Pagsanjan Falls, also known as Cavinti Falls (local name: Magdapio Falls) is one of the most famous
waterfalls
A waterfall is a point in a river or stream where water flows over a vertical drop or a series of steep drops. Waterfalls also occur where meltwater drops over the edge of a tabular iceberg or ice shelf.
Waterfalls can be formed in several w ...
in the
Philippines
The Philippines (; fil, Pilipinas, links=no), officially the Republic of the Philippines ( fil, Republika ng Pilipinas, links=no),
* bik, Republika kan Filipinas
* ceb, Republika sa Pilipinas
* cbk, República de Filipinas
* hil, Republ ...
. Located in the
province
A province is almost always an administrative division within a country or sovereign state, state. The term derives from the ancient Roman ''Roman province, provincia'', which was the major territorial and administrative unit of the Roman Empire ...
of
Laguna, the falls is one of the major tourist attractions of the region. The three-drop waterfall is reached by a river trip on
dugout canoe
A dugout canoe or simply dugout is a boat made from a hollowed tree. Other names for this type of boat are logboat and monoxylon. ''Monoxylon'' (''μονόξυλον'') (pl: ''monoxyla'') is Greek – ''mono-'' (single) + '' ξύλον xylon'' ( ...
, known locally as "Shooting the Rapids", originating from the municipality of
Pagsanjan
Pagsanjan (pronounced ''PAG-sang-han''), officially the Municipality of Pagsanjan ( tgl, Bayan ng Pagsanjan), is a 3rd class municipality in the province of Laguna, Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a population of 44,327 peop ...
. The falls can also be reached from the top by a short hike from Cavinti.
[
The boat ride has been an attraction since the Spanish Colonial Era with the oldest surviving written account dating to 1894. The town of Pagsanjan lies at the confluence of two rivers, the Balanac River and the ]Bumbungan River
The Bumbungan River ( tl, Ilog Bumbungan) is a river in the province of Laguna in the Philippines. It is commonly referred to as the Pagsanjan River because of the popularity of the municipality of Pagsanjan and Pagsanjan Falls, one of the pro ...
(also known as the Pagsanjan River).
Location
The main falls are actually located within the territorial jurisdiction of Cavinti, Laguna, approximately 3.2 kilometers away from the boundary of Cavinti and Pagsanjan, but the more popular access by canoes originates from the town of Pagsanjan. An ordinance was passed by the ruling body of the town of Cavinti was submitted to the Sangguniang Bayan
The Sangguniang Bayan () is the local legislative branch of the municipal governments in the Philippines. It is responsible for passing ordinances and resolutions for the administration of a municipality. Its powers are defined by the Local Gov ...
(legislature of municipalities in the Philippines) on February 10, 2009, proposing the renaming of the falls to "Cavinti Falls".
National Park
The falls and gorge were declared a National Park
A national park is a nature park, natural park in use for conservation (ethic), conservation purposes, created and protected by national governments. Often it is a reserve of natural, semi-natural, or developed land that a sovereign state dec ...
with Proclamation 392 on March 29, 1939, and Proc. 1551 on March 31, 1976. The ''Pagsanjan Gorge National Park
The Pagsanjan Gorge National Park is a national park and tourist zone located in the province of Laguna in the Philippines, approximately southeast of Manila. It protects an area of around a series of gorges on the Bumbungan River which lead ...
'' covers an area of .
Legend
The falls are rich in legendary lore. One legend says there were no falls long ago, only the foliaged highlands, the Bumbungan and Balanac rivers, and the alluvial delta where the town of Pagsanjan now sits. On the eastern bank of the Bumbungan River lived two old brothers, named Balubad and Magdapio. For many years, they enjoyed a rustic life of peace and happiness. One day, a terrible drought brought ruin and death as no rains fell for months. The soil became dry as tinder, the flowers and plants withering away. Birds, deer, wild hogs, monkeys, and other animals disappeared as did rivers, creeks, and mineral springs.
Balubad and Magdapio suffered immensely. Day and night they prayed for rain, but the gods did not heed them. The older and weaker of the two brothers, Balubad, died of thirst. A sorrowful Magdapio buried him on the slope of the mountain overlooking the river delta. This mountain is now called Balubad.
Left alone in a waterless world, Magdapio agonizingly trekked to the upper region of the arid riverbed. After an arduous journey he reached the high rocky cliffs, but to his disappointment, he found no water.
He sobbed bitterly and cried out "Ye gods! Where is the water?" In despair, he angrily hurled down his big cane at the rocks. Suddenly, a spring welled up on the spot where his cane fell. It quickly grew into a torrent of freshwater roaring down the canyon walls, becoming a booming waterfall. Amazed by this miracle, Magdapio fell on his knees and thanked the gods. He drank the cool water until he felt new energy surging in his blood. Thus emerged the falls of Pagsanjan.
Access to the falls
Pagsanjan
The most popular way of reaching the falls is through the "Shooting the Rapids" boat ride, which originates from any of the resorts along Bumbungan and Balanac Rivers. Two skilled and licensed boatmen take one to three passengers on long, narrow wood or fiberglass canoes to the falls, which could take more than an hour of paddling upstream depending on traffic and water level. The journey takes passengers through the narrow and verdant Pagsanjan Gorge lined with huge boulders, rocks, and small waterfalls. The ride upstream ends in a natural pool below the falls where an optional raft ride takes visitors through the cascading water to the Devil's Cave behind the falls. The return trip called is a thrill ride through fourteen rapids, as the skilled boatmen maneuver the boat through the narrow rocks as it heads downstream.
Cavinti
It is also possible to hike the falls from the town of Cavinti, Laguna. The municipal government of Cavinti established the ''Pueblo El Salvador Nature's Park and Picnic Grove'', in Barangay Tibatib on February 24, 2007, to capitalize on the popularity of Pagsanjan Falls, which is within the boundaries of the town. A few small falls are upriver by hiking from the park. The topmost stage of Pagsanjan Falls, known as Nakulo Falls, can only be viewed from the viewing decks of the park. Only the top of the middle falls is visible from the park; the hidden second drop can only be viewed from the raft ride from below. To reach the main falls, there is a steep, steel ladder, which in one section goes vertically straight down. The raft to the falls and the "Shooting the Rapids" boat ride are also available from park management.[Besprend4Life (March 24, 2012)]
"Pagsanjan Falls via vertical trek at Cavinti Laguna"
Our WANDERful Journey. Retrieved on May 27, 2013.
See also
* List of waterfalls in the Philippines
* Pagsanjan Falls stamp error
References
External links
Pagsanjan Official Site
Pagsanjan.org
{{Calabarzon attractions
Waterfalls of the Philippines
Landforms of Laguna (province)
Tourist attractions in Laguna (province)