Mt.Pinatubo Trekking - the cheapest way

update as of March 5, 2010:
○ my shots from my point and shoot camera got featured in http://loqal.ph under Travel and Outdoors category.
see link here.

Some months ago, a casualty occurred in Pinatubo. A Canadian group of 9 people insisted to do a tour even with the advice of locals to postpone it. Weather is not good that time. Since the foreigners insisted, the locals agreed but they asked them to sign a waiver first. The tour went okay. As they head back to Spa Town, the accident happened. 4 people died. After that, Pinatubo Crater Lake was closed for tourists. (source: our tourist guide who apparently was part of the said group)

After 3 months of closure, Pinatubo reopens! No time to waste, dapat na ma-experience to this time. And of course, mas fulfilling ang trip kung Do-It-Yourself! Research time again, favorite stress reliever ko yan.

if you're a group of 5, expenses per head is P1,500

I invited 4 of my friends and we're all set. At 3am, we took the Baguio bus dahil dadaan yan sa Capas Junction. Fare is P150. After 1.5 hours, nasa McDonald's Capas Junction na kami. We ate breakfast and bought our meal for lunch at the crater. Dito kami nagpapick-up sa 4x4 landcruiser. Contact is Wendell, president of the 4x4 drivers association. Wendell - 0919.608.4313

powerful landcruiser

Ang ginaw! Good thing Im ready. May jacket ako at muffler! After 30 minutes nasa Pinatubo Spa Town na kami. Dito magbabayad at magpaparegister. Since we arrived early, na-explore pa namin yung place.

photo op while waiting inside the spa town

the bar area

mud pool area

volcanic ash spa area

my group - pinatubo edition

Finally, the staffs from Department of Tourism arrived. Nagfill-up lang at nagbayad kami then we're good to go. Another man joined our landcruiser, kala ko nakiki-hitch lang, siya pala yung tourist guide. ^_^

The road is tough, rocky, bumpy, watery, ano pa ba? Parang CDO water rafting na din. Basta, whatta experience! Inferness, ang powerful ng 4x4 landcruiser. Na-overwhelmed ako on what this ride can do. On our way, ang ganda ng view. At mas maginaw na.

malawak na desyerto ng lahar?

bumpy skyway

There are really spots na super malalaki na yung bato. Sympre I wasnt able to take photos. Blurred na lahat. After 1.5 hours, finally we're at the trekking point. Okay, where do we belong?

Im 25y/o but I dont believe I can finish this in 20 minutes.

Eto na, this part of the adventure requires mental skills. Para siyang puzzle na iisipin ko mabuti kung sang bato ako tatapak. Pag nadapa kasi ako, surely duguan ang mukha ko after. Pero no worries, may first aid kit ang tourist guide. Yay! This is actually fun! Ü

parang rain forest

mentally challenging! Ü

It's not a race naman so we took our time taking photos along the way. First time kasi naming lahat. From time to time, your feet will get wet so extra ingat baka madulas. Dont touch the plants too, yung kasama ko kasi nasugatan siya.

It took us 25 minutes to get on top. First glimpse namin ng Crater Lake, wala kaming ibang nasabi kung hindi WOW! Tanggal lahat ng pagod namin.

Welcome to Mt. Pinatubo Crater Lake

ayl♥vet! (thanks Remay for my solo)

This was like the first time I saw Mayon Volcano and Chocolate Hills. Ibang level talaga pag nakita mo sila ng personal.

Ang ganda talaga sa Pilipinas! ♥

Majestic indeed!

Btw, kaya pala P300 na ang conservation fee (from P50) ay dahil naglagay na sila ng mga signs, resting area, stairs, photo deck, viewing den, etc. Wala pala to dati. Tara, let's go down.

renovated place

let's go down

the color's surreal!

We ate lunch first then enjoyed the view. Kahit 10 na, ang ginaw pa din. The tourist guide keeps on remindung us na 7,000 feet deep ang water sa lake and it's still immeasurable sa deepest part nya. Oh ok. Ayoko na maligo. Naglusong lang kami sa mababaw na part. Delikado kasi biglang lalim ang tubig. Ayoko pa mamamatay, madami pa ko travels next year! Joke!

Water is tempting but Im scared to swim

Among the many signs scattered around the place, this one is my favorite:

No shouting please.

Noise can cause soil erosion.

Thank You Lord God for the good weather and for always keeping me safe in all my travels. Ü

Howkey, tama na ang lakwatsa! Next year naman ulit! (--,)

*all shots from my point and shoot camera only

Update as of Feb 2011:
After seeing the most raved about Angkor Wat in Cambodia, the glorious Grand Temple and Palaces in Thailand, the very sparkling Petronas Towers in Malaysia, and the brilliantly-designed Cu Chi Tunnel in Vietnam - my heart remains faithful in this one unique spot in the Philippines. The most stunning spot I've seen is still Mount Pinatubo.

What's the factor why Pinatubo is the best spot?

It's just very hard to imagine that something this majestic can be destructive at the same time. That makes this spot very unique and remarkable. It's really something every Pinoy can be proud of. ♥