Mount Maculot in Cuenca, Batangas up close. This was taken after registering with barrio officials.
So, it being March and summer being just around the corner, off we went on a hike up Mt. Maculot last Sunday before the trekking hordes got too many for the experience to become enjoyable. If you had been up the mountain before, best you sauntered over to another article. Not much you’ll get here that you don’t already know. But if you have not gone before, maybe some of the pictures will coax you into making the climb.
The view is breathtaking, as is the climb. If you are above forty, and particularly if you are out of shape, it’s best you try working out before you attempt the climb. Or you can try the gentle ascent up the grotto, which our guides told us is kinder on the knees and thighs. Has steps, too.
Ours was what everyone called the Rockies, a rocky hill atop the mountain, from which the view was nothing short of spectacular. Taal Lake was a feast for the eyes, as was the Main Island Crater of Taal Volcano. It being a clear day, we could see Makiling to the northeast in the distance, Balayan Bay to the west and Batangas Bay to the south.
To get to the Rockies, that was the tricky part. The initial hike wasn’t too bad but became progressively steep as we went along the trails. These were just earth and stone paths which could be treacherously slippery. In short, if you go, you have to take special care that you are surefooted as a mountain goat navigating not just the trails but also the protruding roots and branches.
It’s best to start early, but if you don’t, then at least make sure you have plenty of fluids to rehydrate yourself, sunblock for when you get to the top and some antiseptic for when you scrape your elbows or knees against some abrasive objects along the way. There are twelve stations in all where you can pause for a breath or buy food and drinks, which also become progressively higher priced as you climb.
Make sure you register first at the barrio at the foot of the mountain, pay the small fee and find yourself a guide to lead you up the mountain.
All visitors are expected to register at the visitors' desk of the barrio at the foot of Maculot.
Large boulders early in the hike up the mountain. Here, the angle of ascent was still gentle.
A view of the town of Cuenca from Station 2.
Some of the cliffs on the lakeside boundaries of Cuenca fell right into the blue-green waters of Taal Lake.
In the distance, obscured by haze, Batangas City, Batangas Bay and the Calumpang Peninsula.
Taal Volcano Main Island Crater seen from the small plateau just after Station 12.
The Rockies, a hill atop Maculot made of prehistoric volcanic rock. One ascends it through a staircase of large boulders.
The Main Island Crater seen from atop the Rockies.
The western shores of Taal Lake, San Nicolas and Agoncillo in the distance.
The northeastern side of Taal Lake, Makiling obscured by the haze in the distance.
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