Anthony and his coco juice stall (there were a lot of them)
Our awesome guide EJ (left).
Taal Lake
Taal Volcano
The view from the on the way up and on the Rockies was awesome. You can see Taal Lake and Taal Volcano, the plains of Batangas and other mountains. The hike up only lasted for an hour and a half, our pace was slower than usual because one of our friends had cramps along the way so we had to stop to rest but we managed to make it to the top and back in one piece. The hike down took less time, more or less an hour. Mt. Maculot was more up, up, up and more up compared to the other mountains I've already conquered. But it was not as hard as Mt. Pico de Loro. on average the total hike is only around 2-3 hours long going up and down, which makes it suitable for day hikers and beginners.
Details:
Rockies 706 MASL
Summit 930 MASL
Grotto 510 MASL
The walk to the base of the mountain can take up to 20 minutes if you walk, there are tricycles that offer their services to take you to the jump-off point immediately.
You can choose to just go to the Grotto, Rockies, or Traverse. The locals warn against doing the traverse, since there have been instances wherein people had to be rescued or hurt.
Expenses:
Bus from Cubao to Tambo Exit: P132 (one way)
Bus from Lipa to Ayala: P119 (one way)
Jeep from Tambo Exit to Lemery: P25 (one way)
Entrance Fee to mountain: P10 each
Guide: P500 (split 4 ways)
Total Expenses: P436 (does not include food)
