There aren’t a lot of physical activities in this world that I can admit to enjoying, but this was a blast. I guess different people have different niches and traveling helps expand the opportunities you’re faced with to know which particular niche you’re comfortable with.

Take my friends Chenyl and Fred for example. During our Baler trip we all signed up for beginner’s surfing lessons. They took to it immediately while I gave up after half an hour. Managing to stay on the board for more than five seconds is already a personal victory for me, surfing wise because I’ve never quite been very comfortable in sea water.

The next day, though, when we went on the tour of the spots to see in Baler and its neighboring provinces, we were taken to the six hundred year-old banyan tree. It’s become quite famous throughout the years and is now one of the tourist destinations in the area.

The tree is not in Baler but it’s in the neighboring town Maria Aurora, which is about a thirty minute drive away from the resort strip in Sabang beach.

According to this website, banyan trees (more popularly known as the creepy balete) are parasitic in nature. Their vines latch onto a live tree and they multiply until the ‘host’ eventually suffocates. Well, this being a six-hundred year-old tree and all, the original host tree has long been reduced to dust and all that’s left is a cavern inside big enough to fit at least ten full grown humans.

I’ve read up on this beforehand and I was excited as hell to see it. I was riding on the back of the tricycle we were on and jumped off immediately when kuya tour guide killed the engine.

There’s no entrance fee but there is a table set up in front where visitors have to log in their names + information and a donation box. Apparently the tree is on private property and the donations help in providing livelihood to the people who entertain the tourists.

A teenaged boy greeted us and led us into the tree’s ‘entrance’ which really isn’t anything more than a space big enough for humans to squeeze through where the thick vines converge. The first question that left my mouth, to my friends’ dismay, was “Pwede pumasok? (“Can we go inside?”), to which the guide enthusiastically said yes to.

After a few contortionist-worthy moves, we were inside. It was sort of surreal because even though it was technically an enclosed space, the air inside was cooler than outside. It was sort of dark, not totally pitch-black because slats of light were filtering through in between the branches. The guide, apparently, was used to tourists and offered to snap a few photos.

My guide and I managed to take a few more photos before my friends and their guides (teenagers as well) were inside. There were a total of six people inside but there was space for more. Then the guides asked for one of our cameras and climbed up ala-spiderman to take a photo. Unfortunately our only group photo inside the tree was blurred.

I found out much later that it was to my friends’ horror when I asked next “Pwede umakyat?” (“Can we climb up?”) I only asked because I read on one blog that the tree was climb-able and I wanted to relive my childhood and try it. Quickly my guide answered an enthusiastic “Syempre po!” (“But of course!”) and led the way. At that point it didn’t cross my mind to ask if Fred and Chen were game for the climb — sucky friend, I know.

The climb was interesting. We went up the tree while we were still inside and midway we went to the outside and climbed to the peak. The guides were very helpful; they would either tap on a specific branch or describe it in full detail and say ‘kaliwa‘ (‘left’) or ‘kanan‘ (‘right’) so you’d literally know where to put your feet.

Personally I didn’t find the climb too hard although it was quite a different story for my companions. Even though it did involve minor use of upper body strength, it wasn’t too bad, not for me at least. But then again I didn’t mind too much the fact that there were no safety harnesses or lines while they were dead scared of slipping and falling to their dooms. Later they said that the worst bit was when we were half-way up and we climbed onto the outside of the tree; I do agree – that first burst of wind hitting your face was enough to tell you that yeah, you aren’t in Kansas anymore, darling.

I made quick work of the climb and because I had a few minutes to myself, I had a few more solo photos to the background sounds of my friends cursing a few feet below. Over ten years we’ve known each other and only then did we learn that they were afraid of heights and I wasn’t.

At the very top, predictably, the winds were quite strong, although the tree itself was sturdy enough not to sway with the breeze. The view wasn’t quite spectacular but when you realize that you’ve just climbed up a sixty foot six hundred year old tree, it wouldn’t matter very much.

The guides took my camera and positioned themselves away from us and onto the thinner branches to snap these photos. Don’t let the smiles fools you; they were dead scared.

After a bit of cajoling, we finally decided to make our way down. The climb down was more difficult, I think, because I couldn’t see the branches the guides were pointing to.

During dinner that night they told me that upon stepping on solid ground, they couldn’t resist the urge to hug it out and feel thankful that they were alive. I believe the both of them handed their guides very generous tips for the help.

I felt no such notions and snapped this pic, haha.

Again, it’s all a matter of finding your niche — they had no problems with activities in the sea while I’m infinitely more comfortable climbing up trees.

I never thought that this would be on my bucket list but I’m glad to have done it because now I can cross it off.