Friday, May 11, 2018

My Mt. Manalmon Adventure + What to Wear for a Day Hike

"There are no shortcuts to any place worth going."
Remember my vlog about this amazing mountain? -> Mt. Manalmon + Bayukbok Cave Adventures
It is indeed an amazing experience to hike this mountain.
It is actually an ideal getaway for any outdoor enthusiast looking for an easy day trip.
A destination that has historical value with adventure and great landscapes, then Mt. Manalmon is the perfect place to visit.
It is a part of the historical Biak-na-Bato National Park located in San Miguel, Bulacan.
It is merely a hill though it possesses landscapes including those of Madlum Cave, whose rock formations compensate for an otherwise unremarkable environment.
There are also nearby sites such as Bayukbok Cave which I will be sharing on my next post and Madlum Cave that can be coupled with a trip to Mt. Manalmon.
The mountain has an elevation of 195 meters above sea level with a trail difficulty of 3/10 and can be hike for one day.
If you have spare time during the visit, you can also hike Mt. Gola which is smaller than it.
How to get there & Fees to be collected?
* 4:00 AM - Take a bus(Fivestar/Baliwag Transit/ES Transport) in Cubao/Pasay
* Ride the Gapan/Cabanatuan or San Antonio bound (Travel time: 2-3 hours/P114 or $3)
* Drop off at Kamias-Sibul Road
* 7:00 AM - Take tricycle to jump-off (Travel time: 45 minutes/P120 or $3 roundtrip(must be at least 5 persons)
* Pay P20 or 50 cents each person to enter the Sitio Madlum Cave
* 7:45 AM - Arrived at the jump-off(Pay environmental fee P10/each person)
* Hire a guide to Mr. Manalmon(P300 or $6 for a group of 10 persons)
* 8:00 AM - Start trek (approx. 2-3 hours depends on the speed of the team)
The trek is quite easy, to be honest, but the only problem with it is that there are few trees only and means that it's quite hot during the hike.
It is advised to start trekking early in the morning to avoid heat stroke or any heat-related sickness may occur.
Just like on my experience, due to the temperature I didn't have a chance to cross the monkey bridge because my migraine strikes me hard.
* 10:00 AM - Mt. Manalmon Summit(take pictures)
Don't forget to take tons of pictures because the views are worth it.
* Descend (approx. 2-3 hours)
* 12:00 PM - Arrived at the community(opt for another trip if time permits)
* Take lunch
* Hire a guide to Bayukbok Cave (P200 or $4 for a group of 10 persons)
* If no headlights, rent one that cost P30 or 50 cents each
* 2:00 PM - Start caving(approx. 30 minutes to 1 hour)
This is my first time trying out caving and my experience will be shared in my next blog post.
* 3:00 PM - Arrived at the community(opt to give tips to guides, P100 each)
* Fresh up(toilet or shower fee-P20 each)
* 4:00 PM - Depart from Bulacan
* Take tricycle going back to the bus terminal
* Take a bus going back to Manila (Travel time: 2-3 hours/P114 or $3)
Total Fees: Approx. P600-P800 per head or $12-$16
What to wear?
(1) Always wear comfy clothes such as dry fit top and pants
(2) Hiking shoes are a must especially for rocky and steep trails so that it can help you through
(3) Bring your cap and sunglasses to protect against extreme heat
(4) Inner clothing that can help give support to your back and front especially for women is a good support sports bra
(5) Arm sleeves - for those who are wearing shirts and don't bring a jacket, you may opt to bring this one since it is lighter and easy to take off
(5) Jacket - if the weather is too cold a good hooded jacket which is in cotton are the perfect ones but if you are in need to protect from the sun, you should wear something very light and heat protective jacket
(6) Comfy socks - a nice comfy sock in cotton are the perfect ones.
(7) Energy - this is the most important of all for you to enable to finish the trail
How do you find this place?
Let me know what you think.
Thanks for reading.
XOXO
ZARRAH
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