Mystical Mount Banahaw in Quezon

Planning a trip? Those who love to travel know the essence of all travel is about you and your enjoyment. Travelers know that the destination is a major part in planning a trip, experiencing and delving deeper into an unfamiliar places, people and culture is paramount.

Expand your horizons and set your sight to the Philippines, an off the beaten path travel site! An undiscovered paradise made of thousands of islands and white sand beaches all around! A tiny dot in the map of the world, and yet a haven for travelers, backpackers, retirees and even passersby.

It offers awesome tourist attractions, magnificent beaches, hot spring resorts, colorful festivals, hundreds of scenic spots and world-class hotels and facilities. Not to mention the tropical climate, the affordable prices as well as the friendly and hospitable, English-speaking people! You will be glad you came, and we’re sure, you WILL come back for more FUN in the Philippines!

MOUNT BANAHAW

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Mount Banahaw is an active volcano on Luzon Island in the Republic of the Philippines. The three-peaked volcano complex is located between the provinces of Laguna and Quezon and is the tallest mountain in the CALABARZON region dominating the landscape for miles around.

The mountain is considered by many as a “Holy mountain” and is popular among pilgrims along with mountain climbers. Banahaw is a national park and a protected area in the Philippines since 1941, and is now called Mts. Banahaw-San Cristobal Protected Landscape covering 10,901 hectares (26,940 acres) of land. – wikipedia.org

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Banahaw has been described as the other Jerusalem. On the summit is a big wooden cross installed by devotees many years ago. The temple of the Rizalists is also found on Mt. Banahaw. The Rizalists believe that Jose Rizal is not just an ordinary hero. To them, he is a god.

The “UFO enthusiasts” on the other hand, claim that it is also a “hideout” of the extra-terrestial. Stories of flying saucer landings and “flight acrobatics” abound.

From Sariaya, it takes 2-3 days to get to the “crater” and another 2-3 hours to ascend from the crater to Durungawan, the summit… a ~ 60 degree climb.

Several times we found big bats overhead. On another occasion, we were chased by “pukyutan” …. a kind of bee said to be capable of downing animals as big as a horse. My buddy Bobby de Guzman was chased into the water after being stung several times. An herbolario who was on his up when he saw us offered his talents to fix Bobby. When asked how many stings Bobby had, he said, “I don’t know. I stopped counting after 100.” Bobby survived! No he’s not bigger than a horse either.

The crater is laiden with moss. It felt like carpet. A gently flowing stream provided drinking water. The same water is believed to posses healing powers. A marked grave is found in a corner. Buried under is the body of a climber who got too sick to continue and expired before rescue teams arrive. After offering prayers, we pitched tents and spent the night in the crater. It was very cold! – waypoints.ph

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Mount Banahaw is one of the active volcanos in the Philippines. Part of a volcanic group, it is located along the boundary of Laguna and Quezon provinces, on the island of Luzon, in the Philippines.

The mountain and its environs are considered sacred by the local residents because of its “holy water”, which allegedly ualities, issuing forth from local springs and its “puwesto s, or the “holy sites”. These are composed of unique, natural features such as rocks, caves and springs with shrines erected in, on or around them, their location having been revealed to a man in the Spanish Era by the “Santo Boses” or the “Holy Voice”. It has another of this mountain and it was named as Mount Banahaw de Lucban.

Mt. Banahaw is a traditional pilgrimage site for locals, considered by many to be a “holy mountain” or spiritually-charged location. It is also popular among mountain climbers being the closest 2000-meter mountain to Manila. Hiking activity peaks during Holy Week of each year, with climbers numbering in the thousands. At least four trails exist, from Dolores, Sariaya, and other towns in Quezon. The most frequently trails are the Cristalino and the Tatlong Tangke, taking an average of 9 and 5 hours, respectively.

These two trails originate from Barangay Kinabuhayan, Dolores, and meet near the summit of Banahaw. At the summit, which is actually a rim encircling the caldera, viewpoints are numbered as Durungawan I,II, and III. These viewpoints are the usual destination for pilgrims and hikers. Other points of interest include the “Kuweba ng Diyos Ama” (Tagalog: Cave of God the Father) and the spring at Brgy. Kinabuhayan, said to have curative powers. – hike.islandsphilippines.com

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