Kabigan Falls, Pagudpud

Here in the Philippines, summer ended last week, and now Filipinos have to endure the rainy season, which will last for another 4 to 5 months.  You can still go to the beaches, but most of the time you will probably have to endure sudden downpours especially in the afternoon.

Well since beach activities are now limited during the rainy season, you will have to look for alternative outdoor activities in the Philippines.

And one such activity, which is usually better during the rainy season is exploring waterfalls. I realized that obvious fact when I flew here first week of May and immediately explored a waterfall near Boracay.  Unfortunately, the four months preceding May usually are the driest months in the Philippine weather system. So I was relegated to watching water trickle down rocks instead.

A month later I traveled to Pagudpud in the northern Ilocos regions.  The tricycle drivers (think of a motorcycle with a covered sidecar) there were offering half day tours of nearby areas.  I decided to avail of the Northern tour since it included Kabigan Falls.  Note: I will discuss the other areas included in the tour in a separate post.

The entire Northern tour cost me only P250 (US$6) and the first destination was Kabigan falls.

The jump off point (which houses a tourist center) is a 25 to 30 minute tricycle ride from Saud Beach in Pagudpud.  If you are going to Kabigan via private vehicle, you won't miss the jump off point as there is a sign along the provincial road.

The Balaoi primary school is opposite the Kabigan tourist center so you can also mention it as a reference point when asking locals for questions.

Kabigan Tourist Center with green shirted Guide

Kabigan visitors are required to register at the Tourist Center and pay the P10 fee and hire a required guide for P100 (US $2.50)  I found the guide rate relatively cheap compared to more touristy areas in the Philippines who charge around P500 ( US $12.50)

I was the first tourist of the day since I left Pagudpud  at around 8AM and arrived in Kabigan after 30 minutes.  I strongly recommend going to Kabigan as early as possible in order to avoid the harsh rays of the sun.

Small wooden bridges: More fun in the Philippines?

Rice Terraces LITE

The 30 minute trek offered a lot of photo ops if you are into enjoying rural or provincial scenes.

Ay "Kalabaw": Asian Water Buffalo used for farm work

Ay mga Kalabaw!

Midway,you'll see the "CR" structure:
It serves the same purpose as a toilet or restroom

Note that this 30 minute trek (1 hour roundtrip) would entail crossing some makeshift wooden/bamboo bridges.  It is not that difficult, but there's always the risk of slipping and crashing into the water and rocks just a few underneath.  So if you are carrying your DSLR camera and other tech gadgets, make sure to put them in waterproof and shockproof cases.

It also rained for 3 hours the night before according to the guide.  So the trail was still somewhat muddy and slippery early in the morning.  Wear the appropriate footwear as there is a very good chance your feet will get wet or muddy.

The nice thing about travelling early is you arrive earlier than the crowd.  It makes it a lot easier to shoot photos. 

The Kabigan waterfalls was at its peak volume, as the tour guide stated that it rained for 3 hours the previous night.

Underwater shot: No visible aquatic life though

She also mentioned that swimming is allowed and the waters look cool, clean and really refreshing.  But I just chose to enjoy the Kabigan view and take photos as I did not have enough time.

After about 30 minutes, I decided to head back. We encountered a few more tourists coming in to visit the falls.  One last observation, the few tourists I saw coming here looked like nature lovers and hikers.  Not those types who want to bring parties to the mountains and beaches with their ice coolers, loudspeakers, and other party stuff.  As such, I saw very minimal garbage in the trail going to Kabigan.  Hopefully it stays that way.

Vendors sell Buko (coconut) juice for
only P25 (US $0.60) near the tourist center