If
there’s something I’m most grateful for about this trip, it’s the fact that I
was accompanied by fellow adventure junkies. They’re Aujen’s MBA classmates and
while I imagine them in pensive moods when dealing with complex problems inside
the classroom, their personas outside are entirely different! I cannot imagine
going through all these things without companions as fun and as brave-hearted
as them.
Following our humbling encounter with whale sharks, we headed
to Badian. We arrived past 7 p.m. and our guide Paul was already waiting for us
in front of Matutinao Church with a group of habal-habal (motorbike) drivers since we’d stay in a loft
beside Kawasan Falls.
The ride going up wasn’t easy! We had to navigate steep rocky
paths and at one point, our habal-habal even traversed a narrow wooden bridge that had no
railings. I was so close to saying, “Kuya, baba muna kaya kami?” Haha. You have to pay P50 each person for the
ride. We then took a short hike going to our loft. We bought food earlier
from Carcar Public Market and prepared our dinner. Okay, the boys actually did
the cooking. :p We slept early knowing that tomorrow would require all the
strength (and courage) we could muster.
The
next day, after eating breakfast, we started our canyoneering adventure.
Canyoneering packages are inclusive of habal-habal rides going
to Alegria as well as your own helmet and lifejacket. I wore aqua leggings
although my footwear was far from appropriate. Canyoneering’s not the time to
bring out your fancy Havaianas or Keds Taylor Swift in my case. Choose sneakers
or tight sandals that are lightweight yet sturdy.
At the beginning of your adventure, you’ll be asked to jump
off a 20-foot high waterfall that’s slippery. Don’t be scared because there’s
more to come. Haha! As you move forward, you’ll jump off waterfall cliffs, climb
boulders, cross petrified logs, crawl in impossibly small holes (but it’s
amazing how everyone can fit), swim, and swim some more. What makes
canyoneering a whole lot easier is wading through Kanlaob’s sparkling water. It
was my first time to see water that clear. The river served as a natural balm
that took away our soreness and exhaustion.
There’s a 50-foot high cliff that’s not included in the
route, but my friends volunteered to try it. Aujen was the first to jump and he
said it was frightening. He only pushed through because descending the cliff
looked more difficult. Haha. A group of "canyoneers" was even
cheering for them. I’m so proud of them. Huhu. Eleazar, one of our guides, made
jaws drop because of his effortless somersaults. Did I mention he’s only 15?
If you get hungry, there’s a makeshift eatery on
top of a cliff. They sell grilled hotdogs, chorizos, etc. for P10-15 per stick.
After nearly five hours of pure canyoneering fun (the last
leg of the adventure was a 45-minute trek across muddy trails), we finally
reached Kawasan Falls. It was teeming with guests by the time we got there – a
far picture from the unruffled place we were in the night before. My friends
were again unstoppable from jumping off the majestic falls' edge. #youalreadyguys
After our satisfying lunch, Paul used a raft to bring us
under the falls. The experience was terrifying yet incomparable.
Thankful for our Local Guides
We’re
already home but I’m still in awe of our guides – Paul, his brother Eleazar,
and their cousin Kuya Nathaniel. They were accommodating and considerate of our
pace. They would offer their hands without us asking. They never showed signs
of impatience. Paul even held my friend’s GoPro and would consistently direct
us to ensure we’d go home with the best shots. It’s rare to meet guides who
genuinely want you to make the most out of your experience even if it meant
extra effort from their sides. While it’s part of their job description to keep
us safe, please do not boss them around because it’s actually our privilege to
see a foreign place through their eyes. If you’re happy with their service, let
them know and give them tips.
I wasn’t able to ask details about his team but I would highly recommend Paul.
You may contact him at +63975
390 0018. His response time might not be as fast because obtaining network
signal proves to be a challenge in some parts of Kawasan. I hope you also
experience the unparalleled feeling of awe canyoneering left us. :)
Here's a video of our canyoneering!
