Aug 10, 2013 Tanay Rizal
After our ocular visit in San Idefonso Church in Tanay Rizal, we bought this Binahog for our Lunch (A rice with Toppings) amounting to 15 pesos, Banana-Q for our snack amounting to 15 pesos and after that we went ahead to Daranak Falls.Daranak Falls is a government-owned park and part of the Laguna watershed. It is a waterfall that considered as Tanay’s Tourist Spot. Daranak falls is a famous summer getaway for locals, neighboring towns and ocular visit for travel bloggers.
How to get there?
Stairway to the Picnic Tables
From Manila you need to take a Jeepney or FX bound to Tanay. Terminal is located at Shaw Blvd near MRT Station infront of Starmall. Transportation is continuous that runs one hour. From the Market you can take a tricycle to Daranak Falls. Just be tactful in dealing with the tricycle drivers because opportunistic drivers will offer expensive price.Daranak falls is located in Brgy. Sampaloc, Tanay, Rizal, a few minutes from Tanay market.
If you are going by private vehicle, just follow the road going to Laguna from Antipolo. At the Daranak-Tanay junction (see waypoint), turn left and head straight uphill. You will see a sign "To Daranak Falls" at the left side of the road. You have to turn left here. It's hard to miss since there are several fruit stands on both sides of the road which sell fruits in season. Once you have turned left, just go straight, passing by several farms of poultry and hog which you will notice by the smell. Check your brakes as you will pass by rocky steep roads.
Here is the MAP:
You will arrive at the parking area of Daranak at the end of this road.
What to expect?
You have to pay for parking amounting to PHP40 (but the woman told/disclaimed me at the counter, parking lot has nothing to do with Daranak Management, so meaning it is a Kotong. ), entrance fee about P20/person and cottages about P350 for a small one.
What we did was we pay the parking for our transportation service, and the Entrance fee. Then the security guard checked our belongings for security purposes, deadly weapon is not allowed inside. Then we proceed to a bridge, this bridge connects from the entrance to the other side of the river where in waterfall is located. At the bridge, you will notice lot of masterpieces of Rocks Balancing.
How we ate our Lunch?
Cottages are scattered around, but we were not renting. We just ate our lunch in one picnic cottage quickly so that no one will notice us or else we need to pay for the rent. It was very exciting, at first we were hesitant to occupy the table but my co travelers were very convincing. “Ok guys, kakain lang tayo ng mabilis, di yan mahahalata” Irene said. So we get our Binahog and eat with bare hands (don’t worry we washed our hands) and then we proceed to the waterfall for picture taking.
A short talk with a Life Guard
Unfortunately, the color of the falls was not clear due to the strong current of the water because the night before we went there was raining heavily (no one was allowed to swim). I interviewed one of the life guards; they (all the employees) were paid by the Municipality of Tanay . As per to the life guard, Daranak is came from the word “Danak” which means during revolution a bloody war was happened within the proximity of the location.
At the Top of the Falls
Two Life Guards
We went ahead to Batlag falls which is near Daranak falls located at upper part; however the entrance fee is PHP 100 so we are very frustrated that time. We decided not to go there, the reason of expensive entrance because it is now maintained by private sector.
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