Exploring Malumpati Spring in Antique

Location : Malumpati Spring, Barangay Guia, Pandan (municipality), Antique (province), Philippines

A Spring that Spawned a River
Not too far from Boracay is the town of Pandan, home to the increasingly popular Malumpati Spring - fabled to be the cleanest river (spawned by a spring) with therapeutic water. Coming from Sebaste, Pandan is a short trip away. Time to pack-up!

deep,clean and cold water of Malumpati Spring

Malumpati Spring
Malumpati Spring is the main draw in Pandan. With the town's proximity to Boracay, it's becoming increasingly popular to Boracay denizens, although it has long been popular to the people of Panay. The spring source itself is not available for swimming but can be viewed through a guided hike - the swim area is further downstream. There is so much water coming out of the spring that it spawns the Bugang River that goes through Brgy. Sto. Rosario and Brgy. Guia before emptying out into the sea. The locals refer to the spring as resembling a human body...the head (about 15"x15") which is a water source, the chest (about the size of a basketball court) which is also a water source. Both are connected via a subterranean passage.

Therapeutic Water
The spring water is claimed by the locals to be therapeutic. Kids who used to swim at the spring source back in the day, remained healthy and free from illness. Today, most of the drinking water in Pandan and nearby villages is sourced from Malumpati Spring.

Free-Diving into the Spring
Stoked by that info, I swam to the middle of the source, free-dived, and when I couldn't go further down, I drank from the spring itself (this is not allowed, but I couldn't help it). Before leaving the place, I even filled-in my water bottles with it - my precious!

How Deep is Malumpati Spring?
In the early 2000s, 2 Australian scuba divers attempted to determine the depth of the spring but were unable to. Accordingly, (I could not find this info on the internet), the upward push of the spring water and its depth kept the divers from reaching the bottom. They estimated the depth at 160 feet! That was the first and last attempt made.

Phaidon Beach Resort Package Tour
I went to Malumpati Spring twice - first on my own (just to swim) and second, as part of the Phaidon Beach Resort package tour which included a/c van transportation, resort guide, lunch, drinks (including beer), the swim, trek to the spring source, zip-lining, wall climbing and rapelling. Yes, it was a handful.

Bugang River Swim Area
The general swimming area on Bugang River (the spring itself is still upstream) is about 15 feet deep with a 2-level diving board to wit. The water is clean, clear and cold, with practically no current, making it safe and secure. There were little fishes and the bottom was mostly stones. I could see the bottom from the banks.

Zip-Lining
Still within the area is the ziplining facility. For P200/pax, you get to do 2 zip-lines crossing the Bugang River. First zipline is 200 meters. You hike a little uphill to take the 300-meter 2nd zipline back to the 13-meter tower.

Wall Climbing
Back to the same tower, rock-holds were installed on one wall for a wall-climb (P50/pax). They provide the harness and belayer, but you have to bring your climbing shoes...or go barefoot, which isn't the best thing. If you are a fist timer, it could be challenging, even if you can choose whatever rock-hold within reach.

Wall Rapelling
Once reaching the top, it was time to rapel down. The belayer knows just how much slack and release to let go for that smooth descent. For first timers, it's a perfect way to play SWAT commando.

Ending Thoughts
Malumpati Spring is truly majestic...the unfathomable depth, the purity (zero-bacteria level according to the University of the Philippines testers), the therapeutic benefit, the volume of water output and the refreshing dip! Pandan is blessed to have such wonder, and the Pandan residents are blessed to have such a spring.

This beauty is very similar to the Enchanted River of Surigao del Sur in Hinatuan - a clean, clear spring source 80 feet deep with enough water coming out of it to spawn its own river. Both of them are must-visits in my book.

--- Gigit (TheLoneRider)
YOGA by Gigit | Learn English | Travel like a Nomad | Donation Bank

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Exploring Libertad, Antique
(Dec 8-10, 2016) Next promising town from Pandan is Libertad. Its biggest draw is Maanghit Cave, although not as popular as Malumpati or Malalison. That's what I came for, but after getting assistance from the tireless staff of Libertad's tourism office, I got plenty more!....more »»

Pandan, Philippines

tourist attractions

• Malumpati Spring - clean, clear and cold spring water
• Pandan - main town and municipality for Malumpati
• Sto. Rosario Junction - this is the landmark for the turn to Malumpati from the main highway
• Bugang River in Guia - alternative swimming with same Malumpati Spring water

beach resort hotel

• Phaidon Beach Resort - white sand | beach house | scuba diving | resto and bar | house reef
  Pandan, Antique, Philippines
• Pandan Beach Resort - packaged tour to Malalison Island, floating gazebo, beachfront resto, hammocks, souvenir shop
  Barangay Dionela, Pandan, Antique

How to get to Malumpati Spring

1. from Boracay - take the Ceres Bus bound for Iloilo (via Pandan and not via Capiz). Get off at the Libertad Junction. There should be tricycles there to take you to Malumpati Spring
2. from Pandan - you may have to take a tricycle to the bus terminal or better yet, take a tricycle bound for the hospital and wait for the bus there - same P10 rate but you're closer to Malumpati. Take the northbound Ceres Bus bound for Libertad (not Kalibo) and get off at the Sto. Rosario Junction (P10, 10 mins). At Sto. Rosarion junction, take another tricycle for Malumpati Spring (P50, 15 min). There is a paved road all the way to the resort area.

How to get back to Pandan from Malumpati Spring

Take a tricycle to the main highway (P50, 15 min). You can take another tricycle bound for Pandan which locals take (P15, 15 mins). On the highway, you can also wait for the Ceres Bus bound for Pandan (but you may have to overshoot Pandan and get off at the terminal - this means you take another tricycle ride back!). The local politics of Pandan is mired in self-interest!

Tips

As a cheaper alternative, try swimming instead at Bugang River in Guia. It's the same river spawned by Malumpati Spring. This is where the locals now go for a free swim on the river. Go there on the high tide - the spring water and the sea water combine to make it swimmable, otherwise, it would be too shallow.

Malumpati Spring Fees

• P40 registration (mandatory)
• P100 picnic huts
• P200 water tubing
• P150 guided hike (guide is mandatory for the trek)
• P200 zip lining (200 meters + 300 meters)
• P50 rapelling (13 meters)
• P50 wall climbing (13 meters)

Pandan Blogs by TheLoneRider

1. Exploring Malumpati Spring in Antique Dec 5/7, 2016
2. Beach Life at Phaidon Beach Resort Dec 6-8, 2016
3. Exploring Pandan, Antique Dec 4-6, 2016

Suggested itinerary on the WEST coast of Panay Island from Boracay going south

1. Boracay - most popular beach in the Philippines
2. Malay - Nabaoy River, Pangihan Cave, Nagata Falls, Agnaga Falls, Naasug Point, Malay Ecological Park, Motag Living Museum
3. Nabas - wind tubines, Hurom-Hurom Cold Springs
4. Pandan - Malumpati Spring
5. Libertad - Maanghit Cave, Ati Cave and Bungan-Bungan Spring
6. Sebaste - Igpasungaw Waterfall
7. Culasi - Malalison Island
8. Tibiao - hot kawa-bath, white water river rafting, Bugtong Bato Waterfall, rice terraces, Tibiao Bakery, pottery, fish spa
9. Anini-y - Nogas Island, scuba diving

Suggested itinerary on the EAST coast of Panay Island from Boracay going south

1. Boracay - most popular beach in the Philippines
2. Malay - Nabaoy River, Pangihan Cave, Nagata Falls, Agnaga Falls, Naasug Point, Malay Ecological Park, Motag Living Museum
3. Nabas - wind tubines, Hurom-Hurom Cold Springs
4. Kalibo - Bakhawan Eco-Park, Tigayon Hill
5. Tambak - oysters
6. Capiz - Roxas City
7. Carles | Estancia - Gigantes Island Boat Tour, Lighthouse of Gigantes Island and Bakwitan Cave of Gigantes Island
8. Iloilo - Batchoy Indulgence

»» next Traveling story: Exploring Libertad, Antique
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