Mt. Manalmon

Travel Notes:

Bus Terminal: Either Baliwag in Quezon City or Pasay (Any bus going to Cabanatuan)
Bus Fare: Php 117
- Get off in Kamias, San Miguel
- Take a tricycle to Brgy. Madlum 
Tricycle Fare: Php 200/4 pax (but tey might insiste the max is only 3)
Registration: Php 5
Guide (8pax): Php 300
Caving: Php 300 (in addition to guide fee)
Mt. Gola: Php 300 (in addition to guide fee)


The Trek
After days of worrying that it might get canceled due to the weather, the plan pushed through. We trekked all the way to the peak of Manalmon last weekend.
It was a desperate attempt to finally making all our plans happen. We had postponed so many of them that we wanted to believe making plans is merely a prelude to frustration.

We did it.

We left around 12, taking the bus going to Cabanatuan. We asked to be dropped off at the place where we could get a ride to Biak-na-Bato national Park. The ride took around three hours. From where got off, we took two tricycles going to the jump off point. We tried to haggle with the fare but I think we were just not good at it. Actually, the locals told us that it was very possible to hire just one tricycle and pay P250. We didn't know. Besides, we were kind of in a hurry as we didn't want to do a night trek. The ride took about forty minutes. When we got there, the driver even asked for more! For all those planning to do a trek there, it is much better to rent a jeepney if there are many of you. If not, don't take those tricycles at the waiting shed, where the bus drops you off. Go to Brgy. Kamias in San Miguel instead, and find other tricycles there.

We had to linger at the jump off for about thirty minutes. Apparently, the Barangay and the tourism officers had some misunderstanding with regards to who should be the guide. It was annoying and I prefer not to talk about it here.

To cut the story short, what was supposed to be a forty-minute climb stretched to an hour and half. One of my colleagues cursed all the cigarettes in the world and promised how she should quit (but the same girl was the first one to light her ciggies when we reached the campsite. Well.)

When we reached the campsite, the rain had already started to fall. I had to set up the tent as fast as I could otherwise, we were all going to get soaked. We took a rest for a while, waiting for dinner. This time, the rain had poured like it was mad. After dinner, I checked the tent and found out that water had seeped in. We didn't have an earth pad and I was merely relying on the fact that the last time I was inside the tent while it was raining outside, water didn't come in. Thanks to my sleeping bag, we all slept very well and comfortably (also courtesy to my colleague's great blanket).

What is exciting about Manalmon is not only the amazing view that it has at the peak but the fact that the trek involves all kinds of terrain. On the way down, our guide suggested to take the other trail as it takes a shorter time.

It was true what I had read about this trek. It was like an “all-in-one-er”. We had to go through different kinds of terrain. There was the common pure earth and loose rocks. There was muck and my favorite, WATER. We had to cross a river some 4 feet deep. I really felt like it was a real adventure.
We reached the jump off just before lunch. We went swimming at the river and I, of course had to try getting suspended on top of it. If you go there, you'll know what I mean. 

We capped this weekend getaway with a relaxing time at ACE water spa. It was like getting massaged while having fun swimming. Like a friend of mine used to say...This is life!

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