Backpacking Philippines: Laguna: An Island Resort in Caliraya Lake

Laguna: An Island Resort in Caliraya Lake

Lake Caliraya evokes memories of Tutubi's childhood particularly the nearby Japanese Garden. It's a man-made lake created by the Americans by flooding a valley of the Sierra Madre mountains to generate hydroelectric power. It's populated with largemouth bass.

A recent free tour of Caliraya was arranged with a jeepney owner from Paete with pictures of the nameless island in Caliraya:

Banca (native outrigger boats) of the lake

Boat boarding time

washing clothes: a typical scene of rural life in the Philippines near rivers and lakes (that contribute to water pollution, btw)

bahay kubo on the lake shore

the ever loyal guard dog at the boat bow

the basic bahay kubo accomodation on the small island owned by the Anonuevo family (Tutubi even offered to buy the property if it's for sale...but that's just a joke). You may also pitch tents for camping fun

Kids playing on the beach...watch out children, folks here still think water of the lake sucks people forunknown reasons...mainly superstition still persisting!

Caliraya Lake's fun, isn't it?

The best thing about this trip was that it's free, just a sidetrip offered by the jeepney owner after visiting Paete's Tatlong Krus (Three Crosses) :P

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Other Interesting Places to See near Caliraya:

Japanese Garden

Magnetic Hill, so called due to apparent downward road yet actually sloping upward. Location: near the curve of kilometer 98 marker

If you have the money, unlike Tutubi, you may contact any place on this list of resorts in Caliraya Lake for queries:

Caliraya Re-creation Center
Caliraya Resort Club

Lagos Del Resort
Brgy. West Talaongan, Cavinti Laguna
Tel No: +63.2.526.8088 ext. 152 & 133

Calirana
Brgy. West Talaongan, Cavinti Laguna
Tel No.: +63.2.426.4130; +63.2.426.4130

Porta Verde Resort
Brgy. Mahipon, Cavinti
Tel No: +63.2.807.8414

Caliraya Springs Golf & Country Club
Brgy. East Talaongan, Cavinti Laguna
Mobile: +63.918.941.7689

Caliraya Hilltop Resort
Brgy. West Talaongan, Cavinti Laguna
Cel: +63.917.536.1166; +63.918.921.5248
Tel. No: +63.2.242-5969; +63.2.242.5979

Kaliraya Surf Kamp
Brgy. West Talaongan, Cavinti Laguna
Cel: +63.918.562.0002; +63.920.822.1312

call the published resort contact number, telephone number or visit resort's official website for inquiries, reservations, parties, events, weddings, room rates, entrance fee/day tour rates and other questions

Activities in Caliraya Lake:

wind surfing, jet skiing, fishing, angling, swimming, kayaking, canoeing, team building activities, large mouth bass fishing, water skiing, boating, golf, camping, and other sporting adventure activities.

How to get to Lake Caliraya, Laguna:

Commute: Board the Sta Cruz-bound bus of HM Transport on EDSA Cubao (near Victory Liner), DLTB or Green Star on Taft Ave near corner Gil Puyat/Buendia (LRT). The bus will pass through SLEX Calamba exit then turn right on the national highway in Calamba City, Los Banos, Bay, Victoria, Pila, Sta Cruz. At the terminal in Pagsawitan, Pagsanjan, wait for a jeepney with signboard Lumot or ask a tricycle to bring you to the jeepney terminal in Sta.Cruz to avail of "sure seats."

The Lumot-bound jeepney will pass Pagsanjan, turn left at the "pinagsangahan" (branch off at Pagsanjan church and Municipal Hall) pass by Lumban (barong land), then choose the right road of the fork up to Caliraya Lake. The fork is at the kilometer 95 post. The lake is about 7 kilometers from there. Note the presence of the so called Magnetic Hill at the blind curve of kilometer 98 post. Also near the lake are Caliraya Dam, Japanese Garden, Hilltop Resort, Surfkamp, Lagos del Sol, and Caliraya Recreation Center.

Commute: Board a HM Transport bus, with terminal on EDSA, Cubao near Victory Liner, going to Sta. Cruz/Calamba (fare: P148.50) or Green Star Express with terminal on Taft Avenue near corner Gil Puyat (Buendia) and LRT Gil Puyat station (fare: P140.50) then drop off at the terminal in Pagsanjan. Board a jeepney bound for Pagsanjan, Lumban, Paete or Siniloan then alight at your destination resort or inn.

By private car: from SLEX take Calamba exit then head straight to Calamba. turn right at Calamba junction and follow this road and highway until you reach Pagsanjan (after Los Banos, Bay, Victoria, Pila, Sta Cruz towns) where you turn left. Choose the right road at the fork near kilometer 95 post.

Directions by car from Quezon City, it's faster to take the Rizal route by going to Marcos Highway, turn right at the junction Masinag Wet and Dry Market (Sumulong Highway), on reaching Antipolo intersection turn left going to Baras (straight ahead leads to Antipolo Church while a right turn leads to Hinulugang Taktak) where you'll pass by Teresa, Morong, Baras, Tanay, and Pililla towns of Rizal province before reaching Laguna towns of Mabitac, Siniloan, Pangil, Pakil, Paete, Kalayaan, then make a U-turn on seeing kilometer 95 post on the highway. Lake Caliraya is about 7 kilometers from there.

From Lucena and Lucban, Quezon: there are jeepneys plying the route Lucena to Sta. Cruz that pass by Pagsanjan, Cavinti and Luisina. Board the Lumot jeep in Pagsanjan

Commuting from Cavite: board the Pagsanjan or Sta. Cruz vans at Pala-pala terminal in Dasmarinas, Cavite (near Robinsons Dasmarinas and SM). Board a jeep for Pagsanjan (or Lumban, Paete, Siniloan) then a Lumot jeep in Pagsanjan or Sta. Cruz.

Related Posts:

Pagsanjan Falls
Liliw Tsinelas Festival

Labels: Calabarzon, Hotels and Resorts, Laguna, Lakes

posted by GingGoy @ 9:44 PM,

22 Comments:

At Mar 1, 2008, 9:46:00 PM, Sidney said...: It looks like a nice out of town trip!
At Mar 1, 2008, 10:28:00 PM, Anonymous said...: i love the pic with the dog.

i thought caliraya is in Quezon.
At Mar 2, 2008, 11:52:00 AM, Nini said...: lovely pics that can definitely evoke a few lines...

tutubi
you're simply lucky
At Mar 2, 2008, 4:39:00 PM, -= dave =- said...: Ooh looks fun! Frolicking in some rural body of water is my childhood due to pollution.

So that's the explanation for Magnetic Hill!
At Mar 2, 2008, 6:53:00 PM, GingGoy said...: sidney, for me it's very closeto my town trip :P

narissa, the other side of the sierra madre is quezon province

nini, too many lines formebut not poetic :P

dave, magnetic hill,another one close by is near UPLB, is just an optical illusion, nothing magnetic about it.theroad looks sloping down but actually is sloping uphill :P
At Mar 3, 2008, 12:54:00 AM, Anonymous said...: Great information about Lake Caliraya :) That nameless island looks like it has people living there full time. I wonder if they have electricity supplied from the mainland.

I am also impressed with the many recreation and resort providers in the area :)
At Mar 3, 2008, 3:20:00 AM, Joy said...: It's the simple life. That's the great thing about visiting places off the beaten track.

Thanks for visiting Norwich Daily Photo and for leaving your comments. Do visit again!

Have a fantastic week ahead!

joy
A Pinay In England
Your Love Coach
The Goddess In You
At Mar 3, 2008, 11:23:00 AM, tina said...: nice out of town trip and very informative. :P

btw: added your 2 blogs in angelblush.net.

thanks for the add as well. :) have a great day!
At Mar 3, 2008, 11:47:00 AM, Oman said...: Great shots. I like the dog. He seems smiling.
At Mar 3, 2008, 4:20:00 PM, Anonymous said...: Really enjoy that Doggy Pic. Hehe. Katuwa
At Mar 3, 2008, 4:28:00 PM, lagal[og] said...: hey tutubi, this series is from the new camera, right? the hues and saturation are a big leap kasi. anyway, like ferdz, tuwa ako dun sa dog pic. parang ang sarap iuwi nung doggie, hahahaha.

anyways, looks like a great trip.
At Mar 3, 2008, 7:21:00 PM, -= dave =- said...: argh typo! my earlier comment should've read "Frolicking in some rural body of water is my childhood frustration due to pollution."

anyway, about magnetic hill, maybe you meant it's actually sloping down when it appears to be going uphill. yup, i think it's the one in UPLB that i remember watching in TV way back in the early 90s.
At Mar 3, 2008, 8:50:00 PM, GingGoy said...: bw, there are no people living there but only take care of the resort. no electricity but there's a generator

joy,thanks also for the visit

tina, congrats again on your new blog

lawstude, i have lots of pics of that dog. i should've posted close ups

ferdz, fan of the doggy

lagal[og], i stilluse canon kit lens for this. you won't see pics of my new cam in a while maybe more than a month. canon kitlens is good at f9-f11 so i was able to use its sweet spot :P

dave, you're right. should you happen to pass by the spot, leave your car at Neutral and observe it moves. even if you pour water, it'll go the opposite direction. we all know water is not magnetic
At Mar 4, 2008, 3:26:00 PM, Toe said...: Very nice photos! My brothers and sisters still windsurf in Caliraya. It is very beautiful there.
At Mar 4, 2008, 10:47:00 PM, Nick Ballesteros said...: My mountaineering friend and his girlfriend once camped at the Japanese Garden. That night, he felt as if a hundred eyes were on their tent, but he did not let his girlfriend know about it lest they both panic. The following morning, they had an early breakfast and left. While enroute to Manila, his girlfriend said she was very uneasy that night because even when they were already inside the tent, she felt like there were people outside staring at them. That gave him the goosebumps.

We sometimes consider going to the place when looking for trekking itineraries but somehow we end up someplace else. I would like to experience that as well. Would be a nice trekking blog article!
At Mar 5, 2008, 12:20:00 AM, rEeYuH said...: ur directions via sumulong highway make it seem SO near qc. i would've tried it, if only.
At Mar 5, 2008, 9:19:00 PM, GingGoy said...: toe, sarap. gusto ko rin windsurf minsan

watson, spooky? i'm thinking of ghost hunting at the japanese garden :P

reeyuh, from QC to Paete,it's a predictable 2.5 hour drive or 3 hours commute. forgot to mention it,sorry :P
At Mar 8, 2008, 9:11:00 PM, Anonymous said...: Even if it's for a day trip it'd be good enough!

(:
At Sep 11, 2008, 9:10:00 PM, Anonymous said...: HI TUTUBI,

JUST READ YOUR ENJOYABLE TRIP TO CALIRAYA LAKE.... BY THE WAY WE HAVE 3 ISLANDS THERE...
DO YOU HAVE ANY BUYER?
At Feb 18, 2009, 1:59:00 PM, nicocin said...: Hi Tutubi!

We're planning to shoot at Caliraya for our school project..
I would just like to ask how did you get the tour for free? we really couldn't go there for an occular cause its expensive. so may i ask if there are spots that overlooks the lake, which are not part of any resort? that we can shoot in?

thanks so much. we direly need the info! :):):)

hope to hear from you soon.
my email: nicocin_15@yahoo.com

THANKS AGAIN!
we would really appreciate a reply.
At Feb 18, 2009, 9:35:00 PM, GingGoy said...: nicocin, lake caliraya is not that enclosed in resorts. there are many open "beaches" there as well as houses. there are areas that's restricted though
At Oct 16, 2011, 1:06:00 AM, Anonymous said...: People should not be misled for how Surf Kamp Kaliraya is being publicized, it is simply very fearful to go there especially at night, do not even bother, there are no scurities, no guards, the caretakers are drinking alcohol, howcould you trust.

Laguna: An Island Resort in Caliraya Lake

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