Romblon: An Unexpected Side Trip at Lambingan Falls

By
Claire
Published: July 29, 2010Posted in: Archive, Articles, Philippine Destinations, Romblon
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Boarding the tricycle from Sir Toto's place, where we camped on our first and last night in Magdiwang.

After arriving too late in the day at Sibuyan Island to launch our attempt on Mt Guiting-Guiting, we decided to spend the afternoon cooling off at Lambingan Falls. It is unusual to have some rest and recreation before the hard work but the unexpected glitch on our schedule left us with a lot of free time that day. A side trip to Boracay after the ascent to Mt Guiting Guiting was originally planned during the pre-climb meeting. It is easily accessible from Romblon in just a few hours boat ride. But with just an afternoon to while away, it was the nearby falls in Magdiwang that washed away our disappointment of a postponed climb.

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The falls are just a few minutes of walk from the road.

Lambingan Falls are a beautiful series of cascades in the foothills of Guiting-Guiting, just north of the town of  Magdiwang. Its natural crystal clear pools are good for swimming while its cool and green surroundings are ideal for picnic. They make a good side trip for those attempting Mt Guiting-Guiting, or an excellent way to cool off on a hot day for those in the area.

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The falls are 30 minutes’ trike ride from Magdiwang – we piled 12 people onto a single trike and bounced our way along the dusty road. We paid around 50 pesos each for that ride which I think was a bit pricey considering there were 12 of us in one tricycle. After a short hike up the valley, we came to the first cascade, where a few locals were whiling away the afternoon by the river and leaping into the deep pools from the rocks around the river bank. Apparently, the place is also a popular dating place among lovers. There are small cascades and pools to choose from, some flat boulders to lie on and a forest to explore for the adventurous.

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We continued our hike further upstream and found our very own waterfall and swimming hole in which to amuse ourselves. The guys proceeded to spend the next hour or so frolicking in the cool waters, jumping and sliding off the cliffs into the water and generally having fun. I was dying to join them but due to the monthly inconvenience girls usually have, I opted to amuse myself documenting this interesting display of childishness when big boys get together.  Further exploration upstream revealed yet more cascades/falls and swimming holes – if you’re visiting feel free to explore upstream as far as you dare!

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It was only past 3pm when we started to head back to our base camp. There were still a few locals in the area when we left the pool upstream. On the way down, one of us started picking up some trash and everybody followed suit. The unplanned side trip to the falls became a clean-up drive as well. It was disappointing though to see how much trash we were able to gather in a few minutes in just a small area. It is a nice place that can help boost the tourism in the area. I hope they take care of it more.

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How to get there

Magdiwang can be reached by Montenegro ferry from Batangas (via Romblon). From Magdiwang town catch a trike to the falls (about half an hour).

Magdiwang is also the jump-off point for the standard route to the summit of Mt Guiting-Guiting, one of the most challenging summits in the Philippines. With a population or around 12,000, Magdiwang is most notable for its natural tourist attractions, with many rivers, falls and of course mountains in the area around the town. Be sure to stop off at the DENR office in town to find out more.

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