Calinawan Cave - Tanay, Rizal

Calinawan cave is one of Tanay, Rizal's popular destinations. You can detour to the cave before proceeding to Daranak Falls. It is about 2.5 hour ride by UV Express Van from Starmall Edsa/Shaw Blvd to Tanay market. It can be reached by tricycle from Tanay MarketThe road to the cave is rough, unpaved and bumpy. It is about 30 minute travel and will cause some head bumps so be extra careful and hold tight.

Upon reaching the cave entrance, you need to register and pay P200 for the guide and P20 entrance fee. Our male guide is very knowledgeable of the nooks and crannies of the cave as he has been living in the area since he was 10 years old and he used to play inside the cave.

cave entrance

There are fascinating rock formations, stalactites and stalagmites inside the cave. With a bit of imagination and visual angle one can create images out of the rock formations.

 Watch out for low stalactites where your head can bump into. The guide will tell you when to duck, bend and twist your body to be able to pass through. Some rocks are not to be touched because they can die. Human hands are acidic and the acidity will somehow affect the growth of the rocks.

 If you are claustrophobic, caving is not for you. It is advisable to wear closed footwear to protect your toes and also it can get slippery due to the mud. There are 5 levels inside the cave. You will only be brought to 2 levels as level 3 to 5 are only for the experienced and geologist. The guide can also be your photographer. He will point out to you the better angle to take the shot.

Cave exit

Our guide in yellow tshirt with ID

This is my fourth  cave experience. The first one was Hinagdanan in Bohol and second was Hoyop Hoyopan in Albay and third Enchanted cave in Bolinao. Caving is a wonderful experience especially for nature lovers and photography enthusiasts. Please be mindful of the surroundings and don't leave trash so that our caves will be preserved.

How to get there:
1-take a UV express van from Starmall bound for Tanay. Fare is P70. get off at Jollibee or Tanay market
2- hire a tricycle P200 one way to Calinawan cave and another P200 to Daranak Falls. Tell the driver to fetch you. Fare back to Jollibee or market is P200

Sol y Viento - Sun and Wind

It was a rainy weekend and we're already at Tagaytay road headed to Canyon Cove in Nasugbu. It was a last minute change of venue because of the overcast clouds and intermittent rains. We googled for the nearest resort and found Sol y Viento . We contacted them and we're fortunate that there was a rainy day off peak promo 50% on room rate. We got a cabana at Php3500 complete with indoor jacuzzi, queen size bed, TV, A/C, ref, microwave oven, coffee maker and a tiny kitchen.

Sol y Viento is located atop a hill in Pansol, Laguna. It is easy to find and the road is paved. There's ample parking. The reception area is nice and you can see Laguna de bay. The front desk staff was friendly and quickly assisted us with our reservation. Check in was smooth. A male staff drove us to our cabana via 4 passenger golf cart.  He was very courteous and friendly as well.

The room was spacious and clean. Bed was soft but firm and comfortable. Love the four pillows.

Aircon working fine. TV has cable channels. It has free wifi connection. Toilet and bath was clean and smell good. There is bidet which I like in a toilet. 

The jacuzzi area has a glass wall over looking the lush green hill. It has a nice curtain which you can adjust to your desired length.

Jacuzzi

Water bubbling

The water coming out of the faucet was hot and we waited for the jacuzzi to be filled for about 2 hours. The water was very hot and we had to ask the reception on how to cool it down a bit. We were surprised that after 20 minutes, a male staff brought us 2 sacks of tube ice. We were so happy and thankful that ice made the water a little colder and we're able to enjoy the jacuzzi. However, we found out there was no cold shower only hot. This was a let down because we were not able to shower off completely.

Outdoor, there were 3 swimming pools overlooking the bay and the mountains. The bay and the mountain views were refreshing.

 They also have this man made waterfalls but the water was a bit cold. 2 of the pools with hot spring while the big pool was really cold.

There was a mini team building area which has signs of not being used for a while.

There are other areas at the resort you can check out.

Restaurant is run by Barrio Fiesta. Food was a bit pricey though. Menu is your usual Filipino dishes and nothing fancy.

I commend all the staff who were friendly, cheerful and customer oriented. I love the Manong who brought us tube ice to cool down the jacuzzi.. I do hope they fix the hot & cold shower because it's all hot and no cold. Overall, it was a great weekend get away.

Mahogany Market - Tagaytay

There are many places you can go to when you're in Tagaytay . Along the ridge are rows of restaurant, boutique hotels, fruit stands and viewing areas to see Taal lake and volcano. There is one  place where people stop by to get local produce, fruits, plants, homegrown beef and to eat famous bulalo or beef bone marrow soup.

Mahogany market has two sections . One section has stalls selling wide variety of fruits and vegetables. There are also herbs in pots and flowering plants. Fruits in season abound and reasonably priced. Go around the stalls and ask for prices to get an idea which stall offers the best price.  Haggle nicely and you can get some discount. { Fruit prices indicated herein are during the peak season.}

dragon fruit @Php100 per kg

Avocado @Php60 per kg

Mangosteen @ Php90/kg

The other section or building has the meat stalls and the restaurants. Meat from home grown cows abound and one can choose any beef cuts. Price per kilogram varies depending on the meat part.

Located on the second floor of the meat section are food outlets offering local dishes including the famous Bulalo.  Beef bone marrows &, ligaments are boiled until tender to get a clear yummy soup. The bone and marrow are also being served with the soup. Tell the food attendant that you want bulalo with meat. Otherwise, they will serve you portion with little meat.

One can also order variety of dishes like fried tawilis, adobo, menudo, daing na bangus. The place can get crowded and hot especially during weekend. Note that bulalo is cholesterol laden dish and one has to take it easy when eating bulalo. It can raise your cholesterol level.

Fried Tawilis

Beef Bulalo @Php300 per bowl

There are also several stalls nearby selling dried fish, squid, smoked fish, peanuts. Grab some smoked fish which can be cooked and served at breakfast.

Parking may become a problem near lunch time so better come early. Also, wear light clothes as it tends to get hot in the market.

How to get there:
By private car
From Tagaytay Rotonda, drive straight to the road going to Batangas. Upon reaching a Y road with Petron Gas station, turn right and drive about 4km. You can see directional sign and Mahogany market is on the right.