JUMP & SWIM W/ FRIENDS IN THE COOL WATERS OF BALITE FALLS, AMADEO, CAVITE

It was a hot summer that day, and the group decided to have a picnic swim in Balite Falls in Amadeo, Cavite.  It is just about 30 minutes drive from De La Salle University so organizing this trip was easy even if the decision to go is spontaneous.  We arrived at Balite Falls at lunch time and immediately proceeded to one of the picnic huts.  Fortunately, one of our colleagues, Ms. Cherry knows the person-in-charge of the place, so we were ushered in to one of the best huts atop a cliff with an overlooking view of the waterfalls.   The place is being maintained by the local government and they are hoping to fully develop it for promote tourism in the area.  Since we are all hungry, we immediately opened all our baon and ate happily with the sound of waterfalls splashing in the background.

Development of the place is going at full blast for the convenience of the tourists which are expected to flock in greater number than usual.  Water is being diverted to bamboo showers so that one can experience bathing in natural, clear, clean spring waters which can be an exhilirating experience.

Newly-constructed nipa huts adorned the place to spruce up the convenience and luxury style recreation by visitors.

We were all in high spirits while having lunch and since I brought with me my trusted guitar, we started to sing songs to the delight of everyone while overlooking a cliff just behind me.  The scene was breathtaking and so nature-bound that the summer heat dissipated in the cool breeze of mountain air.

Balite Falls is a small waterfalls with numerous collateral falls sprouting on both sides of the gorge.  It was the beginning of summer and the water is still strong but residents in the area would show how big the water falls become during storms and typhoons making the place very dangerous for swimming. This is the main falls that cut through the boulder in the middle creating deep crevice in the center which makes it a favorite diving spot for those who are bold enough to jump accurately into the narrow gorge.  However, there were already recorded fatalities due to accident and miscalculated jumps.

This is one of the smaller falls that feed the major falls.  One can just sit or lie down as the water cascades over and cools your body.

In a world where human encrouchment over nature had caused so much environmental degradation, it is but a wonder that Balite Falls in the heart of Amadeo still provides people with refreshingly cool and clean water to enjoy just like what we are enjoying now.  But the question is how long will this beauty last?  Until when can we jump into this water without any worry that it might cause harm to your body and health.  And as the population of the surrounding area increases further, stakeholders to this beautiful place should seek ways in making this place sustainable enough for future generations to enjoy as well.  

The developer found  a way in making the water that comes out anywhere more beneficial for bathers.  So instead of just allowing the water to simply cascade over the rocks, they installed bamboo over their course to divert their flow and turn them into natural showers just like this.  As the water sprinkle down over your head and body and as it touches the white pebbles on the ground, you can just see how clean the water is and it makes you even more excited to bathe further in the cool shower just like us!

To make it more convenient for visitors, the local government created rift-raft on the side of the cliff to prevent further erosion from damaging the structures on top of the cliff.  Alongside the rift-rafts, they also constructed stairs in order to make descent safer and easier for people.

In between the rift-rafts, they created several terraces and landscaped the steps with a diversity of plants to make the place more beautiful although sacrificing the natural, rugged beauty of the place and replacing it with artificial man-made structures and introduced species of plants.

On the foreground, a bridge was constructed to allow visitors to easily cross the river without jumping over boulders or wading into the water.  Across the downstream portion is a row of nipa huts for picnickers to enjoy the place in privacy and in the convenience of shaded huts

In one of the shaded portion of the falls on the other side of the river,  we got the luxury of resting in the cool shade while singing the afternoon away with my favorite guitar.  Times like this are moments that I treasure when friends just sing along not minding the work and business everyone had left in school and at work.  Just pure rest and recreation for the entire day.

Of course swimming in Balite Falls will never be complete if one doesn't get to jump into the water.  It's like leaving your mark in a place where you can say "I did this and I enjoyed every minute and second of that moment!"  I also did jump but the moment was captured on video.

What can I say?  Balite Falls deserves a slot in my bucket list of adventures that I will never forget.  I just wish that the people of Amadeo can maintain and conserve the beauty and cleanliness of this place so when the time comes for my children and grandchildren to visit the place, I hope they can experience the same joy swimming in this place as I did.

This giant Balite Tree perched along the wall of the cliff and ovelooking the waterfalls is where the place got its name.  Youngsters brave enough to climb the tree uses it as a platform for diving into the center of the lagoon in front of the falls.  My friend said that due to the impending risk that the tree poses on people, it is destined to be cut down, thus erasing the very identity by which that place got its name.  It was a sad news to hear and I felt very sorry for the tree.

This is a relatively smaller falls that drain into the center lagoon together with the main falls.

There are many places where water just finds its way to a new place and water suddenly comes out  of the vegetation just like this one over here.

The local government also placed some rocks on the path of the river that drains into the falls so anyone passing over it can look into the crevice where the water cascades into.  But local people say that the structure is just temporary and gives way easy when flood come rushing down the mountain. 

There are many places where water comes down from above.  In this way, if several groups of people visit, each will have their own falls to enjoy and bathe.

We are indeed lucky to have visited this place during the time it was just newly developed.  We know that nature eventually find its way to reclaim it in any way it can.  That's alright for as long as the waters are maintained clean and fresh, both man and environment will co-exist sustainably in the long run.

At  the level these nipa huts were constructed, one can imagine that it will be easily wiped out when a flashflood comes.  True enough in the coming months of the rainy season, these structures were washed away in a flash.  Then they just have to repair it all over again for the summer.

We teachers are just like any person.  We breathe, we eat, sleep and do life's processes from day to day.  There comes a time that one has to stop all work and rejuvenate mind and spirit by communing with nature.  And the best part is you enjoy the brief rest and recreation in the company of friends.  So until next time.  join me again in my other bucket list of adventures!  Because I believe that travelling is one way of enjoying life.  And when you are enjoying life, it helps you improve and uplift mind and body and makes you live longer.  Bye!