All this time, I have been walking through our star-crossed destiny alone. I was waiting for the other half of the equation but you always left me perplexed and confused.
After everything that befell us, there is no turning back. You are not coming back.
– The Spacewalk Junkie, The Dictionary of a Lost Traveler
🇵🇭 MT. BATULAO TRAVEL PRIMER🇵🇭
✈🛳🚌 How to get to Mt. Batulao, Batangas:
⏺ Ride a bus from Metro Manila to Nasugbu, Batangas (e.g. DLTB in LRT Taft-Buendia; travel time is 1.5 – 2 hours depending on traffic condition).
⏺ Alight at Evercrest.
⏺ Hail a tricycle to reach the jump-off (or you can walk from Evercrest).
⏰⏳ SAMPLE DAY HIKE ITINERARY:
4:00 AM ETD for Nasugbu
6:00 AM ETA Evercrest / ride tricycle
6:30 AM Commence hike via old trail (breakfast along the way)
10:00 AM Summit
12:00 PM Start descent via new trail (lunch along the way)
4:00 PM Wash up
5:00 PM ETD for Manila
💰💶 ESTIMATED BUDGET (for a solo traveler): Php 1,000 – Php 1,500
***Expenses may vary depending on personal consumption of food and other necessities and if you will opt to hire a local guide.
I could no longer remember how many times I have hiked this mountain. I think the first time was 2013. But why do I love it so much? The answer is as simple as reciting the alphabet: the view. Scroll down and you’ll see more of its different faces and angles.This will always be my favorite beginner-friendly mountain; although the first time I climbed it was sort of nightmarish I’d admit because I was just an occasional hiker at that time, maybe hiking once or twice every six months. In short, a lazy mountaineer. But I fell in love right away with its beautiful curves and edges.There are just a few things, albeit negligible for me if I badly want to see Mt. Batulao, that I don’t like about this mountain. One, the “toll gates”. There are loads of registration areas along the trail and you have to pay in order to pass through. The mountaineering community has been agitated by this system. It’s as if these people asking for registration fees assume right away that hikers are rich travelers who always have extra money to shell out in exchange for seeing the view of Mt. Batulao. I just hope that the LGUs regulate this because this is some sort of extortion.Second, the scorching heat. Batulao is a hilly mountain with just grasslands. There are very few trees (if you will use the old trail to get to the summit) to cover you from the sun. Third, the mud and poop of horses along the trail. During rainy season, brace yourself for the waist-deep (just kidding!) combined forces of mud and poop.Fourth, the sea of crowd. The neverending trail of hikers lining up just to get to the summit would delay your itinerary for sure since you have to wait in line. This usually happens during the weekend.Fifth, the loose soil of the trail. Since loads of hikers normally frequent Mt. Batulao, the rocky portions of the trail have been pulverized by the unlimited number of feet visiting the mountain everyday thus making the soil very loose.This photo was taken during my first climb here. If my memory serves me true, this was in September 2013. It was a difficult climb for me since I was not yet an experienced hiker back then. I was with my friend at that time and I think it took us eight hours to finish the hike (rest stops and picture-taking included).
📜✏ Tips/Reminders:
📌The trail is exposed to the sun so bring enough hydration since there are no available water sources.
📌The hike to the summit takes about 1.5 – 3 hours depending on your pace.
📌This mountain is recommended for beginners.
📌There are available stores along the trail where you can buy refreshments.
📌Rumors have been circulating in the mountaineering community that hiring a tour guide is already mandatory so it is advisable to bring extra cash.
📌Expect rain during monsoon season (June-February). The trail gets really muddy during rainy season.
📌You may join organized hiking events online.
📌Always observe the LNT principles.
There may be a lot of things that you might complain about Mt. Batulao but like I said, most of these are negligible in exchange for seeing the beauty of this mountain. Besides, you may actually avoid experiencing some of the things I just mentioned.The key to a hassle-free climb is to start your hike early. Whenever I visit Mt. Batulao, I’d leave Manila between 3:30 AM and 4:00 AM. It’s the best way to avoid the heat of the sun. The earlier you start, the earlier you will finish (unless you take long breaks and you plan on sleeping at the summit). You will also avoid the long trail of hikers going up if you arrive at the peak early. Plus less number of photobombers of course. You’ll also get to encounter fewer number of climbers if you hike on a weekday.One thing that you have no choice but to abide by would be the registration fees. Just bring extra money because you might be surprised that another registration area has sprouted along the trail of this so-called “tollgate mountain”.Another thing that you have no choice but to deal with would be the loose soil and muddy trail (with horses’ poop) of Mt. Batulao. Just be extra careful with your footholds. It is really slippery during rainy season. Fortunately, there are parts of the trail with rope segments to assist you as you ascend/descend.Mt. Batulao really looks picturesque from afar with its seemingly jagged edges. Once you see it in photos, there’s no mistaking if for another mountain. Those curves make up for this mountain’s identity.What you’ll notice in this mountain especially during weekends are the stores along the trail where you can buy refreshments. Even the summit has stores selling sodas. I gotta admit, this is where I have tasted the best Mountain Dew ever.Even seasoned climbers often visit this mountain since it serves as their tune-up climbs for upcoming major hikes. Batulao is also a training ground for trail runners.I always have a thing for hilly mountains like Mt. Batulao. Its grasslands make it look like a painting in photographs. No wonder why it will always be a go-to place for mountaineers.
***For more photos of Mt. Batulao, please click this link. For other destinations in Batangas and CALABARZON, you may visit this link.
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