lake sebu: tasiman vistas

cool stream in Sitio Sepaka

I was finally able to get to Brgy. Tasiman the last time I went to Lake Sebu. Its a remote barangay perched on the mountains on the northern side of the lake. Tasiman offers a unique view of the lake side town below but few tourists ever venture there, probably for security reasons (the fact that its remote and its in Mindanao is enough to scare most, although I personally think its one of the peaceful places I've been to). Most would be contented in staying at the resorts and visiting the nearby 7 Falls or Lake Seloton.

We followed the snaking road going Tasiman after a hearty lunch in a T'boli home. The road is rough and the stones are loose. Good thing we were on a pickup truck. I could image how bad the road could get during the rainy season while you are riding on a motorcycle (the most common form of transportation there, locally called habal-habal).

Our first stop is Sitio Sepaka, known (well at least locally) for its cool streams. From an obscure fork there is a shaded foot trail leading to the side of a hill.

shaded foot trail

The trail opens into a small clearing carpeted with carabao grass. A perfect quiet spot for a picnic. From there you can explore the small criss-crossing streams. The water is cold even at midday.

Sepaka picnic spot

A couple of photos and one cool dip later we were heading to the highest point in Tasiman. A friend knows a T'boli local named Mafil and we headed to his house on top of a hill. He wasn't there at that time but the folks there, hospitable T'bolis that they are, let us in without so much of a complain.

view from Mafil's house

Mafil's house offers an amazing 360-degree view of the valley below. While the rest were having their siesta (the cool mountain breeze was enough to put most of my companions into a comfortable snooze), a photo buddy and I went around to see what's there to see.

Lake Sebu as seen from Tasiman

From a vantage point on the side of the hill I could make out Lake Sebu below. The lake, which is already about 1000 meters above sea, looks like a small pond from there.

a fire tree in full bloom

Nearby fire trees are in full bloom. One particular tree had its top densely covered with bright orange-red flowers. The flowers seem to pop out from the green backdrop of the mountain side.

I sat on a rock for a while, savouring the fresh air and the fantastic mountain view. Soon the lure of a quick siesta was overwhelming and I decided there is no reason to resist.

other things I did that day:

• Shoot the sunrise in Lake Seloton
• Visit the 2nd Falls and get really close to it

how to get to tasiman

You can hire a motorcycle to take you to Tasiman (and to Sepaka). Transportation back to town is scarce and most folks there just walk to town so its best that you tell your driver to wait for you.

If you want to stay at Mafil's house (overnight), look for him in Punta Isla resort. His sister Mayang (0918-767-1063) also offers homestay accommodation.

mt. romelo: buruwisan, batya-batya, and lansones falls

I've always been fascinated with Mt. Romelo (also mistakenly known as Mt. Famy). Folks call it the "land of the falls" because of the countless waterfalls you can find there: all within short hiking distance from the camp site. Its a favorite weekend getaway for mountaineers who seek a Shangrila-like respite without the need for an arduous climb.

Buruwisan Falls after sunrise

I was able to make my yearly pilgrimage there a couple of weeks ago. It was still (officially) summer but we had this crazy and weird weather: it was raining most of the time. So I figured it was the best time to hike up to Mt. Romelo and revisit the falls.

We had to postpone our trip several times and forego with the night trek because of the rain. But we decided on the last minute, one (very) early Saturday morning, to push through. The trails were muddy. Good thing some of the steep muddy trails already have guide ropes that you can use to haul yourself up.

I was pretty happy we went through with the trip, and I was able to get a couple of nice images. I will be sharing some of them together with some tips on shooting waterfalls.

some tips on shooting waterfalls
weather: It is always best to shoot waterfalls during the rainy season for the following reasons:
a) watefalls are "fuller" during this time
b) lighting is even during overcast days. You won't get bright spots on the water

necessary gears:
a) tripod (although you can hand hold it if you are using an ultra wide lens such as a 10-20mm lens. At 10mm you will only need a shutter speed of 1/15s to be sure there is no camera shake. I usually use 1/20 or 1/30s).

b) ND8 filter for slowing the shutter

c) CPL (circular polarizer) for removing glare as well as reducing the f/stop. Sometimes a CPL will be enough to "cut" the light for a slower shutter speed.

d) a dry bag to keep your equipment, well..., dry.

Always make sure there are NO OVEREXPOSED parts of the water, specially on the splash on the catch basin

Lansones Falls on an overcast day

Sometimes there are POVs where you won't need to get the whole waterfalls in the frame. Just move further down stream and you'd we surprised with that you can see. I used the arching trunk of a large fig tree to frame Buruwisan falls from a POV just a few meters downstream.

view of Buruwisan Falls downstream

If the weather does not cooperate when shooting waterfalls (i.e. too sunny), you can find a wealth of POVs usually downstream from the falls. I went looking for small cascades near Lansones Falls and found this wide one with the "whites" spreading evenly at the bottom.

downstream from Lansones Falls

Most of these small cascades are usually shaded or under a canopy of trees, thus you can shoot them most any time of the day. With shaded areas, a CPL is often enough to do the job in reducing the light, thus allowing you to shoot with a longer shutter speed.

near the precipice of Old Buruwisan Falls

If the weather is too sunny, you may photograph the falls early in the morning or late in the afternoon. It best to scout the area and know the location of the falls (i.e. whether its facing the east or west).

I went to Batya-batya falls right after sunrise. I know that the sun will be rising behind the falls. Since most of the area is shaded, I had a window of an hour or two to capture the falls without the sunlight (through the canopy) hitting the falls directly.

Batya-Batya Falls

One of the biggest challenge in shooting waterfalls is the water spray. It'll always get on your gears and will show on your shots. You may remove these water droplets on your shots using a photo editing software. Or you can just make sure your filters are always clean. Wipe them before and after each shot.

Unless your camera and lens are weather-sealed, moisture will spell disaster. Keep your gears in your dry bag if you are not using them. Use a garbage bag or some clear plastic bag to protect your gears from the spray if you are near the falls.

gettting to mt. romelo
Ride the Raymond buses bound for Real, Quezon (they have a terminal in Legarda St. in Manila). Fare is Php 100.00++.

Get off in the town of Famy (the bus usually stops near the public market). Hire a tricycle to Kilometer 3 mark. Fare is 20.00 per person, 4 persons per tricycle.

The trail head is about 800m from the highway. You'll see a sign pointing the direction to the registration area (Php 20.00 per person). Its just a 3-4 hour hike, depending on the trail conditions and how fit you are.

tondol beach: anda's low tide beauty

Tondol beach after Typhoon Emong

The area was still recovering from the havoc brought by Typhoon Emong when I visited Brgy. Tondol in Anda, Pangasinan. There was no electricity at that time and most of the beach were strewn with debris. Nevertheless I find Tondol beach's rustic charm irresistible.

I stayed mostly at Tanduyong island but had the chance to visit the beach area after sunrise one morning. True to the blogs I read about Tondol beach, the low tide scene is amazing.

early morning at Tondol Beach

There is a large expanse of flat powdery white sand beach. During low tide you would be able to walk from Tondol beach to Tanduyong island (just about 800m offshore). Even at high tide there are sections between Tanduyong and Tondol where the water is just about 4 feet deep.

boats stuck in lowtide

Most of Tondol's beach front are private resorts but there is a public beach area at the western end. Entrance fee is just 5 pesos and you can rent open cottages for 250.00 pesos a day. There is no camping fee if you prefer to pitch a tent.

accommodations in Tondol
There are lots of homestay accommodations in Tondol beach, most with air conditioned rooms that range from Php 1,000 to Php 1,500 / night.

However if you want a beeline to Tanduyong island, the best place would be the eastern end of the beach. The eastern part has the shallowest beach and provides a "direct" route to Tanduyong island.

There is a large two bedroom bungalow there that you can rent for Php 4,000 pesos (for the 2 rooms) a day. Each room is air-conditioned and has its own CR.


Contact: Amiz/Ampong +639202972305

There are also smaller bungalows and rooms that you can rent for Php 1,500 - Php 2,000 per day.




Its best to check the tide information when going to Tondol as the beach is best enjoyed during low tide (lowtide was from 3am - 7am when I was there).


Contact: Ate Medy +639207002122 or +639282786118

During March-April the water is crystal clear. The lowtide area "expands" during December when it reaches some parts beyond Tanduyong Island.