Hanging Coffins and the Irony of the Echo Valley - when death meets life in Sagada

Part 6 of the Cordillera Series
The Echo Valley is a small ravine along the highlands near the town center of Sagada. Due to its topography, echoes are enhanced where it make sounds resonate as the valley is shaped like a large megaphone. At the bottom of the valley lies the famous Hanging Coffins of Sagada where our ancestors "bury" the dead by hanging their remains on a cliff with the belief that their loved one's spirit can reach the heavens in a faster way. Today, the valley, in spite of being eerie, reminds us of the irony of death and celebrating life.

Sagada's Lake Danum Sunset

Part 4 of the Cordillera Series
We have been to the best place to greet the sunrise at Sagada which is the Kiltepan peak. How about bidding goodbye to a great day at the Cordilleras? Lake Danum is located along the western part of Sagada near the town of Besao where one can be at peace with the nature as you await the setting sun over the mountains of Ampacao.

Kiltepan Peak of the Sagada - an awesome place to greet the sunrise

Part 3 of the Cordillera Series
The Kiltepan peak is the best area to await for the sunrise in Sagada. Giving you a view of the Kiltepan Rice Terraces from below having standing on a ravine at 1640 meters above sea level, one can see how the sun rises slowly filling up the skies with an awesome play of light over the farther mountains of the Cordilleras while sea of clouds slowly drifts away from caressing the valley below.

Banaue Rice Terraces - a surreal sight of a town 1300 meters above sea level

Part 2 of the Cordillera Series

It is a dream come true. One of the surreal places in the Philippines to be at. Imagine square kilometers of mountains and valley converted by hand by Philippine ancestors to supply the tribe with their staple food even if they live at 1300 meters above sea level. A time when tools and heavy equipment is not yet available yet over the centuries, the functional agricultural masterpiece also became a work of art that the world admires. I have personally been here to fulfill a childhood dream of stepping on and seeing for myself the acclaimed National Culture Treasure of the Ifugao Rice Terraces. I was speechless as I first had a glimpse of it. I got down from our guide's transport and for the first time, I bore witness the Banaue Rice Terraces!

The Scenic Guinahuan Island and Liwan Beach of the Caramoan

Part 2 of the Caramoan Series

The Guinahuan island is one of the island destination on the group of islets north of the Caramoan Peninsula and is one of the farther islands from the docking ports of Barangay Bikal, the usual jump-off for the island hopping itinerary on this peninsula. The island features a wide grassland and rolling hills to where you can trek up to its highest point to where a lighthouse stands and see the view of the islands from above.

Malibiclibic Falls - A Hidden Falls below the grasslands of Cavite

July 27, 2013

Who would know that a waterfalls exists in Cavite which is primarily a flat land to which most agricultural areas are now being developed for residential areas? Well, waterfalls do exist. In fact there are a couple of them. One of them which is intriguing is Malibiclibic Falls. Located at Aguinaldo, Cavite, near the foot of Mt. Mataas na Gulod. Hidden as it is accessible by hiking a steep descent from one of its grasslands.

Palaui Island and the Serene Cape Engano, a mountaineer and a beach bum's Paradise

March 27- 28, 2013

Palaui is an island located just right at the northeastern tip of Luzon. Protected by a Presidential Proclamation as a natural reserve of the country, its resources are maintained and one can expect that here, nature is more supreme than technology. The island features white beaches. forests, rolling mountains not exceeding 300 MASL, and grazelands. Being located at Balintang Channel where the Pacific Ocean meets the West Philippine Sea, the shores and its waves are magnificent.

Pico De Loro Summit 664+MASL Part 2

January 4-5, 2013

It was the first climb for this year and is part 2 of climbing Pico De Loro coming from a failed attempt to scale the summit last August due to the weather. This mountain is an inevitable climb. Being one of the nearest mountains in Metro Manila that offers 360 degrees of beautiful scenery. Every Filipino mountaineer should climb this mountain.

Conquering Mt. Talamitam 630+MASL

December 26, 2012

Our climb to Talamitam is actually a side trip and is unexpected. Talamitam is just about 12 kilometers away from Batulao as we were actually at Mt. Batulao in Nasugbu, Batangas for the second time and the main purpose was to give away donations to the youth of Mt. Batulao. As it happened, then December 26 became a twin day-hike climbing both Batulao and Talamitam.

Conquering Pico De Loro 664+MASL

August 19-20, 2012

Pico De Loro

Another long weekend. It was 24 years ago since I last climbed a mountain. I was 8 years old back then. Having this scar on my lower left leg reminds me of my first ever climb in Mt. Banahaw and since then, my instinct has been telling me to get back to who really I am... to unite with nature and feel the grandeur of setting foot to elevations not meant for a regular man to take foot often and enjoy the peace and fresh air at this altitude. It is the right time to re-unite with the mountains and conquer Mt. Pico De Loro.

Taal Volcano Island (220+MASL)

Taal Volcano Island Trek (220+MASL)

October 27, 2012

Taal Volcano Island

It was late evening of 26th and I was hungry. Almost all establishments where I live is already closed by this time except for some fast food which I was not in the mood to dine at that evening. It was an unexpected road trip until we reached Tagaytay by midnight and thought of having a sip of coffee at Summit Ridge Tagaytay. It was too late though so my wife and I decided to park over at a convenience store in One Tagaytay Place and sleep over inside our vehicle. Suddenly, an idea popped in. Why not trek Taal Volcano as we were already near and besides it has been a childhood dream to go down there. So I took out my laptop and planned over for the trek to this smallest volcano in the world.

Conquering the Malepunyo Mountain Range (1002+MASL)

Malepunyo Mountain Range Climb (1002+MASL)

November 30 - December 2, 2012

The Malepenyo Mountain Range is comprised of two major mountains: The tallest in Batangas, Mt. Malipunyo, standing at a massive 1002MASL which is situated at Lipa city, Batangas and Mt. Manabu (755MASL) at Sto. Tomas, Batangas. Upon knowing that a traverse trail between the two mountains is possible however, seldom trekked. I decided to put an end to this anxiety and decided forward to trace this path.

Mt. Maculot Rockies 705MASL

Mt. Maculot "Rockies" Climb at 705MASL

November 17-18, 2012

 It was Saturday dawn, and I was intrigued by this mountain called Maculot as they say it is one of the fun climbs in Batangas. And it was a regular weekend so I ought to try it just for the heck of it. So we went up to Tagaytay and prepared things over at our usual stay over place at McDonalds Taal Vista. We planned and plotted our trek.

Conquering Mt. Batulao at 811+MASL

November 3, 2012 - Conquering 12 peaks of Mt. Batulao

Coming from a 2-night stay at the cemetery for my departed mom last November 1-2, my wife and I decided to go and climb Mt. Batulao and check out the view from this 811+ MASL summit and grandeur the view around. Being a new climber who haven't tried a night climb ever,  we decided to head to Tagaytay and hang out at Starbucks Summit Ridge for a while and plan ahead our climb with Garmin Basecamp. After checking out the trails and virtualizing the degree of inclination of our climb, we decided that we will go ahead for a Batulao climb. It was already 12AM of November 3 so we decided to sleep for a while in our vehicle while parked at McDonalds - Taal Vista (our favorite temporary sleep-over/stop-over place at Tagaytay).