Archduchess Travels: Hulugan Falls in Luisiana Laguna

I’ve always wanted to see a waterfall. My soul sister and I chanced upon a travel site that featured Hulugan Falls in Luisiana, Laguna and fell in love with it. Barangay San Salvador is a sleepy, off the radar town not yet known by tourists unlike the neighboring famous Pagsanjan falls. From Manila, it took us about 3 hours to reach Luisiana, passing by Los Banos, Pagsanjan & Cavinti. My bestfriend drove her car but for commuters, the bus going to Santa Cruz is the best option. From there, take a jeep to San Salvador. We registered at barangay captain’s house for P15 each and was assigned to Mang Marlon, the local tour guide. All trekkers need to have 1 guide, max of 10 pax for safety precaution and also as a means of income for them. According to Mang Marlon, he is a copra farmer before the falls became a backpackers’ destination a few months back. Now since people are coming thanks to online blogs and a GMA 7 feature, he enjoys better income as a guide. Across bgy. Captain’s house is a parking lot (P20 per day) and public toilet/shower for P15. We just brought along our lunch, personal belongings and off we go. There is an ongoing road construction leading to the trail proper and is expected to be completed by this year. This road will be more convenient to tourists.

Our adventure got interesting when just about 15 minutes from the trek, I experienced dizziness and thought it was just from the heat and thirst. But then my buddies said I fainted, I could still hear them in panic mode and sought help from kind trekkers. We were all 6 ladies and our male guide. They let me lie down, change my clothes and gave white flower to revive me. I knew it was from lack of enough sleep, I wasn’t prepared physically. It’s a lesson I will never forget. I was overconfident since I already climbed a mountain, that a one hour hike was easy. Each trail is different. I had to be 100% in top form. Also I am blessed to have these people who knew how to respond in emergency situations especially in a remote area. They asked me if I still wanted to proceed with the hike and our guide was a bit concerned. But of course I went ahead. I was thinking of my blog! Kidding aside, I knew I couldn’t let my trek buddies down (Belle celebrated her birthday) and it was also my mom’s posthumous birthday so I knew she was with me the whole time.

The trail is steep, with bamboo railings for support. However, it’s good to wear proper hiking footwear to avoid slipping. There are various colorful butterflies to be seen and lots of lanzones trees along the path. I don’t recommend small children since the trail is quite a challenge. We saw an infant when we were heading back but according to the guide, it’s the parent’s discretion. Sigh. Hike took around 45 minutes to an hour. Once I saw the 130 (estimated)) feet long Hulugan Falls up close, the fatigue just went away. It’s so breathtaking, like being in paradise. There were around 5 groups of backpackers having lunch and enjoying the swim. We zeroed in on a spot near the spring water which is clean enough for drinking. Boulders surround the falls which make perfect backdrops for photo op. There are shallow areas to enjoy swimming and there’s a deep part near the catch basin. Mang Marlon took care of our belongings as we went to take a dip.

We stayed for about two hours and around 2:30 pm we headed for our ascent back to town. San salvador offers buko juice and bibingka as treats after the hike. The bibingka tasted like tupig, with coconut bits. We took a shower and bid goodbye to Mang Marlon, my newfound bodyguard who never left my side after my fainting spell. The locals were so friendly. For early dinner, we had nilukob and adobong itik. It was my first time to try it and it was delicious. One whole itik costs P170. Salted egg is just P10 and goat’s milk is P100 per bottle.

Laguna is 2 hours away from Manila but there are so many hidden adventures waiting to be discovered. We haven’t been to the other falls, there are about seven nearby. There’s also whitewater rafting in Magdalena town which is something I’d like to try. As I went home, I kept humming Sampaguita’s Laguna song. The lyrics proved to be true, I am changed.

Trip budget:

Commute - Sta cruz bus and jeep fare to San Salvador P160 per way

Car diesel - P300 per pax (6 pax)

Registration fee - P15

Guide fee - no fixed cost (we gave P700)

Shower/toilet - P15

Parking fee - P20

Food - P100 (itik with rice and drink)

Pasalubong - P250 (bibingka, goat's milk, salted egg)