The Climb: Mt. Silangan and Kairukan Falls

Heeey! It's 2017 and I am finally back to bring you a new blog post. My apologies because it took me this long before blogging again, but I'm so glad I'm back to typing. Last year, I stopped hiking and traveling because I was saving up for a new laptop. You know, priorities and adulthood. LOL! However, a real adventurer can never let go of what her heart truly desires, hence this hike.

In celebration of the Malaya Mountaineers' anniversary, our group went to Bataan to check out this unfrequented beauties of nature - Kairukan Falls and Mt. Silangan.

Mt. Silangan is a minor trek located in Morong, Bataan. The entry point is somewhere near Kairukan Falls, which is 150 ft. high, cascading into a deep pool of water. So, we decided to hike to Kairukan Falls first, then traverse to Mt. Silangan the next day. 

Our contact person was Sir Darwin from DENR (0998 862 3106). My friend, Mam Malou, who also works at DENR, coordinated with him as he got in touch with the guides. There was no need to file for a permit, however, our names were still forwarded to the guides because they have to log everything at the police station for security and record purposes. 

From the jump-off point, which is a small wet market, it took us approximately four (4) hours to reach Kairukan Falls. It was muddy then because of the rain. The trail was a combination of rough roads, grasslands and large rocks. I bet it was not a very well-known destination because, by the looks of it, there was no established trail. In fact, we almost got lost a lot of times. When we finally reached Kairukan Falls, it was already past 4 PM.

Man to waterfall ratio (150 ft.)

The campsite was in a perfect location, and it was quite spacious as we were able to fit nine (9) tents. After pitching, we rested for a bit before preparing to meet the cold, deep waters. We then ended the night with dinner, and socials, of course.

The next day, we were all ready to take on another journey, which is traversing to Mt. Silangan. Of course, before leaving, we had to experience Kairukan Falls for the last time.

 Neil held the GoPro pole like a boom mic, and this is the result - a nice shot :)

 Mga tunay na lalaki. Haha!

Waterfall massage!

The trek to Mt. Silangan was fairly easy. Kidding! I almost gave up because that was my first (and last) mountain for 2016. Haha! 3/4s of the trek was assent and most areas where covered with trees, and that didn't exempt the summit.

When we finally reached the community below, the hanging bridge which marks the end of our trek, was already waiting for us. So, we (or I) crossed it with great honor and pride. Finally, I'm able to prove to myself that I'm still in the running to become.. Philippines' next top hiker. Haha!

Nice meeting you, bridge. Goodbye!

 Take 5.. hours :))

Hey kiddos!

Of course, we don't want to miss their beach, so to end our adventure, we asked the tricycle driver to take us to their version of resort's world, literally. Haha! There is no white sand, only gray, but definitely one of the finest there could be.

 The girlies :)

There goes the sun.

You should definitely include Kairukan Falls on your next trip. You wouldn't want to miss the waterfalls, the mountain and the beach adventure,  all rolled into one, right? 



Thanks for dropping by, see you in my next post. Happy New Year, guys! 

PS -- I know it has been a while since I last updated this blog, I'm sorry. Nonetheless, throughout the time I was away from The G Travels, I discovered something that I was also capable of doing - and that was when my Youtube channel was born - but I will talk about that in a different post.

Budget reference:

Bus (Cubao to Bataan) - P200

Mini bus to Morong - P70
Guide - P250/ pax
                *P1000 per guide, we had there guides for 11 pax, but you can opt for two guides (5:1)
Tricycle to Crossing / Beach-front resorts (side trip) - P35
Beach Cottage - P50/ pax
Mini bus Tricycle to bus station - P70/ trip

Bus back to Manila - P200