OneAdventurer.com

Your Top Travel Tips and Reviews!

Home » Hiking

Hiking

Hiking Mt. Pinagbanderahan / Mt. Gulugod Baboy

by Leave a Comment

Quick overview:

  • It’s an easy, beginner-level hike.
  • Anilao, Batangas is a 3 to 4 hour trip from Manila.
  • Mt. Pinagbanderahan/Gulugod-Baboy takes 2-3 hours to ascend and less than 2 hours to descend.
  • The trail starts with an asphalt road, then a muddy forest ascent, and the topmost section to the summit is open grassland with little to no shade.
  • You can go swimming at the rocky beaches below, or rent a boat to Sumbrero island or the other nearby beaches.
  • Mobile data is available in the area, but not in the islands further away.

Mt. Pinagbanderahan, also sometimes called Mt. Gulugod-Baboy*, is one of my favourite hiking destinations and it is also my number one recommendation for first time hikers. It has a relatively short yet mildly challenging ascent and the summit has an excellent 360-degree view of Batangas and Balayan bay.

One of the best things about going there is that you can make your visit to Anilao a two-in-one trip. Right after your hike, you can cool down and swim at the rocky beaches near the foot of the mountain or rent a boat to visit Sumbrero island, Marikaban island, or any of the other beautiful beaches of Anilao. The region is famous for scuba diving too, and there are lots of resorts and scuba diving schools in the area if you’re interested.

*Note: Mt. Gulugod-Baboy (“Pig’s spine”) is actually a different, smaller mountain right beside Pinagbanderahan.

[Read more…] about Hiking Mt. Pinagbanderahan / Mt. Gulugod Baboy

What to Bring for Your First Hike

by 1 Comment

Want a quick checklist of what to bring for a quick hike in the mountains? Here’s a short but tried and tested list of things that I would recommend! Take note, however, that this is for a simple and easy hike in the tropics. If you’re going on an overnight camping trip or a hike through some extremely cold places like snowy regions or extremely hot places like deserts, you’ll need a few more equipment and clothing that we won’t discuss here.

If you want to have a safe and enjoyable hiking trip, be sure to check out our 10 tips on how to prepare for your first hike here!

Anyway, on to the list of what you need to bring!

[Read more…] about What to Bring for Your First Hike

Hiking Mt. Manalmon and Bayukbok Caves

by Leave a Comment

A small hill of just around 196 meters above sea level in San Miguel, Bulacan, Mt. Manalmon is one of the best hikes for first timers looking for a quick adventure near Manila. Now I won’t bore you with the details that you can find in other websites, but here’s a quick overview:

  • It’s a very easy one to two hour hike that’s great for beginners.
  • Aside from hiking, there are also rivers you can swim in and caves for you to explore. You get to try at least three different adventures all in one day.

What to bring for your hike:

  • Some money for registration and guide fees.
    • Note: Registration and guide fees change often, but expect the registration fees to be less than P100 per person, and the guide fees to cost around P500 or so (P300 for Manalmon hike + P200 Bayukbok cave). These prices may increase, by the way, so prepare a little extra.
  • Wear good sports clothes and good shoes or sandals.
  • Water (1-2 liters) and snacks. Put them in a backpack for your hike.
  • Change of clothes and towel. There are showers in the area if you want to change into clean clothes for your ride home.
  • Headlamp or flashlight for Bayukbok cave.
  • (Optional) Gloves. Handholds in Bayukbok cave are often muddy.
  • (Optional) Swimwear if you want to swim in the rivers.
[Read more…] about Hiking Mt. Manalmon and Bayukbok Caves

What is “Leave no Trace” when Hiking? Here’s a Quick Overview!

by 3 Comments

Nature is beautiful, but also very fragile, so we all have to practice the “leave no trace” (LNT) principle to minimize the damage that we do to our environment whenever we travel the great outdoors.

Just imagine a three-hour uphill hike through a hot and humid jungle to get to a beautiful mountain summit. Tired from the hike, you decide to sit down and enjoy the beautiful mountain view. As you take off your backpack and prepare to sit, you notice three muddy cigarette butts near your left foot, a half-buried empty bag of chips beside the spot you’re sitting on, and several other pieces of trash all over the summit you’ve worked so hard to reach.

Would you enjoy that? Probably not. That’s why we shouldn’t be like the people who leave trash around like that in the first place. Let’s all practice the “leave no trace” principle when we’re out to enjoy nature.

[Read more…] about What is “Leave no Trace” when Hiking? Here’s a Quick Overview!

10 Tips on How to Prepare for Your First Hike

by 4 Comments

Sometimes, it’s fun to just go on a quick adventure and take a nice vacation from the hectic and stressful life in the city. Not all of us want something extreme, like rock climbing or white water rafting, so a quick hike up a scenic mountain trail can be just the thing for a quick weekend out.

If this is your first time hiking, then here are some tips on how to prepare for your first hike!

[Read more…] about 10 Tips on How to Prepare for Your First Hike