This post is a throwback—one of those drafts that sat in my Blogger folder for what feels like decades, waiting to be published. I’m not a “hardcore” mountaineer, just a mountaineer-in-training with a stubborn itch for new climbs. After a successful Mt. Batulao day trek, I swore I’d do it again. Fate didn’t just listen—it handed me Mt. Mabilog.
Quick Trail Recap
📜 Originally penned in 2013. Revived in 2025 with a nostalgia filter.
📍 Mt. Mabilog, San Pablo, Laguna
🗓️ February 2013 | Overnight
🥾 Trail difficulty: Beginner-friendly
🎯 Highlights: Dimlight trek, Lake Pandin charm, Bunga Falls dip, creepy cemetery cameo
I’d read that this “baby mountain” sits surrounded by giants like Banahaw and Cristobal and that the trail is easy enough for beginners. The plan was simple: climb, camp, and see where the day (and night) would take us.
🛶 Lake Pandin Jump-Off: Cows, Twilight, and Trail Whispers
Our adventure began at Lake Pandin—twin sister to Lake Yambo and part of San Pablo’s famous Seven Lakes. At around 5 PM, with three local guides in tow, we started the trek.
The dim light added a moody charm to the trail, which took about an hour and a half. As night fell, the air grew cooler. We even spotted cows grazing nearby—some looking curious, others… suspicious, like we were trespassing in their bovine business.
🌌 Summit Arrival: Tent Sardines and Windy Lessons
By the time we reached the campsite, it was already dark. Dinner prep began instantly—some pitched tents, others cooked. I, on the other hand, reflected on my terrible meal schedule that day (shoutout to my late and hurried McDonald’s lunch).
Night brought cold winds and the ultimate challenge: squeezing five women into a tent made for three. The result? Sleeplessness, cramped legs, and the vow to one day buy my own tent.
It rained lightly, the wind howled, and we curled tighter in our sleeping bags, counting the hours until sunrise.
🌄 Morning Magic: Whispering to the Mountains
I was the first to wake. I wanted to see the mountains wake up too.
And wow—what a sight. The sun peeked from behind the mountain range, dew kissed the grass, and the breeze was crisp enough to make you hug yourself. In the distance, Banahaw, Cristobal, and Banahaw de Lucban stood like silent guardians over the serene twin lakes.
☕ Descent Drama: Wrong Turns and Breakfast Plans
After coffee, we cleaned up camp. The plan was to head to Sto. Anghel for breakfast… until Ate Donna unknowingly led us down an unfamiliar trail. Realizing we were off course, we backtracked, called our guide, and made a safe descent.
🧺 Side Trip 1: Lake Pandin Pause: Barquillos and Bamboo Rafts
Back at Lake Pandin, we were greeted by a boy selling barquillos. We took photos on a bamboo raft with the glassy lake behind us, chatted with locals, and skipped the lake cruise (budget check, and I’d done it before).
💦 Side Trip 2: Bunga Falls: Twin Cascades and Tent Dressing Rooms
Because why go home early? We hopped on a jeep to Nagcarlan Market (₱12) for snacks, then took a 20-minute tricycle to Brgy. Bunga (₱15). Entrance fee? A delightful ₱5—possibly the cheapest I’ve ever paid.
Bunga Falls is a twin cascade with a wide catch basin perfect for a weekend swim. We lunched by the water, skipped the ₱200 cottage rental, and used a tent as our “changing room/warehouse.” Sometimes the simplest setups work best.
🪦 Side Trip 3: Nagcarlan Underground Cemetery: Eerie Echoes, History Wrapped in Mystery
After our refreshing dip at Bunga Falls, we made our way to the Nagcarlan Underground Cemetery—a place I’ve visited once before, but somehow, it still carries that quiet weight of history. Built in 1845 by Franciscan friars, it’s the only underground cemetery in the Philippines. At first glance, the arched brick gate and well-tended grounds seem peaceful, almost quaint. But beneath it lies a crypt that once served as a secret meeting place for Katipuneros during the Philippine Revolution.
We took some photos above ground before some of us decided to go down into the dimly lit chamber. That’s when one of my companions claimed to have “spotted” something unusual—an eerie, shadowy presence. Whether it was a trick of the light or something beyond our understanding, we’ll never know. A shared shiver went through the group, and without much discussion, we decided to leave. HAHAHA!
The experience was a strange blend of awe and unease—standing in a place where history, sacrifice, and maybe a hint of the supernatural still linger.
🚌 Homebound: Plans Brewing for the Next Climb
We rode the jeep to San Pablo (₱25), took a van to Balibago Complex (₱80), and then May and I caught a bus home.
Mt. Mabilog turned out to be my first climb of 2013, and by the time we were home, we were already planning the next one—a March “birthday climb” for me. Because once you start climbing, you just keep plotting the next peak.
🗺️ Travel Guide (As of Feb 2013)
📍 Getting to Lake Pandin from Manila
- Bus to Lucena via JAM/JAC Liner (Buendia-Taft or Kamuning).
- Drop off at San Pablo Medical Center.
- Tricycle to city proper (₱10).
- Take a Jeep to “Ilog” (₱12) and ask for a drop-off at Sto. Anghel, Lake Pandin.
- Walk to the lake marker, and follow concrete paths to the hanging sign.
📍 Getting to Bunga Falls from Manila (via San Pablo)
- From San Pablo proper, take a jeep to Nagcarlan Market (₱25).
- Tricycle to Brgy. Bunga (₱15).
If Mt. Mabilog was the main course, Lake Pandin, Bunga Falls, and Nagcarlan Underground Cemetery were the surprise appetizers and desserts—each adding its own flavor to the trip. Dim light, cramped tents, cold mornings, and unexpected detours? 10/10 would hike again. And in the quiet crypt beneath Nagcarlan’s chapel, history whispers louder than footsteps. A place of rest, resistance, and reverence—where even silence feels sacred.
