La Union: Tangadan Falls in San Gabriel
La Union is very known as the surfing capital of the north here in the Philippines. But aside from being known as the surfing capital of the north, it is also home to numerous waterfalls. One of it, which is becoming popular nowadays is the Tangadan Falls in the town of San Gabriel.
*If you brought a car, you can hire a tricycle in San Gabriel to lead you to the jump-off area where pay parking is also available.
*Flotsam and Jetsam Hostel offers organized group tour in Tangadan Falls.
After 30 minutes of walking through narrow trails along the rice fields and river crossings, we reach the first part of the waterfall. This area serves as a resting area and where you can also do cliff dive. It is around 20 feet high.
After another 15-20 minutes, we reached the main waterfalls. The waterfall stands around 50 feet and has 2 cascades. Our tour guide said that you can actually jump from the top of the main waterfalls, but would you dare? LOL. You can also ride a bamboo raft going into the catch basin of the waterfall to get a water massage. On the top of the main waterfall, there is also a smaller waterfall that is surrounded by rocks. The rocks surrounding it is around 10-15 feet high where you can also do a cliff diving.
We really enjoyed the waterfalls that we forgot that we haven't had any breakfast so on the way back, we were so hungry. Good thing a small store along the trail have some canned goods and cooked rice!
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| Tangadan Falls |
How To Get There
San Gabriel is a municipality surrounded by other municipalities of La Union as well as Benguet. It is around 30 minutes away from San Juan or 45 minutes away from San Fernando La Union. |
| Tricycle waiting area in San Gabriel |
- Ride a bus from Cubao bound to Laoag/Vigan then alight in San Juan, La Union (6-7 hours travel time).
- From San Juan La Union, take a jeep going north and ask the driver to drop you off at San Gabriel.
- In the town proper, ride a tricycle and tell the driver you're going to Tangadan Falls. Fare is PhP 50.00.
- At the jump-off point, hire a guide (price usually starts PhP 500.00 per group) for the hike.
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| Going to the jump-off point |
*Flotsam and Jetsam Hostel offers organized group tour in Tangadan Falls.
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| Organized tour by Flotsam |
The Hike
Tour guides are required for the hike since it is around an hour long hike and there is no sign that can direct you to the falls. We immediately started the hike after we got our tour guide.Our tour guide told us that there are two routes going to the waterfalls. The easy and hard route. And of course, we took the easy route. The hike started downhill unpaved road going to the smaller trail and the rice fields. |
| Road going to the smaller trail |
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| Rice fields along the way |
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| Narrow trail |
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| Water from the river |
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| Baroro River |
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| Started river crossing |
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| Lush vegetation along the way |
After 30 minutes of walking through narrow trails along the rice fields and river crossings, we reach the first part of the waterfall. This area serves as a resting area and where you can also do cliff dive. It is around 20 feet high.
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| More of river crossing |
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| Don't mind us, just passing through |
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| First part of the waterfall |
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| Cliff diving |
After another 15-20 minutes, we reached the main waterfalls. The waterfall stands around 50 feet and has 2 cascades. Our tour guide said that you can actually jump from the top of the main waterfalls, but would you dare? LOL. You can also ride a bamboo raft going into the catch basin of the waterfall to get a water massage. On the top of the main waterfall, there is also a smaller waterfall that is surrounded by rocks. The rocks surrounding it is around 10-15 feet high where you can also do a cliff diving.
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| Rocks and boulders along the way |
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| Almost there |
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| Tangadan Falls of San Gabriel |
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| The big cascade |
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| Small cascade with the bamboo raft |
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| Hello Tangadan |
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| Inside a small cave in the big cascade |
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| At the top of the waterfall |
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| It's higher than it looks |
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| 1, 2, 3, JUMP! |
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| Our tour guide showing us to jump |
We really enjoyed the waterfalls that we forgot that we haven't had any breakfast so on the way back, we were so hungry. Good thing a small store along the trail have some canned goods and cooked rice!
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| Waiting for our lunch |
Quick Tips
- Bring foods or packed lunch since there are no stores nearby the main waterfalls.
- During wet seasons, river crossing may be challenging since water current is stronger.
- You can rent life vests in the main waterfalls.
- Reward yourself with a nice meal and halo-halo from Halo-Halo de Iloko
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| Cheers from San Gabriel! |
Itinerary
- 12:00 AM - ETD Manila
- 06:00 AM - ETA San Juan, La Union
- 06:15 AM - Check in to accommodation/hostel in San Juan
- 06:30 AM - ETD San Juan to San Gabriel
- 07:00 AM - ETA San Gabriel
- 07:20 AM - ETA Jump-off area
- 07:30 AM - Start of hike
- 08:00 AM - ETA first waterfall
- 08:** AM - ETA main waterfall
- 10:** AM - Hike back
- 11:** AM - ETA San Gabriel
- 01:00 AM - ETA San Juan
