The mountains have helped me a lot. It has become my sanctuary, my haven. Before I started climbing, I had no idea that it will actually be a start of an addiction–a positive one. Now that I am conquering more and more places, I still go back to my roots: the mountains. When we went to Samal Island in Davao (READ: Samal Island Budget Travel Guide: Where to Go, Eat and Stay), we climbed Mt. Puting Bato, the island’s highest peak. And for my latest trip to Coron, my adventure wouldn’t be complete with yet another climb. So here’s my journey to Mt. Tapyas: The summit beyond the rain.
OF ESCAPE AND RAIN
It was the last day of my 5-day trip to Coron. It was supposed to be a 4-day trip only but flight got cancelled due to the extremely bad weather. I stayed in bed the entire day, not wanting to go out. I just want to relax. The rain made me sleepy but I decided to wake up. I need to get out. I checked the weather outside of my room and it was better than the day before. It was still raining and I barely have 3 hours left before I head to the airport. Cheena and the rest of the Skyjet team were inside the meeting room so I was left alone. That’s when I decided to just go for it as I know not climbing Mt. Tapyas will be a regret later on and I won’t forgive myself for that. So I hailed a tricycle and went on.
It took me fifteen minutes to go from our hotel to the jump off of the mountain. It was around 10am. The rain has stopped already. The steps going to the summit were concrete, perfect for those who are not into trekking. Very “tourist-y” as I would describe it. I held my breathe and walked very fast because I have such limited time. Along side me were two girl backpackers (from Europe I think). Because of the poor weather, there was no other tourist except me and the two girls. I climbed for fifteen minutes before I finally reached the summit.
THE CROSS, THE MOUNTAIN AND THE SEA
Upon reaching the summit, I was gasping for air. It was cold but thankfully, it wasn’t raining. I held my camera, took some shots and maximized everything. I have 20 shots left before running out of memory. The summit reminded of Bataan’s Mt. Samat. It has a cross on the top and it will give you a 360-degree view of the entire island. Some of the islands surrounding Coron were not visible though because of the fog which actually made it cooler.
The safe spot were just around 180 degrees but if you’re the adventure-kind-of-guy, you can walk around and go to the other side. The trail here is no longer concrete though it’s very established. Here, you’ll find a gazebo and the trail leads to the lower side of the mountain.
From Mt. Tapyas, you can see Mt. Darala, Coron’s highest peak. If only I have extra time and if the weather permitted me, I would have climbed it. But yeah, better save it for my next visit.
STORIES BEHIND THE LENS
My climb to Mt. Tapyas was very special. I had the entire summit all to myself (the 2 other girls descended early). My camera’s memory finally gave up but the best stories are those that are capture by the eyes. I wasn’t feeling well when I climbed the mountain because I was really worried. I’ve been out of my class for the last 2 days (though classes were suspended because of the bad weather in Manila too) and my deadlines are coming in. I didn’t bring my laptop with me which means all work are piling up. Upon reaching the summit, I closed my eyes and took a deep breath. I inhaled all the positive energy and released the bad vibes. This is what the mountains have taught me. The mountains are my haven. It’s where I get to have a close connection with my inner self. Here, I get to release all the stress.
After 45 minutes of being gone, I arrived back to our hotel feeling better now. This is why I always that whenever you feel bad, go climb. It’s a healer.
DESCEND AND DEPARTURE
That afternoon, I flew back to Manila. It has been a tough but exciting journey. I will never forget it.
To get here, just ride a tricycle from the town. Fare costs Php 10 each. If you’re near the city hall, you can already walk from there, just find the Tapyas Road and walk your way to the jump off. It will take 15-45 minutes to go up the summit depending on your pace. From there, you can already enjoy the 360-degree view of Coron. Have fun climbing!
Cheers~!
– Justin –
Really beautiful photos from the cross. It’s interesting because you usually hear about the Philippines because of the sea, not usually the mountains. Also, I think taking a tricycle there makes it a little more interesting.
The road is very steep so it’s quite a struggle with the tricycle but it’s fun.