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Laguna

For a visitor Laguna has a lot to offer: jungle, volcanoes, wild rivers, scenic spots, hot springs, history, remote quiet villages, and beautiful golf courses. The only thing lacking is the beach, Laguna is a landlocked province.

The province is dominated by two massive volcanoes: Mount Banahaw and Mount Makiling. According to local legends the beautiful goddess Maria, the guardian of the forests resides on Mt. Makiling and her male counterpart houses on Mt. Banahaw. Mt. Banahaw is especially famous for the occult sects that occupy parts of its slopes. Faith healers, amulet makers and soothsayers, they are all there.

At the foot of Mt. Makiling are found the agriculture and forestry colleges of the University of the Philippines (UPLB), as well as the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI).

The terrain of Laguna is generally flat, with few elevations found along the northeastern portion, except of course the two volcanoes. An important part of the province is Laguna de Bay, a lake that the province shares with Rizal province. Covering 92,000 hectares, this is the largest lake in the country. The average depth is seven meters, consisting of 4.5 meters silt and 2.5 meters water. The fast increasing siltation is mainly caused by deforestation, and dumping of waste.

The result of this is that from the original 20 indigenous fish­species only five remain. It also threatens to a great extent fish farming in the lake.

Capital of the province is Santa Cruz, a town of 80,000 inhabitants, located along the eastern shores of Laguna de Bay.

How to get there?

The Alabang-Calamba Super Highway gives easy access to Laguna. A problem might be the dense traffic during rush hours. Once the Skyway and the new highway to Batangas are finished these problems will be over, at least for a while. There are numerous bus companies and jeepneys plying the routes to various Laguna locations and back.

What to see?

Pagsanjan Falls. Named after the town of Pagsanjan, a small town along the Magdapio or Pagsanjan River. A beautiful scenic area often used as the background for famous international movies.

Mt. Makiling and Mt. Banahaw. Apart from the curiosity around the occult sects it is also possible to climb the top of these mountains. It is not easy, much of the top is covered with virgin rain forest, but it can be done.

Old Churches. Some of the oldest churches from the Spanish colonial times can be found here. Mabitac, on the northern shore of Laguna de Bay, is one of those magnificent examples of Spanish church architecture. Liliw, at the foot of Mt. Banahaw, Nagcarlan, halfway between Mt. Makiling and Mt. Banahaw, and Majayjay are other examples worth visiting.

Other destinations in this province are the capital Santa Cruz, an example of old Spanish colonial style, and San Pablo in the south-west corner, famous for its seven crater lakes. Calamba, birthplace of the national hero Jose Rizal. The house where he was born, Rizal-House, is a museum. Lake Caliraya, an artificial lake on the east side of Laguna, is a favourite weekend destination for those who live in Manila. Hidden Valley, in Alaminos, a resort with lush tropical vegetation and springs is ideal for photographers and filmers.

Golf. As we saw earlier Laguna province is a real paradise for golf-lovers. The three golf courses in the province belong to the best and most spectacular in the country. A new course, owned by the Caliraya Spring Golf, is presently in Cabinti under construction.

Where to stay?

In principle all destinations within Laguna province can be reached on day-trips from Manila. But the province has also excellent hotels for

overnight stays or longer. There are two accredited hotels in the province:

· The Lake View Resort Hotel, Los Banos. Classified as "economy". Rooms with fan and bath for P 400 per night Air-con P 1,000 - 2,000.

· Anest Tower, Los Banos. Classified as "standard". Rates around P 1,500 per night.

Other hotels are:

· City of Springs Resort Hotel, Los Banos Attractive rooms between P 800 and 1,500 per night.

· Hidden Valley, Alaminos. Air-con rooms between P 3,000 and 5,000.

· Villa Escudero, San Pablo. Air-con rooms P 4,000 - 5,000 per night

· Pagsanjan Youth Hostel, Pagsanjan. Dormitory beds for P 200 per night.

Where to dine?

The above-mentioned hotels and hostels have in general good restaurants, in most cases with menus adjusted to foreign tastes. In Pagsanjan, the area's largest tourist attraction, there are also other choices, like f.i. Me-Lin Restaurant, as the name indicates Chinese food, or Hidden Cafe with Filipino and European food. Dura-Fe Restaurant, on General Luna Street, is another option.