A Different Baguio: Balatoc Mines + Hydro Falls

I was so excited as we walked in the railway towards the mine train as I know we can experience to ride on it during the tour but unfortunately it isn’t functioning that time. I was saddened with the news. I kept on asking our guide if she’s making fun of us or what; but it is really is true. Sigh 🙁

Anyway, that doesn’t stop us to enjoy the tour. With the muddy ground, we walked in the railway going to the tunnel entrance.

We went inside and had a picture of how the mining tunnel looks like. Our guide let us drill and experience how the blasting of dynamite happens inside the tunnel. But one of the most intense that occurs inside the tunnel is how our guide turn on the ‘anaconda’ thing.

Me and Carla walked quickly back to the safe area. We covered our ears as we couldn’t bear any more terrifying sounds. Few seconds after, we heard the blast that sounded the entire tunnel. It was remarkable, it feels like where in a Dolby digital film. 😀

Too bad I wasn’t able to record it or videotaped Carla to see how she reacted on the blasts.

We went out of the cave and went back to the registration area. We were given a certificate to appreciate our visit inside the Balatoc mines.

The amount we paid might be expensive but the mining tour is really worth it. One can really enjoy its visit inside the tunnel and get shocked with the thrill of the underground.

We went back to Baguio city proper and spent the rest of our day and night there trying out some restaurants and pubs.

Hydro Falls

It was our second day in Baguio. This time the sun showed up which is a good thing since we’ll be going to a waterfalls.

We checked out early from our hotel room and had our things left in the hotel so it can’t be hassle for us bringing in our things while we hike up getting to the waterfalls. I don’t have any further information about the waterfalls aside from it’s located in Camp 6 along Kennon Road in Tuba, Benguet.

From the hotel, we went to Jollibee at T. Claudio street corner Harrison road. The jeep that goes to Camp 6 stops on that area and gets its passengers. We waited for a few minutes until it arrived. We rode the jeep with the signboard ‘Camp 6’. We paid around PHP 17.00 each for the fare.

We didn’t know where to alight to again so I asked our driver to dropped us off where the Hydro Falls is. There are numbers of waterfalls along Kennon Road and good thing the jeepney driver knows what waterfalls we were talking about. 

Few minutes after we passed by the Lion’s head along Kennon Road, the driver dropped us off and pointed to us the hanging bridge situated on the side of the road which goes to the Hydro Falls.

With the looks of the hanging bridge, I doubted if I can survive if I walk by this bridge. It’s rusty and looks unstable. I asked Carla that we have to pass by one by one and so we did. I passed through it first by walking quickly and gently until reaching the other side. While Carla seamlessly walked through the bridge without showing any fear at all. Ikaw na!

With no guides or any map with us, me and Carla braved the way going to the waterfalls. Well, if there’s a concrete way. But seriously, we used our instincts and just followed the trail we thought that goes to the waterfalls.

We passed by a basketball court, a goat that hindered our way which we asked the boy who was playing at the court that time to help us move the goat, the bushes and boulders. Well, the goat is the most difficult one. Lol! 😀

With no trail guides visible in the area, me and Carla really just followed our own capability. Because of that, we lost in the middle of nowhere as we thought that we had to follow those tubes so for us to get to the waterfalls. We just realized we made a wrong turn when we saw the waterfalls from afar. We went back to the boulders where the fork is. So when you’ll be visiting the Hydro Falls in the future and you encounter boulders on your way, walk through those boulders and it’ll lead you to the waterfalls. Do not follow the path anymore that leads to the forest.

I know Carla doesn’t like trekking but look at her while she trekked through the boulders and crossed the streams going to our destination. 😀

But seriously, I didn’t know that we have to trek this hard for the waterfalls. I thought it’ll just spend us like 30 to 45 minutes to trek. In fact, I thought it’s just going to be a walk in the park. 

We came unprepared, I must say. We saw some people crossing the boulders which we supposed that they came from the waterfalls. We were shouting at them and asking how to get to the waterfalls but it feels like they can’t hear us.



So, it’s just going to be me and Carla again in exploring the path to the waterfalls. 

Look how high we climbed up to get to the waterfalls.

The Hydro Falls is a multi-level waterfalls but we were only able to get to its lower level.

It looks better when nearer. This waterfalls is worth the effort we exerted in chasing it.

Carla took a swim. I tried but the water is so cold. Carla told me that the water is deep. Well, sya na marunong magswimming. 

I was so happy that we were able to reach the waterfalls by ourselves. It looks like risky crossing through the boulders but I guess it’s worth seeing this waterfalls. One should take precautions when going to this place. If possible, take someone knowledgeable about the place when you visit the Hydro Falls.

After staying for like half an hour in the waterfalls, we’ve decided to go back. The descent is much easier now as we were already aware of the trail to take. 

We were able to get back to Kennon road in 45 minutes. We waited for jeepney to pass by that goes back to Baguio city but they are very rare so we tried to hitchhike. Unfortunately, none of the vehicles that passed by let us hitchhike. But after about half an hour, a jeepney going to Baguio City passed by. We rode the jeepney going back to the city proper.