By the Waters of Tibiao
I have this penchant for traveling post-summer. When rainy days set in upon the country, the waterfalls that are nestled within its verdant jungles come gushing down in all their misty grandeur. Scenic mountains, which are home to such foliage, are also awash in greenery; the whitewater rivers beckon for an epic adventure; and having the place all to oneself because of lesser tourists adds charm to the experience.
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| Tibiao River, Antique |
Practically, summer time is synonymous with traveling, but there are destinations that are not confined to summer alone—places that are best to visit year-round regardless of the season. Such is true for the municipality of Tibiao, Antique.
Chasing Bugtong Bato Falls
If not of the entire Western Visayas region, Tibiao is the “eco-adventure capital” of at least the historical island of Panay. The town revealed itself to me, beginning with the 15-minute habal-habal (motorcycle) ride from the inn located along the provincial highway bound for the Tibiao’s sleepy outskirts.
The raucous journey, while in the lowland portion, passed by a series of paved and dirt paths fringed with green fields. Then on the uphill, the zigzagging network of concrete roads soaked me, a pillion rider, in a backdrop of mountains kissing the skies. I was drenched in my favorite hues of green and blue.
The ride terminated at Tuno Barangay Hall where a 25-minute trek deeper into the forest would begin. I was about to chase a waterfall called Bugtong Bato.
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| Part of the trail to Bugtong Bato Falls |
As it was in the preceding two-wheel adventure, the foot trail was dotted with skies, mountains, and meadows, with the addition of thicker forests, deeper ravines, lush rice terraces, and murmurs of gushing stream that got louder as we went forward. The sun was shining brightly at the onset of the trek, but the sky turned gray as we followed the tail end of the established footpath.
A few minutes of trekking along a riverbank and there she was, the bottom-most and the grandest water curtain of the seven-tier Bugtong Bato Falls—a zen place, with all the verdant surroundings and the therapeutic sound of the waters cascading down in torrents.
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| Bugtong Bato Falls |
Out of Bugtong Bato’s seven levels, only three were open to the public. Rope-assisted metal ladders, built upon the rocks beside where the cascades run through, were the only way to advance to the upper falls. Two years of being unused due to the pandemic, those structures had weakened, thus visiting the other falls was prohibited.
But our trail guide asked, since we had the whole jungle to ourselves, if I wanted to see what’s beyond the first cascade. For the love of waterfalls I took the chance. Bugtong Bato’s flagship falls was still the best, though climbing up to the top was an adventure in itself.
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| Going to the upper tiers of Bugtong Bato via ropes |
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| One of seven levels of Bugtong Bato Falls |
Tibiao River Tubing
Antique, perhaps, is most remembered nowadays for the “kawa hot bath” or the invigorating bath that entails submerging oneself into a large heated cauldron filled with “flavored” water, aromatic leaves and fragrant petals, as if one is being seasoned and simmered alive. As far as I know, Tibiao started this trend that has now been replicated across the country, especially in wellness resorts that are nestled in mountain ridges with overlooking views.
On our way to Bugtong Bato, we passed by several riverside resorts that sit in harmony with the lush banks of Tibiao River. Among them, Calawag Mountain Resort, has in its logo a simple sketch of a kawa (cauldron), and on the resort entrance, an actual kawa on display. The owner’s of Calawag and the inn where I stayed were one and the same, so whatever Tibiao River had in store for me were all part of the accommodation deal.
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| Aboard a river tube in Tibiao |
We started off by braving the whitewater of Tibiao River on an inflated rubber tire interior. Numerous boulders were naturally scattered throughout the course, which forms the river’s violent bursts and frothy waters and serves as hurdles to what had been a plunging obstacle track.
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| Getting ready for the river tubing activity |
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| Water tubing along Tibiao River |
The river tubing adventure lasted for about an hour. The excitement that this activity accords and the sightseeing it provides were, in my opinion, the main reason behind Tibiao’s recognition as an eco-adventure hub.
At the river’s two-kilometer mark, at one end of a steel truss footbridge, the resort’s black Hilux was waiting. We hitchhiked to the back of the truck and returned to the resort where there awaited a boodle fight-style lunch arranged right upon the shallow part of Tibiao River. Devouring the sumptuous Antiqueño fare while the river’s cold currents caresses my feet brought back some of the energy sapped by an hour of braving the whitewater.
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| Antiqueño lunch upon the waters of Tibiao River |
Kawa Hot Bath, Finally
Under the shades of thick trees towering along the river banks, I went on for a 30-minute outdoor coffee scrub. I hated it. It burned like hell in every rub of coarse coffee grounds against my skin because of the sun burn that was just setting in (I was on a beach trip the day before).
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| Coffee scrub massage along Tibiao River |
When the nightmarish massage was finally over, my therapist ushered me to a preheated kawa. Contrary to what I used to believe, these cauldrons were not heated by burning firewood from below, but were only filled and refilled with tolerably hot water.
Milk, coffee, beer, wine, salt and turmeric were some of the choices for flavoring one’s bath—each has its own stated health benefits. I was already a “caffeinated meat.”
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| Kawa hot bath along the banks of Tibiao River |
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| Kawa hot bath amidst the rain |
The cauldrons line the riverbanks, facing the teeming Tibiao River, forests and the mountains. I was submerged, my exhausted body adapting to the tepid water. I was in commune with nature. The best part of it was when it rained so hard. That kawa hot bath was the most peaceful 30 minutes of my life thus far.
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DJ Rivera is an I.T. professional, entrepreneur, travel blogger, writer and the online publisher of PinoyTravelogue.com based in Rizal province, Philippines. Click here to know more.
