A&M Go High on Mt. Batulao

7 years, numerous islands, and yet this is our first mountain together.

Marv and I decided to try something new for 2014 Holy Week. We were informed that his father would be arriving on the 18th or 19th; hence, we could not go far since we had to meet his dad at the airport.

Originally, Marv refused to leave the Metro but he surprised me at the last minute by saying that he didn't want to waste the long break so we just decided to go somewhere near. I wanted to go to Zambales but being the go-to-nearby-beach during summer, I knew that it will be jampacked with tourists and it will be close to impossible to find available accommodations. After a few hotel rejections, we just decided to go to Batangas for a day-trip in one of its well-known resorts and climb Mt. Batulao before we head home.

Mt. Batulao has been creating a buzz during the past few months because of close proximity to the city and because some say that it is okay for beginners. Another factor which might have contributed to the gaining popularity of the mountain was that celebrities go here for a day-hike and post it on Instagram. Ah, the power of social media.

Those who have already been to Caleruega might have already seen Mt. Batulao. It is the nearest mountain with that jagged profile, sending out a message that it would be a treacherous hike or nearly impossible to climb.

Our final plan was to go to Canyon Cove in Nasugbu, Batangas, spend the night somewhere in Tagaytay or Nasugbu, and then climb Mt. Batulao early the next day. But since it was already the start of the Holy Week, we could no longer find available inns/hotels that would fit our budget. And bilang Best in Tipid, we contacted our friends, Ruth and Apey, who live in Dasmarinas, Cavite. We asked if we could spend the night there.

It seems like the universe really wanted us to have a great time. Ruth informed us that they will be staying in their house in Indang, Cavite which was closer to Mt. Batulao. It was like hitting two birds with one stone -- this will allow us to save on accommodations and bond with two of our best friends.

Since we were saving money, we wanted our Mt. Batulao trek to be a DIY climb, like almost all our adventures. From Raissa and Jerry, friends who were just there 2 weeks ago, I got the number of our tour guide, Kuya Ely. I sent him a message only 2 days prior our scheduled trip and fortunately, he was still available.

We agreed to meet at Evercrest Golf Course in Lemery, Batangas -- the same entrance to the famous Caleruega -- at 6:00 in the morning. We left Indang, Cavite at 4:30AM (while our friends slept hehe) and stopped by 711 to buy water and trail food (trail mix, nuts, berries, jellies, other sources of sugar to boost your energy) -- no energy drinks for us though.

Evercrest Golf Course was the jumpoff but Ely told us that we could still park our pick-up near the foot of the mountain, provided that it could withstand the rough road ahead. After preparing ourselves and our things, we started walking at around 6:45 AM via the New Trail -- it had 12 peaks.

Sleepy faces during the start of our trek

Here we go!

Climbing Mt. Batulao wasn't a piece of cake for me because of the numerous times we had to ascend. Not to brag but Marv and I are pretty used to doing cardiovascular activities -- I run 7-10 km several times a week and we both play badminton for 2-3 hours every weekend -- but the hike still made my lungs and legs scream in pain and make me gasp for air hehe.

Having a terrible sense of balance made it more difficult as we had to walk on paths (which can fit only one person) near the mountain edges/cliffs (plus ang pagkalimot sa paggupit ng kuko haynako). However, the view was just amazing. I would find myself taking rests while my eyes feast on the view that the mountain has to offer. I loved its green rolling slopes even if these meant that we had to ascend a number of peaks.

Nawala ang antok, napalitan ng hingal

The mountain is frequently described as dessert-like because of the dust brought by loose soil. The hot and humid weather plus the number of tourists made the soil even more loose; thus, more difficult to climb. There were times that I would slip but Ely made sure that he was holding my hand while Marv was kept on holding on to my backpack just to make sure I won't fall off the cliff hehe (akala niya hindi ko napapansing hawak niya ako).

The sun was becoming hot and I could feel my energy fading away so I kept on snacking on jellies to make sure I had sugar in my system all the time. I tried to avoid drinking water since there might be no "area" for me to pee (Marv had his time in the forest haha).

One major mistake that we committed was not taking enough rest breaks. Since Marv was allergic to the sun (haha) and easily gets sunburn, we wanted to reach the summit before the sun takes its toll on us. Not resting enough caused our legs to strain faster.

We had an option to course through a forest and Marv immediately picked this one because it will temporarily hide him from the angry sun. 

The forest was a quick 5-10 minute path and one has to squeeze between rocks to get outside.

Before the last ascent, my legs already wanted to give up and only the green foliage was able to make me feel better.

These rolling slopes really took my breath away, literally and figuratively.

The final assault was the steepest one and also the most dusty one. Ely told us that females usually have a hard time going up this one because of the dust. I honestly told him that dust won't be the issue but my lack of balance. Luckily, caretakers of Mt. Batulao already knew this coming -- they put ropes so that hikers can just pull themselves up. The ropes are also highly useful when one is going down.

Meanwhile, Marv went down on his elbows and knees and crawled his way up hehe.

We reached the summit at around 8:15 AM and the first thing that we looked for was shade from the sun. Much to his dismay, Marv found out that there were no trees at the summit and we had no choice but to sunbathe (na gustong-gusto ko naman hehe).

Although we read from some blogs that it is not advisable to buy from mountain vendors (to avoid getting the mountain commercialized), the heat made it impossible for us to resist the halo-halo. We eventually gave in to our cravings and enjoyed a few minutes under the makeshift tent of the vendor while snacking on our halo-halos (which was delicious, by the way).

Mt. Batulao summit easily became a monopod/selfiepod heaven (hindi lang ako haha). Everyone was busy taking photos and totally ignoring the heat of the sun! Perfect! Cellphone signal is present all the time even at the summit.

Sariling sikap

Sunburn but I'm not complaining

Marv and I stayed at the summit for an hour. I wanted to take the Old Trail to get back to the mainland but the heat stopped Marv from agreeing to my plan. Sayang! The Old Trail was easier (lesser ascents/steep climbs) but longer and our skin was probably screaming in pain already (but I was just too happy to notice). Hence, we took the New Trail again but we no longer passed through the forest (just because I wanted sunlight, baby!).

We rappelled our way down from the summit and I really enjoyed every moment until I realized that the descend was even harder than going up! I kept on slipping and Ely held my hand tightly to stop me from slipping.  The hot and humid weather that day and the number of hikers made the soil even more loose.

Don't let this fool you -- it's actually Marv trying to help me get down and not the other way around hehe

We got back to the mainland after an hour -- even if it was more challenging, the hike back was faster, thanks to gravity. Ely and I accompanied us to where we would be taking a bath. Beside the highway was a stretch of comfort rooms/bathrooms and we paid only PhP25 each to bathe.


My Take on Mt. Batulao

Apart from Famy and Mt. Banahaw, this was the first hike I've done in years! A lot of people say that it is perfect for beginners -- probably because the climb commonly lasts for 1.5 to 2 hours only. But the cliffs and steep slopes are definitely a challenge. But every now and then, admiring the view, enjoying the breeze and the sun, and taking photos will remind you why you're there. And being at the summit will be an unforgettable and fulfilling experience.

Planning to commute? Click this link on how to get to Mt. Batulao via public transport.


Tips and Things to Bring

For those planning to go here, doing cardio exercises before your trip won't hurt and make sure that you have comfortable or proper shoes (the ones that won't hurt your feet or with a good grip since there are a lot of rocky areas). Also bring something that you can use to cover your face or nose because it can really get dusty. If you have a pair of gloves, you may want to bring it as well as this will protect your hands while you're holding on to rocks, plants, roots, or even the rope. Sunblock and long sleeves or arm guards are must-haves so you don't get burnt by the sun.

Also, don't be ashamed to take plenty of rest breaks, bring food (preferably with sugar), and lots of water (ideally 2L each)! And then you're good to go!

Lastly, it is not advisable to get kid tour guides. During our way back to the mainland, we saw a couple with a kid tour guide. The woman, who also had a big backpack, was struggling really hard to go up a steep slope. Her male companion, who had a bigger backpack, felt helpless while waiting for his friend to reach the top so he'd be the one to go next. The kid tour guide, on the other hand, patiently watched his female guest struggle, without offering any form of help. Don't get me wrong, I know these kids are stronger than children their age, but will they be able to boost up or pull up an adult (with a backpack)?

I told Ely about this and he said that he personally doesn't recommend getting a kid tour guide. Aside from the fact that the children are unable to assist guests the way adult tour guides can, if something happens to the kid, guests may get in trouble because they hired him/her even if they know that the child is still below our law's working age.

I recommend that you get Ely for your tour guide. He's very helpful and caring; he'll assist you whenever he sees that you're struggling and he knows the mountain by heart. Plus he takes good photos! Be generous and share with him your trail snacks and water; he is very thankful too.


Expenses

It was a pretty inexpensive trip but we could have done better if there were many of us who'll be splitting the gas expenses. 

Contact Details

Ely Tour Guide 09301707858 / 09053929583