“Happiness is an Activity”
– ARISTOTLE –
Our country has summer all year-round HAHA, but the months of April and May is when you will feel the extreme heat of summer. To ease the heat, we go to beaches or swimming pools, or some even set up an inflatable pool just to get yourself soaked with water.
If you’re on a tight budget, you want to disconnect from the chaotic city, and you wanted to have a #ChillAdventure for just 2 to 3 hours away from Metro Manila, then this blog is for you!
Definitely, this is a place you will enjoy with the nature and fell in love with the deafening silence and cool breeze of fresh air from the mountains.
I, and my friends, Pat and Novy, supposedly planned to travel to Marinduque for the Holy Week but it did not pan out. So, we decided to do a DIY overnight camping in Tanay Rizal’s famous Tinipak River.
HOW TO GET THERE?
Though Pat has a car, we decided to commute for an ADDED adventure.
- I am from Taguig City and they were just enroute to Rizal, so we had to meet via Marcos Highway. Your option is to take a jeepney from Cubao to Cogeo. However, we had to take a different route since we had to fetch Pat in Antipolo at her home to help her carry our camping food and snacks. It would only cost roughly 40 php for a fare from Cubao to Cogeo. I suggest that you leave early to avoid the traffic via Marcos-Infanta Highway because if you leave during rush hours, it may take you up to four hours going to Cogeo due to heavy traffic.
- Then from Cogeo, you would have to take another jeepney from Cogeo, Terminal which is right in front of the market going to Sampaloc, Tanay Rizal. It would cost 80 php per passenger. This would be more than one hour travel time.
- From Sampaloc Tanay Terminal to Tinipak River Daraitan would be challenging as there is no available jeepney route. So, you would have to take a bumpy tricycle ride which is around 150 pesos per passenger and that’s almost an hour travel to the registration area located at the Barangay Hall of Daraitan.
- Finally, you would take another short tricycle ride for about 10 minutes only and this will surely be very bumpy going to the river which is only for 25 pesos per passenger.
Here’s the fees you would have to pay:
Entrance Fee – 20 php
Registration Fee – 100 php
Overnight Tour Guide Fee – 1250 php
Optional Environmental Fee to Tinipak Cave – 50 php
THINGS TO BRING AND CONSIDER
There are available cabins near the river and the rent per night is 2500 php. So, I suggest bringing your own tent and enjoy the cold breeze with the beautiful symphony of the nature and the river gushing through. Please take note, there’s no power source and the cellphone signal are minimal so save your batteries.
TENT AND SLEEPING BAG
POWERBANKS
INSECT REPELLANT LOTION
FIRST AID KIT
FOOD AND SNACKS
LIGHTER AND CAMPING KNIVES
EXTRA CLOTHES
UMBRELLA
TRAPAL OR TARPAULIN
WATER
CAMPING COOKING AND MEAL SET
POSSIBLE TOTAL EXPENSES
Roundtrip fares – 590 php
Fees – 1420 php (Only if you’re alone but if you have friends with you the guide fee is good for 5 guests. So better look for close friends who love adventures.)
Food – 1000 php (Personally, this is more than enough. Dinner and breakfast with beer to enjoy the night)
Just imagine for less than three thousand pesos, you will have an overnight adventure enjoying the cold and crystal-clear river of Tanay Rizal.
Our night was filled with laughter, stories, and relaxation disconnected from the noise of the city.
We didn’t manage to go to the cave because it was raining in the morning, we decided to leave at 10 AM. But our overnight camping was definitely something we’re looking forward doing again!
Do you want to take a break from the chaotic city? Then, please follow my blogs for more #ChillAdventures.
See you on my next blogs mga ka-Ahon!
Chill Adventures with Joms 