Before the arrival of our niece, Tashmiya, to Manila, we had already planned a trip to the famed Pagsanjan Falls in Laguna. On the 4th of April, we started out quite early, around 6.30 in the morning. Mifu’s classmate, Gucci was kind enough to send his van which would take us and the Chistie family to Laguna. The van being a spacious one all of us settled comfortably in it and drove off.
It took us nearly an hour and a half to reach the Riverview Resort in Pagsanjan town. Gucci’s driver had actually used a shorter route to get us there early. The staff at the resort was aware of our visit and so they immediately came to our assistance. We were told to keep our bags in the lockers and proceed to the bankas (local canoes) waiting for us. One of the resort’s staff helped us with the life vests and the helmets. It was a very sunny day & we were worried about the bad tan we would get during the banka ride. But there was no way out!
There were three bankas waiting for us and we settled into them. Mifu, Raheel & the driver were on the first boat, the Chisties on the next while Tashmiya & I sat on the last one. Most of us being non-swimmers, I whispered a silent prayer for everyone’s safety. As the boatmen oared the bankas forward, we found ourselves moving through the Pagsanjan River. There were other resorts that lined up on one side of the river while private residences lined on the opposite bank. Since it was a Sunday, many locals were also travelling across the river in private bankas. In fact, almost every family owned at least one boat. The river was an intimate part of their life as it seemed to me. As we moved further upstream, we encountered several picnic revelers enjoying themselves in the water or simply relaxing by the small bamboo sheds that stood on stilts above the water. Some of them waved at us as we passed by them. Tashmiya was busy taking pictures of the new sights that caught her attention.
Gradually, we could feel the boatmen’s struggle as they pushed the bankas through narrow passes in between huge rocks on the river. The ride now was getting more adventurous! Having left behind the picnic spots, we found ourselves amidst the green forest on both sides of the river. It was a breathtaking landscape. It was absolutely quiet except for the occasional chirping of some wild bird or the cry of a local gibbon. Interestingly, The Hollywood movie named Apocalypse Now was shot in these very locales.
We reached a resting point where our exhausted boatmen caught their breath. There was a small café that stood on a huge rock, selling soft drinks & snacks. After ten minutes or so, we got into the bankas again and were heading towards the bigger rapids near the falls. The boatmen kept telling us to hold on tightly to the sides of the boat and stay still as they heaved & pushed the bankas through the rapids. Finally, after almost an hour, we reached the actual falls.
It was a beautiful place indeed. There were already several tourists present. People can even take a raft and go directly under the cascading waters of the falls. The raft men were calling out to the tourists and soon I found Mifu & Tashmiya jumping into a raft. I watched the raft move slowly towards the falls and then it just disappeared for a few seconds. It emerged from the thunderous waters with excited shouts from the people on it. Once they were back, Mifu & Tashmiya coaxed me to experience the raft ride. After some resistance, I gave in and got into the next raft along with Raheel, Simi & Zaina. There were a couple of other ladies with kids. Raheel was looking pale with fright & I tried to make it light by showing him the other children on the raft. As we neared the water thundering down, I tightly caught hold of Raheel and asked him to keep his eyes shut and also keep his head low. I felt my breath stop for a second as we passed down the force of the pouring waters. Everyone screamed out of fright or excitement. Raheel was in tears and I wondered why I had brought him along. Before we knew it, the raft was again heading towards the falls; maybe someone wanted a second thrill. I just wished it would be over soon.
What a breath stopping experience it was! Raheel was quite amazed by where he had been since he has a fear of water. After taking some photos, we got back to our bankas. The ride on the way back was equally thrilling. The bankas moved in great speed through the rapids. However, it wasn’t very hard for the boatmen as we were going downstream. The sun meanwhile had done the damage on our exposed skin. By the time we reached the resort, we were all badly tanned.
Having taken quick showers, we headed for the lunch which was laid out nicely on the outdoor eating area of the resort. The lunch was filling and we felt quite exhausted after eating. The kids played for a while we simply lazed around before driving back to Manila.
Pagsanjan Falls, a must-see for all who visit Manila. It’s a haven for the adventurous at heart!!
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