Since Masungi opened its gates to the public in December of 2015, I've been intrigued by the photos on my social media feeds. Visits are by reservation only, so after two foiled plans of going, I was invited by fellow Mabuhaykers with only two days notice and finally went. Lately, spontaneous has always worked out the best for me, despite my propensity for thorough research and detailed itineraries.
Located in Baras, Rizal, it was just a surprising hour and a half away from my part of the city, even on a Wednesday morning. We left at roughly 6:30 am, and arrived at San Andres, Tanay by 8:30 am -- we had apparently gone past it on the highway for several kilometers at that point. With time to kill until our 12:40 pm tour, we decided to look for Kinabuan Falls, which was said to be nearby.
Entering through the same arch as I did a month ago en route to Mt. Batolusong, we asked around for Kinabuan on Mt. Ibid, but received mixed information. To cut this part of the story short, it turned out it was at least 10 km away from the highway on very rough roads, and the hike a good 14 hours to and from the falls, so we knew it was an adventure for another day. Even the alternative Mt. Maynuba and Mt. Cayabu with its "8 Wonder Falls" would've had us pressed for time, even if it was much closer to where we were.
Idyllic landscapes and cool, crisp air
Crispy Talong & Calamari at Cafe Katerina: delicious food, beautiful view, and golden retrievers
We killed time at Cafe Katerina, a restaurant by the highway further down, and apparently frequented by cross-country bikers. Our al fresco table had a killer view of the mountain ranges, the winding road below, Laguna de Bay in the horizon, and even the windmills of Pililla to the far right. It was cool enough for my companions to sport their jackets and leg warmers.
We were greeted by a friendly Golden Retriever, and as it led me in, I saw that they were a pack of about 6 dogs! Anyone who knows me can guess what happened after that... I played with all of them, except a black retriever, who was chained up, looking moody. The staff warned that he was known to snap at people on "off days." Oh yeah, we were talking about the restaurant, count on me to get sidetracked by dogs. Ate Isay ordered longganisa with garlic rice and a side of crispy eggplant, Kuya Robert got some sort of beef stew, and I got the calamari and crispy talong pictured above. All the food were well seasoned and prepared, with hefty servings good for sharing, and prices ranged between ~P90-200 only. Certain value for money, and I'd definitely eat there again next time.
Photo grabbed from https://elmoresylvan.wordpress.com
I was introduced to the rest of the group when they caught up with us there for lunch, and then we convoyed to Masungi. The entrance to the place is easy to miss with its classy minimalist sign bearing its logo and the words "KM47 Baras, Rizal." From the highway, only a small parking lot is in view; and it's not until you take a short walk down a path past a tower with buzzing power lines that you will see the receiving area. They had tables to gather people for the welcome orientation, shelves for bags and helmets, and clay pots to refill bottles with mineral water. The paths were lined with colorful flowers and marked with sketched wooden signs.
Wild tomatoes by the path that a caretaker gave me to plant
We were assigned a tour guide who took us around the trails and gave a little information about each highlighted area. From the top of my head, she took us through 3 hanging bridges, the famous spiderweb, 3 prominent peaks nicknamed Tatay, Nanay, and Ditse, a small cave with great natural light (yes, good for pictures), and numerous hammocks of different sizes, styles, and shapes. She coordinated with the other guides to ensure well-timed stops at each location.
Labeled as Suotan, loosely translated as pathway or somewhere you can squeeze into
One of several hanging bridges
Could this be the biggest hammock in the world?
Swings inside a hut: unusual but fun
Mosaics that feature some of the endemic animals found in those mountains: this one is the mouse deer
After descending a rope section, it extends to the other side of the forest
I took this from the highest point of Tatay, my companions on the way up
Sunset of a really good day
SaveSave
LOVE the entire project, from its beginnings of stepping up against illegal loggers and miners, to their dedication to the conservation of the environment. Their values really reflect in the guide's opening spiel about respecting everyone and everything in the mountains, which you can hear a snippet of in the short video below. I'd love our hiking guides to say a similar spiel in all the destinations in communities around the country. I wish all people could hear it and live it. LOVE the bathroom facilities, built into the natural rock of the mountains, with amenities like sunscreen, lotion, and mosquito repellant. LOVE the many hammocks, but being a timed visit, we couldn't really stay and lounge in them for very long. LOVE the cleanliness and maintenance of the trails, it's a really good way to ease new hikers into going outdoors. LOVE the included snacks at the end of the hike, so thoughtfully packed under a net; it was like opening a gift to reveal a loaf of bread, lettuce, tuna salad, bananas, and calamansi juice.
LUKEWARM about the cave scented with ylang-ylang, although it did mask the smell of guano that I despise. LUKEWARM about our guide who came late and who, in the end, seemed very irritable toward us (though she told a story about visitors that appreciate the surprise appearances of wild animals that I liked).
Overall, it's a safe and wonderful place to re/introduce nature to city-dwellers, and I highly recommend it to anyone with a couple of free hours -- because really, that's all it takes. A short drive to Rizal and 3-4 hours of walking = breathing fresh air, appreciating birdsong and silence, and burning a few calories in the process.
2. We paid P1,500/person for a group of 7. Accepted group sizes are 7 and 14, no more and no less.
3. Check the weather to dress accordingly. I was in shorts and a tank top, and it was fine; but I can imagine it getting nippier in the rainy season or in our cooler months. Wear comfortable walking shoes or sandals, though I discourage slippers (I don't know if they have official regulations against it). No need to worry about scratches, as the trails have been well-manicured, though for those who want extra protection from stray branches or itchy tree trunks, you may want to wear pants and gloves. They provide helmets, and because the trails weave through the many rock formations, you will really need it. They sanitize them, and in fact, we saw them out drying under the sun after a wash.
4. Must be fit enough to walk up to 4 hours, though there are many resting areas along the way; and rope sections need some sort of upper body strength and good grip.
5. Always be aware of your surroundings, look at where you are going and stepping.
6. Listen to your guides and adhere to their rules. Some photos are not worth stepping (or jumping!) into danger for.
I'd love to hear what you think, and hope to see you out there soon. That's a lot of things done, just in One Day,
It was a Wednesday, and our first full day in Kauai. We planned a hike around the Waimea Canyon, and then have a peek at the Kalalau cliffs, one of the most beautiful and remote areas on the island. We knew we couldn't attempt to hike the latter trail, because it spans 11 miles and usually requires overnight camping; but we wanted to have a glimpse of it anyway.
The red, cream, and green layers of the Waimea Canyon
We had gone around the Kōke'e trails of Waimea, having gone as far as the Waipoo Falls, and were back on the road by 2:30 in the afternoon. By the time we got to the Kalalau Lookout though, the day had turned foggy and the entire range was covered by a sheet of white. For a tourist spot, there were hardly any people, possibly discouraged by the obscured view. Luckily, we met David, a quirky man sitting on a mat in the middle of the lookout, selling his own photographs of Hawaii and making bracelets, earrings, and necklaces from local seeds and stones. Aside from making good conversation (and entertaining us by sounding like Crush from Finding Nemo,) he tipped us off on an unofficial trail that may take us below the clouds, where we could hopefully see the Kalalau landscape. He vaguely pointed at a hedge to the side, and told us to try to be back before sundown.
David with his favorite whale photo
Did this mean it was forbidden?
The Kalepa Ridge Trail started beyond a padlocked chain-link fence, torn from its post, leaving a gaping hole just big enough for me to crouch through. It had very narrow paths, some did not appear well-trodden and led to drops. For most of the hike, we were walking along the edges of the cliff, keeping our weight toward the mountain to avoid falling off. Like many of the trails in Hawai'i, the vegetation was lush and varied, from fern, to wheat, and other shrubs I couldn't identify (and David said he knew of other 'happy weeds' that grew there, if you catch my drift.)
I could just about fit, and some of the barren branches kept snagging on my pants
The only trail where I saw wheat (?) growing in the mountains
On some parts of the trail, that excess brown earth was absent, so we were literally walking on the edge
My favorite part was when we suddenly found ourselves in an enclave of trees. The sun was just peeking through the canopy of foliage, bending outward and forming the most glorious halo. Coupled with the thick, white fog, it reminded me of those enchanted forests I used to read about in fairytales. We took a breather, as we had probably been walking for half an hour at that point, and only continued on after trying to capture the scenery many times on our phones' cameras. We went for a couple more kilometers, until we decided to turn back because it didn't appear that the clouds would thin; and since the trail was somewhat perilous, we didn't want to risk running out of sunlight.
Ethereal
When we were back at the lookout, I realized I had misplaced the sunglasses I borrowed from my friend, and I quickly recalled removing them to take a jump shot somewhere at the far end of the trail.
On principle, I volunteered to go back and get them on my own. I ran. I was doing good time, and had reached the beautiful clearing in less than 10 minutes, when two women emerged from the other end of the path. I don't normally make small talk, and I'm very awkward with strangers; so I surprised myself when I spurted, "This is my second time on this trail today, because I left my friend's sunglasses somewhere up ahead." They both smiled at me, then glanced somewhat incredulously at each other, and one of them said, "That's so funny..." while she reached back and pulled the very sunglasses from her pack. She said they picked it up thinking one of their friends had left it, as they frequent the place. We made our introductions, while gushing at the small twist of fate that saved me from searching pointlessly for the shades that were already in their possession. Considering how fast I was running along the trail, I could've easily zipped past them without making any contact; but I stopped and uncharacteristically initiated a chat and got the best ending I never would have expected. After thanking them profusely, I ran back to my friends, excited to tell them what just happened. I found them on the lawn, practicing some acroyoga, and they were surprised that I was back so quickly. I told them about the small miracle that just happened, and it made for a great story. Some time later, the two women stepped out of the fence, allowing me to introduce them to my friends. Turns out, they practiced acroyoga themselves, and we got to play with them before we parted ways.
Snow and Jen
Downward Dog Stack
It may seem like a small thing to some, but it was so significant to me because there was undeniably providence at work in those moments. Maybe we don't need to wait for miracles to happen to us, maybe we can make everyday miracles happen when we follow our instincts, do things out of our comfort zone, are thoughtful of others, and make new connections. Those were the things that turned a seemingly innocent, chance meeting into an extraordinary event. May you fill your week with miracles! One of the angels I met that day was Snow, and she is the founder of this great wellness movement called Wild Women's Way.
