Saturday, June 23, 2018

Information for Tourists Planning to Visit Bakun’s Waterfalls, Mountains and Other Tourist Spots

If you are planning to head over to the municipality of Bakun in Benguet to climb its mountains or explore its numerous waterfalls, be aware that there’s a protocol you must follow. First of all, you should inform barangay Poblacion that you are coming. Barangay Poblacion is the town’s tourism center because it serves as base camp for majority of the visitors exploring the town’s tourist destinations. Give them a heads-up days before you travel there. The contact details of the people you should talk to are provided in the document below.

After arrival in Poblacion, it’s mandatory that you register, pay the necessary fees, and secure guides before you depart towards a tourist spot. The fees and rates are detailed in the following document.

Note: This is a document I copied verbatim from files sent to me by the Barangay Tourism Council. If you think there are errors or inconsistencies with it, please direct your inquiries at the Barangay Tourism Council, not to me.
Pattan Falls in Poblacion, Bakun, Benguet. Photo by Daniel Feliciano/The Cordilleran Sun
Barangay Tourism Council (BTC)
Poblacion, Bakun, Benguet

I. Pre-Departure
Visitors are advised to contact the Municipal Tourism Officer or the barangay government of Poblacion/Sinacbat, Bakun, Benguet.

Contact Persons:
Mr. Arthur A. Tolito – 09212113687/09053172616 (Municipal Tourism Officer)
Ms. Nenita A. Budas – 09183523722 (BTC President)
Mr. Peter A. Diclas – 09303625434 (Tour Guide Coordinator for Mt. Kabunian)
Ms. Mylene Toanen – 09098709002 (Tour Guide Coordinator for Mt. Lobo and Nagasa Cave)
Mr. Myrick Losente – 09128083649 (Tour Guide Coordinator for Mt. Tenglawan)

II. Arrival
All hikers visiting the Bakun Trio and other tourist spots should drop by at the Tourist Assistance Center located at the Barangay Hall to register, secure permit, pay necessary fees and be given a briefing. However, hikers going to Mt. Lobo and Nagasa Cave using the Dada route (traverse to Poblacion proper, base camp) are advised to register and pay environment fee at the Dada Multi-Purpose Building. Hikers going to Mt. Tenglawan using the Sinacbat route is likewise to follow same protocol above upon arrival to Poblacion proper.

Registration per person includes paying the fee rates as follows:

Environmental and Registration Fees:
Mt. Tenglawan – 100 per person
Mt. Kabunian – 100 per person
Mt. Gedgedayan – 100 per person
Mt. Lobo – 100 per person
Nagasa Cave – 100 per person
Mt. Lobo and Nagasa Cave – 100 per person
Tekip Falls – 50 per person
Pikaw Falls – 75 per person
Pattan Falls – 75 per person
Sakup Falls – 75 per person
Bagiw River – 50 per person
Mangta Falls – 75 per person

Tour Guide Fees
Hikers are required to engage with a tour guide in a ratio of 1-6 individuals. If you exceed 6 individuals, you will have to pay the guide 100 per excess. But you should not exceed 8 individuals. If you are beyond 8 individuals, you are going to need two guides.

The rates per tourist site are as follows:
1. Poblacion – Mt. Tenglawan - Poblacion: 12 hours, 1300 per guide, 3:00 am the earliest departure
2. Poblacion – Mt. Kabunian - Poblacion: 8 hours, 1000 per guide, 4:00 am the earliest departure
3. Poblacion – Mt. Lobo/Mt. Patullok – Poblacion: 7 hours, 900 per guide
4. Dada – Mt. Lubo/Mt. Patulok – Dada: 6 hours, 600 per guide
5. Dada – Mt. Lubo/Mt. Patullok – Poblacion: 7 hours, 800 per guide
6. Poblacion – Mt. Tenglawan – Poblacion: 12 hours, 1300 per guide
7. Sinacbat – Mt. Tenglawan – Sinacbat: 8 hours, 800 per guide
8. Sinacbat – Mt. Tenglawan – Poblacion: 12 hours, 1300 per guide
9. Poblacion – Nagasa Cave – Poblacion: 8 hours, 600 per guide
10. Dada – Mt. Lobo/Mt. Patullok – Nagasa Cave – Poblacion: 10 hours, 1200 per guide
11. Poblacion - Mangta Falls - Poblacion: 7 hours, 700 per guide
12. Poblacion - Pattan Falls - Poblacion: 6 hours, 600 per guide
13. Poblacion - Mt. Gedgedayan - Poblacion: 8 hours, 1000 per guide

Note: When the duration set for the route exceeds the target number of hours, there is an additional fee of 50 pesos per hour for Mt. Kabunian and Mt. Lubo while 100 pesos per hour for Mt. Tenglawan.

Tekip Falls: 300 per guide. Tour is maximum of three hours. For every excess of one hour, add 50 pesos.
Bagiw River: 250 per guide. Tour is maximum of three hours. For every excess of one hour, add 50 pesos.
Pikaw Falls: 500 per guide. Tour is maximum of five hours. For every excess of one hour, add 50 pesos.
Sakup Falls: 400 per guide. Tour is maximum of five hours. For every excess of one hour, add 50 pesos.
Pattan Falls: 500 per guide. Tour is maximum of six hours. For every excess of one hour, add 50 pesos.
Mt. Kabunian (from barangay Kayapa/Kibungan) to Poblacion: 800 per guide
Poblacion – Mt. Kabunian – Kayapa/Kibungan – 800 per guide

Package 1: Poblacion – Mt. Kabunian plus Pattan Falls. Pass through the Hedcor Inc. conveyance line.: 1000 per guide

Package 2: Tekip Falls, Bagiw River, Pikaw Falls, Sakup Falls, Layaan Rice Terraces, Burial Caves along Sapid, Layaan and Lutaan: 1000 per guide, valid for one day

Package 3: Tekip Falls, Bagiw River, Layaan Rice Terraces and Burial Caves along Sapid, Layan, and Lutaan: 600 per guide, valid for one day

Package 4: Sakup Falls, Pikaw Falls, Bagiw River, Rice Terraces and Burial Caves along Sapid, Layan, and Lutaan: 950 per guide, valid for one day

Package 5: Bagiw River, Rice Terraces and Burial Caves: 250 per guide

Package 6: Mt. Kabunian plus Gawaan Rice Terraces, Beey Kawit Falls, Hanging Bridges, Bagiw River and Burial Caves: 1000 per guide, valid for a day

Package 7: Mt. Kabunian plus Pattan Falls, Gawaan Rice Terraces, Hanging Bridges, Beey Kawit Falls, Bagiw River and Burial Caves: 1200 per guide, valid for one day

Package 8: Mt. Gedgedayan plus Pikaw Falls, Bagiw River, Burial Caves and Rice Terraces along Sapid, Layan, and Lutaan: 1400 per guide, valid for one day

Package 9: Pikaw Falls and Bagiw River: 600 per guide, six hours

Package 10: Mt. Gedgedayan and Pikaw Falls: 1200 per guide, valid for a day

For Overnight in the Tourist Spot:
Mt. Lubo: 1100 per guide
Mt. Kabunian/Mt. Gedgedayan: 1300 per guide
Poblacion – Mt. Tenglawan – Poblacion: 1800 per guide
Poblacion – Mt. Tenglawan – Sinacbat: 1800 per guide
Sinacbat – Mt. Tenglawan – Sinacbat: 1300 per guide
Sinacbat – Mt. Tenglawan – Poblacion: 1800 per guide
Tekip Falls: 750 per guide
Bagiw River: 750 per guide
Pikaw Falls: 800 per guide
Sakup Falls: 800 per guide
Pattan Falls: 1000 per guide

Porter’s Fee:
Same as tour guide fee.

Note: Maximum load is 20 kilograms plus 20 pesos in excess per every one kilogram. Load per porter should not exceed 25 kilograms.

Services Fee/Camping Fee
Inside and or outside the Old Municipal Building/Open Market Building: 80 pesos per person per night for maintenance, water, and electricity.

For Hire Items from the Barangay Government and Tour Guides Association
1. Blanket: 40 per night
2. Mat: 40 per night
3. Pillow: 20 per night
4. Mattress: 40 per night
5. Sleeping bag: 40 per night
6. Earth pad: 40 per night

Note: All the fees will be collected at the tourist assistance center (barangay hall) upon registration.

III. Hiking
Hikers/hiking groups have their own set of rules to follow. However, while inside the Bakun Trio, you are advised to follow these pointers:
1. Hikers must designate strong hikers (especially for big groups) who could act as sweepers to take care of slow hikers.
2. All hikers must always be guided by the mountaineer’s credo: take nothing but pictures, leave nothing but foot prints, and kill nothing but time.
3. For trail junctions where there are no trail signs, advance group members should make temporary directional signs for others to follow.
4. No hikers are allowed to bring with them liquor and dangerous drugs.
5. For smokers, properly put off cigarettes to avoid forest fires.
6. Hikers who camp in the tourist sites must construct their tents at the designated camp site.
7. Fill up water bottles before hiking. In areas where springs are available, the water is potable for people who do not have sensitive stomachs.
8. Respect the indigenous people’s culture. The culture may be different from yours but it is their culture. You are in their cultural ground.
9. Hiking should be fun. It is not a race. Take time to enjoy what nature offers. It is free.
10. Lastly, safety first at all times.