Conquering Batad: Surviving Hiking
How I survived my first hike.
Travel Attire
A good pair of walking sandals with straps is advisable for the trek. One of our fellow travellers wore hiking shoes and he slipped. Plus hiking shoes are more heavy. But if you already have them and you don’t want to buy new sandals, then go ahead. Just be careful. No Flipflops please. Your shoes will get wet. Wear socks during trekking to avoid blisters. Your socks will get wet but you won’t be slipping.I came up with this:
I thought the sandals + socks combination was kinda baduy at first. But it all worked out pretty well. No foot blisters!
Things to Bring
Since this was my first hiking trip ever, I bought some gear. Bought by Tribu sandals for Php 600+ and a Dickies backpack for Php 1,000. Both have become staple items during my travels.
Reminders/Tips:
Food and Drinks:
Hiking tips:
Rent a walking stick. It is only Php 10 and it will help you immensely. Note that the walking stick is rented. You will need to return it. So do remember your own walking stick.
Don’t rush. Don't be a wimp and fall behind either. Some people can walk faster than others. Pace yourself. You need to have a good grip on the ground to avoid slipping.
There will be intermittent rest places with shade.
The scenery:
The trek to Tappiya Falls is exhausting. Some opted to just rest and reserve their strength for the trek back – which is uphill. The rest of the group proceeded with the trek. And this was our reward:
Travel Attire
A good pair of walking sandals with straps is advisable for the trek. One of our fellow travellers wore hiking shoes and he slipped. Plus hiking shoes are more heavy. But if you already have them and you don’t want to buy new sandals, then go ahead. Just be careful. No Flipflops please. Your shoes will get wet. Wear socks during trekking to avoid blisters. Your socks will get wet but you won’t be slipping.I came up with this:
I thought the sandals + socks combination was kinda baduy at first. But it all worked out pretty well. No foot blisters!
Things to Bring
Since this was my first hiking trip ever, I bought some gear. Bought by Tribu sandals for Php 600+ and a Dickies backpack for Php 1,000. Both have become staple items during my travels.
- Backpack – you will be trekking, hence the backpack
- Clothes
- Extra pairs of socks
- Zip Locks (to waterproof your stuff)
- Towel
- SunblockCap/Visor/Hat
- Sunglasses
- Toiletries
- Personal Medicine
- Camera & accessories
- Umbrella
- Jacket
- Raincoat/poncho
- Plastic bag for dirty clothes
- Plastic bag for wet clothes
- Insect repellant
- Drinking water
- Emergency food stash
Reminders/Tips:
- Pack light. Don’t bring too many clothes. Don’t bring too many things.
- Waterproof your things - it might rain during the trek. It rained during ours.
- When you pack the umbrella and raincoat, make sure they can be easily retrieved when you need them.
- It might be very hot/very cold during the day
- Place your drinking water in the side pocket of your backpack for easy access.
- It will be easier if your camera has a neck strap so you can take pictures anytime. Protect it with a water-resistant/water-proof cover.
Food and Drinks:
- Food in Batad are limited and expensive. Buy your snacks from Manila.
- Have some junk food stash in hand. You will be hungry during non-meal times.
- You are required to bring your own personal drinking water.
- Be ready to eat chicken. We had chicken in our menu for 2 days. Fried Chicken. Adobong Chicken. Nilagang Chicken.
Hiking tips:
Rent a walking stick. It is only Php 10 and it will help you immensely. Note that the walking stick is rented. You will need to return it. So do remember your own walking stick.
Don’t rush. Don't be a wimp and fall behind either. Some people can walk faster than others. Pace yourself. You need to have a good grip on the ground to avoid slipping.
There will be intermittent rest places with shade.
The scenery:
The trek to Tappiya Falls is exhausting. Some opted to just rest and reserve their strength for the trek back – which is uphill. The rest of the group proceeded with the trek. And this was our reward:
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