🏄🏝🚴 How to get to Bukal Falls, Laguna:
⏺ Ride a bus from Metro Manila to Santa Cruz, Laguna (e.g. DLTB in LRT Taft-Buendia; travel time is 2 – 3 hours depending on traffic condition).
⏺ Transfer to a tricycle to reach the terminal of jeepneys bound for Majayjay.
⏺ Ride the jeepney bound for Majayjay and alight at “Deposito” (travel time from Santa Cruz is approximately 1 hour).
⏺ Hail a tricycle to get to the barangay hall (jump-off).
⏺ Register and secure guide/s.
⏺ Alternatively, you may hire a tricycle in Santa Cruz that will take you directly to the jump-off in Majayjay.
I first learned about this enchanting place when I saw the post of a Facebook friend when he visited it. I gotta see it right away before social media makes it famous, I reckoned.It was a weekend of February 2016 when my friends and I decided to pay Bukal Falls a visit.It would have been an easy walk but we had to be careful due to the slippery trail. The rainy weather at that time really made our trek challenging.When we were minutes away from our destination, we knew there were already lots of tourists swimming in the spring since their shouting and loud voices could be heard from where we were.I was mesmerized by what I saw upon arrival. Even with loads of people swimming and jumping off the boulders, I was still speechless because of its beauty. I wonder what it would look like without any nuisance.We took photos for a few minutes and decided to leave. Too bad we were not able to savor the beauty of this pristine gem. We were just so enraged because of those noisy tourists so we had to leave right away. We even saw some trash near the natural pool.What a disappointing sight with all the clutter. We then agreed that we should just come back some other time and stay longer by the waterfall.For the record, all these photos were taken during my second and third visits. I won’t be posting the images I got from that first trip of mine here because the pictures were populated with loads of photobombers and since it was raining, my cheap action camera couldn’t keep up with the low light condition so I was only able to get shots of poor resolution.
⏰⏳ SAMPLE ITINERARY:
4:00 AM ETD for Santa Cruz
6:00 AM Breakfast
7:00 AM ETD for Majayjay
8:30 AM Commence trek
9:30 AM ETA Bukal Falls
1:00 PM Trek back to jump-off
2:00 PM Wash up
3:00 PM ETD for Santa Cruz
5:00 PM ETD for Manila
💰💶 ESTIMATED BUDGET (for a solo traveler): Php 1,500 – Php 1,800
***Expenses may vary depending on personal consumption of food and other necessities. If traveling alone, you will solely shoulder the guide fees and tricycle transfer rates.
One weekday of the same year, I decided to revisit Bukal Falls. Since my usual travel buddies were at work, I went on a solo trip. I left Manila early morning. I learned of this tricycle driver from a blog and he picked me up at the bus terminal. I could have taken the jeepney ride but I wanted to save on time so I just hired him to take me straight to the jump-off. The barangay hall provided a tour guide to accompany me.By the time we started our trek, it started to rain. You heard that right, for the second time I was about to visit this place, it rained on me again, although it was okay for me to get wet since I was gonna take a dip in the spring anyway (Bukal Falls is both a waterfall and spring; “bukal” means spring in the vernacular by the way).The feeling as we walked through the forest which is geographically part of Mt. Banahaw was so surreal. I was the only tourist so the tranquil atmosphere I felt at that time made my trip really memorable.When we reached Bukal Falls, the rain had already stopped. I actually preferred the overcast weather as I didn’t need the sun for my long exposure shots.It was creepy yet magical and breathtaking nevertheless, I thought, the moment this beautiful natural pool of Bukal Falls greeted me. My guide and I were the only souls present. It was so serene and scary at the same time, the complete opposite of what welcomed me during my first visit when the place was overcrowded. Finally, I had the place all to myself.After capturing a few pictures, I asked my guide if he believes in supernatural creatures and if he thinks there are elementals guarding Bukal Falls. He said yes right away. He told me that when we arrived a few minutes ago, he uttered a few words to ask these creatures for permission if we can swim and take pictures of the place.I swam towards the other side where you’ll see a small statue of the Virgin Mary. Boy was the water so cold. My heart was beating so fast as I scrambled up the rock wall for this shot. Someone with a sixth sense like me who has seen Bukal Falls in person would understand why I was so nervous.I swam back and continued listening to my guide’s stories whilst seated on this rock. This is how clear the water is. It may look like it’s shallow because the rocks are visible but this pool is actually deep. The water is freezing cold too. That’s why it has been a perfect getaway near Manila every summer vacation.We stayed for an hour or so before we headed to this portion with a small cascade just right below the natural pool to take more photos.After about thirty minutes, we trekked back to the registration area. We passed by this area and shot a picture first. Even if it there were no sunrays since it was drizzling, the place was still beautiful. By lunch time, I was already aboard the chartered tricycle that would take me back to the bus terminal. It may have been a quick trip but I honestly enjoyed it because I got the place all to myself.
📜✏ Tips/Reminders:
📌This waterfall is also known as Kilangin Falls for locals of Liliw while residents of Majayjay call it Bukal Falls.
📌The trek takes about 30 minutes to 1 hour depending on your pace.
📌Always check the weather first before visiting Bukal Falls. You won’t be able to get near it if the current is too strong. If it’s dangerous for visitors, the barangay officials would close it down until it’s safe for tourists. The trail also gets muddy during rainy season.
📌If pressed for time or if traveling with a group, you may hire a tricycle in Santa Cruz to take you directly to the jump-off.
📌You may contact the tour guides beforehand to ask them if the waterfall is open to the public.
📌The waterfall gets crowded during weekends, holidays and summer vacation.
📌Always observe the LNT principles.
☎ Contacts:
📌Tour Guides:
Kuya Kenneth (09066702372)
Kuya Ernan (09499071611)
📌Tricycle Driver in Santa Cruz: Kuya Anthony (09777880144)
My friend from the travel community had always wanted to check this place out and because it’s worth revisiting, I went back with him to Bukal Falls in 2017.We met up by dawn at McDonald’s Buendia then walked to the bus terminal. I didn’t want to get stuck in the morning rush hour gridlock considering it was a weekday so I asked him if we could leave early.The same tricycle driver who took me to Bukal Falls before picked us up upon reaching the town of Santa Cruz. It may be pricier than taking the public jeepney but at least it was relatively convenient.When we reached the jump-off point, we were again welcomed by the rain. I wasn’t surprised to be honest. I’ve been to this part of Laguna numerous times and the mountains here are always blessed with overcast or wet weather.Luckily, the rain stopped by the time we commenced our trek. Because it was a weekday and we were quite early, there was no one around aside from us.You’re probably wondering why there is no waterfall. The truth is, this place only gets that typical strong cascade of a waterfall during rainy season or after heavy rainshowers.This crystal clear spring makes up for the lack of the mighty waterfall drop. Besides, if the water cascading into this huge basin produces a strong current that poses danger to tourists, the barangay officials will recommend to have the place closed until it is safe for visitors.Intermittent clouds that day gave us the best opportunity to witness Bukal Falls under two weather conditions. The rays of the sun touching the spring’s surface gifted us emerald and sapphire hues perfect for our pictures.The gloomy ambience would then give us the low light conditions we needed for these long exposure shots.Similar to my previous visits, I didn’t miss the chance to enjoy the freezing water of Bukal Falls. Honestly, “ice-cold” is an understatement. But boy was it so refreshing after our trek from the jump-off.I actually imagine the boulders by the wall of this waterfall to be faces of elementals guarding the place. If you look closely, it’s as if there are faces (some with open mouths) covered by verdant moss.Finally! Boy was I so happy when the sun shone upon us, after two attempts to see Bukal Falls under a sunny weather.I could still remember when I asked my guide during my second visit about how they discovered the place. He said he could no longer remember the exact time but he was still young when he and his friends would go here on a random day. The locals living near Mt. Banahaw are the only ones who know about this hidden gem.Prior to the advent of social media, Bukal Falls was seldom visited and there were even instances when the surface of the pool was totally covered with wilted leaves which fell from the trees above (just like in this photo; the slow shutter speed produced the motion blur evident in this picture though since the leaves were moving and being carried by ripples). I imagined how he described it and it gave me an eerie feeling. I probably wouldn’t be swimming here if the whole pool was carpeted with dried leaves.Of course my friend and I didn’t miss the chance to swim to the other side by the rock wall to get some nice shots.An hour or so passed and a few tourists started arriving. After all, Bukal Falls has become a mainstream tourist attraction. Visitors from Metro Manila and nearby provinces have been hearing about this place through the internet. Fortunately, the barangay officials regularly maintain the cleanliness of the place. There are no more pieces of garbage along the trail which I saw during my first visit. Our tour guide said that the barangay staff would clean up once the tourists left. No matter how many times you remind them of the Leave No Trace principles, majority of visitors are still stubborn. They just don’t know how to respect our natural resources. Good thing the LGUs of this place are doing their best to protect the place.We stopped by this cascade below the main pool to take some more pictures before bidding goodbye to Bukal Falls.expectation, n.
We plotted the dates for our trips. But you’ve broken all of your promises which made me realize that the real meaning of promise should be: something that is not kept and should always be broken.
– Riley, The Dictionary of a Lost Traveler
***For other destinations in Laguna and CALABARZON, you may visit this link.
One Comment
Pingback: