This post is part of my North Luzon Road Trip Series

Tangadan Falls is a two-tiered waterfall located in the town of San Gabriel. It is about forty-five minutes from San Juan, La Union, and it is absolutely stunning.

Getting to Tangadan Falls is a bit of an adventure. You get to a point where the good road stops and you head up into the mountains. The road becomes really narrow, twisty, steep, and really scary. Not even seatbelts would save you if something went wrong in this part of the world. But the view is really quite something – if you look up and out rather than down the sheer drop that could be where you land if your driver moves an inch the wrong way. I laughed at the oddity of finding a small daycare center halfway up the mountain, and the little children stood outside their roadside school waving as we inched past, trying not to look terrified as we smiled and hung out the window waving back.

By the time we made it to the carpark we were somewhat relieved, but the thought of going back was already filling us with dread. Knowing that more people would be coming, making the road that much more dangerous was swimming in our minds.

There is a sari-sari in the carpark where you pay parking of 50 pesos. Then you start the walk which will take you around 15 minutes. It is a steep decline over uneven ground, down makeshift steps, rocks and tree roots. There are sari-saris on the way down for rest stops and before the end there is a steep set of stairs.

Once at the base, you climb over rocks and have whatever is left of your breath taken away by the absolute beauty before you. Here you are, in a valley of mountains where all around you, tall rocky cliff-face rises up from the earth and it is covered in thick, deep, rich greenery. Vines hang down, small waterfalls flow from between trees and birds sing and call out through the thicket. The rocks are smooth and soft on your feet, and the warmth of them seeps into your body like a warm embrace as you clamber over, taking in the view from every vantage point.

The main fall is around 50 feet high, and the pool around 100 feet wide and 30 feet deep. The water is dark and icy cold and you shiver as you slowly lower yourself down into its hold, but you yearn for it, and that keeps you going. The water is refreshing, and as always when swimming in mountain waterfalls, it heals the mental chaos my body fills with. I can feel it seeping out of my skin, and the calm energy of the mountain water refills me. I really do believe there is magic in nature like this, when you just let yourself go.

The top pool is smaller and you can get over there, but it was a bit harder with the kids so we stuck to the main basin where the children loved wandering through rock pools in the shallow waters finding bamboo sticks and testing their climbing ability.

Soon it was time to leave, after a quick change we climbed back up the steep pathway, stopping at the sari-sari’s for cool drinks and snacks.

Before we left we found out we could pay 150p for a guide on a bike to drive ahead and clear the road for us. The best 150p we have ever spent. The crowds of people turning up by this stage was causing us concern about safety.

Tangadan Falls are gorgeous and worth every moment of the death-defying road. Aside from the fact it is very well cared for, with strict rules around what is and is not tolerated by visitors, the landscape is just stunning.

Details:

Parking: 50p

Entry: 30p for adults, kids under 6 free.

Lifejackets: 50p

There are basic changerooms and toilets at the falls

Guide/escort for the road: 150p

Here are my tips for visiting Tangadan Falls:

Take water to drink, wear hats and sunscreen – it is very hot.

Go early to avoid crowds

You do not need a guide to take you to the falls

As you drive towards the falls, you will see a gazebo type building with a big sign saying something like ‘Guides for Tangadan Falls’. Stop and see what they offer. If you can take a trike or bike up there, it will be safer. Even if you can get an escort to clear the road ahead of you, that may save your life.

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