Mt. Batulao is one of the few mountains that are already famous for climbers way back then. It stands at 811 meters with the difficulty of 4/9. It is a minor climb and will take two to four hours to reach the summit. As you walk on the open trail you will be awed to see the stunning scenery of rolling slopes, natural landscapes, and picturesque views of Batangas.
after seven months of rest due to my surgery, I am back to one of my favorite activities
Packed with exciting adventure and with a beautiful landscape teeming with life, Dingalan in the province of Aurora is an ideal spot for travelers and adventure buffs! So aside from the popular surfing spot in Baler, try considering Dingalan on your bucket list and immerse yourselves in its natural wonders from the rugged cliff, beach, waterfalls, rock formations, and caves.
the beautiful landscape of Mountain View
Summer is fast approaching and before I lay on the beach and bask in the sunlight, I want to start this year with a climb in Mt. 387 which is popularly known as the “Chocolate Hills of the North”. It is ringed by rolling hills and green valleys making it one of the wonderful hiking destinations in the country. I joined the group of Tahak Mountaineer headed by Mar Monge for P750 with my favorite trek buddy, the courageous and adventurous Lhen Pelenio.
The awesome verdant rolling hills of Caraballo mountain range which is dubbed as the Chocolate Hills of the North
Coming from a wonderful visit to Bais City and the Manjuyod White Sandbar, we now set off to Sipalay City, “the Jewel of the Sugar Island”. Home to numerous dive sites, pristine beaches, shipwrecks, and islets that resembled the Hundred Islands of Pangasinan, Sipalay City is definitely an emerging tourist destination and is another priceless gem in the province.
We will spend our Christmas in Baguio City and for our fifth time, we decided to skip visiting places we frequented in the past, except at PMA for some nostalgic feel and at Camp John Hay for a coffee moment in the quaint old American bungalow of Starbucks Coffee. Guess where are we heading this time? It’s on Mount Costa! The newest attraction in the foggy land and the first stroll around garden of the North.
One of the favorites and famous hiking destinations near Metro Manila is Mt. Maculot situated at the heart of Cuenca in Batangas. It has three focal destinations: the Grotto (510 MASL), the Rockies (706 MASL), and the Summit (930 MASL). For the venturesome trekkers, they choose the traverse trail which will start at the Rockies to Summit and ends at Grotto (4/9 difficulty). Some choose the Rockies only (3/9 difficulty).
Standing near Buwis-buhay spot of The Rockies
After summiting Mt. Pulag, my very first memorable major climb in 2016, here comes another exciting adventure as 2017 came in. Together with my office mates Janice, Rodett, Cyrhine, Lenie, and Pauline, we will embark on a thrilling and easy climb to Mt. Talamitam which is said to be the younger sister of Mt. Batulao as both have the same terrain. This is located in Nasugbu, Batangas with a height of 615 meters above sea level.
we were followed by a dog on our way to the grassland with Mt. Talamitam looming in the background
Mt. Gulugod Baboy in Anilao, Mabini, Batangas is frequently recommended for neophyte climbers. It is an easy climb with a picturesque view of Janao Bay, Batangas Bay, Balayan Bay, Tingloy Island, and Sombrero Island. With its minor difficulty of 2/9, this mountain which stands at 525 meters above sea level is one of the favorite destinations of mountaineers.
The pastoral view paid off the trek.
At my age (yes, I’m 43!), a certified mom and definitely not a mountaineer, was a bit hesitant to join the Mt. Pinatubo challenge headed by my office mate Phil. But I’ve been waiting for this adventure for quite some time and I’m not getting any younger. With the encouragement of these two sporty girls, Joyce and Janice, I whisked off all the negative thoughts in my mind, took a one-week regular body workout, and braved this exciting getaway with my colleagues.
the beautiful and serene crater of Mt. Pinatubo
Bulusan Lake also known as “Switzerland of the Orient” lies at the heart of Bulusan Volcano National Park. It is a protected rainforest and wildlife sanctuary located in Barangay San Roque. Its center attraction is Mt. Bulusan which is one of the active volcanoes in the Philippines. The lake has two mountain peaks, the Sharp Peak and Mt. Hormahan and in between is Lake Aguingay.
