Destination: Laguna

The proximity of Philippine destination Laguna to the Philippine capital, Manila, means that the ease of travel coupled with Laguna’s many attractions come together to make visits to Laguna province extremely popular. With Laguna’s host of aquatic attractions, this province is aptly named as the “land of the lakes and hot springs.” Hot springs gush in the volcanic mountains in the norh of Laguna Province, while water sports enthusiasts flock to Lake Caliraya, lakes Sampalok, Bunot, Malucan, Palacpaquen, Yanbo and Pandin to the east of Luguna, and many more come to explore the shoreline of Laguna’s largest body of water, the Philippine’s largest lake, “Laguna de Bay”.

Tour anywhere in Luzon’s rugged landscape and you will stumble across a waterfall or two; however, late in the dry season many Philippine waterfalls are rather unimposing to say the least. This can never be said of Laguna’s gushing Pagsanjan Falls, known locally as the Magdapio Falls.

Chances are you have already seen Pagsanjan Falls a number of times without realizing where it is. This is because Pagsanjan Falls have been used as the backdrop for many TV shows and movies. Frances Ford Coppola felt the backdrop so impressive he used the Pagsanjan gorge and falls for the final scenes in “Apocalypse Now.” Although the falls themselves are impressive, the truth is that looking at and enjoying the cooling spray from the waterfalls is not the only attraction of the trip. Most visitors really enjoy the anticipation that slowly builds during he slow, chugging boat trip upriver against the strong current. During this journey, while listening to the boats motors strain against the sheer volume of water passing by, you have a chance to drink in the spectacular views of the gorge with its lush carpeted of greenery seeming to stretch to the sky. Of course, no trip to the falls would be complete without the heart-pounding, adrenalin pumping “shooting the rapids” on the return journey, running with the current downstream.

If there is one problem with Laguna’s Pagsanjan Falls, it is the areas popularity. Because of this, to enjoy the falls at their best it is recommend that you try to avoid visiting on weekends or during national holidays. During these periods it seems as though a large percentage of Manila’s population descends on the place on-mass making parking and even movement difficult to say the least. If you want to get the most from your trip, try to stay overnight at Pagsanjan and take the boat trip in the early morning; but remember to make sure you and your camera are waterproofed. Not surprisingly there is a lot of water spray at the falls, and when you run with the current shooting the rapids on the way back you can almost guarantee a soaking!

If you are a history lover, while in Laguna try to take a trip to Majayjay to visit St. Gregory Church. One of the oldest churches in the Philippines, St. Gregory’s is best known for the relief statues brought from Spain that decorate its ancient walls. Also of historical note is the Rizal Museum in Calamba City, Laguna. This is a Spanish house maintained as a national shrine; however, except for the old well, the museum building is actually a reconstruction of the original house of Dr. Jose Rizal. Within the museum you can view a large collection of Rizal memorabilia, including pictures of the women in his life, his sculptures, and even excerpts of some of his written works. There is no entrance fee, but donations are welcome. The museum is open everyday except Monday from 8 a.m. to noon, then 1 p.m. to 5 p.m.

Traveling north around Laguna’s famous, Laguna de Bay, just south of the town of Paete a rather unusual fun lunch stop can be found at a quirky little restaurant called Exotik. With pagoda-like structures built up the side of the hill, there are stunning views and a number of animals and birds on display, including what was probably the biggest snake this writer has ever seen (or wants to see again!)

Nature lovers, ramblers, camping and mountain biking enthusiasts that visit Laguna must visit the mystical Mt. Makiling. Located close by Los Baños, Laguna and rising to over 1090 meters, this extinct volcano’s slopes are renowned for their bio-diversity. Happily, through active conservation the area still boasts a thriving bird and small mammal population. You never know, while near the mountain you may come across the mythical Maria Makiling, a diwata (forest nymph) who, if legend is to be believed, protect the mountain.

With road travel so easy, Laguna province makes the ideal travel destination for at least a couple of days of anyone’s Philippine vacation, much fresher and cleaner than staying in Manila.