DISCOVER PHILIPPINES: The Enchanting World Hidden in RIZAL

Traveling the Philippines will surprise you with surreal natural gifts that are never before seen by the public, Rizal province is one of those places. Here are the spots in Rizal that you must visit!

Rizal province is known for rich art galleries filled with different artworks from the locals, the province is officially called “the cradle of Philippine art” because for many generations it has been the standard of giving people creative traditions and festivals. Rizal province can be found in the southern part of Luzon, which is the southwest part of Metro Manila. We all know Rizal is a creative and sophisticated province but what we don’t know is what we will find out in exploring this beautiful place.

Recommended Places to visit in Rizal Province

Rizal Province is not much visited for its natural gifts like the mountains, clear waters, falls, and islands because it is best known for its artistic aspect. Here are the best-untouched places recommended to go to when in Rizal.

• Rodriguez, Rizal

These are the wonderful mountains in Rodriguez, Rizal shows an astonishing view and travel experience. In Mount Balagbag, you can see the Manila skyline, and here everyone can experience camping and trekking. The mountain is part of the Sierra Madre and transitions into the central and southern Luzon plains. The trails are very wide and are also popular with mountain bike enthusiasts. Locals remember the mountain in its past when it was covered in trees, but it is now barren, and hikers climbing in the summer will find the only drawback to this hike is the sun. Dim trekking is therefore recommended. This place is perfect for beginner travelers that do not want to pay expensive fees and transportation tickets as it is near Metro Manila where a lot of people who like provincial adventure resides. Trekking this mountain is a lot of ways easier than the other mountains because the trail is easy to follow and walk to, and it does not have any slippery trails which are safe but still challenging because of the long walks. Mount Binacayan, an ethereal view can be experienced going on this mountain, the peak of Mount Binacayan is really high and most of the time the fog there is low to the point where it feels like you have been lifted up in the sea of white clouds, experiencing this can go well with watching the sun to set, it gives off the calm vibe after a long day of trekking and hiking, this mountain can be really hard to climb because the trail in this mountain features a bed of giant limestone rocks that will give a beginner hiker a really hard time. After all these challenges a perfect view will comfort and satisfy people who successfully climbed Mount Binacayan as well as Mount Balagbag. There are still a lot of Mountains in Rizal Province that everyone can go to, explore and experience all while being close to the Metro.

Visit travelmyglobe.com for more travel guides and tour booking

Register to DENR Pamitinan Protected Landscape for hiking reservations

For hotel recommendation options in Rodriguez, visit tripadvisor.com.ph

Visit their Facebook page at Mt-Balagbag and Mt-Binacayan-Peak

• Tanay, Rizal

The famous waterfalls in Tanay, Rizal. A cheap but refreshingly cool blue water of Danarak falls, the Danarak falls is a forty-six feet high fall that has a wide water basin that can be used for diving, swimming, or even just relaxing in its cooling waters. Daranak is tucked away at the foot of the Tanay Mountains, with preserved natural vegetation with forest trees and flowering wild plants, complemented by beautiful waterfalls, streams and ditches that are truly enchanting and mesmerizing. The Danarak falls requires a fifty pesos fee to make up for its preservation, to prevent it from getting dirty and too much waste, as well as to enhance the beautification capabilities of the caretakers of the falls. The falls have their own cottage area which is good for tourists who brought their own baggage and cooking equipment.  The Batlag falls is just close to Danarak falls, it can be visited by trekking a steep path, the Batlag has a turquoise water basin and a calm flow of the mid-size waterfall, it has a shallow catch basin which is perfect for people who do not like the thirty feet deep Danarak catch basin. The batlag falls have two parts, one with fifteen feet deep catch basin, and the other one is five feet catch basin. Based on my research, my suggestion in choosing what falls to go to while saving money is to visit both Danarak and batlag falls, going to Batlag falls alone costs one hundred and fifty pesos in comparison to going to Danarak falls for fifty pesos then going to batlag falls for one hundred pesos. That way people can experience both falls for the price of one.

Visit klook.com for more travel guides and tour booking.

For hotel recommendation options in Tanay, visit tripadvisor.com.ph

Visit their Facebook page at Daranak-Falls-Tanay-Rizal and BatlagFallsOfficialPage

• Masungi Georeserve

As acclaimed by the website, Masungi Georeserve is a conservation area hidden in Baras, Rizal. Formerly a barren area that is seemingly desolated to the eyes of many, Masungi Georeserve was brought back to the lively green hues of nature along with a couple of eye-catching and eco-friendly spots that welcomes interested hikers and visitors. Its name came from the Filipino term “masungki” which directly translates to “spiked” and heavily pertains to the jagged formation of limestone landscape included within the place.

Masungi Georeserve houses trails and a garden that will surely properly accommodate the people who would want to visit. Probably the most popular experience from the place would be the Discovery Trail which would lead the visitors to the conservation area. The duration of the trek would be dependent on the guests’ decisions but it usually lasts for 3 to 4 hours. If you are worried about getting lost, there will always be a presence of a park ranger to guide and explain through the area. Following with the terrain and the other would be the Legacy Trail which would bring the guests into an immersive experience that features the restoration of the land. The Garden Picnic enables the guests to have a place to relax in and enjoy nature within the lower area of the Georeserve. This experience includes a 20-minute stroll and a 40-minute duration of picnic activities; a little less imposing and more suitable for guests who prefer to discover the place at their own pace.

There are also spots at Masungi Georeserve that could be considered Instagram-worthy such as the “Sapot” that quite literally resembles a spider’s web, “Patak” which is a resting spot placed high up, and “Duyan” which is a giant hammock suspended above the canopies. Despite being a little underrated compared to other tourist spots, Masungi Georeserve has earned good reviews among its visitors and complete 5.0 stars on its ratings in Klook PH. Some even went and left their own comments talking about their experience and summing it up as something that they consider worth it.

Masungi Georeserve is currently unavailable as of September 2022 due to its recently attained fight to save the location but always stay tuned to the opening of accommodations once the area has grown more into freedom once again. Take note that the visits should be arranged beforehand in order to be accommodated and they do not permit walk-ins. For more information about their policies, visit their official site at Masungi Georeserve.

Visit klook.com for more travel guides and tour booking.

For hotel recommendation options in Baras, visit tripadvisor.com.ph

Visit their Facebook page at Masungi Georeserve.

Rizal Province has many things to offer festivals with colorful costumes, art galleries filled with magnificent artworks from the locals, natural pools, towering waterfalls, and even mountains with beautiful views. Rizal is just one step away from the bustling metro city, exploring this majestic wilderness will open the possibility of opening more opportunities for the province to prosper and even promote the place for the benefit of future tourists and even future generations. These spots in Rizal Province are just a glimpse of what the Philippines can offer in so many different aspects from food to culture to music to artistry and even extremely weird but satisfying activities.

This is a blog series, featuring different tourist spots in the Philippines that will entice and encourage you to travel. Be updated when a new blog is released.