This is the 84th day (84 days left) of my temporary language study abroad program in Baguio, Philippines.
This article will continue with sightseeing in La Trinidad, a neighboring city of Baguio. This time, I climbed a mountain called Mt. Kalugong, one of the many hiking spots. It takes about 20 minutes to climb the mountain and is recommended for beginners. However, if you go off the gentle mountain path, you will have a thrilling experience.
Mt. Kalugong location and access from Baguio
Mt. Kalugong is a mountain about 45 minutes from Baguio. There are direct jeepneys that go directly to the site, although we stopped once at another location to attend a festival. On our return trip, we took the jeepney from the bottom of the trailhead and it cost us 19 pesos to get back to Rizal Park.
The destination is written on the side of the jeepney; there are several jeepneys from Rizal Park to Latrinidad, but choose the one that says “Tomay” or “Camp Dangwa” as your destination. Choose the one that says “Tomay” or “Camp Dangwa” as your destination. Buyagan” will go in the opposite direction.
Also, after confirming that you have the right destination, it is safer to tell the driver that you are going to Mt. The jeepney destinations are different on the T-shaped boulevard in the map below. Choose the jeepney that goes the right way.
The beginning of the trailhead is steep. If you come by jeepney, you will need to climb this slope for about 15 minutes. However, if you come by cab, they will take you further up, so you can cut out this entire path.
The road and entrance fee.
The beginning of the trailhead is in an open forest-like area, where there is a toll booth. The entrance fee is 100 pesos (about 260 yen). Since this area is already high, you can see a beautiful view even from here. There is also a swing made of logs, so you can have fun even from here.
When it comes time to go to the top, there are two routes to choose from: one is a very safe and short route (about 10 minutes) along a well-maintained path. The other is a rather treacherous route with rocky surfaces, difficult to walk on, and takes about 20 minutes.
We, of course, chose the more dangerous route.
The flat, forest-like path at first gradually disappears, and the route becomes one of hopping and jumping over sharp rock surfaces. Moreover, there are gaps that resemble valleys in places, so if you trip, you will fall several meters, and if you drop your phone or other belongings, you will be gone for good.
And most terrifying of all are the bare rocky areas with no fall protection at all. You can avoid such places, but people climb up there in search of a good photo.
Even if you are not afraid of heights, the height makes your legs tremble, and the unstable rock footholds can cause you to fall dozens of meters if you step off. It is no wonder that an accident or two may have occurred in the past, and young children are posing for pictures in such a location.
I would never recommend it, but it is a unique experience that you can only have here. If you try it, please avoid rainy or windy days and be responsible for anything that happens.
Mt. Kalugong Kape-an/Cafe with a store at the top of the mountain
Mt. Kalugong Kape-an/Café is a café located beyond the road mentioned above and is the destination of the climb. Of course, it can be reached from the gentle path, so don’t worry; it is rated quite high on Google maps at 4.5 Stars (106).
In Japan, cafes in the mountains have an image of being simple and everything being expensive, but this café has a stylish interior and is reasonably priced. The food and drink menu is quite extensive, so you can use it just as you would a café in town.
Unfortunately, the food menu was not available at this time, and only drinks and cakes could be ordered. The reason why we chose this time was because we could see the sunset from this cafe.
It is the rainy season and there were a lot of clouds, so we could not see a beautiful sunset, but this view alone was worth the visit. If you want to see a beautiful sunset, I recommend coming during the dry season (January to June) when the weather is more stable.
Moon on the ground shining from 7:00 p.m.
After enjoying the café to the fullest and returning to the forest road where the toll booth is located, the time is 18:00. In fact, Mt. Kalugong has a lot to offer even at this hour. Although it is already dark, we will take another route to the summit.
Stone steps are set up along the way, and lights are turned on so you can proceed even at night. After about 10 minutes, you will see a gate and another toll booth.
You will need to pay another 100 pesos to get to the desired location. As soon as you finish paying and filling out the form, you will see…
This moon monument. This moon is placed in a scenic spot by the cliffs overlooking the city. As you can see, it is a great spot to take pictures. It was late in the day, but many people had gathered to take commemorative photos.
You will be given a number for each group, and you should wait your turn. In the meantime, you can climb to a higher level, hang out in a bar-like area, or surround a campfire day.
This is a photo shoot with the moon and I highly recommend it. It is impressive to see it in person, and it is also quite photogenic. Sit, stand, lie down, and take all kinds of individual and group photos. The staff will gladly take group photos for you. It’s a valuable experience that you can’t get anywhere else.
And after you have enjoyed yourself as much as you can, descend the mountain carefully the way you came.
Summary & Points to keep in mind when descending at night
In this article, I introduced Mt. Kalugong in La Trinidad, the neighboring city of Baguio. It is not as tough as mountain climbing (if you choose the right route), so it is an easy hiking spot. I recommend visiting at noon because you can enjoy the sunset and the moon monument.
One point to note if you stay until nighttime: unless you charter a cab on your way back, you will have to go down a narrow road about the size of a car for about 20 minutes. That’s the road we took a short cut by cab on the way there.
It is quite dark and deserted, so you need to be cautious. Although the Baguio area is said to be safe, it is best to be cautious. As with the rocky surface when climbing a mountain, please be aware of such risks before you plan your trip. Good bye!