.
At their tourism office, they gave me a brochure of their tourist spots. I mentioned to the officer that the trail to "Bimmulalakaw and Pimmalangka falls" was freshly cleaned. She answered back that the ABS CBN (RTVN-Baguio), a regional television network was going to visit the said waterfalls the following day.
I thanked her and hopefully come back again for another visit of their "nature and cultural places" to smile for.
After a few minutes, I went back to Balaoan where I rode a bus bound for Home Sweet Home.
-end of pagnapagna-
Special thanks to "Patrick" a resident of Santol, La Union for the info regarding the waterfalls.
For my previous visits to the municipality of Santol:
Along the way video clips
To get there from Manila, take a bus bound for either Vigan, Laoag, Candon or Abra. It passes through the province of La Union, so get down at Balaoan, La Union. From Balaoan town proper take a walk going to the road just after the church. Walk on this road going towards east and look for the yellow painted tricycles that are parked and waiting for passengers. It will take some 15 to 20 minutes ride to Santol. Arriving at Santol's Green Market and after registering at their Tourism office take a motorbike back-ride for a fee going to the Falls.
-ask directions from the Tourism officer
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