Getting there:
Getting to Tanay is easier than I thought. We took the UV express to Tanay from Shaw Starmall and paide 70 pesos. Because we want to make it early, we left Shaw at 6am and arrived in Tanay Public Market after 2 hours. Took our breakfast in the nearest fastfood and hired a tricycle.
At the fastfood chain, we were told by one of the crew to take the jeep going to Sampaloc and drop off at a point near the falls and there we can take the trike to the falls at a cheaper rate. But because the driver was persistent and has been following us since we alighted the van, we took the bait. The initial price was set to 700 and that he' ll take us to Daranak Falls, Batlag Falls, Calinawan Cave and Pililla Wind farm. It was a good find since we have no idea of the place and based on what I've read the price is around 1000-1200 pesos.
To tell you the truth, we have no idea on what to do prior to going there. It was an impulsive decision and we just had the list of the places we want to visit and that the gameplan is to hire a trike- which we eventually did.
It was around past 9am when we arrived here. Entrance is 50 pesos and the walk to the falls is a breeze. I did not expect it to be like that. We passed by a hanging bridge with dogs that are annoying cause they kept on playing and running at the bridge. And they almost block our way, it feels like they don't want us to pass. lol
When we arrived at the falls, it was simply breathtaking. It was like the way I see it in pictures, or it was even way better. Surreal is the apt word for it. Simple and yet so amazing.
A walk uphill would take you to another falls in Tanay, the Batlag Falls. This one has a different entrance fee of 100 pesos. The place is poorly managed given the big entrance fee (big because I have been to other falls in different regions and the entrance do not cost like this). Some are just 20pesos and you have a decent wash room or changing room. But in here, you find yourself in what seemed like an abandoned area. The falls offers you a different view, though. It is shallower and that you can go under the drop. I think we stayed here longer than Daranak simply because we enjoyed the water and we can get near to the falls itself. Daranak is deeper and you need to swim to get to the falls itself.
Calinawan Cave
A short ride from Daranak is the Calinawan cave. It was my first stab at Spelunking as well as my friends. A good activity when you are mending a broken heart as you will bump your head many times. I probably am the most clumsy being the shortest in the group yet this cave gave me a lot of bumps. Good thing they have protective gears, they require visitors to wear a helmet. Entrance fee is 20pesos and a guide fee of 200pesos. We left our things in the tricycle as the spelunking would require us to crawl, geez I was not even aware it could get dirty.
Tip: Visit the cave before going to the falls as you will get dirty after. A plunge in the falls ain't bad than having to clean up again after all the mud crawl (ooops!!spoiler alert)
Finally done with Calinawan Cave and excuse the muds on our legs.
Last stop, Pililla Windmill Farm. This is the farthest and the last stop in our itinerary. As my blouse was already with mud, I changed to spaghetti strap blouse and Kuya Driver told me "Malamig po dun Maam sa Windmill." This he said while he was putting on his sweatshirt. And I had no idea it was going to be freaking cold.
