If you are a type of person who is working hard but it’s not clear where you’re heading to, then it’s about time to figure things out. There are a lot of places in the Philippines where you can go to escape the stressful life of the city. If you’re in Metro Manila, then it’s just about 2 hours away to get into the beautiful and rich province of Batangas.
If you are looking for a serene place to clear your mind and do some soul-searching, then the mountains of Batangas is the best place to be. Here are the 7 famous hiking destinations in Batangas that you should visit.
1. Mt. Gulugod Baboy
Mt. Pinagbanderahan a.ka. Mt. Gulugod Baboy is known for its stunning sunset views and a place for photo shoots. It has a summit that resembles the Windows XP wallpaper.
Located at Anilao, Mabini, Batangas and has an elevation of 525masl. You have two options to reach the summit, either you take the beginners trail starting at Philpan Dive Resort in Anilao or you can just ride a tricycle from Talaga, Mabini up to the top if you just want to feel alone and watch the sun as it showers it’s golden light.
2. Mt. Maculot
Mt. Maculot offers 3 peaks that you can climb, the grotto, the summit and the rockies. During holy week, the grotto is the most visited part of the mountain due to its religious structure placed along the trail and up to the peak. On ordinary days, the rockies and the summit is the one to talked about. It offers a scenic view of Taal lake that’s perfect for sight seeing and of course, finding yourself.
It has an elevation of 930masl and located at Cuenca, Batangas. It’s best if you traverse it from rockies up to summit and down to grotto. Don’t forget to have a taste of Batangas specialty, no other than lomi. Just ask any local there and they will point you to the best lomi in town.
3. Mt. Batulao
Mt. Batulao is located in Nasugbu, Batangas with an elevation of 811masl. It offers a panoramic view of Batangas and it’s neighboring cities. Although it has a shade-less trail, you can still enjoy the cool breeze along the way up to top.
The place is serene and quiet which is ideal to reminisce and collect your thoughts.
4. Mt. Manabu
Mt. Manabu is one of the peak in the Mt. Malarayat Range. Other people says that the word Manabu stands for “mataas na bundok” in tagalog. This is ideal for beginners because it is covered with luscious green forest and a not so steep trail. Along the way is a river where you can take a rest or wade in its cold water. You can also have a free civet coffee near the summit.
It is located in Sulok, Brgy. Sta Cruz, Sto. Tomas with an elevation of 760masl.
5. Mt. Malipunyo
If you’re in Lipa City, you can always experience a cool weather because of its higher elevation, so what more if you can reach a greater heights?
The jump off point of Mt. Malipunyo a.k.a Mt. Malarayat, is at Brgy. Talisay, Lipa City and has an elevation of 1005masl.
If you want to forget something or someone for awhile , then you should traverse Mt. Malipunyo ‘s several peaks going to Mt. Manabu. It is an all day up and down trek, so be sure to have enough stamina for this. The trail is covered with plenty of trees and you can also find a water source. Though it does not have a spectacular view like other mountains, the grassland and the forest itself are mesmerizing.
6. Mt. Daguldol
Its no ordinary peak, because it’s a grassland peak!
Mt. Daguldol is a fairy tale like place where there is a vast grassland that is inviting you to roll onto. It is an ideal spot for picnic, photo shoots and soul searching.
Located in Brgy. Hugom, Laiya, San Juan, Batangas with an elevation of 672 masl.
7. Mt. Lalayag / Nalayag
Just by looking at it, you can already feel nervous and frightened, but as they say, do not be afraid of heights, be afraid of falling. If you reach the top of the monolith which is 552masl, you will be greeted with super stunning 360 degree view of Lobo landscape and seascape in Batangas.
The trail is a forested area and it is protected due to its rich natural resources. There are mining companies that want this area to be their next target, luckily it was not allowed by our government.
Reaching the summit is an accomplishment that you can talk about all day long without realizing that you already forget some of your bitter thoughts.
You can contact the Lobo tourism office if you want to go there. You may also visit their website for more information at
http://www.ilovelobo.com