The province of Iloilo has always been known for its old churches, beaches and delectable dishes. But if you’re someone who’s up for some adventure and challenge, you have to check out the municipality of Igbaras.
🇵🇭MT. LOBOC ADVENTURE PRIMER🇵🇭
✈️🛳🚌 How to get to Mt. Loboc, Iloilo:
⏺ Take a plane from Metro Manila to Iloilo City (e.g. Philippine Airlines and Cebu Pacific).
⏺ Hail a taxi to the public market (terminal of jeepneys bound for Igbaras).
⏺ Ride the public jeepney en route to Igbaras (travel time: 1.5 – 2 hours).
⏺ Charter a motorcycle that will take you to the jump-off (travel time: 30 – 45 minutes).
⏺ Register and secure guide/s.
The first time I set foot in Iloilo was in November 2015 when I joined an organized travel event in Gigantes Group of Islands. So when I decided to come back in May 2018, I knew it was time to explore more what this province has to offer.For someone who is not really a fan of mainstream tours which include visiting municipal and city halls, churches and restaurants, I could somehow admit that the usual things and activities to do in Iloilo might bore me so I began researching for some lesser-known spots in this province as part of my adventure leg in Panay and I came across the town of Igbaras.After our exhausting travel from Dumaguete to Bacolod then to Iloilo, my friend and I checked in that afternoon at our hotel. We just got back from our quick tour in Guimaras that day.We freshened up then went out to eat Iloilo’s famous La Paz Batchoy at a small restaurant near our accommodation before finally crashing out. It was time to save up enough energy for our adventure the next day.
⏰⏳ SAMPLE DAY HIKE ITINERARY:
4:30 AM Wake-up call
5:30 AM ETD for Igbaras
7:00 AM ETA Igbaras / breakfast / buy packed lunch
8:00 AM ETD to jump-off
9:00 AM Commence hike
11:00 AM ETA Summit / lunch
1:00 PM Start descent
3:00 PM Wash up
4:30 PM ETD for Iloilo City
💰💶 ESTIMATED BUDGET (for a solo traveler): Php 1,500 – Php 2,000 (exclusive of airfare)
***Expenses may vary depending on personal consumption of food and other necessities. If traveling alone, you will solely shoulder the guide fees and motorcycle transfer rates.
By 5:00 in the morning, we were already at the public market where the terminal of jeepneys bound for Igbaras can be found. It’s a good thing that our hotel is just a few meters away from the terminal. After waiting for about 30 minutes, the driver finally revved the vehicle’s engine en route to our destination.A quick road trip passing by some municipalities along the way brought us to Igbaras. This town was finally included in the mainstream tourism map thanks to the hiking community and blogs showcasing the beautiful mountains of Iloilo.Our travel time just took about one hour and a half. We immediately had breakfast upon arrival. Thank the gods one eatery was already open that early Saturday morning.I was already in touch with our guide the day before our climb. He also gave me the contact number of the motorcycle driver who would take us to the jump-off. After breakfast, we made our way first to the municipal hall to register.Two motorcycles took us to the jump-off, one for each of us. At first, I was really wondering why the two of us had to split since one motorcycle was already enough for both of us and the driver.After a few more minutes on our ride, I finally realized what kind of road we were about to encounter to get to the jump-off point. The huge rocks along the steep path made it very hard to maneuver our vehicle. It’s as if the road is not really made for wheels but solely for trekking.It was the most challenging rough road I have experienced in my entire life, even much bumpier than that of Asik-Asik and Awao Falls. Our hike hadn’t even started and I was already tired from all the violent shaking.I could still remember the moment when we had to stop for a while and my driver told me to put my arms around his torso as tight as I could to maintain our balance. The extremely bumpy ascent through the rocky trail rocked the soul out of me as I held on for dear life. Are we there yet? I thought to myself. Salute to the best motorcycle drivers ever!We stopped by the registration area of Barangay Igcabugao to log in then went straight ahead to the house of our guide. We took a breather for a while then decided it was finally time to commence our trek to Mt. Loboc.Because we never really intended to scale this mountain quickly, it was just a leisurely walk at the beginning of our climb.We got a whole day reserved for this trip even though it’s just a relatively short hike according to my friend who had been here before.The sun was already up in the sky and by the time we had reached the portion of the trail where the unending assault would start, the scorching heat became part of our ordeal. It was the month of May and the dry season in the country had not yet ended.We had all the time in the world to take photos. We would then rest every once in a while and we would stop in every angle we thought was worth capturing in our cameras.As we ascended towards the summit, the hot weather proved to be a huge challenge being the trail vastly open. Fortunately, my umbrella saved me from the tormenting sun. But I’d still choose this over rain. We had the perfect clearing after all.After almost two hours, we finally arrived at the top overlooking the sea and some of the towns of Iloilo.I gotta admit, the landscape of Mt. Loboc is definitely picturesque. I was so thankful when I saw a small portion by the summit covered with a few trees. We had a short break to have some snacks then took a few more photos before starting to descend.If there is one thing that I regret during my visit in Igbaras, it’s that I should have allotted more than just one day in exploring its natural wonders.Mt. Loboc seems to be the Ilonggo version of Mt. Batulao. The landscape of Loboc reminded me of Batulao’s curves and grasslands.Originally, I was actually thinking of scaling Mts. Napulak, Opao and Taripis but we would run out of days to visit other destinations in Panay.We took a few more shots on our way back to the jump-off. Our descent felt like a walk in the park after all the assaults we braved that morning.We rested for a while at our guide’s house before bidding goodbye. Time to endure the hellish motorcycle ride en route to Poblacion again.
📜✏️ Tips/Reminders:
📌The hike takes about 1.5 – 2 hours depending on your pace.
📌The trail is exposed to the sun so bring enough hydration.
📌This mountain is recommended for beginners.
📌If you have enough time to allot, you may explore Mts. Napulak, Taripis and Opao and Barangay Igcabugao’s caves and waterfalls.
📌Expect rain during monsoon season (June-February).
By lunch time, we were already on our way back to Iloilo City. It was time to pig out at SM Iloilo. We deserved it.Our hike was unarguably draining thanks to the scorching sun but my friend and I are seasoned hikers that’s why our adventure in Mt. Loboc wouldn’t cripple us for our itinerary the next day.We returned to our hotel and dozed off as a reward after our tiring yet fun climb. Time to recharge for our trip to Culasi the next morning.Aside from hiking other mountains of Igbaras, I also wanted to see its caves and waterfalls but my friend and I really need to continue our Panay journey in the province of Antique. This pretty much calls for further exploration of Iloilo in the future.Every time I’d be staring at this shot, I would always be reminded how overwhelmingly magnificent mountains are. I am so glad that I chose to become a mountaineer. One of my best life decisions, indeed.
***For other destinations in Iloilo and Panay, you may visit this link.
