Tag: chasing waterfalls

Canding Falls – When Tarlac is not “Just Tarlac”

The lowest tier of the falls. December 2017

It is almost Christmas, but that did not deter us from rediscovering places before the year folds. I received a text from my sister that her colleague is organizing a trip to Canding Falls, San Clemente, Tarlac, so when I heared about this, I told my self, “Tarlac finally!”
I visit far away places, so why not rediscover my home province? I have been in Tarlac my entire life, but the province still seems so unfamiliar to me! 

Drone shots of Canding Falls. December 2017

Follow me through as we both unveil what this humble province has to offer!

How to get to Canding Falls

Canding Falls is situated in Brgy. Maasin, San Clemente, Tarlac. Our group opted to hire a jeepney from San Miguel and departed around 9am. 

It is actually very easy to reach the falls. It is almost a straight 2 hour-travel from San Isidro bridge.

Upon reaching Brgy. Maasin, one has to pay the entrance fee of P10.00. You will need to do a short trek of about 20 minutes and cross three river trails. Just be cautious in crossing as the rocks can get really slimy. One technique that I was told of was to avoid the reddish rocks because those are the slippery ones. It will help trust me. 

The river’s width is about 15 to 20 steps so you will not break a sweat at all! You just really need to walk slowly but surely!

Rates in Canding Falls. December 2017

While trekking, you will pass by boulders, string beans plantation, tall weeds and bamboo bushes. The place is not that hilly, so it will not be a difficult one. You will just need the usual sun-block, hats for the shade and a good pair of sunglasses.

One of the student crossing the river. December 2017
String bean plantation on the way to the falls. December 2017
Students crossing the river. The stones can become really slimy. Extra caution is advised. December 2017

What to do in Canding Falls

Swimming

The falls is multi-tiered so it means there are several pools to choose from. The lowest tier has 3 falls but the shortest  among the three. It also has the narrowest pool so less tourists flock on it. The deepest point of the pool is around 6 feet.

Having fun in the lowest tier. Cool waters at its best. December 2017
The tail of the lowest tier. Still brimming with green hues. December 2017

The second tier is the main pool. I consider it the main one because most tourists do the swimming here and this is the spot where cliff diving is done. This is just an easy trek from the first tier so no wonder why it is the most crowded one. Its deepest point is 20 feet according to some good swimmers.

Drone shots of the main pool. Just right for swimmers at heart. December 2017
My siblings and the students having fun in the second tier. December 2017
Picturesque rock background in the main pool. Nature art is a bliss. December 2017

The third tier requires rock climbing. The climb is not really hard, but one has to have strong limbs to do it. You can have a good view of the lower tiers on this area and I have to say that it is breath taking! There are large boulders on this area too and the place is just perfect for pictorials! Its pool is also wide and is around 6 feet deep. This is the spot where you can do a cliff dive to the second tier pool.

The pool of the third tier. One has to climb from the second tier. December 2017
The third tier of the waterfalls. The background shows the rock that was needed to be climbed to reach the spot. December 2017

Rock Climbing

Rock climbing will start on the second tier. As mentioned, the climb is not hard but one has to be cautious. 

Rock climbing for good swimmers. These young men did a little twist for their rock climbing escapade. The swam across the deep main pool to reach the other end and climb to make a good fall. December 2017.

Cliff Diving

The second tier is perfect for cliff diving. The third tier can easily be climbed to do the plunge and the deep pools are very ideal for this adrenaline pumping jump!

The spot in the upper tier where you can cliff dive to the 20 feet-deep pool. December 2017

Fishing

The river has catfishes so you can use the rods if you have spare time for it. Unfortunately, cooking and eating is prohibitted in the area so you gotta bring the catch home. 🙂

Personal Insights

The place is captivating. I never knew that this place exists until a few months ago. The easy trek, the clear and clean waters, fun-filled activities available on the place and affordable prices will convince you to take a visit. The area is also less developed so you can have a close encounter with nature.

The clear water of Canding Falls. December 2017

The water in Canding falls is cold. Very refreshing and very revitalizing. It can tend to be very chilly though, but one thing that I discovered was that you just need to keep swimming so you won’t feel the chill! Perfect if you want to lose those calories after the holiday season!

The stretch of the second tier of Canding Falls. Shot by DJI Mavic Pro. December 2017

One sad thing that I have to say is that irresponsible guests ruin the place. Trash is evident and the place is not so maintained. I just hope that the local government would collect ample entrance fees to maintain the place. May this blog reach them so we could keep the place for our future generations to enjoy!

Overall, experience with Canding falls is a must try! Easy to access and very affordable! An 8.5 rating is well deserved!

So now you know that Tarlac is not just about rice fields and highways! We have rivers and falls too! 😛 Why not complete your project 81 and take Canding falls for Tarlac? Visit San Clemente, visit our province!

Feeling thankful for the natural wonder in the hanging bridge of Canding River. December 2017

-Jiyon

Tinuy-an Falls – Towering from the Courage of the Heroic Natives

Towering at 55m, Tinuy-an falls is called the little Niagara Falls of the Philippines. November 2017

After our encounter with the Enchanted river, we went straight to Tinuy-an falls. I clearly remember that it was raining so badly and I was outloud wishing that the sky will get clearer even just for an hour! I was glad that the rain stopped and we had a good time in Bislig!

Taking more than an hour from Hinatuan, you can really feel that bumpy ride. I couldn’t thank enough that we opted to rent a van, for the road was muddy because of seasonal rains and the road projects were ongoing. (If interested in renting a van, kindly send me a message for the details of my contact. I am not in anyway connected with them)

It will take around an hour from Hinatuan to Bislig.

Going to Bislig was still a bliss though! The ubiquitous coconut trees were a sight to behold and I can recall my parents getting amazed at how these trees are just all around the place. They were even joking that how come there are no coconut juice vendor along the way.

Living the tourist life, we can never skip a tourist destination signage like this. November 2017

Upon reaching the destination, the lowest tier of the falls will greet you with a positive vibe. The water was pretty strong that day probably because of the recent rains but it was still picturesque nonetheless.

The lowest tier of the falls greeting every visitor. November 2017

To give a brief insight about Tinuy-an, the name was derived from Tinuyo-an; a native vernacular which means an intentional act to achieve a goal. There is actually an FYI post along the main entrance which narrates the ” Legend of Tinuy-an” involving the Magdiwata Mountain Settlers and the cruel tribesmen of Agusan. You may refer to the photo below:

A very short narration of how the name of the falls was derived. November 2017

Rates and Fees

The rates are pretty affordable. You can refer to the photo below for the actual rates as of November 2017.

Updated rates as of November 2017

Personal Insights

The place is amusing, after paying the entrance fee, you are free to saunter around and take pictures until you drop. You can go near the falls but you need to take the safety precautions. 

There is also a bamboo/wooden bridge across the river where you can get a front picture of the falls. This will also lead you to the function hall where you can get the left sided perspective of Tinuy-an. This is literally picture galore and you can take photos of different views as much as you want.

You can cross the bridge to get a better perspective of Tinuy-an. November 2017
The pavement leading closer to Tinuy-an. November 2017

The place was misty that day. Tinuy-an was mighty and you can visibly see the sun rays striking through the mist. It was an enchanting moment indeed!

Tinuy-an Falls tends to be misty after the rain, that sometimes you can spot a rainbow in the area. November 2017

You can also do the bamboo rafting where you can get much closer to the falls. It would be exciting to feel how powerful the falls can get and how cool its water is. Unfortunately on our end, we were running out of time. We needed to go to our next destination as the way out of Tinuy-an can get a little dark. That was on top of the muddy road and the busy road widening project that we experienced going to the place!!!! 

My parents and I taking a souvenir of Tinuy-an. You can see other guests doing bamboo rafting in the background. November 2017

All in all it was a fun-filled experience! So glad that I finally met mighty Tinuy-an. You better visit this peaceful place and let me know if you also had fun 🙂

Excited to finally meet Tinuy-an. A dream is now a reality. November 2017

-jiyon