Visiting Labi River in Bongabon, Nueva Ecija (Philippines)

Greetings!

Time flies, it has been more than a month since my last post and I am happy to be back in sharing in this amazing community. On this blog, I will be sharing with you one of my travels after I resigned from my daytime professional job.

One of the benefits of the longest mountain range, the Sierra Madre, is the abundance of clean flowing rivers that is a source of living to some of my countrymen living in the countryside especially to those that are near the Sierra Madre.

It was only a year ago when I realized that there are so many beautiful rivers on the island of Luzon. The first that I visited is Dupinga River in 2020 and it was a wonderful experience that is why I was excited when I visited Labi River in the nearby town of Bongabon.

The Travel

Here in our country if you move from one province to another, from city to a province, from province to a city, or from a city to another city a mandatory fourteen days of home quarantine is required. After the quarantine, it will then be okay to freely move to the place of your choice (inside the city or province, no border crossing of course).

So, we planned our visit to Labi River after the quarantine. Labi River is about an hour's drive from our house so we took our time in taking pictures whenever we see a photography worthy spot in the town of Bongabon.

Our first stop is the welcome arc of the town of Bongabon. A piece of trivia, Bongabon is the largest producer of onion in the province of Nueva Ecija that's why images of onions are on the welcome arc and on the "I LOVE BONGABON" just beside the welcome arc of the town.

While we were taking some photos I noticed that the structures of the letters of Bongabon are quite huge so I decided to climb, my wife then followed my queue in sitting on top of the letter. This kind of structure (I LOVE BONGABON) is now becoming common in most of the welcome arc of the provinces in our country.

Our first stop

After everyone took their photos I remained and took the opportunity to have a solo photo on "I LOVE BONGABON"

Yep, that's me

Actually, our first stop is our only stop because our destination is close ahead. We traversed a mountainous and zigzag road for about fifteen minutes at some point we can clearly see on our own eyes some clouds touching the mountains and before we know it we are already at our destination.

Cloud touching the mountains

At Labi River

Arriving at our destination I noticed that it is a far longer and wider river than Dupinga River from the adjacent town of Gabaldon. It also has more nipa huts for rent than Dupinga River. Another difference between the two rivers that I visited is that Dupinga has a slower flow of water which is more child-friendly than Labi River.

Just like any other beaches and rivers that I visited I first took the opportunity to survey the area for security purposes. Just like I said I noticed so many nipa huts, an indication that tourists are flocking this river to swim and unwind.

Labi River at first glance

Labi River and nipa huts

Raging Labi River

After I surveyed the area I took the opportunity to take photos as much as I can that I can use in this blog. I took some selfies too, I rested for a couple of minutes and then I started to have some quality time with my son, time that I was not able to spend with with him when I have a daytime job.

This river's water is crystal clear too and quite cool just like the Dupinga River but I was not able to taste-tested the water just like what I did on Dupinga River where I drank a handful of its water.

At this time my son also started to test the water by slowly moving to the edge of the river's flowing water while I carefully watching him up because the river flow near the center is strong enough to drag him.

Me at the Labi River

My son checking the water

My son sitting at the river

People are starting to arrive

While I am keeping a watchful eye on my son I noticed that people are starting to arrive in bunches. I also noticed that there are more people visiting this river than Dupinga River maybe because Labi River is wider and there is a longer part of the river to swim.

By this time my wife took over in watching our son while he was enjoying the river together with his older cousin, Athena.

People are starting to arrive

My wife, my son, and my niece on the river

Lunch Time

Time always flies when you are doing something, in our case we are very busy enjoying the river that we didn't notice that it is already lunchtime. We only noticed lunchtime because we are now hungry and our stomach is beginning to demand food intake.

Just like any other travel-swimming that we did we always bring with us some cooked meal and some fish to grill in the swimming area.

Are lunch are sauteed bitter gourd with egg, chicken barbecue, rice, and tomato-cabbage salad, and some milkfish that were grilled by some of our friends on our cottage while we are very busy swimming.

Bitter Gourd with Egg, Grilled Chicken, Cabbage and Tomato Salad

Freshly Grilled Milk Fish

Stacking Stones and a Bit of Nostalgia

After we ate our lunch we took some rest while I am trying to do stone stacking as suggested by one of our companions. As I am stacking some stones one of my elder sisters said to me that there is an ice crumble being sold on wheels, so we bought some, and then I put it on top of the stones that I am stacking before tasting it.

It was quite hot that day so having a cold refreshment is perfect. I tasted the ice crumble and suddenly the taste was nostalgic. It is nostalgic because it is the kind of ice crumble that I always buy when I was in elementary.

Chill with Ice Crumbles

Stacking Stones

Salbabida and Rain

At this time, my son took a break in playing on the rushing water flow of the river. I started to observe the people at the river when I noticed that there are some men holding an inflated tire rubber interior. I am quite sure what they are going to do but I still observed them just to indulge my suspicion, they walked up to the farthest part of the river, rode the inflated vehicle tire interior down the river.

At first, I was about to try it but when one man riding the inflated rubber tire interior passed me by, his butt hit a huge stone and he shouted... Ouch! Ouch! Ouch!

And that made me not to try it, not for once. By the way, here in our country we commonly call an inflated rubber tire interior "Salbabida".

A Man with Salbabida

Two men with salbabida

People at the river

I enjoyed watching the men riding the inflated rubber tire interior while they are riding it when I noticed a concentration of fog-like mass on the nearby mountain up ahead but I suddenly realized that it is rain.

Rain is coming

At this time rain is already pouring, sad to say I already finished swimming that is why I became lazy of swimming again while it is raining gently raining add up that the surrounding becomes colder while the rain is pouring.

And it rains

Taking some photos while it is gently raining

River Photography of My Wife, My Son, and my Elder Sister

Right after the rain my wife and my elder sister took their turn in taking photos they asked me to be their photographer and while I am taking their photos my son joined in.

My Wife

My Wife, My Son, and My Elder Sister

Walking Up the River

After the photo op with my wife, my elder sister, and my son I decided to walk up the river so that I can take more photos and enjoy the scenery the river has to offer.

In my walk, I noticed that there are some makeshift pools on the river just like the photo below. I think people made them to slow the raging rush of water flow.

Makeshift Pool

Just like I said earlier the water is crystal clear just like in Dupinga River.

Crystal Clear Water

Makeshift Bridge

Up the river, there is also a makeshift bridge that people used to cross from either side of the river. The bridge is a beauty itself so I came close to it to take a closer photo.

Nipa Huts

While walking I decided to take photos of the nipa huts that are also beautiful themselves. Without the nipa huts the river will not be as beautiful.

Picture Taking Sites

Walking further, there is also photography sites at the left side of the river like a heart, a resthouse, and a hammock at the other end of the river.

Another Photo-ops

After I got back from my walk, my wife and my elder sister again asked me to take photos of them in the middle of the river and again my son joined in.

Going Home Photo ops

And it is time to go home, but before we go home to walked up the bridge on top of the river to see what the bridge has to offer. As I expected the bridge has a beauty itself enhanced by the river and nipa huts.

Views of the river on top of the Labi Bridge

After our photo ops, I decided to take some photos of the river by the bridge, take a look at some of them below...

Family Photo at Labi Bridge

And of course, I took this opportunity to have our family photo before we go home.

And that's how our travel at Labi River.

Until next time, keep safe.

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I am an I.T. professional (Computer Engineer) working in a private company, a blogger, a father, and a husband.