It's not all the time that once you "follow a river, you will find a sea", sometimes when you followed a river, you find yourself - falling in love with nature even more and its serenity.😉
I had another beautiful time when I set foot on finding the Linaw Spring of Catmon. There's not much info about the spring on the internet except on the Facebook post of one local about this spring which only shows a picture of the spring, a river, and a short caption of the post stating the location, which I love because it means and it calls for an "adventure".
So then, a "nature enthusiast" in me was awakened and activated to seek this piece of natural wonderland and experience its beauty firsthand. So in this blog, I'm bringing you with me on an adventure of finding Linaw Spring! Let's go Taraaa!
Linaw means a body of clean water in our dialect. This small and beautiful Linaw Spring is nestling in the silent barangay of Macaas, Catmon. Basically, based on what I discovered, Linaw is not a spring, rather it is one of the refreshing river pools that were created due to the river's natural activities. Since it is common for locals to call a calm and deep river pool a spring, thus the place got its name Linaw Spring.
The weather's perfectly fine for this exciting adventure of finding Linaw. I took a bus going to the town of Catmon, and ask the driver to drop me off at Macaas or somewhere near this Linaw Spring, good thing one of the passengers was also going to Catmon and told me about the direction. Everything went easy in finding the corner street going to Linaw, I also met a lady vendor while on my way who generously taught me the specific direction going to the spring.
Heaven was in my favor in this adventure, as I met another young local boy who guided me going to the River and was very kind to take some of my photos! I followed him as he led the way.
Aside from the tall coconut and Mango trees that welcomed me, I saw two small bridges, one I think for motor vehicles, and the other one for people, or maybe it's simply the old one and the new one. Hehe.
After several minutes of walking after I crossed the bridge, my feet brought me to this lush greeneries of abundant vegetation. The place is almost covered by tree branches making its atmosphere a little colder than usual.
Some green grasses I met along the way.
At this part, I knew the river was just around the corner as I could hear the gushing of the water. The kid (my guide) told me that after I passed this lush greenery, I'll see a group of mango trees, and that's it! It's where Linaw Spring is nestling!
I took bigger steps at this time. I couldn't wait to lay my eyes on the spring, and the river. I'm brimming with excitement to finally catch a glimpse of it!
Charaaan!
The beautiful and gentle river pool Linaw unveiled itself!
Nestled between the rocks, the river pool, or what is called Linaw Spring by the locals appeared like a hidden oasis, inviting me to take a refreshing dip. It is surrounded by lush vegetation and tall trees.
Looking from above, I observed that the water beneath appeared greener, while the surface remained crystal clear which means it has an average depth. It must be very refreshing and clean to take a dip here seeing the crystal clear water of the river flowing gracefully towards this pool.
The spring, the river pool rather is not that big of size but it is more than enough to accommodate plenty of people for a rejuvenating bath. In fact, when I reached this hidden paradise, there was a family who were enjoying their time in the pool. The adults were cooking while the kids were busy swimming.
Oh, how I wanted to take a plunge or dip my toes, but I just couldn't because I was wearing my hiking clothes. So I just sat down on top of the rocks and marveled at the simplicity and beauty of this spring. The whole environment was so serene and I could only hear nothing but the sound of nature, the river's gentle murmur, and the laughter of the locals. I honestly envy watching them enjoying this gift of nature. I should have brought swimming clothes with me! and I think I should every time I set out for an adventure of finding a river or spring.
After enjoying the sight, I followed the river further to discover more of it. The river flowed with crystalline clarity, revealing the stones beneath its surface. The water sparkled as it glided with the rocks which also showcase their unique features. Some are round and smooth while others are rough and full of holes.
The riverside is filled with vegetation and random big trees! The whole place was silent and tranquil.
Not so long I saw one of the sources of freshwater. This is where locals get there water they used for drinking and cooking.
I stayed there for a while as I filled my eyes and soul with the hidden beauty of nature. This was one of the most rewarding adventures I have had. Not only that I got to discover another beauty of nature but also I was able to find my courage again to seek nature's hidden paradise by myself.
If you're also like me who loves to discover hidden gems, I'll make your adventure finding for Linaw Spring easier.😉 So here's how to get there.
📍For public vehicles, ride a bus bound North of Cebu, and ask the driver to drop you off at Macaas, Catmon. You can also specify that you are going to Linaw Spring, if you're lucky the driver will drop you off at the exact street going to Linaw, but if not, once you are dropped off, you can ask the locals which direction is Linaw and they will gladly teach you.
From the street corner, it's approximately a 10-15 minute hike and you will get there.
📍For private vehicles, you're lucky if you can navigate Waze going to the place already, if not, then proceed to Macaas Catmon, its left side going North, ask locals about the spring, and follow their directions.
Note:
There is no landmark I could share of the exact path going to Linaw because the whole street is filled with lush trees. So the best thing to do is embark on some adventure by locating where the river is and you will definitely find Linaw.
Bring your own food.
Have fun!
Oh wait, the local kid told me that there's a waterfall above and I will find it if I follow the river. Yes, you can guess it, I went there and explored it too! So stay tuned for my future blogs guys. Mwah!
That's it for this rewarding adventure of finding Linaw Spring. Thank you so much for reading. I wish you all safe and well.
Don't forget to smile often! And here's mine!🤗
