Waking up at 4 a.m. was a challenge but I still made it on time for our 5 a.m. meet-up at San Antonio Plaza, Makati. By 5:30 a.m., everyone had arrived, registered, and filled up two mini vans. We were finally set for the trip!
Mt. Mabilog is conveniently located approximately 2-3 hours away from Manila, in San Pablo City, Laguna province. Having left early, traffic was not an issue so it took us even less time to get there. We jumped off at Lake Pandin in Barangay Sto. Angel. A few meters from Lake Pandin was our trailhead to hiking up Mt. Mabilog.
A walk in nature, walks the soul back home.
-Mary Davis-
There are several trails hikers can choose from. We took the southern trail, which offered us picturesque views of the twin lakes Pandin and Yambo, two of San Pablo’s famed seven lakes. Our hike was a scenic walk through tall coconut trees and abundant banana plantations. There is something magical and soulful about being surrounded by verdure. As we made our way to the summit of Mt. Mabilog, I couldn’t help but resonate with Alice Walker’s words.
In nature, nothing is perfect and everything is perfect. Trees can be contorted, bent in weird ways, and they are still beautiful
-Alice Walker-
We arrived at the summit 40 minutes later. Not so bad for a hike that was supposed to take 1.5-2 hours! The hike was moderately intense, apart from the last bit just before reaching the summit where things got a tad steeper and a little bit more effort was needed.
The Mt. Mabilog summit offers panoramic vistas of the southern Tagalog mountains and the twin lakes. Pandin and Yambo are two twin crater lakes separated only by a narrow strip of land. As we hiked on a weekday, we had all the beautiful view for ourselves. It was the perfect backdrop for a group photo!
After our descent, we spent some time by the lake. Some of us (not including myself) took up the challenge of swimming across the lake while the rest of us just lounged about taking in the serene views of the lakeshore under sheltered bamboo rafts afloat.
If you’re new to hiking and looking for a not-so-challenging fun day hike from Manila, Mt. Mabilog is ideal because it’s easy and absolutely newbie-friendly. I highly suggest getting a community trail guide before setting off though, especially for first time hikers who are not familiar with the area. It can be confusing and tricky to navigate at some points. Trail guides can be provided at the trailhead after registration.
This was the perfect opportunity to get away from the hustle and bustle of the city and enjoy some nature and fresh air because let’s face it, when you live in a concrete jungle, fresh air and nature become luxuries. We were home by mid-afternoon, a little tired but happily sun-kissed. A day spent in nature is a day well spent!
Like yoga, Travelling is never complete, It is a lifetime practise
Lora By Lora. x
LORA BY LORA 
Looks lovely but I expect it was quite a hot climb.
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We expected it to be hot but we were lucky…it was kinda breezy at the summit. So many trees provide shade so it was okay. If we had started later though, I am it would have been hotter and maybe more tedious.
Thanks for reading.
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Beautiful ! Looks stunning and well done. Must have been challenging . The view helps though
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Thank you Miss A. This is my first hike here in the Philippines and i must say it wasn’t that bad. I guess it gets challenging during warmer months. The view at the summit is amazing. x
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Awww looks like so much fun with a group of wonderful women. Those little rafts are so cool! I’m going to the Philippines soon! Thanks for getting me excited.
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You will enjoy the philippines You can reach out when you are around. Xx
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Ahh, what an amazing experience with other women. You guys had so much fun and glad you mention it was breezy as I think it would have been so hot.
This makes me miss the warm weather so much. It’s super cold and does not even feel like spring but more like winter. So, I hope it gets better.
Have a lovely weekend!
Michelle
http://www.twenty7bymichelle.com
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Hi Michelle,
We had such an amazing time and hope to hike some more before it gets super hot and unbearable.
I just came back from France and you right, felt more like winter than spring, I am actually happy to be back in the tropics.
Thanks for reading. Enjoy your weekend. x
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May contact po kayo sa guide?
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It seems awesome, you make me plan to do it in my trip to Manila. Although I’ve visited Manila twice but I did not know about this hike. Please how much it cost and where can I book?
Thanks for sharing
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Hi Abdul. I am glad you feel inspired. This is just one of the many beautiful hikes The Philippines offers its visitors. As I mentioned in my post, we hired a van, after registration at the drop off point, a guide was provided. We paid 1000peso each but this price might vary. Kindly drop me an email on lorabylora@gmail.com and I might put the trip together.
Thanks
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The twin lakes Pandin and Yambo look extra beautiful up close! It’s a shame that not all of the 7 lakes in San Pablo were given the same attention as the two. 😦 Great post (and shots!!) by the way.
Carlo, WHT
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Thank you Carlo. The twin lakes are indeed beautiful.
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