Some sixty kilometers south-east from Manila as the crow flies or about 100 kilometers if you are confined to terrestrial transport lies the town of Pagsanjan. Pagsanjan has long been a favored destination of both local and foreign tourists alike. The town calls itself the "tourist capital of Laguna province" and it is a well-deserved title. There is much to see and it is all well organized.

Pagsanjan is most famous for its falls. The town itself dates from early Spanish times and lies at the confluence of two rivers, the Balanac and the Bumbungan. Indeed legend has it that the name of the town derives from the Tagalog word "Pinagsangahan" meaning 'juncture.'

Founded in 1578 by a Spanish Franciscan friar, the town quickly became a center for local trade because of its strategic location. In 1668 the Governor of the Philippines formalized the status of "town" and the newly created parish chose Mexico's Our Lady of Guadeloupe as the town's patroness. It must be remembered that Governance of the Philippines by Spain was indirect and in fact the local Spanish authorities reported to Mexico which was the principal trade route to Europe at that time.

As a commercial center - from 1688 until 1858, Pagsanjan was the capital of Laguna province - Pagsanjan prospered and that long period of prosperity remains in evidence wherever one looks in this town. The town gate, Puerta Real, at the western entrance to the town was constructed originally in the period 1878 - 1880 and was restored in the mid nineteen-seventies. Within the town itself are many fine examples of colonial architecture - from private houses to magnificent churches.

In 1975, Pagsanjan was thrust into the limelight when it was chosen as the location for much of the filming of Francis Ford Coppola's "Apocalypse Now." Since that time the town has enjoyed something of a renaissance.

Indeed it is the Falls and the journey taken to reach them - the boat ride along the Pagsanjan River and shooting the rapids along the journey - that provide the main attraction to visitors. While popularly known as the Pagsanjan Falls, locally they are "Magdapio Falls since their actual location is not in Pagsanjan at all but in the adjacent town of Cavinti.

A ride to the falls is the highlight of any trip to the town. Most hotels along the river provide both secure parking and experienced boatmen equipped for the journey. Each boat consists of two boatmen and (usually) two passengers. Unlike in other areas where haggling is the norm, prices are fixed and posted all over town. You must also have a lifevest - and if you do not bring one then that is an extra charge and a cushion for the boat is an optional extra that is worth the few extra pesos. You will be in the boat for much of the day!

As of 2002 the standard rate was P580 per person for a two-passenger banca or P1080 for a single passenger banca. For the lifevest add P50 and the cushion will cost you a further P30.

The journey begins along the tranquil headwaters of the river that skirts the town but the pace soon quickens as you leave behind the houses and farms to "shoot the rapids." The river quickens as it passes through magnificent scenery that combines tropical gorges with rainforest and river wildlife. The journey itself takes between two to three hours and watching the dexterity of the boatmen as they navigate the boulders as well as the other boats is entertainment in itself.

Eventually the river comes to an abrupt end in the form of a horseshoe canyon with the waters tumbling 300 feet at one end. Here you can rest for a while and swim in the pool at the base of the falls.

The boatmen usually only manage one trip a day and so you are free to linger. The trip back to Pagsanjan, in which you are traveling with the river, takes only half the time.

You can do the whole journey to and from Manila with a trip to the falls within a single day but if you have the time it is well worth it to stay over and take the time to savor the other joys of the town. Hotels are clean and comfortable and moderately priced and there are a number of fine restaurants from which to choose and which offer a combination of Filipino and Spanish food as well as international dishes. Since the town can receive up to 1,000 visitors a day during summer months, if you plan to stay it is wise to book ahead.

Travelling to Pagsanjan

You can join a guided tour but it is probably just as easy to travel by private car or you can hire a car with driver for around P1500 per day.

From Manila, head south along the Southern Expressway past Alabang and to the Calambra Exit. From there follow the National Highway along the Laguna de Bay passing through the towns of San Pedro and Los Baños. The road is picturesque and depending on the time of year it may be worth stopping at one or more of the roadside flower shops to be found along the way.

Fiestas and Festivals

The town is geared for carnivals and the carnivals are geared for the tourists. March is the season for Pagsanjan's Bankero Festival while in May (ahead of the rainy season) there is Fiesta De San Isidoro (Feast of San Isidoro), the Flores de Mayo (Flowers of May) and the Santacruzen (Search for the Cross). On December 12 the whole town comes together for the town fiesta which honors the Feast of our Lady of Guadeloupe.