Taytay Falls [or Imelda Falls] of Majayjay, Laguna

Three names yet referring to one beautiful spot in Laguna. That's how I recall this waterfall...

Taytay Falls is a two-story high waterfall which others call it as the Majayjay Falls and even the Imelda Falls. The reason why it has so many names is because of its rich background. Its famous name is actually Taytay Falls but since it is located at Brgy. Gagalot, Majayjay, Laguna, people has started calling it Majayjay Falls. Another story is, it got its other name (which is Imelda Falls) from the First Lady of the late Ferdinand Marcos named Imelda Marcos, as she financed the promotion of tourism in this place and because of this, there was a time where the World Bank has sponsored the promotion of tourism in Taytay Falls. With those stories, I hope I eliminated the confusion when I use these 3 different names to refer the place for this post.

Off to Majayjay Falls!

How to get there?
Take a bus bound to Sta. Cruz, Laguna at Buendia (Gil Puyat - LRT) bus terminal. Fare is around 150 - 160 pesos. Notify the bus conductor that you are heading to Taytay Falls and to drop you off at the terminal where jeepneys going to Majayjay are located. Afterwards, take one of those jeepneys that bound to Majayjay which costs for about 40 pesos. Then from Majayjay proper, take a direct trip to Taytay/Brgy. Gagalot where you'll be needing to register first at the Barangay Hall before you can proceed to the location of the falls. Jeepney fare is 16 pesos and registration/entrance fee is 35 pesos per head. It was approximately 3-4 hours of travel time from Manila to Majayjay.

As soon as we finished paying our fees at the barangay hall, we started trekking all the way down to Taytay Falls. You need to walk for about 10-15 minutes in order to reach its location. Don't worry because you'll be breathing in and out fresh air since the way to Taytay Falls is surrounded with plants and trees. I can say that it is almost like a forest but with a concrete path way for the visitors to walk in.

All were excited as the splashes of falling water gets louder and louder

Upon reaching the Taytay Falls, every one of us got excited and astounded with the beauty of this waterfall. It is tall, wide and beautifully surrounded with nature on the side. Not to mention how clear the water running on Taytay Falls. Perhaps this is the clearest and cleanest waterfall I've been through. We could all say that the long travel was really worth it.

Presenting... the Taytay Falls [aka Majayjay Falls/Imelda Falls]

Water that came all the way from Mt Banahaw

After we found a spot where we can settle and put our things into safety, its time to dive on that water. Wait! I have to warn you that Taytay Falls water is cold... i mean very cold... what i really mean is, it is freezing cold,  like icy cold. To prove this, we even put our bottled drinks into the water to make it cold and it was effective. It was like a big refrigerator. Well, we just put stones around our drinks so that it wouldn't flown away down to the river. All I can say is, although the water is freezing cold, it is also refreshing. It didn't stop us from diving on it.

Photo op before the actual swimming

Its not cold [Mind over matter]... oh well, its not working because it is really cold

We pause from swimming to have our lunch and it was great. We are all hungry and all our canned goods tasted like lechon of Cebu. I guess that was because of the long travel we've been through. This adventure releases all our stress. It was nice to take a break away from the pollution of the city.

The best! Eating after diving into the waterfall

Tents are the only means of lodging in Taytay Falls. Expect no services like electricity and phone coverage. There are toilets and bathrooms available but don't expect too much. There were lots of campers the day we visited Taytay Falls. I can't blame them. If only this place is near my place, I'll definitely camp here most of my nights and drink out with a bonfire. Too bad we only planned for a day visit. I didn't experience an overnight. I bet it will be colder than during the day... feels like a fully air conditioned room at its maximum.

Down stream part of Majayjay Falls

Well, that's the end of our adventure. We departed at around 4:00 PM to go back to Manila. I hope the local community authority continues on enforcing strict rules on waste management in the area. In that way, the beauty of this waterfall will be remain and preserve for the future generations.

Breakdown of Expenses:
Bus ride (Buendia - Sta Cruz) - 160.00 PhP
Jeepney ride (Sta Cruz - Majayjay) - 40.00 PhP
Jeepney ride (Majayjay - Taytay) - 16.00 PhP
Registration Fee - 35.00 PhP
Jeepney ride (Taytay - Bus terminal) - 50.00 PhP
Bus ride (Bus terminal - Manila) - 170.00 PhP
Food - **.**