Tibag Falls – Bacungan, Puerto Princesa City, Palawan

How to get there

The sunrise at Sitio San Carlos, Bacungan

Last Saturday, with the fiery sunrise on our right and the full moon on our left – literally, while Ma’am Lyca and Meagan hitched with the construction company delivery truck, which they had so much fun, Ate Ems and I drove to Bacungan Bridge, almost 500 meters from Kilometer 23, north of Puerto Princesa City. The jump-off point for chasing this instantly famous and confusing water falls can be easily reached for 30-45 minutes from the city proper via van, bus, motorcycle and private vehicles for 20 to 50 pesos. The earliest bus, San Isidro, leaves from San Jose Terminal at 6: 00 AM.

When to Visit

Along the way

The earlier the better. Aside from the fact that you’ll catch a magnificent sunrise over Sitio San Carlos and the mother earth is so much more beautiful in the morning, it is better to visit these (either Tibag or White Castle) falls in a clear sunny morning from 6: 00 am to 12:00 noon. Yes, it’s a bit chilly, but the dews clinging to the wild rich vegetation and the sound of the birds chirping along the way are worth it. Morning visit will also give you a sense of exclusivity to the trek and the cascades itself. We enjoyed our visit the most because it’s just eight of us up there, enjoying the verdant mountains as the fog slowly cleared. By 10:00 AM, with the happy hearts, when we decided to start our descent, almost 50 trekkers suddenly arrived. We also met almost 30 late comers along the way, some with multi-coloured bruises on their knees – don’t brave biking. It is also so much better to visit this with a guide. You can contact Cris, my cousin (haha, I know), at 09469835459, he’s available on weekends.

What to wear and what to bring

Protected. If you don’t want to have scratches all over your legs and arms, I advise that you wear long sleeves and baggy comfortable pants during the trek – you can take it off when you arrive. It’s also up to you to wear slippers or easy-dry hiking shoes.

Muddy soles. Happy trekkers.

Covered. Pack light and only bring what’s needed. You will need a liter of drinking water, snacks, pack lunch, extra clothes and camera. Of course, bring a friend who’ll help you up when you slip – boyfriend and beer not needed, Bes.

The trek

I slipped once, gracefully I must say(haha), ask ate Ems. The trek, though with an average difficulty level for a regular walker like us, is slippery, especially the last 45 minutes as you approach the final cascade.

The trek will start at the first of three river crossing. You have an option of taking the bamboo bridge or just to enjoy the shallow cool water below. Ragged feeder road crossing along the ultramafic forest will lead you the next river. There, the larger road to the left will take you to White Castle Falls, I heard that they have an entrance fee of 50.00, while the smaller path to the right will take you to Tibag Falls. From there, you will take another hour of hike into a newly paved narrower path along the brooks passable by one person at a time – this, my friend, needs patience.

Just to warn you, there is a barbed wire in a forested area of the trek in the last 45 minutes of the hike. Watch out! It almost ripped my mole.

The reward

Ma’am Lyca, enjoyng the water.

We got your back, Chris!

Meagan, looking pretty as ever.

The fruit of the labor. After two hours of walk, five inquiry about how close it is, and with your sweat, mud(which we had a really hard time of brushing off) and water droplets covering your nearly exhausted sexier bodies, you will be rewarded by a hundred meter high cascade, citation needed. If you think this is over, no. To enjoy the best part, you will have to climb a good 50 meters, kinda slippery and kakanerbyos rock to get to the middle of the falls where you can take amazing pictures and have a free back massage in the torrents and relax at the sound of the water battling with the rocks.

Up and up!

Ate Ems and I, thanks to our newly acquired bravery from the best Meagan ever, climbed the top waterfall. If you want to try it too, you can take the rightmost portion of the rock formation for easier and safer climb. There, you can shout your shits and no one will hear, you can talk about forgetting the past and your plans for the future and no one will judge or you can just sit and realize how blessed you are to witness how beautiful our Puerto Princesa City is and hope that the next generation can see also it too.

I know.

Ate Ems and I

Cleaning is caring

Bes, please, clean, as go and pick the litters along the way even though it’s not yours.