Pook ni Maria Makiling

I was born in Mt.Makiling, Los Baños, Laguna. Well, my lolo used to work for FPRDI (formerly FORPRIDECOM) and stayed in one of the agency's staff housing in Forestry (UPLB's upper campus). Even if we're no longer living there, I still consider it my home.

How ironic is it that I call Mt. Makiling home but I haven't actually explored the place. I haven't climb its peaks or even reach the mud spring. I tried climbing the mountain with some friends but we've only got to see the flatrocks (the actual creek, not the bar!). So note to self: ask friends to climb the mountain and revisit tourist sites such as the Makiling Botanical Gardens, Boy Scouts of the Philippines, National Arts Center / Philippine High School for the Arts.

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Temperature is really insane this summer! In a few hours that I'm home, I'm literally dripping in sweat. So, I told my mom that we should go swimming. My brothers didn't want to leave so it was just me, my nephew and mom who went.

Laguna is known for its hotsprings. Dipping in warm water is totally out of my mind. I want something cool that could freshen me up, but near and not expensive.

There are 4 pools in Mt. Makiling if I'm not mistaken: 1 in Makiling Botanical Gardens, 1 in UPCO (UPLB staff housing), 1 in Boy Scouts Jamboree and 1 in Pook ni Maria Makiling. The pool in BSP Jamboree has a reputation. I haven't been in botanical gardens for years and I'm not sure if the pool there is still open but even if it still is, it's not an option since it has a side which is more than 10 ft deep. The pool in UPCO is small and we're no UPLB faculty/student so X mark there.

I've been in Pook ni Maria Makiling several times but haven't tried the pool there until last year when friends from college visited and we decided to go campus touring in UPLB. It is actually not maintained by UPLB but by the National Parks Development Authority under the country's Department of Tourism. The park is known for its olympic size pool (not sure if it still is under the new standards). Entrance fee to the park is 25 pesos while swimming fee is 40 pesos. For 65 pesos to cool the body off, it is actually cheap!

Pool is open until 6pm only. Night swimming is allowed until midnight provided there is a minimum of I think 8 swimmers (or if you are under 8, you must pay for 8 people). There are cottages which you could rent overnight. Rate for these cottages is between 1250-3000 pesos. Appliances could be brought with minimal fee for electricity.

The park is quite old but the staff tries to maintain as much as they could. Well the mountain is not immune from typhoons so there are some areas (like the shower rooms near the pool and some cottages) which can't be saved. Well, don't expect something grand for little maintenance fee. The country does not have another Imelda to take care of these things.

Here are some photos of the pool area and cottages taken from yesterday and last year's trips. Forgot to take photos of other spots and other picnic areas. Apologies for the photo quality as I only used camera phones.

here's the view deck after climbing the endless stairs

view from the top

Update: Went back the following week... got more pics!

bath house

i don't know why there's a stairway here. i suppose there was a treehouse here long ago.