This is a fairytale day (Imogen, aged 8)

There is something alluring about being slowly boiled in a large bowl over open flame, staring out at mountains and being dressed in tiny flowers (that’s the seasoning).

Seriously though, I have had a lovely romantic view of Kawa baths for a while now. There are so many gorgeous pictures on social media of beautiful bodies draped easily in these lovely large bowls, flowers scattered around and loosely braided hair falling in tendrils down, just not so close to the flames it catches alight, as they stare out across mountains…It was always just so alluring. I wanted to have flower petals scattered over my gorgeous glowing young skin, and I am sure that I would look that amazing with my limbs dangling from a tub just like in those pictures.

View across at the Sierra Madre Mountains, on a rainy day at El Patio Razon, Tanay, Philippines

Traditionally you would travel to a town called Tibiao in Antique, Panay Island for this pleasure. This is the birthplace of the kawa-kawa.

The land in Panay has long been used to grow sugar cane. Apparently, during the Spanish colonization of the Philippines, these cast iron tubs were used to cook down muscovado sugar. When the Americans arrived, they brought with them the technique of refining sugar and so the large vats were left unused. One day an entrepreneur who owned a resort down that way was looking at ideas for guests to relax and unwind, and that is how the Kawa bath came about. The word ‘Kawa’ is Japanese for ‘River’ and in Tagalog, it means something like ‘bathing in warm water’.

But I am here to let you know that you do not have to go all the way to Panay to have the kawa bath experience. You can actually do it in a very easy day trip from right here in Manila.

The place is called El Patio Razon, and it is located in Tanay, Rizal. About two hours out of Metro Manila.

I decided to check it out so grabbed my kids who were excited to be doused in flower petals and cooked in a cauldron, grabbed a friend and her three kids and we hit the road.

The sun eventually came out, hanging around at El Patio Razon, Tanay, Philippines

We packed up a picnic and left early at 7am. The traffic was amazing and we arrived by 9.30am. As we arrived it started to rain. ‘It’s okay, it will pass’ I said…and it didn’t until right before we left. However, that didn’t take away the fun of the place, it just made it a little more muddy, so with beach towels over our heads we watched as the baths were filled up and the fires lit. The smell of smoke filled the air and it reminded us of home, of camping, of bushfires. Flower petals floated around with the movement of the water and the children ran around excitedly as they waited to climb in. The view across the Sierra Madre Mountain Ranges is gorgeous, and we just stared at it, listening to the distant thunder rumble, and watching the clouds move with the winds, changing shape, gradually revealing what lay hidden behind them. If you have not been out into Tanay, you really are missing out.

The children lay around in their bathtubs, enjoying the novelty of it all and talking secret kid business, while we set up our picnic in one of the cabanas overlooking the mountains.

Five babes in a bath…at El Patio Razon, Tanay, Philippines

After lunch we had packed up, ready to go to our next destination and one of our girls said ‘This is such a Fairy Tale day!’ and I said yes, I think you might be right about that.

Getting There

If you plan a trip to El Patio Razon, it is best that you contact them to book in advance. They have a Facebook Page and are very responsive to messages. There are only four baths and you really don’t want to be left waiting around.

El Patio Razon is easy to find, it is on Google Maps. Drive up through Antipolo and get onto the R6 – the main highway. Travel up until you get to the turnoff, which has a big sign saying ‘El Patio Razon’. Drive up a little way and turn off to the right into the property. Now, if you go past Adventure Mountain you have gone too far.

When you arrive you will park and there is an oldish building that doesn’t look like all that much, but look down, and you will see two of the baths overlooking the mountains. Nearby is a cottage available to rent overnight. There are no restaurants or anything like that on the premises so either pack a picnic or take snacks. Check in and the person working will get you underway it takes around fifteen minutes to fill the bath, and the fire needs to be lit.

Details

Cost: Entry is 50p per head, if you hang around after the baths for a picnic or to just stay on the premises it is 150peso.

Patio Kawa bath is 300p for an hour for one Kawa bath – good for two people, or a family.

There is a cottage for rent at 5000peso per night, good for five people. There is also camping on offer. All overnight guests enjoy a bonfire, there is an outdoor cinema on offer, and you can have your Kawa bath at night under the stars, which being out in the mountains, are plentiful.

Facilities: There are two small changerooms and a toilet. The facilities are very basic, and with the rain – very wet. We ended up changing the children down in the cabana where we had our picnic because there was not enough space for the multitudes of children we had with us and we could keep dry. 

Day Trip Itinerary Ideas

If you head out to Tanay, I highly recommend making a full day of it and fitting in trips to a few other places. Here are some suggestions for places to visit along with El Patio Razon.

Daranak/Batlag Falls

Pililla Windfarm

Lunch/afternoon tea at Crescent Moon Café and Pottery Studio (call first to book and check it’s open)

Lunch/afternoon tea at Pinto Art Museum