With the summer heat getting worse especially in Metro Manila, the local government of Tanay, Rizal continues to encourage visitors to come to the town and experience a quick escape from the scorching summer heat at least for a day or two this weekend.

The town tourism office’s social media pages have been posting sites where the public can spend their much needed break as the upland villages have dozens of places to visit like resorts by the mountains, rivers and waterfalls or restaurants and coffee shops by the gardens, or hills that are complemented with the cold breeze starting in the early evening or early morning before sunrise.

Fog envelops a mountain in Barangay Cuyambay, an upland village in Tanay, Rizal especially during early morning (photo by Nel Andrade)

The office of Mayor Rafael “Lito” Tanjuatco said various spots in the town’s mountain villages have become the favorite hideaway of tourists from Metro Manila, young and old alike, especially those who are fleeing from the intolerable summer weather in the city.

Campsites abound in most upland villages in Tanay, Rizal (Photo by Nel Andrade/Manila Bulletin)

Municipal Administrator Jeff Pino said the local tourism office has initially recorded 1.5 million visitors from March 24 to 31.

Pino, however, told Manila Bulletin that the figures on the recent tourist arrivals may not be conclusive as there are other camp sites and resorts that were not able to submit to the town's tourism office their final tally on the number of guests they accommodated during the Lenten season for various reasons.

A quick inquiry made by this writer at some restaurants, hotels, camp sites, coffee shops and pilgrimage sites, mostly located in the town’s upland villages, revealed that their establishments were fully booked during the last Lenten break, with most of the visitors opting to patiently wait for a vacancy in that place instead of finding another place to transfer. According to some tourists, getting an accommodation during that time was not easy.

Attractions at a garden restaurant include a garden and playground in one (Photo by Nel Andrade)

Traffic slow down was also observed by motorists, including this writer, at some portions of MARILAQUE (Marikina- Rizal-Laguna-Quezon) Highway, especially on the approach of restaurants and coffee shops even on Good Friday.

Among the establishments that was fully-booked during the recent weeks was the Kaminawis Garden Restaurant and Campsite located at 56 Sitio Kaminawis, Barangay Cuyambay.

According to the restaurant’s owner Sheila Gerones and operations manager Ms. Valencia, the lodging and glamping areas of the garden restaurant and campsite, which was named after the location of the place (Sitio Kaminawis), were full during the Holy Week until Easter Sunday.

At Kaminawis, directional signs lead to various facilities to guide the tourists in their visit to the restaurant garden (Photo by Nel Andrade)

Gerones said the colorful garden, the affordable food at its restaurant, the glamping sites that are best for couples, families or groups, and the view of the mountains plus the cold foggy weather -- especially during the night until early morning -- have been like magnets that attract visitors to their place.

Part of the garden at Kaminawis is a giant eagle statue (Photo by Nel Andrade)

Young and old alike, tourists would love to have their pictures taken in the entire place as fresh and colorful flowers complement the colorfully designed garden decors and playground facilities in the glamping areas that get windy during the early morning and late afternoon, according to the establishment’s personnel.

Visitors at the restaurant/campsite enjoy the view while having their pictures taken from the establishment's view deck (Photo by Nel Andrade)

Aside from Holy Week, the peak season in the garden restaurant and camp sites in the upland villages in Tanay is during October to February, the northeast monsoon weather months.

In another campsite, Isla San Andres in the upland Barangay San Andres, visitors would also love the rainy months as the place gets foggy all over, according to its owner Anthony Rebulado.

The cold weather in the upland villages harmonizes with the soothing and relaxing sound of the gushing of water from rivers and waterfalls that abound in the place.

A mini waterfalls leading to a river with cold water is among the attractions in a campsite in Barangay San Andres, an upland village in Tanay (Photo by Nel Andrade)

A group of day tour visitors from Pasig City told Manila Bulletin that the water in the nearby Sangab Cave was cold and perfect for people who want to get refreshed.

A trip to the cave, waterfalls and rivers may need a tour guide since some sites may not be accessible to the public as they are inside private premises that require an entrance fee.

The local government of Tanay is encouraging would-be visitors to coordinate with its tourism office, especially those who are planning to go on trekking or mountain climbing aside from just enjoying the view in the scenic areas of the town.