Bolinao falls is located in Brgy. Samang Norte in Bolinao, Pangasinan. If my memory serves me right, its about 30 minutes from the town center of Bolinao and the path leading to the falls is a stretch of rough road a kilometer off the main highway. We went there on a van arranged by the resort where we stayed in, but one could always rent a tricycle going there.
I've been to a dozen waterfalls in the past and for sure, this one ranks as one of the best as it has a large pool and a 15 feet high main waterfall and another which was about 20-25 feet high if my sense of height measurement was correct. The surrounding trees and the fine clear waters conspire to create a green colored water with shades of blue. The water was so clear you can see the bottom rocks on the shallow part. When I was there I was like "damn I wish I could swim" - I could swim a little but not gung-ho enough to go diving into a lake or a waterfalls, something I'd always wanted to do. That is, only If I could reinforce myself with much needed courage.
I was along with other travel bloggers during our trip to Alaminos and then to the town of Bolinao in Pangasinan when we dropped off this waterfalls which according to folklore was the site where "Boli" and "Nao" met and fell in love and whose romantic relationship got the ire of a local chieftain or Datu and the ensuing events became a precursor to modern Romeo Vazquez and Vilma Santos-like romantic tales.
Today, the place has a man made stairs leading down to the waterfalls which was probably constructed decades ago. Personally, I'd prefer for these kind of places to remain as it is, if people would want to visit a waterfalls, they should be ready to hike along a natural trail. Putting cement infrastructures to accommodate lazy visitors creates more imbalance to the natural formation of these natural attractions.
We took a dip into the waters, wary of stepping on a deeper part and half tingling courtesy of the cold water, but once you dipped your whole body, it gets easy to conform with the cool temperature and just like any other waterfalls I've been to, the flow of the water makes a therapeutic effect on your weary muscles and you get to have a peaceful time hearing nothing but the splash of dropping water and the bird chirping as if saying other birds "yo birdy mavering lets drop a poop on this one, he looks frightened to swim anyway". Fortunately, those birds only exists in my mind and the actual birds just flew over the top without dropping poops. It was a bit windy as it's already the cold November month and as the wind kisses your face with splatter of water you can't help but feel a bit sleepy.
And I wouldn't mind sleeping in such a setting. It's peaceful, its mother Earth as it's best and all these greens surrounding me, the trees and all of it creates a near perfect setting as I stare at my female companions who are posing like Dyesebels and supermodels with the picturesque waterfall pimping as the background.
And here they are, Cai, Ada, Gael and Mica. Part of the wonderful new set of friends that I went on a trip to Pangasinan along with other travel bloggers; Josh, Robbie, Darwin, Anton and Estan.
This place makes a great sidetrip when you find yourself in Bolinao, an afternoon swim or nap or maybe a picnic here makes the whole afternoon well spent. Memo to myself, learn to swim so next time I visit a place like Bolinao Falls, I'll be diving like a mad Chinese Olympic diver and swimming like a young Eric Buhain motioning "five" on my hands re-enacting the classic 200 meter freestyle duel with the Singaporean dude during the 1993 SEA Games held in Manila.
