Tinipak River 2015

The Beauty of Tanay, Rizal

My recent trip to Tinipak River is not actually solo. I’m with a friend but I decided to write this guide for solo travelers since I cannot find one on the net. I was actually planning to go solo before but I was a little bit hesitant since I haven’t heard or read from anyone who did.

The Road to Tinipak River From Star Mall in Shaw Boulevard, ride a commuter UV Express van going to Tanay Market. Upon reaching Tanay market, ride a tricycle going to Barangay Daraitan. It’s not hard to find them in Tanay since they will be the one to find you. Before riding, make sure to ask how much the driver will charge. Try to haggle but their rate is pretty much the same if you’re in a group of six. It’s also possible to ride a jeep bound to Sampaloc but you still need to get another tricycle going to Barangay Daraitan. After about 1.5 hours of tricycle ride, you will need to cross a river to reach Daraitan Barangay Hall. During summer, locals setup a bridge so vehicles can cross but during rainy season, they remove it due to the river’s water level. After crossing, ride another tricycle going to Barangay Hall. You will need to register and pay the environmental fee for Barangay Daraitan. After securing a guide, your trek to Tinipak River starts. The trek is easy but during rainy season, it’s muddy and the rocks were really slippery. Extra caution is needed.

Before reaching Tinipak river camp site, you will need to pay another registration fee to pass a private lot. This is also because of ongoing disputes of which jurisdiction between Daraitan or General Nakar Quezon Tinipak belongs so both sides were charging separate fees. After another 10 minutes, you’ll reach the camp site which is also where the rock formations, swimming area and the cave are. If you wish to go inside the cave you need to pay to cross a makeshift bridge. Make sure to bring flash lights to appreciate the beauty of the cave. Headlamps are available for rent at Barangay Daraitan Hall. Things to do Cliff jumping – Ask you guide for the right spot to do it. The river bed is not consistently deep and some were rocky. Make sure to jump on the correct area to avoid any accident. Climbing up is a challenge because you need to swim against the current from one side of the river to the other.