Maragodon Cultural River Cruise
Part Three of “Drive, Dine and Discover” Cavite Caravan
From the Bonifacio Trial Museum, it was a short 5-min., 1.2-km. drive, via narrow alleys, to Caingin Fish Port, the gateway to our Maragondon Cultural River Cruise. Docked at the port were two gaily decorated balsas (bamboo rafts), of operator Balsa de Santo Nino, for our two-hour cruise of part of the scenic, 35.6 km. long Maragondon River (average width: 10 m.), one of six major river basins of Cavite, once adjudged as among the country’s cleanest and greenest bodies of water. Each balsa can carry 10 to 15 passengers.
Check out “Bonifacio Trial Museum Revisited”
Caingin Fish Port and the Caingin Hanging Bridge
Also docked at the port was another larger floating restaurant type of raft similar to the one used in the Loboc River Cruise in Bohol. According to AAP Lakbay consultant Ms. Eva Carmona, it was booked for a wedding reception. Nearby, across this river, was the dangling and swaying Caingin Hanging Bridge. Erected in December 1999, it is the link going to the 280 m. high Mt. Buntis.
Check out “Loboc River Cruise”
A floating restaurant type of raft
Upon boarding the two balsas, we were soon on our way, our balsas towed by a motorized banca. Cruising along the turquoise waters and the heavily vegetated riverbank, we also passed the Pinagsanhan Hanging Bridge (the link going to the 100 m. high Mt. Nagpatong, home of the Andres Bonifacio National Shrine) and some settlements, watching local residents doing their daily chores as we enjoyed the serene landscape of the river.
Boarding our respective balsas…..
On board …..
Throughout the cruise, we were serenaded by a quartet (2 men and 2 women), in native attire, rendering folk songs. Our cruise took us, for 2 kms., from Brgy. Caingin to the boundary of the neighboring town of Ternate, before turning back to return to port.
Our on board entertainment …..
Each of our balsas had a bamboo table and benches. One had a bamboo deck, accessible by a bamboo stair, as a roof. Arrayed on the table was our packed lunch catered by Honorio’s Restaurant, a Maragondon culinary icon.
Pack lunch catered by Honorio’s
Our lunch fare consisted of sinigang sa miso, pork adobo sa patis (wherein the soy sauce was replaced by fish sauce), pakbet and a dessert of sliced watermelon. These we all washed down with bottled water or fresh buko juice straight from the shell.
Our balsa also towed a small 1.2 x 1.2 m. (4 x 4 ft.) outriggered bamboo raft (trono de hila) with a bamboo chair (or throne) on it where one or two passengers can take selfies or be photographed from the larger balsa.
Boarding the trono de hila …..
The author seated at the trono de hila
Also on board our balsa are two rubber inner tubes for those who want to engage in river floating. Other recreational activities that could be done on the river include wakeboarding, with a motorized banca pulling you.
The Cavite Caravan participants
For those who still have time after the cruise, you can also visit the Maragondon Stone Sculptures (popularly called ukit-ukit) which are accessible by tricycle from the riverside of Brgy. Caingin. It consists of 9 religious images of Biblical scenes (the Last Supper, Pieta, Jesus Christ and the Virgin and the Christ) as well as Pope John Paul II carved directly on adobe outcrops along the road, last March 2014, by brothers Valerio and Oscar Suarez, both former ice sculptors.
Maragondon Stone Carvings (photo: Visit Maragondon Facebook Page)
Balsa de Santo Nino River Cruise: Brgy. Caingin Poblacion, Maragondon, 4112 Cavite. Mobile numbers: (0926) 593-5902.
Maragondon Municipal Tourism Office: G/F, Municipal Bldg., Brgy. Poblacion 1-A, Maragondon, 4112 Cavite. Tel: (046) 686-3139. Mobile number: (0926) 237-6537.
Automobile Association of the Philippines (AAP): AAP Tower, 683 Aurora Blvd., Quezon City 1112. Tel: (632) 8723-0808 and (632) 8705-3333. Website: www.aap.org.ph. E-mail: info@aap.org.ph.
AAP Lakbay, Inc.: G/F, Sea Tower Bldg., 332 Roxas Blvd. cor. Arnaiz St., Pasay City. Tel: (32) 8551-0025 and (632) 8403-543. E-mail: aaplakbay.caravan@gmail.com. Coordinates:
14.5456531, 120.9914728.