Bontoc is such an underrated destination in the Mountain Province region. I must admit that I was guilty of dismissing Bontoc as simply a gateway to other destinations like Sagada, Banaue or Kalinga. Discovering the beauty of Maligcong three years ago changed my notion of Bontoc. I realized, the town is just the tip of the iceberg. My recent visit found me in Talubin, the neighboring village 6km from Bontoc Town proper, known as the Land of Clear Waters in the province. One look into the village, it’s easy to see the abundance of water flowing through the village. Talubin village is settled comfortably at the slopes of the Cordillera Mountain Ranges where streams from the mossy forest continuously flow and a clean river runs through. We were also there to visit one of the main source of water in Bontoc, the Humuyyo Falls, located 3,700 feet above sea level.
Hike to Humuyyo Falls
I was accompanied by friends from Maligcong Suzzete of the Maligcong Homestay, Tina, the ever reliable guide and travel buddy Lagalog. Jerome, Suzzete’s husband dropped us of by the bridge near the jump-off trail. I was looking for something new to explore in Bontoc and I thought this would be good to explore. Seeing the photos at the Bontoc Tourism Office and getting assurance from the tourism officer, Elli, that water flows through this falls all year long sure was enticing.
The first 15 minutes of the hike is along the paved water canals supplying the rice terraces. The elevation gets higher and we could see the bridge below were we started. Then, the first water crossing begins. The water was indeed clear and very cold. Tempting to stay a bit but we were just starting our trek. The trail then goes on the side of the mountains. The trail was narrow and often had some soft grounds but surrounded lush vegetation. We crossed several streams and cascades. By my count if I’m not mistaken, around five, as we made our way up following the path of the cascades.
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Ferdz Decena is an award-winning travel photographer, writer and blogger. His works has found print in publications such as Singapore Airlines’s Silver Kris, Philippine Airlines’ Mabuhay, Cebu Pacific’s Smile and Seair InFlight. He has also lent his expertise to various organizations like the Oceana Philippines, Lopez Group Foundation, Save the Children and World Vision, contributing quality images for their marketing materials.
