The last of the Tanay Adventure series is a visit to the Tanay Church and sunset gazing at the Parola which boasts a view of Laguna de Bay.
Right after our Calinawan Cave tour(read the full guide here) we headed straight to the town proper to chase the sunset along the Parola. But before heading there, we paid a visit to the San Ildenfonso de Toledo Parish Church commonly known as the Tanay Church.
San Ildenfonso de Toledo Parish Church
Being a church fanatic (thanks to my history of architecture class), I am always excited to visit new churches. In fact, it is always on my list now every time I visit a new city and Tanay Church is no exception. The church was built in 1773 and was finished in 1783. It was named after its patron saint San Ildefonso de Toledo. In July 31, 2001, it was declared as a National Treasure by the National Commission for Culture and the Arts
The wooden sculpture in front of the church.
We didn’t stay that long in the church since we were running out of time. Actually, this shot of the interior was a quick snapshot since we went there on a Sunday and mass was going on and I want to pay respect to the church and church-goers by not taking too much photos inside.
Parola
A couple of minutes away lies the Parola (Spanish: Lighthouse) which offers a wide view of the Laguna de Bay. Watching the sunset was so perfect here. While it’s not as tall as grand as compared to other lighthouses, the Tanay Parola has a beauty unique to itself. You can climb the spiral staircase that leads you to a 360-degree view of Tanay and Laguna de Bay. There’s no entrance fee but you are required to register.
Within the area, you can ride a boat to give you a quick tour. Fare is around Php 20/head but we didn’t get to try it as we need to go back to Manila already.
The view at the top of Parola.
Pililla Windmills as seen from the Parola.
How To Go Here
The easiest and cheapest route is via Starmall.
1. From Starmall ride a jeep or fx bound to Tanay. Fx fare is around Php 70. Drop off at Tanay Market.
2. You can either ride a jeep, trike or walk to Tanay Church and Parola..
Thank you guys for reading my entire Tanay Adventure Series! It’s just so fun to discover the hidden gems of a city. I have more series to come such as Ilocos and Nueva Ecija and I’m excited to post them soon. Stay tuned! 🙂
Cheers~!
– Justin –
