Pinipisakan Falls: A Beautiful Remote Waterfall in Samar
Samar only we know.
by Kara Santos | September 28, 2017
The more difficult a place to get to is, the more it seems worthwhile pursuing. For adventure-seekers, waterfalls that are challenging to get to or hardly visited by tourists hold a certain allure.
Pinipisakan Falls in San Jorge, Samar province (not to be confused with a smaller waterfall with the same name in Las Navas, Northern Samar) is one of the most beautiful remote waterfalls I’ve come across in the Philippines.
This four-tiered waterfall cascades down from a cave in the forest deep in the jungles of Samar. Largely, untouched, the lush surrounding landscape and dramatic cascades have a magical fairy-tale like quality. Wild ferns and orchids bloom from the mossy rock formations near the cascades which spill down in impressive formations from the mountain.
Like many other destinations in Samar, getting to Pinipisakan Falls is not exactly a walk in the park. Samar Island is the third largest island of the Philippines and getting to many beautiful sights around the region require long travel time and multiple transportation trasfers to get to. A lot of waiting time is involved for buses and vans to fill up. It’s not always the most comfortable journey through unpaved roads. But while the journey getting there and back may be long, it’s all part of the adventure.
From Catbalogan City, you need to ride a van or bus for one hour, take a 30-minute habal-habal ride to the community of San Jorge, ride a traditional canoe on the river upstream for two hours, and then continue by foot through the winding forest trails for another two hours. Because of multiple transfers and coordination needed with the various villages you’ll be passing through, it’s best to have a local guide familiar with the place to visit and to secure the proper permits.
Outdoor tour outfitter Trexplore, which runs Samar Outdoor Shop in Catbalogan City offers day tours and overnight trips to the waterfalls combined with caving expeditions to Sulpan Cave, a horizontal underground mountain tunnel that contains water-filled passageways and lakes and spectacular cave formations.
Instead of hiking back, you drift with the current of the Blanca Aurora River downstream and climb over gigantic boulders beside the riverbed to reach the boats. You end your journey at the scenic Blanca Aurora Falls in San Jorge, a more accessible waterfall that runs from the same river, where locals enjoy swimming and picnics.
Visiting Pinipisakan Waterfall is not simply about sightseeing, but is an all-in-one package that involves so many extreme activities, including hiking, spelunking, canyoning, bouldering, and cliff-jumping in an unspoiled area away from the crowds!
Trexplore takes care of everything from the transportation, safety equipment, transfers, porters, camping gear, food as well as photo/video documentation. Visits should be booked ahead of time to prepare necessary guides and permits. Your jump-off point will be Samar Outdoor Shop HQ in Allen Avenue, Catbalogan City, Samar, Philippines.
For a travel guide on how to get there and other details, check out this post.
For inquiries on Waterfalls Tours, contact Joni Bonifacio of Trexplore or on Facebook: Trexplore the Adventures. Samar Outdoor Shop. Abesamis Store, Allen Avenue, 6700 Catbalogan Samar, Philippines. Contact numbers: +63 919 294 3865 / +63 927 675 0062. Email: info@trexplore.ph, samar@trexplore.ph, trexploresamar@gmail.com
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