Day Hike: Mt. Balagbag in Rodriguez, Rizal

One day I might just change my blog name to Kikay Hiker. But for now, I'll share with you the third mountain I've climbed, which is Mt. Balagbag located in Rodriguez, Rizal.

For our trip, we rented a private van for our group of 11. Travel time from Quezon City to Rizal was 2 hours.

Mt. Balagbag is part of the Sierra Madre mountain range, and its elevation gives us an overview of Ortigas and parts of Metro Manila. Helipad, known as the highest point of Mt. Balagbag, is 777+ Meters Above Sea Level (MASL) and has a difficulty of 2/9. Perfect for beginners and those that want an easy hike! No guide is required if you're not going to the parts where the waterfalls are.

We were dropped off at the end of the Licao-Licao junction. From there, we can either have a 30-minute uphill trek to Sitio Balagbag where we register our names for the hike or take a 20-minute bumpy tricycle ride for P30/person. We chose to ride the tricycle. :D

The trail, from the jump-off point until the summit, were paved with little rocks that made our hike relatively easy. It's my first time to hike without having to touch rocks, walls, roots, and tree branches. (Hooray clean hands!) The view was beautiful and peaceful all throughout the trail. (Mukhang harvest season.)

The trail was just basically a long walkathon, but the ground gets slippery whenever it rains so you have to be extra careful.

I just had to include this perfect picture of a chicken we saw during the hike. Hello, future dinner!

The weather kept changing throughout our hike. Sunny-rainy-sunny again in just a matter of minutes. But my favorite moment of the trip was when I saw this rainbow. In Genesis 9:13, God said: "I have set my rainbow in the clouds, and it will be the sign of the covenant between me and the earth." The rainbow is God's promise to us that never again will there be a flood to destroy the earth.

The trail is easy and wide, and along the way we saw a couple of mountain bikers. The only difficulty here is probably the sun exposure during summer, since there are barely any trees to shade you from the heat of the sun (especially during summer).

Here's our group shot at the Helipad! It was named as such because it covers a wide area and has a flat surface that actually resembles a helipad. On this part of the summit, you can relax, eat your packed lunch, and even pitch quite a number of tents for camping. The view behind wasn't so visible because it was raining for quite a long time! (Note to self: Next time bring a raincoat.) I had fun hiking with Cindy (it was my sister's first time to hike!), Niko, Spence, Tope, Gen, Angela, Desi, Gerry, Linx, and Mimi! Until our next trip! :D

And when the rain stopped and the clouds disappeared, the view from the summit was beautiful and so majestic. I feel really happy when I go on nature trips since I get to bask in the glory of God's creation. I won't take back what I said before. I'd rather go hiking than buy a new dress! :D

This trip was brought to you by #TopeTravelandTours.

Love,

Helen

Photo Credits: Christopher Chan, Genevieve Go, and Fang Mi Shen.
Photos may not have watermarks, but you may not use them without permission.

Day Trip: Wawa Dam at Montalban, Rizal

Lucky Citrine travels once more. My latest trip reminded me that you don't really have to search far and wide to find spectacular sights, and that you can have fun and enjoy nature, even on a tight budget!

Since this day trip happened was a Sunday, most of us met up at church first to attend the worship service, then proceeded to Farmer's Plaza, Cubao to meet up with the rest of the group. We rode an FX going to Montalban, Rizal (P50.00), and after that another tricycle (P15.00/pax) to get to Wawa Dam. The trip took just about 1-1.5 hours, but we barely noticed the time as we were all busy chatting in transit. Entrance fee to Wawa Dam is FREE, but you have to drop by their tourism office first to register. You may opt to rent cottages, rafts and hire a tour guide for Wawa Dam or the nearby Pamitinan Cave.

Wawa Dam is constructed over the Marikina River in Rizal. It has been around since 1909 (during the American colonial era), and it used to provide for the water needs for Metro Manila. Angat Dam was built and Wawa was eventually abandoned.

Wawa Dam

For something that's been abandoned, it sure is beautiful.

Now I think it's considered more of a tourist spot where you can swim, ride a bamboo raft, or hike.

Before getting to the mini-waterfalls, we had a short trek along the partly grassy, partly rocky fields. (This trek is optional, and it took us about an hour to finish.) Here, we saw a lot of makahiya (plants that are sensitive to touch, wherein the leaves would close temporarily when touched) and beautiful creatures such as blue spiders and red dragonflies.

The trail wasn't really steep, but what made it challenging is that it's slippery. We would cross small ponds with running water that came from the waterfall (which looked clean, much to my delight and relief) and hike up wet rocks. It even rained, but thankfully not too hard or else we'd all go tumblin' down the hill (or rocks). I'm thankful that our group was very supportive of each other, always lending a helping hand and making sure no one gets left behind.

Pardon my hand pose, as an insect was buzzing near my ear! Akala niya cave, so I had to cover it. This one's our only complete group shot. Hello Tim, Tope, Gen, Kath, Gilly, Benny, and Tiff! :D

A trip wouldn't be complete without a signature taas kamay and paa pose with Benny!

Going on simple nature trips like this gives me time to reflect and thank God on how beautiful His creations are. Here, it's peaceful and serene. Life is simple. When I look at the mountains, I think of the even bigger, majestic God who has created it. Being in the great outdoors made me realize that there is more to life than being cooped up in the confines of your office or the comforts of your home. There's so much beauty out there waiting to be discovered.

This trip was brought to you by #TopeTravelandTours.

Love,

Helen

Photo Credits: Helen Blas, Christopher Chan, and Genevieve Go

Photos may not have watermarks, but you may not use them without permission.