Delles River Cascades

Burgos, La Union 

the river cascades

Burgos is a municipality in the coastal garden province of La Union, Philippines. Statistics shows that it has a population of 7,850 people, making it the least populous municipality in the province. In addition it is near the boundary of Sablan, Benguet. It is with great proximity with the Cordilleras. They are generally Kankana-ey but knows how to speak Ilocano. Historically, this municipality came from the province of Benguet and became one of La Union's in the 1850's. Comprising of 12 barangays, Delles particularly Sitio Bolikewkew given a splendid beauty of nature. 

How about trekking to a pristine river cascades and water slide? Too stressful? But how can you pride yourself for having undergone extreme quests if you don’t even want to try them? Or maybe you think trekking too boring..bring that boredom into excitement to see this wonderful gift of nature.

With my eagerness to go to Burgos, La Union to find a river cascades as of that in Tineg, Abra. I believe, that my province have also same beauty, where cascading rivers are never been discovered by among others.

It was 1:30 in the afternoon when I got home and talked to my little sister to go hiking as well as trekking to find such river cascades, I told her to just wear comfortable clothes and her ordinary flip flops/rubber slipper. 

From my hometown, Naguilian, we rode a bus and exactly arrived in Burgos at 2:06 p.m., we stopped in front of the municipal hall and walked a little bit away from that point towards to the public market where we can get our ride going to Delles, particularly to Sitio Bolikewkew, we stop after the newly constructed bridge named Bolikewkew Bridge paid the driver amounting to Php75.00. We were new to the place. At around 2:21 p.m. the driver served as the tour guide since he was born in that place. We took a trail passing the signage of welcome to Brgy. Linuan. 

the water slide

We passed by the rice terraces without crops on it, the driver told us that this is the old Bolikewkew Rice Terraces. In addition, the driver said that the new Bolikewkew Rice Terraces are much better viewed in the upper portion side of the mountain. As we walk in a foot trail we came to a hanging bridge where one could find the Delles water slide (however, I think the water slide is in the vicinity still of Brgy. Linuan) so we took pictures of the area and dip our feet and feel the clear and pristine water from the upper source.

my little sister "Titana" for her approval of the site

who could not want to take a pose and take a shot

After taking pictures the driver told us that he could not guide us no more since he have to earn a living as a tricycle driver so we thanked him and told him that he will also be the one will ride after the hike.

the local tour guide L-R namely: Rolly, Jherwin and Glenn

However, a couple of youngster served as the tour guide named Glenn (grade 8), Jeremy (grade 4) and Rolly (grade 1) and off we go, we walked a trail, hiked and trekked and even dipped into a small lagoons of waters, as we go on to upper portion. As we go further, it rained, so we put our gadgets on a zip lock (Boy Scout) since every time I go to such places like this I know it always rain it keeps the forest as green and rustic.

pristine and clear waters

the gushing of waters to my feet

the water running down

Boulders of rocks like in Sangbay Falls in Naguilian, La Union are often see, however they are chess like arranged sloping down the river. I can’t believe to myself what we saw, the beauty of it gives me a guts to go further up, we saw four hanging bridges. My sister flip-flops served its purpose, it was torn apart. I have always caution her for the areas that are slippery so she knew where she could grab the boulders and where to put her feet allowing here to elevate to a higher level of the hiking. 

one handed hanging bridge

One scary thing happened is with one-sided handrail leaving one hand on your waist, really scary, however I managed to let my sister took a shot from her post towards me.

I felt the cascades is near, as I saw one sided cascades gushing white water flowing down so I rushed and passed the hanging bridge as quick as I am, well my companions are still left behind since I was too excited to see it myself, finally the river cascades with a great lagoon at the bottom. So I shouted to my companions to come over and they did.

from afar the river cascades

the river cascades

It really relaxes me when I see this God given beauty of nature to such place in an untouchable with any developments. As I scout the place, it was untouched and I guess only the locals have been here for taking a bath nor to let their animals drink fresh water from the mountain side. It has a large pool from the gushing of waters atop, the lagoon is suit for swimming area. A large log was at the side where one could sit and place clothing’s as you go dip yourself to the waters.

my feet atop of the cascades

Honestly, I wasn’t contented to what I saw and a gut feeling again… believing that there are more small cascades at the upper level, and since I went to the side of the mountain I came up with a guy carrying a bag from a mountain side so I asked him if there are more in the upper level of this river, he smiled at me and I guess he or he may not understand what I said since I was like 10 meters away from him.

atop of the river cascades

So I studied how I could get into the top of the cascades and continued the exploration as usual I led the team, they are tired already hehe (but my adrenalin was activated at that time). So I had a chance to walk and climb the small side portion to be at the top of the cascades and I could not believe what I saw a small river cascades flowing so calm in the area.

upper small portion of river cascades

And as I walked it gives me a point of view that there are more in the upper area underneath the hanging bridge at the distance, so I went there and it was awesome view a wide array of small cascading river. I felt I was blessed to see this place at that time. And my eyes are sparkling with joy upon seeing the cascades. It was around 4:00p.m when we reached this wide array of cascades, and I told to my companions to dip into the water. I shouted let’s go dip into the water! But none of them responded I guess they are tired. I took a photo of my sister since she doesn’t like to join me into the cold gushing water. I enjoyed the place since I was the only one who took a bath. It was clear, pristine and cold water but as you go dip yourself it will take away your tiredness from hiking/trekking. So my sister took pictures as I took my bath and to capture the magnificent cascading effect of the river of Delles, Burgos, La Unio.

upper cascades underneath the hanging bridge

 I told them, that after 15-20 minutes then we go back to where we started but not on the same route but the trail at the side of the mountain. 

So it’s time to go home, and we decided to take the route the mountain side trail from the river cascades, we went passed by a couple of houses. Sloping down with tiger grasses both sides of the pathway wherein Burgos in known for, Home of Quality Colored Softbrooms in the province. We came crossed seventeen years old small hanging bridge.

upper cascades underneath the hanging bridge

As we walked our tour guide told us that on our left side is the new Bolikewkew Rice Terraces, from my vantage point I took pictures of the couple of rice terraces not as many as in Banaue and not as grand and vast as those of the provinces of Ifugao or Mountain Province which why is not that popular as a "rice terraces" to the locals. It is not stoned walled and nothing extra-ordinary, but just seeing this part of the countryside is like taking a glimpse or a sneak-peek of what to see in the Cordilleras.

Imagine our feet with my slippers have thick mud and my feet with grass leaves, we passed a house and we washed our feet, we thanked the guy for his hospitality of letting our feet/slippers be washed. Then off we go again. We reached a small wood type waiting shed then a sloping pathway from the mountain side until we came across a bamboo hanging bridge which served  a bridge between the mountain then we arrived at the waiting shed not the first one we left for the hike but another waiting shed at the upper side of the road.

 

the stunning view of the Bolikewkew Rice Terraces of Burgos, La Union

So we are laughing and we had such fun and excitement, I and my sister is thirsty so we searched for a store and luckily there’s one right from the waiting shed where we started, we drink together with the kids and we gave them Php50.00 each. And we are off to go we paid the same driver a hundred pesos for his effort and patience for us both. We arrived at Burgos public market at around 5:06p.m. and we walked going to the municipal hall and we waited for a bus coming from Baguio City bound to San Fernando City, La Union. In just a few minutes a bus showed up and we immediately rushed in and rode. We arrived in Naguilian at around 5:30p.m timely for dinner at 6:00p.m. It was fun and exciting to see that places and I am eying to get there once again. #dellesrivercascades #happyfeet

How to get there:

From Manila take bound for either of these: Laoag City, Vigan City, Candon City, Bangued (Abra), or La Union. You have to get down at the Plaza of Bauang, La Union.Then walk your way to the waiting shed located at the road going east (Naguilian Road) fronting the Municipal Library of Bauang. From there, wait and ride a bus bound for Baguio City.

From Baguio City take bound for either of these: Laoag City, Vigan City, Candon City, Bangued (Abra), or La Union. Either Partas/Farinas/Philippine Rabbit at the Governors Pack near SM Baguio City, or either take an ordinary bus from corner Otek St. and Shogun St.

Stop at the Municipal Hall of Burgos, La Union (it is near the Public Market and a walk away from the Municipal Hall of Burgos). Walk up to the Market and ride a tricycle to Sitio Bolikewkew for about Php75.00 pesos.