Taking a mini-break from Hanoi posts (because I’m practically drowning in a sea of photos from that trip and I need some air!) to talk about this brief visit to the famed Masungi Georeserve, located alllll the way in Baras, Rizal.
This visit was booked months in advance. I vaguely remember it was the month of July (2016) when we were looking for places to visit during the long weekend of August, and this came up. However, it turned out that those dates are blacked out and there are no slots available. So the reservation was made for the first weekend of December instead.
Yep, there was at least a 4-month wait. 🙂 I actually wondered if it’ll go through, even if we made downpayments and all, because it was fresh from the heels of our waterfalls-chasing adventure in northern Mindanao during the last week of November.
But, yay, it finally happened! December 2, 2016! I actually posted about my yearend climb in Mt. Binacayan, also in the province of Rizal, over here.This visit to the Masungi Georeserve was actually the day BEFORE that climb.
So let’s start, shall we?
(Disclaimer: Photos taken by me and by Mark. Credits on the photos.)
The Masungi Georeserve
Masungi Georeserve is located in Km. 47, Baras, Rizal, and our 14-strong contingent (naks!) set off from Baguio City at a little past midnight, had a very early breakfast somewhere before Rizal at around 5am, and finally arrived at the Georeserve at a little after 6am.
Our reservation, by the way, was for 8:00 am, but we decided to be there as early as we can.
Masungi Georeserve is a geopark described as a “conservation area and a rustic rock garden tucked in the rainforests of Rizal”. Since visiting Mt. Daraitan and Tinipak River several months back, I have come to appreciate the limestone-ridden landscape of Rizal, and I felt that was very much apparent in this geopark. In fact, the name “masungi”, which is loosely derived from the word “masungki”, was by virtue of the spiky terrain created by those spiked limestone outcroppings.
Masungi is designed following the “geopark model” set by the UNESCO. Accordingly, UNESCO Global Geoparks are “single, unified geographical areas where sites and landscapes of international geological significance are managed with a holistic concept of protection, education & sustainable development.
Two examples of these Global Geoparks that Masungi is based on are the Langkawi Geopark in Malaysia and the Moher Cliffs Geopark in the United Kingdom.
From the Silungan to the Discovery Trail…
There were several groups already there, also reserved for that day. So, yeah, no walk-ins here. We were made to wait at their waiting area, aptly called “Silungan”, since they were basically shaded areas with tables and chairs. We were handed out helmets, given time to munch on some light snacks (because only water and some light snacks are allowed to be brought on the trail), and do our business at the restrooms.
We also had a little orientation/briefing about the place, the rules, and then we met our guide, who will…err, guide us through the trail. 🙂 (Egard, I wish I remember the name of our tiny slip of a lady guide~ She’s so thiiiiin but very limber and capable when navigating the trail with us.)
At 7:30, the staff decided we can proceed, even if our booking was not until 8am yet. We were already assembled anyway, so why wait?
From the get-go, you’ll be going up a rocky trail. No worries, though, because the trail is stable and solid, and clearly the management did that on purpose to ensure the safety of visitors. It’s a bit of an incline, though, so first-timers at any physical activity (much less hiking) might feel slightly winded. Heck, we just came from a 6-hour night trip, and no warm-up whatsoever, so some of us were breathing hard 10 minutes into the walk!
From various readings prior to the trip, many were mentioned about several rappelling stops on the trail. This was the first of them. The guide had us climb up two at a time, so having a designated buddy from the beginning of the hike was recommended.
The ropes look flimsy, but they’re anything but. They were actually pretty solid and could carry your weight well. Your only concern would be to make sure your foot don’t slip in between, coz that would be paaaaaiiinnfulllll. Ya get what I’m sayin’, boys and girls?
The trail mostly consisted of well-laid stone paths, with some parts requiring you to slip under and through rocks. If you’re claustrophobic, you might want to take that into consideration. It’s not really all enclosed space, though, so there’s that.
Caught in the Sapot
Around 25 minutes since starting the hike, we arrived at what must be the most photographed and talked-about-online spot in the Georeserve, the Sapot.
The Sapot, or “web” is a viewing platform in the shape and design of a spider web. It affords you a 360-degree view of the Laguna de Bay and the Sierra Madre Mountain Range on a very clear day. It was a bit cloudy when we were there, so no Bay sighting. And we only saw a vague outline of a mountain range, which just might be the Sierra Madre, but I couldn’t be sure.
It is made of steel cables interwoven to resemble a web, and it might look flimsy from afar, but it can carry the weight of a large group of people.
I can understand the hesitation of some to step on it and go to the middle, because just look at the jutting rocks down below to “catch” you when the web snaps beneath your feet.
But no, apparently that is not something to be worried about, because our guide assured us it is completely safe.
…unless you are careless and you trip, of course. Or your feet are too small they’d slip through the gaps.
If you’ve had your fair share of walking on the many hanging bridges in Benguet and the Cordilleras, this’d be a doozy.
We were given ample time to take photos, group or solo shots. I guess this is partly the reason why they spaced out the start times of the different groups, so there would be no queueing in the sweetest photo spots. We basically hung around for as long as we can, until we spotted another group arriving, and then we moved on.
This is us awaiting our turn as the others had their solo photos taken on the Sapot.
I suppose if you want to hog the camera and have dozens and dozens of photos on the Sapot, using all possible poses, then you’d better go here with just one or two people.
…..But where’s the fun in that? Imagine how un-“groupy” your group shot would be. But that’s just my opinion. To each his own.
Shamelessly leeching this shot taken by Mark. Mwahaha.
One Step at a Time…
As I mentioned earlier, we only left the Sapot when it was clear that we had company. The trail held more surprises, and seeing how they have been painstakingly laid out made me think that a lot of thought and care went into every detail of the design of this geopark. The best part is that they were able to do it without making them look out of place in this particular setting.
Which is the point of geotourism, when you think about it. They developed it without taking away from it. They basically worked with what they had, so the overall effect was not as jarring as one would expect in a scenario where man attempts to “improve” on nature.
Our guide pointed this limestone outcropping from afar. If you go to the website of Masungi Georeserve, or seen leaflets or brochures of it, the shape might look familiar. That’s because this is what’s on the logo of this geopark.
I’d have to say the design of the trail is very beginner-hiker-friendly. There are stops that seemed to have been put there in order to allow you to catch your breath. Sit around for a bit, chat and hang out. (Pretend something in particular fascinates you when, in truth, you’re waiting for your heartbeat to slow down.) XDD
Off to Meet Tatay
The Georeserve has two tall peaks: Tatay and Nanay. Tatay, or “father” is the taller of the two. What makes them fascinating is how, from afar, they just seem like several limestone rocks piled on top of one another.
And no, man had no hand in making them look that way. It was nature and Creation at work, and aren’t we glad we’re seeing it firsthand!
The climb to the peak of Tatay is definitely much steeper, which is why our guide had us sit down for a bit in a resting area so we can prime ourselves.
I remember it being very windy up top when we arrived at the peak. And if you have extreme fear of heights, this is probably not the best place to hang out for long. Granted, there were rails around, but I’ll be honest and admit that, when we got back down, my knees were shaky as all get out.
On the other hand, there is that sense of freedom when you’re seated on the ledge. I tried it too, but only for a scant minute, since the wind was so strong I had visions of it pushing me over the edge.
Tatay is the tallest peak in the entire geopark, which means you can also get a 360-degree view of the reserve. There is Nanay over there, the other tall peak in the reserve, and from this vantage point, Nanay looks like just two rocks standing side by side on top of a larger rock. And they look like they’re about to fall off, too.
Spending Time at Patak & Ditse
“Ditse” means “older sister”, or the more quaint and shall we say traditional term for “ate”. It is the name of the area in the geopark with a cactus garden and an air house shaped like a drop (or “patak”) of water.
The cacti were all over the sides of the trail and I barely gave them notice since my eyes were drawn on the air house.
In order to get to Patak, you have to cross a bridge. But since you just trudged through a trail of packed dirt, soil and mud, yo are required to brush and wash them off first. Good thing they have this area and the tools specifically for that purpose.
Once the guide is satisfied that the soles of your footwear are clear of dirt, you can cross the bridge to get to Patak.
If you get out of Patak on the other side, there is another bridge that will lead you to a set of webbed ropes that you, again, have to climb. It’s exhilarating when you get to the top, because of its sheer height but, you know what? That’s not the best part of this area. It is what comes after leaving Ditse through that rock.
Relaxing at the Duyan
….Aaaaand we’ve come to what is definitely my favorite area in the Masungi Georeserve. Yes, even more than the Sapot.
It is the Duyan, or the “cradle”.
But wait, to get there, you have to climb down another woven rope ladder. By this time, we already got the hang of this. In fact, there was zero hesitation when we started our descent, especially after getting a glimpse of what awaits us down below.
And what awaits us is this long stretch of woven ropes, which is shaped exactly like a cradle. A long cable stretches high above, with ropes hanging down for you to, well, hang on.
Now that sounds like a plausible plan, and it worked for the first few steps. But I think the designers of this place were tall, and did not expect “space-efficient” people like me to be crossing the Duyan. So, yes, somewhere close to the middle, I just gave up trying to hang on the ropes and relied on my feet and shaky knees to take me further in the middle.
The heat of the sun was bearing down on us, but that did not stop us from plonking down on the Duyan and just stretch out our legs, lie back, relax…
Oh, and take lots of photos. Our guide was even nice enough to take a few shots of all of us together.
I think we spent a good 20 minutes here; only when we heard the next group coming closer at the Ditse did we get up and left the Duyan.
Leaving it requires going down this steep angle. Good thing the rope was low enough for my “kind” to hang on to while going down.
Inside “Yungib ni Ruben”
There’s a stopover once you leave the Duyan. It’s the “Yungib ni Ruben“, or “Ruben’s Cave”.
According to the guide, it was named such because the place was discovered by a worker in the park named Ruben, and he’s also the one taking care of it. We didn’t get to meet him that time, though.
It’s actually quite shallow. You enter through a narrow doorway between the rocks, and you’ll find yourself in a space with a high ceiling, and a concrete bowl of water in the middle, with water dripping somewhere from above. There were lots of coins in the water, which meant many actually wished on this tiny pool.
There was another separate area that you can crawl into, which we did, but it wasn’t substantial enough to spend more than 5 or even 3 minutes in.
It’s a good place to get some respite from the heat outside though, coz it’s somewhat cool, although I can imagine it getting really humid inside.
In The Loving Arms of Nanay
Finally, we’ve come to “Nanay” or “mother”. It was wider than the peak of Tatay, and there were more “facilities” built in, such as bridges and rails, and there are even hammocks behind the rocks where you can lie down on.
From here, you can see Tatay in the distance.
Just like in Tatay, the wind here was fierce, and I tried taking a video but only heard mostly the sound of the wind. You have to practically hold on to your hats because they just might be whipped away by the wind.
Nanay was the final “leg” of the hike through Masungi. We then crossed another bridge that led us to the Liwasan, or “park”, which is basically a rock garden with a large airy building where the geopark’s staff will serve some snacks and refreshment (part of the admission fee to the park).
You can rest here for a while, wash up, freshen up, do whatever you think needs to be restored after the thrilling hike.
We left Masungi Georeserve at close to 1pm already. So it took close to 4 hours to cover the entire trail. All in all, it was a very fulfilling visit, and an adventure that is definitely worth the long wait!
Sending a shout-out to my designated buddy during the hike, Hamster 1 to my Hamster 2 (or Hamster 2 to my Hamster 1, that works, too), HAZEL! We didn’t plan on the color-coding, we swear~!
How To Visit Masungi Georeserve
A visit to Masungi Georeserve is by request, which means you have to make reservations. They limit the number of visitors in a day, and a minimum of 7 people and maximum of 14 people in one group. You can request a visit here.
I feel so blessed knowing people who are dedicated enough to actually arrange and organize everything, so the only things that the rest of us have to do is “pay up and show up”. Yeaaah~!! *fistpump*
This place is so popular that you’re probably going to find the next available weekend slot several months from now. I remember some of my friends at work trying to book a weekend visit during the second week of December, and the next open weekend slot was sometime mid-March already. I think the schedules are more forgiving during weekdays, though.
Rates as of January 1, 2017:
For groups of 7-14 people:
– Php 1,500 per person (if on a weekday)
– Php 1,800 per person (if on a weekend)
For groups less than 7 people, the total amount for the minimum people in a group will still be paid. This means that, if there are only 4 of you in the group and you are going on a weekend, each of you will pay Php 3,150. That’s Php 12,600 (7 people x Php 1,850) divided by 4 people. Quite pricey, especially if you’re on a budget. So it’d be best to get 6 others with you in the group.
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