Mt Kalisungan 760 MASL Calauan Laguna

Mt. Kalisungan Day Hike

Date: January 5, 2025

Jump Off and Parking Area: Erias Farm, Brgy Sto Tomas, Calauan Laguna

Contact/Guide: Mircidita Reyes (FB Page)

Guide Fee: 700 

Brgy. Registration: no fee but is a must (needs to sign off too once done with hike)

Trail type and Hike Experience:

supposedly minor hike at 3/9 but it was an assault all through out, slippery due to mud (it rained previous days and weeks) and fallen banana trunks and leaves, windy with a little rain especially on summit area.  Summit has 360° view but we only got a brief clearing. 

Must haves: 

good shoes or sandals with traction, trekking poles, enough water, trail food, rain coat/jacket/windbreaker(for rainy weather), rash guard/sleeves for protection from hays(at the grassland), hat/cap

*summit

A surprise trip to Corregidor Island

ruins of the movie house 

I had so many reservations celebrating my special day(3.13.16) but I got a surprise trip...a historical tour that I never imagined will happen sooner. I had been reading blogs and researching for cheap travel packages for a tour in Corregidor Island but being a travel tipid (thrifty) adventurer I find it ridiculous to spend more than two thousand pesos for a day trip on the Historical island. Then as the T-SHIRT print in the Souvenir stores in the Island said - "Someone loves me and took me to Corregidor and bought me this shirt", I got the historical tour of my life and yes I got the shirt too but a different one. I wasn't cheesy enough to wear a shirt like that.

air conditioned ferry boat 

It was a 1.5  hrs trip on a ferry boat to the island and back. The tour package was bought online from the Sun Cruise Travel Tour including a buffet(just check online for different packages and prices). The travel started 8 AM from the Esplanade Bay and bus tour started as soon as the ferry reached the island and ended at 2:30 PM. 

exit of the lights and sound show of Malinta Tunnel

The whole experience was pleasant. The tour guide was fantastic and with a nice accent [she sounded knowledgeable like reading the whole entry of Corregidor Island in wikipedia:)]. Most of the tourists were foreigners so it was an English tour. It was nice having to relearn the history and see for yourself the aftermath of defending the fort from Japanese at the time of World War II. No atrocities were imparted in the whole tour. It was an educational tour and was set to remember and honor the Americans and Filipinos who defended Philippines during the time of war.

ruins of the barracks

panoramic shot of the ruins that served as barracks

area where para troopers landed

view of the Caballo Island

Japanese Memorial
(where dead Japanese were buried
but were already exhumed and cremated,
ashes were sent back to mainland)

Buddha of Mercy
(prayer ground for Japanese visitors)

Buddha of Mercy

MT. UGO (2,150+)

Jump-off point: Kayapa, N. Vizcaya

      This was my birth mountain. It took me over 10hrs to reach the campsite. I had no exercise before the climb, as in no preparation at all. I was told that this it will jus tbe a fun climb and will only take 3-4 hrs.  I was an outdoor person but mostly as a beach camper and a travel tourist so I said to myself that this climb will be no different. And as they say, the rest was history :)