Tangadan Falls, San Gabriel La Union

Tangadan Falls

The sweetest view of Tangadan Falls. A glimpse of Mother Earth’s beauty. z

This is a sure adventure trip, a perfect- summer get-away from Tangadan Falls at San Gabriel, La Union. One of my most unforgettable experience. It is my first time to go to Tangadan Falls and to swim to this waterfall.

We traveled a long journey to get to Tangadan Falls; it almost took us more than 2 hours to get there. We were walking, and climbing in the mountains, we even crossed the river and crawl through the big rocks just to get there. First, we rode a jeep going to San Gabriel at the San Fernando City market near the HBC outlet, then we stop at San Gabriel market then we rode a tricycle again. The tricycle driver even gave us some tips to be careful on our way because the path is slippery due to the heavy rainfall yesterday. The driver also advised us to offer some coins first before swimming in the water. He said that we should throw any coins or even a 50 centavo coin first before swimming as an offertory because the driver said that every year the water falls takes a life, last year a boy was found dead at the falls. Is it a fiction or a myth? Well, I don’t know but hearing the story makes me shiver.

Before we reach the falls we crawled a lot of big slippery rocks, sloppy mountains, trees, and we even crossed the river.

That is our tour Guide who were watching us a.k.a. ‘Moses’ the one standing on the right with the blue bag. Without our tour guide Moses we should have been lost. He was the one guiding us, and helping us cross the narrow and slippery pathways. I almost lost my balanced here after going down that big slippery rock.

I almost fell down here, I got so many scrapes and bruises after. Imagine you have to cross that very narrow pathway or else you will fall. The path was scary, you have to be very careful or else mahuhulog ka and baka umuwi ka ng bali bali ang buto sa katawan. (Ang galing kong gumapang, halos gumagapang na ko wag lang talaga ako mahulog.)

I will give you some tips if you are planning to go on hiking. First, things first of course you need a Jug of water, to clenched your thirst, dahil talagang nakakauhaw mag hiking. You will need a Jug of water and foods to eat. Bring also an umbrella or a hat. Don’t forget also to bring your medicine kit, your alcohol, cotton, band aid and beta dine. In case, there’s an emergency if you got bruises while hiking. It’s better also if mas maraming boys instead of girls dahil based on our experienced nahirapan kami because mas maraming girls kesa sa boys so walang mga taga buhat and taga alalay sayo kapag hindi ka maka akyat.

It is also important to bring with you an extra tsinelas. Naalala ko tuloy si MJ dahil naghiking siya ng naka bare foot imagine that! Kaya mo ba yun? Ikaw na ang mag hiking ng naka paa-paa..ikaw na ang dumaan sa mga lupa, at sa mga bato ng naka paa paa. Sa kamalasan ba naman kasi na taon pang napigtas tsinelas nya. So it is better to bring with you an extra pair of sandals in case of emergency.

Picture taking muna pampawala ng pagod =)

We take a rest for awhile because we’re very much tired. Naligo na kami sa pawis di pa rin namin nararating ang falls.

After a hundred years narating din naming ang Falls! Ang saya grabe lalo na nang makita na namin ang falls nakakawala ng pagod pero yung gutom hindi HAHAHA! So we ate first our lunch before we swim kasi naubusan na talaga kami ng energy. Kelangan Boy Scout and Girl Scout ka dito, naglatag lang kami ng banig then we ate heartily. Itadakimasu!

Picture taking muna bago maligo =)

The water coming from the falls is so cold so instead of wearing my one piece bikini I end up using my T-shirt then dahil talagang hindi mo kakayanin yung lamig ng tubig. It was like your swimming from ice cold water. Actually I really didn’t enjoy swimming kasi ang lamig po sobra nung water coming from the mountains. So parang nag tampisaw lang ako. And specially, takot ko lang lumangoy kasi sobrang lalim kaya, I dun no how to swim and takot ko lang mamatay noh. Marami kayang namamatay sa falls dahil wala namang life guard dito and I don’t want to die here. I still want to enjoy life.

And mas lalong dumagdag sa takot ko toh. After seeing this dead snake makes me shiver. Mas lalo akong natakot lumangoy because every time sisid ako na-iimagine ko na may snake sa loob ng water. Feeling ko anytime may tutuklaw sakin underneath, so hindi ako masyado lumangoy. Takot ko lang matuklaw ng ahas. But of course sino ba naman ang gustong matuklaw diba? baka hindi pa ko umabot ng buhay pag labas namin sa falls sa haba ng lalakbayin. Hindi din talaga safe kasi may mga nagkalat talaga na ahas sa kagubatan at sa falls.

Back then, I promised to myself that this will be my first and last time to go here. Andami namin hirap na dinanas marating lang ang falls. Halos maiyak na ko on our way sa hirap kong umakyat, sa sobrang pagod. Maliligo ka sa pawis bago mo marating ang Tangadan Falls. Andami mong aakyatin at gagapangin. But I will never forget this place, A scenic view of Mother Nature.

Captured Moments

I’ve learned so many things during our trip to Tangadan. I’ve learned that it’s better to wear a ¾’s because as you can see at the pictures I was wearing shorts so the insects were biting my legs. (You should apply Off Lotion then.) And it’s better to wear a rubber shoes when hiking than sandals. But you should still bring tsinelas because you will need that when you crossed the water dam and the river.
Recommend?
It’s a big YES! Even if it’s so hard to get here at least you can proudly say to yourself “I Survived Tangadan Falls!” at least you have tried and you survived. =)