This is a quick guide for people who want to see Tekip Falls in the town of Bakun in Benguet. Tekip Falls is one of several waterfalls located in Bakun especially within the vicinity of barangay Poblacion. It's one of the most visited falls in the town because it's more picturesque and is much more accessible compared to the other waterfalls in the area.
Just a quick reminder:
If you are thinking of going all the way to Bakun to only see Tekip Falls, I suggest that you widen your itinerary so that you'll get to see more tourist spots in the area. I say this because going to Bakun takes 4 to 7 hours and there's only two buses plying the Poblacion-La Trinidad route. On any given day, one bus leaves La Trinidad en-route to Poblacion while the other one leaves Poblacion en-route to La Trinidad. Both leave between 6:00 am and 8:00 am depending on the number of passengers.
There are no bus trips in the afternoon. That said, your only choice is to stay in Poblacion for the night then catch the bus early in the morning. This is why I'm recommending that you plan your visit to Bakun so that you can spend more time seeing other tourist spots in the town. When we went there on a trip, we set aside three days and two nights. During our stay, we explored Tekip Falls and Pattan Falls and climbed Mt. Kabunyan and Mt. Lubo.
How To Get To Poblacion, Bakun, Benguet
There's a bus that leaves every morning for Poblacion. It's parked at the lot in front of Kenwayne Commercial along Km. 6. It's sandwiched between the Calajo Restaurant and Dap-ayan Restaurant. It leaves for Bakun between 6:00 am and 8:00 am. I highly suggest that you go there as early as 5:30 am to ensure that you are aboard the bus when it leaves. Always remember that it's the only bus that leaves for Poblacion. Bus fare is 185 pesos per passenger. Traveling time can take between 4 to 7 hours. You should take into account your traveling time when planning your itinerary. If you get there early at 1:00 pm to 3:00 pm, you can make a quick visit to Tekip Falls since it's only a 30-minute walk away.
Where To Stay In Poblacion, Bakun, Benguet
The old municipal hall is currently being utilized as a base camp for hikers, climbers, and visitors. You can stay there and pay around 80 pesos per head per night. The barangay hall is also being used as a base camp if the old municipal hall is full. But the rate is higher at 150 pesos per head per night. The benefit of staying at the barangay hall is that you can use the kitchen to cook your food. You can use the plates, gas range, and other utensils there. The barangay hall also has a clean bathroom and toiler with a steady supply of fresh water.
Tourist Guide Fee For Tekip Falls
The guide fee is only 300 pesos. A guide can accommodate six individuals which means that you're basically paying 50 pesos each. You also have to pay an environmental fee of 100 pesos per head for the barangay. This is why I suggest that you widen your itinerary so that you can get the most out of your stay in Bakun. As I mentioned earlier, going to Tekip Falls will take you around 30 minutes. You can spend an hour there bathing under the falls and splashing in the pools.