Mt. Batulao, Nasugbu Batangas

The cool majestic Mt. Batulao will relieve your hours of trekking once you get on the summit. It was April 13-14, 2008 when me and my two friends planned to climb the cliff of Mt. Batulao in Nasugbu Batangas.   

First attempt to Mt. Batulao is one exciting and memorable experience. The view of the Taal Lake, the Batangas province, the South China Sea and the surrounding mountains like Talamitam and Pico de Loro will definitely fulfill your visual senses. The small open summit will also encourage you to shout, "I am on top of the word!".

But why is it called Mt. Batulao? The name Batulao was derived from an annual phenomenon observed by the locals. From the town of Balayan, one can see twin mountains to the east that appear quite distant from each other. But the same scene viewed from Batulao is curiously different. The same mountains seem to move closer. Although, we climb the illuminating rock month of April some climber says that it is more fascinating that some time between December 22 and 28 every year, when the sun nestles right in between the two peaks. It creates a scene described by natives as "ilaw sa dalawang bato" (light in between two rocks) or "bato sa ilaw" (light in a rock), from which derived the term Batulao.

Ready to trek and sun bath on the heat of the sun with the smell of the cogon waving on our way.

 

Even our loads needs rest! This is were we installed our tent for overnight.

 

 

 

    

The cliff of Mt.  Batulao

  

A 10 year old girl, named Juday, who energetically and always climb Mt. Batulao (2nd level in Batangas) and guide mountaineers.  

 

 

Such fun and overwhelmed to meet new friends going and back the trekking. Added, offered rides going back to Tagaytay City. 

I got this comprehensive itineraries and things to remember from www.pinoymountaineer.com. Its seems very beneficial to those who wanted to have short fun climb in Mt. Batulao:

ITINERARIES

Old to New Trail

0400 ETD bus terminal in EDSA-Taft via Crow Bus Lines to Nasugbu, Batangas (P155.00)
0715 Arrival at Evercrest
0730 Start trek
0845 Arrival at Fork. Take the left, downward trail that enters some woodland

0900 Arrival at Camp 1. Register.

1015 Arrival at Camp 8, commence final assault
1100 Arrival at summit; lunch
1200 Start descent via New Trail, which is opposite the Old Trail at the summit

1300 Arrival at New Trail Campsite. Register again.

1530 Back at Evercrest; clean-up at nearby sari-sari store

1600 ETD for Tagaytay by jeepney (P30.00)
1630 ETA Tagaytay; anything goes from here

New to Old Trail

0400 ETD bus terminal in EDSA-Taft via Crow Bus Lines to Nasugbu, Batangas (P155.00)
0715 Arrival at Evercrest
0730 Start trek
0845 Arrival at Fork. Take the middle/slightly right upward trail

0930 Arrival at New Trail Campsite. Rest / Register.

1030 Arrival at summit; early lunch
1200 Start descent via Old Trail, which is opposite the New Trail at the summit

1300 Arrival at New Trail Campsite. Register again.

1530 Back at Evercrest; clean-up at nearby sari-sari store

1600 ETD for Tagaytay by jeepney (P30.00)
1630 ETA Tagaytay; anything goes from here

SPECIAL CONCERNS
Public transportation. At the terminal junction of the MRT and LRT lines (MRT3: Taft Station; LRT1: EDSA Station), look for the terminal whose entrance is surrounded by fastfoods i.e. McDo, Jolibee, Chowking. Take the Nasugbu-bound bus that passes by Tagaytay. As of 2012, the fare is P155. Tell the conductor that you are getting off at Evercrest. From there, take a tricycle (P25/person for a group of 4) or just walk to the jumpoff. You can also get the number of the tricycle driver so he can fetch you on your way back.

Private transportation. Going by car is also easy: just go to Tagaytay via SLEX (take Sta. Rosa exit and follow through) and make a right turn upon reaching the Tagaytay Rotonda, going all the way beyond Tagaytay Public Market and past the marker welcoming you to Nasugbu. Evercrest is just a little past KM. 72. Inside Evercrest, go straight then make a left turn. You can either park in the village (take the right, downward road) or follow through and randomly park in the road, or fall for some 'parking spaces' that locals have created for P100/day.

Guides. Kid guides would offer their services to guide hikers, particularly on weekends and the summer vacation, when they have no classes. The guidance fee is usually negotiable and the kids, eager to earn, would settle for a meager amount but PinoyMountaineer recommends P300 as the "minimum wage" for guides for a dayhike. Many hikers who are very familiar with the trail continue to get the kids more as companions than as a guides, out of desire to help the kids.

Permits and fees. There are two 'registration areas' in Mt. Batulao, one at Camp 1 of the Old Trail, and the other at the New Trail Campsite. In either campsite, it's P20 for a dayhike and P30 for an overnight. If doing Old-New or New-Old, you will pay P30 in the trail where you're camping, and P20 where you're just passing by. Thus, the maximum a person will pay in an overnight climb is P50. Just like in many areas, these registration may or may not have any legal basis, and thus receipts are not necessarily issued.

Hiking notes. Avoid garments that easily stain with dust, for Batulao is dry. Small 'duststorms' can cause eye irritation and tearing (i.e. 'puwing sa mata'). On the other hand during rainy days, the portions of the trails could be severely muddy -- prepare accordingly.

Camping notes. Camping in the New Trail tends to be concentrated around the New Trail Campsite, whereas there are several options in the Old Trail. Make sure that your tents are pegged and secured, as winds can be strong in Batulao. There are no immediately accessible water sources throughout the Batulao trail but guides can access further sources, 30 minutes away for you on either trails. For dayhikes, 1.5-2 L water is advised. Cellphone signal is present throughout the climb.

Security concerns. Mt. Batulao is generally safe and we have not received any reports of theft. It helps that there are locals who stay in the campsites.

Sidetrip possibilities. Some people would go for Nasugbu beach, which is further down the road from Tagaytay. Others would head back to Tagaytay for a nice postclimb meal.

After four years, I was wondering of going back again and pack! since it was open again last March 8, 2012 to the public in the aftermath of a tragic incident involving a first-time hiker who fell to her death in the ridgelines of the New Trail. As this accident is attributable to human error, there is no inherent change in the status of the trails, although caution, as usual, is advised.