It's More Fun in Cavinti!

(This blog was in Kyla's voice, used as a school project. Pictures were deliberately blurred to apply photo-editing techniques.)

My father was born and grew up in his hometown isn Cavinti, Laguna. 

 Cavinti is located at the eastern part of Laguna province at the fourth district. Nearby towns are Pansanjan, Luisiana, Lumban and Kalayaan and Quezon province. The rural town of Cavinti lies on top of a mountain, part of the Sierra Madre mountain ranges. There are 19 baranggays in Cavinti, Laguna. Farming is their main source of livelihood. The name of Cavinti province came from the expression “kabit sa binti.” The Aetas, the early dwellers of the land, performed a wedding ritual in which the groom chases his bride to the riverbank. The groom will try to capture his bride by her legs ("binti"), with the witnesses shouting, "Kabit sa binti, kabit sa binti!" This phrase later became "Kabinti.”

View of Caliraya Lake

View of Caliraya Lake from Japanese Garden

 

My father is from the Poblacion. Poblacion is the center of commercial and business activities in Cavinti. Almost all of the basic municipal facilities are located in Poblacion including the Municipal Hall, Town Plaza, ABC Multi-Purpose Hall, the Public Market. The Catholic Church (Transfiguration Parish) is located in Poblacion too.

 Here are other interesting facts about Cavinti:

Caliraya lake is one of the top attraction of Cavinti. This is actually a man-made lake located at the top of a mountain and is a venue for water sports. There are also several resorts around Caliraya lake like Caliraya Springs and Lagos del Sol.

The Caliraya lake spillway powers the hydroelectric power plant in Kalayaan-Lumban towns and is responsible to power up the southern part of Laguna.

Cavinti Trails

 

Pansanjan Falls is located in Cavinti, Laguna and is originally called Magdapio Falls but was renamed based on the name of the town where access to this falls can be made.

The Parish of Transfiguration in Cavinti is one of the oldest Church in the Philippines. The patron of Cavinti is San Salvador and his feast day is celebrated on August 6.

Cavinti is known for woven pandan hats and Lanzones.

The Sambalilo Festival is one of the most colorful and prosperous festival in the province of Laguna. It is celebrated that commemorates the handmade sombrero(hat) made from pandan. The Sambalilo festival is celebrated as part of the Cavinti town fiesta.

Sambalilo Festival and the Parish of Transfiguration Church

Cavinti’s new local official has been actively promoting this town as venue for water sports like wind surfing and dragonboat racing at the Caliraya lake. The Cavinti-Quezon trails is also becoming a venue for multi-sport such as marathon and mountain biking.

Harvesting Lanzones

 

Just like many provinces in the Philippines, Flores de Mayo festival is also one of the most awaited event of the year.  During the so-called Flores, the Tilapyaan which is a fund-raising dance by the elders and hermano mayors is also a popular local event.

Flores de Mayo

The Japanese Garden is a vast park overlooking the Caliraya lake, the creation of this park was subsidized by the Japanese government.

Entrance to the Park

One can explore and adventurous gateway to the world-famous Falls through Cavinti's very own Pueblo El Salvador Cavinti Nature's Park and Picnic Groove in barangay Tibatib-Anglas. One can enjoy the exciting nature's trail and feel the cold and oozing waterfalls through an exciting bamboo raft-ride and massage on the fall's basin. Shooting the Cavinti Rapids is and equally wonderful experience.

Guest can also enjoy the breathtaking views of nearby Mount Banahaw along the man-made lakes of Caliraya and Lumot. Sailing, wind surfing and kayaking are just some of the many activities you can indulge along the lake areas. There are sites that still remain untapped and unexplored in Cavinti, like the Bumbungan Twin Falls, The Cavinti Underground River and Caves Complex, the Bayakan Falls and Bat Cave.

Cavinti is going to be one of the fastest rising town of Laguna at the forefront of eco-sports tourism!