The White Rocks of Liktinon

Perhaps upon hearing the term "white rock formations", the first thing that strikes our fellow backpackers is Kapurpurawan or Tinipak. But surprisingly, they are not the only must-see geological marvels of their kind in the country. In Madalag, the largest town in Aklan, there lies a secluded white rock formation that is just as breathtaking as the two mentioned above. There's a catch though: going there is not a walk in the park.

Liktinon White Rock formation is located in Barangay Maria Cristina and the fastest way  to get there is by hopping onto a habal-habal, though some people choose to hike but it could take them half a day. Liktinon got its name from the Aklanon word "liktin" which means to jump. I started my journey in Kalibo late in the morning by getting into a jeepney bound for Libacao. Upon arriving in Madalag, I hired a habal-habal to bring me to the town proper. I first explored the small town plaza then headed to Barangay Maria Cristina afterwards.

The small town hall of Madalag

The church of Our Lady of Guadalupe, fronting the town hall

The first bridge in the journey, Madalag Bridge

The ride is tough but the scenery is rewarding. You will pass by a number of rice paddies and upon reaching the mountainsides, you will be greeted by astounding views.

Bilawan Bridge and Manong Joel, my driver

Timbaban River from atop

Unnamed bridge overlooking Timbaban River

The same bridge from another angle

A friendly reminder from the locals at the entry point

Upon arriving at our destination, my habal-habal driver parked his motorcycle, I wrote my name in the log and we started the 40-minute trek of the river.  I also gave the caretakers a small amount as contribution for the maintenance of the site.

Visitors' log book. Look! My name!

A close up of the site's bone-white boulders

The water flowing in the stream, without exaggeration, is as cold as ice

Stunning

The best view can be achieved from the upper section of the river

After several minutes of trekking, I rested for a while and relished the calm, steady stream of water

The view back at Madalag Bridge

How to get there:

From Kalibo, you can take a  jeepney bound for Libacao at the terminal along Toting Reyes St. Fare is P30.00, the trip takes about 1 hour. Tell the driver to drop you off at the town of Madalag. When you alight, you will see a number of habal-habal drivers waiting for tourists travelling to Liktinon and you can rent one for P150.00 one way. The ride to the destination is back-breaking (my exaggeration) as you would drive through rocky roads and steep climbs at certain points but this adds to the thrill of the journey (I remember of my journey to Enchanted River). Travel time could take 45 minutes to 1 hour.