SAN PABLO, LAGUNA - CITY of SEVEN LAKES

SEVEN LAKES ADVENTURE 

SCO MAKATI SUMMER FUN 2015

I have wanted to visit the 7 lakes of San Pablo Laguna for more than two years after I first saw  it on TV, I invited  my staff to join me in the adventure this holiday of May 01, 2015. 
After checking the internet for sites and blogs, we got more excited with the pictures of the places to visit and food to eat. 
Our call time was 5:00 am at the McDonalds Buendia LRT bus station, but one of the girls (Jane) woke up late thus we arrived at the station at 5:45 am.

at the Bus Station in Buendia

We did not anticipate that there will be many passengers at the  bus station being a public holiday and it will be a long weekend. When the other girls arrived ( Monett, Cheryl, Girlie}, we split up, there’s another bus station at the other side of LRT, so Monett and I headed there while the rest were left in the long queue. At the other station the line was shorter but the buses arrived slower thus we went back to the 1^st station.

happy bus ride

We left at 6:45 am, we had our breakfast inside the bus, pandesal and cheese whiz. 

Regular travel time is only 2 to 2.5 hours, but due to traffic we reached Jolibee at San Pablo near SM San Pablo at 10:30 am. We stopped to pee at Jollibee. 

Then took a tricycle going to Sampalok lake.

Sampalok Lake

After some photo session with the giant tilapia and the view, we rented bicycle so we go around the entire lake. 

I forgot to tell my staff that we will have to go around the whole lake,  they were wondering where is the end of the road to turn back to the starting line.

 I was never a good biker, most of the time I wiggle, so the normal 20 minutes ride took more than double time. I always ended up almost hitting anything at the side of the road, most of them not moving like a parked car, a store, a fence, the wiggling becomes more evident every time a car, bike, people, animals will be on the street, perhaps due to my fear of hitting them, so I normally hit the brakes.

 It was the most challenging time for me in the entire adventure, perhaps it was also the same for my companion, only it was not due to the biking but for my hardship in the bike. Though I was still lucky that I did not crashed nor fell from my bike. 

The lake is surrounded by a community thus there are houses lined up along the road there was one big stoned house that is worth taking a photo, there are also  food stall and restaurants. We also found a wooden furniture displayed though the person manning the area was busy on tree but he was able to tell us the price, P35,000 for the whole set of 5 pcs.. We also stopped by the giant boy scout hand pledge.

 After the hot and hard ride, we rest for a while for photo session and rented a tricycle to take us to the other 6 lakes. Lito, our driver, agreed to charge us for P100/head instead of the usual P100/lake.

enjoying the beauty of Sampalok Lake

We made a short stop at the nearby municipal building which is located along the road going to Sampalok lake to take a photo, then to the 711 to buy water. 

Municipal Hall

New Building

Another stop was made at the Immaculate Concepcion church.

2^nd lake – BUNOT LAKE

            It was a very short  5 minutes walk from the area where the tricycle can be parked, there was a shaded area with bench to view the lake. According to the locals sitted at the bench, the lake is 60 ft deep, the small area with net in front of the shade is where they place the tilapia that they catch before selling them to the market.

shaded area with bench

3^rd lake- PANDIN LAKE

The most visited lake among the seven lakes, it was the only area where there’s an activity and where you can have something to eat or drink, there are also benches to sit on while waiting for the balsa.

 The trail going there took 20 minutes (depending on your phase) to walk with the guide though it was not necessary to hire one as the trail is just a road leading to the lake. 

with a very interesting signage

going down trail

going up trail

There is a farm on both side of the road thus there were cemented walls, but the rancho of horses can be seen on the right side of the road.

the ranch

 There is  a balsa ride and lunch, you can also swim in this lake though you have to be wearing a life vest to do so, the nearest area to the shore is already 50 ft deep while in the middle part is 180 ft deep.

 I asked the bangkero if there are visitors  in the lake during a storm, the obvious answer was, there are no visitors when there is a storm. But you will feel safe  as there are 3 bankeros with you on the balsa, the water was also very silent. 

The food is very delicious, they charged P180/hea for the balsa ride and P180/hea for lunch consists of ginataang hipon, fried tilapia, ,ensaladang pako, 2 rice, bottled mineral water and banana.

ginataang fresh shrimps (catch from the lake)

ensaladang pako

fried tilapia (catch from the lake)a and rice in banana leaves

There is a balete vine that can be used as swing located near the area to go the other lake

 there’s also a small grotto with pipe of running water from a “bukal”.

4^th lake- YAMBO LAKE

it is situated next to Pandin Lake seperated only by a portion of a mountain, 

The 3 minute climb is a little bit stiff but descending is much trickier though there is a kawayan rail where we can hold on.

the ascend

the descend 

 We did not ask the barangay tanod what activity can be done in that lake and we also did not descend to the lake, we just took photos from the top where we can see the view of the lake. One of the kids in the earlier big group commented that it was just a waste of time to go up since he only saw a view of the lake (not a nature lover kid)

5^th lake- CALIBATO LAKE

This one is the most tiring trail, it was very hot when we walk the trail, 

from the road, you will walk the dirt road, passed by a quarried mountain, you’ll go down the trail of stones w/ a nearby batis, this is the most adventurous among the trails to the seven lakes, , 

the quarried mountain

 go through a trail of bushes, cross a small coconut tree bridge, there were also kambing and chicken along the trail

small coconut bridge at the right side

flowing batis 

goats about to jump from the hillside

We saw a couple of men fishing on the right side of the lake, 

there were a few  small houses at the landing area of the lake.

cute wooden house

6^th lake – PALAKPAKIN LAKE

I’m not sure if our driver was just tired that he only stopped at the bridge for us to view the lake

 the other side of the bridge

7^th lake- MOHICAP LAKE

steep cemented stairs lead us to the lake,

 there is a house at the side of the lake down the stairs

a family offered us to see the cave at the other side of the lake at P50, using a balsa, but we were already tired to check it out.

We were tired, dirty,sweaty and smelly so the chance to get to shower was most welcome. 

8^th lake—STAR LAKE RESORT

Just a few  steps  away from our 7^th lake.

We paid P70 entrance, we rested at the cottage and bathed, we did not swim in the pool since not all of us brought swimming attires.

Dinner was at SUKI BAR –


we asked the assistance of our colleague from the province to look for a place near the bus station where we can have a good affordable meal.

 We were expecting that SUKI is a restaurant that serves famous San Pablo dishes, but we are happy that the venue was cozy and nice, food also is affordable and tasty. P70 for katsu meal (pork,chicken,tuna).

We rode the bus at 8:30 pm and we were at Pasay Rd by 10:30 pm, the two hour ride is courtesy of the bus driver’s  fast and furious driving, maybe he’s a fan of Vin Diesel.