MysTerry Travels: Phillippines

Mt. Kanlaon, Wasay - Guintubdan Trail

Kanlaon Crater

There are various stories as to how Mt. Kanlaon was named, tho most popular however is the story of a warrior and a princess. It was a story about how in the mountains lived a seven-headed dragon to whom unblemished women were offered otherwise it would destroy the kingdom in Negros. It came down to a point where there was only one maiden left unmarred, the princess who when told about the fact was willing to give herself up but a mighty warrior Khan Laon came to her rescue and slayed the dragon, burying it in the mountains causing the volcanic eruptions and the mountain is then named Kanlaon. We all know this isn't true but it is quite a story and every woman's dream is to be rescued by that one man who is willing lay down his life for her, how romantic and how heroic, so let's just believe it was true and it happened a long time ago.

Mambukal Resort

Regardless of whether it was the dragon or the earth's magma causing the eruptions, Mt. Kanlaon is one deadly mountain because it is up to date an active volcano. Mountaineers aiming to climb the mountain are aware of that fact but still we are willing to take our chances while we are still allowed to climb it. The DENR is also very strict as to the number of allowed participants in a climb with a specific trail so we count ourselves blessed to be a part of the trek to the volcano last May 1-3, 2014.

We arrived early in Thursday, May 1 (09:00) at Bacolod's airport (Silay) and passed by The Ruins in Talisay, before heading to Bacolod City to have our lunch and buy the things we needed for the climb. After Eating at Manukan's just in front of SM we made Bongbong's ( a few blocks away from Manukan) store our hang-out place while the others are buying groceries. We had a stroll at the plaza and church nearby and once everyone was done we hired a jeep to take us to Mambukal resort at around 14:00.

the Bats Hanging on Trees

At Mambukal we were hoping to get a dorm room but no room is available whether it was dorm or not so we pitched our tents. We arrived at around 16:00 and we had our food ready by 17:30 so we explored the place, you know the usual photo op while walking around. Mambukal actually is a good vacation place for families and Bacolod locals are blessed to have it, there's a lot of things you can do at an affordable entrance and the facilities makes it comfortable.

Preparing for First Day Hike

Mambukal have lots and lots of bats that hang on tress like they were some fist-shaped fruits and when night time comes you will see them flying around which is oddly amusing (I never thought bats could be this amusing really). We then ate dinner and slept early to prepare for a long day ahead of us, when I say we though I meant me and ma'am Tess - my tent mate, I can't speak for the guys with us who were socializing that night, I wonder if that makes me anti-social.

Wasay Ranger Station

Early the next day (Friday), we prepared for our breakfast and lunch and started trekking via Wasay trail at around 7:30, there are other trails, but you know we want it the difficult way just for the fun or misery of it. After 30 minutes we arrived at the Ranger's station of the Wasay trail, we stopped for a few pictures just to document that we were at Wasay trail (bragging rights it is!). I realized we were still passing through a habitated area when we met locals building fire along the trails at around 9:30 (I love picture timestamps!) before we passed by a wide seemingly unused road (10:30) where we met the huge python snake that scared me so much I had to re-think the reason why I was climbing, I never want to see anything like it again.

mr. snakey

We passed by a dried river at around 11:30 where we had our lunch and continued hiking up hoping to arrive at the camp site sooner. After another 4 hours with multiple stops to rest we arrived at the junction camp, drawing smiles on our faces. We thought this was called the old-NPA camp but the guide corrected us and said it was never an NPA camp (sounds like there was never an us, hehe) and called it the junction camp where the other trail (forget what it was) and the trail we were from meets up.

First Camp Site (Junction Camp)

We prepared for our dinner and packed lunch for the next day early and had the time to converse and somehow get to know (barely) the climbers with us, we just act like we were long time friends but most of us have only seen the other participants on Facebook. Thanks to social media, we can now organize events without actually meeting people yet, think common-friends!

We had dinner, and as usual, I slept early, it's not like I'm really anti-social but for my body to function well during the hike it's need rest.

Hardin Sang Balo

Saturday, we left the junction camp at around 8:00, we were headed to the saddle camp which is only 30 minutes away from the summit/crater passing through the Killing-Me-Softly trail (good thing we survived). Just 30 minutes from our camp site, we passed by a beautiful garden they called Hardin Sang Balo (Garden of a Widow), it was obvious that this used to be a crater because of the visible swamp that growed mossy dwarf tress and nature decided to make it surreal. Local stories though has it that a widow was so disheartened by her husband's passing she lived there and planted a garden until the earth swallowed her and her house (creepy), leaving just the garden.

PMS Lake

After an hour of walking from the Garden you will pass by a fantasy-themed camp with long mossy green tress that resembles the ones in The Lord of the Rings movie. From here on the trail is just as beautiful as it was hard. At around 13:00 we reached Samoc Lake (another old crater) and yet another crater after just another 30 minutes, the PMS Lake (why PMS?, i'll ask when I see the guide again), Samoc was beautiful but I favor PMS more, the green bermuda grass under the clear waters and the trees and plants surrounding it makes the place like the ones in those fairytale movies that just makes you fall in love with no one in particular. I'll have to add that the fog added drama to that scene, it was a memory I would always cherish.

Fantsay-themed Camp (L-R Joel, Bong, Maron, VA, Maritess, Noli, Terry, Adam, Ekson and invisible Arnel taking the pic)

We arrived at the saddle camp at around 15:00. It was a bright and sunny day so we requested to visit Margaha Valley to which our guides agreed (Kuya Ariel and Kuya Val). We set up our tents first so we could leave our things and headed down to Margaha valley which is around 15-20 minutes down from the camp. I know I've told you about how the Garden and the Lake seem to take you to a place far away, but trust me you would not think Margaha can be found in the middle of those mountains. Imagine a football field surrounded by mountain ridges, a really wide green football field except it has parts with tall grass, sturdy bushes and stones and a wide sandy part with moss like plants. It felt like I was in an Arena, until the guide told me this is but another old crater. Yes, Mt. Kanlaon is a prolific volcano, I've seen 6 craters, Hardin Sang Balo, Samoc Lake, PMS Lake, Margaha Valley, a lake I saw from afar (not sure of the name) and the now active crater and I'm just thinking will there be one more? Because you know the dragon had seven heads, but that would be a story for another day.

The Different faces of Margaha Valley..

Kuya Ariel fetching water like a boss.

Of course we can't stay in there forever which is why we brought our cameras in the first place (and by we here I mean they, me was part of they hence the we), so after we (they again) fetched water we climbed up to the summit to take advantage of the clearing. We didn't back-trail to the saddle camp, instead we approached the summit on the opposite side facing the saddle camp. At first I really thought it was just a walk in the park specially at how the guide says it's just 30 minutes away, well maybe for them, but it took me an hour from Margaha to the summit.

Crater (Photos are from my climb mates, not mine)

I underestimated this alteration from our itinerary and I got so hungry on the trail I asked everyone for trail food, I think I ate everyone's trail food that time. I was relieved however with the view at the summit, thank God we still had light at 17:30. Beautiful I think is not the right word to describe the crater, sure it had depths, heights, curves and colors we can appreciate but I think it was more formidable while fascinating at the same time. I had to drew courage just to take a picture on a stone just a few inches from the crater's edge and felt relieved after it was done while mumbling that we should go home. Maybe I was thinking about saddle camp when I said that but home really for me that time is somewhere further from that edge.

well, you know me.. :)

Our organizer (Ekson) was afraid of the dark, I don't mean he's afraid of the night but he was determined and urged us to go down before total darkness befalls us to avoid any accident so we headed to the saddle camp after just about 15-20 minutes of photo op. Downhill, we saw the ever reliable sun setting down painting the sky orange while slowly disappearing into the sea of clouds. That and the cool, soft, gentle breeze touching my face made this day perfect, after all it was my birthday.

and look at that.

We felt contented when we reached the saddle camp we agreed not to go up the summit the next day which was originally on our itinerary. We prepared dinner and had long talks about just anything under the sun. I remember it was mostly about volcanoes and how we can't predict when they would erupt and butterflies because one of our guides (Kuya Val) used to be a butterfly hunter (German scientist if I am right hired him to catch rare butterflies before), he was quite informative really.

The next day, I woke up feeling really cold because it rained the night before and just about after we prepared breakfast it rained hard, good thing we summitted the previous day. We went down via Guintub-dan trail and started really late partly because of the rain and partly because someone was not able to wake due to mix-drinking (I think I made this word up, I meant drinking different types) alcohol, don't follow that example if I were you. Nevertheless, we were all able to hike down safely and arrived at the airport in whole pieces. :)

I won't say never ever drink on a climb and I think many would be mad at me, but I guess I could say don't get drunk on a climb if you want to be back home alive. Cheers to more years in our lives (Psalms 91:16).

Homebound, Mang Inasal Dinner, because its different in Bacolod. :)

Soon.. :)

Weekends in Magalawa

It was the last day of the work week for us, which was unfortunately not a literal day but night (call center folks can so relate to this) so we had to go directly to the bus station from the office so we can make it to our destination at least before 14:00. We arrive at Victory’s Kalookan bus terminal at 5:30 but were not even able to ride the 6:00 bus (they have a bus departing every 30 minutes) and had to take the 6:30 bus - that’s how many travelers they have so if you want to ride the earlier trip you have to be at least an hour before the desired departure time. We were supposed to be riding the bus directly going to Sta. Cruz ( Iba Zambales) but the first bus bound to Sta. Cruz only leaves at 7:00 which would give us 1 more hour to basically do nothing so we opted to take the bus going to Olongapo. We dropped off the Victory station there and rode another bus bound to Sta. Cruz, you just need to tell the bus conductor to drop you on the way to magalawa Island if you opt to take this route.

On the way to Olongapo surprisingly I found it hard to sleep (I always slept on bus rides) maybe because I had enough sleep the night in the office :D. Anyway, so we arrived on the road to Magalawa at around 13:30 and rode the tricycle to take us to the port to Magalawa. The trike ride is really an adventure by itself as the road is rocky but it was fun except it was very dusty so have something to cover your eyes, nose and mouth. After around 20 minutes of the bumpy tricycle ride we arrived at the port which is probably the fishermen’s port as well as we saw barrels of fish being transported so it’s a bit messy place. As always the boat ride is entertaining, knowing you are above water and safe is one of the best feeling in the world, while hoping the boat won’t sink for whatever reason at the same time.

Arriving at Magalawa I told myself it was better than Boracay, well this depends on your preference of course. I prefer Magalwa because it was peaceful, no clubs, no people roaming around selling you stuff and the food was great. I felt like we got more than what we paid for with the food (package from Armada resort is 1500PHP for a Fan Kubo Accomodation – varies according to your group size) plus the free equipments for snorkeling. Since the Island is private you will really find the peace you are looking for sicne the owners decided to cater only a certain number of people where they can still maintain the island’s cleanliness and tranquility as I was told by one of its owners (the Island is owned by a family). I really liked their idea, and even dreamed for a moment to have my own island and resort and who knows I might really be blessed with one. :)

It was great to meet the people taking care of the island, and even meeting those other visitors trying to find whatever it is that they are hoping to find in the island. Traveling really does give you a better perspective in life. Seeing new people and beholding a newfound beauty tells you that there is more to life than all the hurt, the pain and the confusion. I know, I sound very lonely but I’m not, at least not anymore – we all have to go through these things at some point in our life but remember we just got to hold on and look forward to discover another beautiful creation. Seeing the grandeur of nature reminds us of God’s sovereignty, telling us that He is in control.

Below is the link to Armada Resort's site so you can check on their rates:

http://magalawaislandresort.com/

Below are the pictures taken from my phone (these are raw pictures so you know what to expect):

me on the nose of boat (don't know what it is really) on our way to the island