Solo Hike at Mt. Manabu - Yet Again!

Tried to make the most of my weekend with a quick day hike up Mt. Manabu in Sto. Tomas, Batangas. 
Though its trails can get really slippery and muddy, it'accessibility from Manila (see below for travel details), friendly locals and nice summit views makes Mt. Manabu a convenient choice for people who want a quick out of town hike. 

From the jump-off, it takes  2-3 hours to get to the summit on a forested trail while a more challenging option is to traverse from Mt. Malipunyo then Mt. Manabu (guide required) or  do a loop, passing the Grotto before making an approach to the summit.  Recently, a new trail has opened starting from Enkantierra Nature Park which I haven't tried. 
Mt. Manabu summit view

Guides are not required but it is strongly advised to hire one if going for the first time. Near the start of the trail, there are several routes leading to farms or someone else's house so it can get confusing. You can easily hire one at the registration area in Brgy. Sulok.  Having done frequent hikes here since 2008, I have become familiar with the mountain and find it enjoyable to hike quietly, stopping whenever I see an interesting bug or plant. 

If you want to check out how Mt. Manabu looks like, watch this video by Coby Sarreal. 

How to get to Mt. Manabu (as of Jul 2024)
By Car
Follow directions from Google Map to Mt. Manabu Jump-off.
There's a private lot near the jump-off and for a fee, allows parking for a small number of cars (maybe 5?).  The road going here is paved but narrow, a one car lane.  

By Public Transpo 
1. From PITX (Paranaque), take bus bound for Lipa (Fare : 188 Pesos, airconditioned. First trip leaves at 6AM, then every hour after). 

If you're not familiar with PITX, go up the 2nd floor and look for the ticket booth for buses going to Lipa (Near PITX entrance are monitors that tell you which booth to go to).  This ticket has a QR code which you will scan to enter the departure gate. Once the bus departs, a conductor will go around and give you the actual bus ticket which you will pay after he finishes distributing each passenger's ticket.  I imagine this to be an amusing experience for foreigners.  The ticket itself is fascinating - a small rectangle paper is punched with holes indicating the date, fare and bus number.  It's intuitive but if you get confused, just ask the conductor how much you need to pay. 

2. Ask driver to let you off at Fiesta Mall.
3. Flag a tricycle to take you to Mt. Manabu jump-off then make a quick stop to the registration area  along the way in  Brgy. Sulok (Fare : 50 Pesos).

Going back to Manila, take a tricycle (Fare : 100-150 Pesos) to SM Lipa and ask driver to let you off at the bus terminal. From here, there are various buses going back to Manila (PITX, Buendia, SM Megamall, etc.). 

Post Hike Wash-up
There are shower and toilets at the jump-off. These are operated by locals so they charge a reasonable fee (20 Pesos for washing up). 

Post Climb Side Trips
Nearby mall, SM Lipa can get really crowded on weekends and it'll be hard to snag a seat at a restaurant so you're better off eating at one of the restaurants near the jump-off. 

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