A trek and spa adventure on Mt. Pinatubo

MANILA, Philippines - With the Philippines’ mass of natural landscapes, it is not surprising that mountain climbing and trekking have become escapes for fun seekers, sun lovers, and nature and wildlife enthusiasts. One of the fast rising destinations can be found in Central Luzon — Mt. Pinatubo.

Bordering the provinces of Zambales, Tarlac and Pampanga, Mt. Pinatubo is an active volcano and its June 1992 eruption resulted in one of the most intense explosions of the 20th century. Today, Mt. Pinatubo is still generating attention as a top trekking and spa location in Luzon.

Trekking Mt. Pinatubo is a unique adventure filled with river crossings and cliff and creek jumping. Summer is the best season to experience the ample charms of Mt. Pinatubo and Victory Liner makes this adventure easy to undertake.

To get to Mt. Pinatubo, take any Victory Liner bus bound for Baguio or Pangasinan. Early Sunday morning is best, making sure you arrive in Capas after the sun has just risen. Alight at the Capas, Tarlac junction (near Caltex, across McDonald’s), then take a tricycle or jeepney bound for Capas Market.

From the national highway, turn left in front of the market and drive towards the Capas Shrine until you reach Barangay Sta. Juliana. Once you get there, plenty of signs and billboards pointing towards the Mt. Pinatubo trail will help you find your way.

The Capas Trail is the easiest route to the crater. From Capas, you may choose to take a longer trail (one that takes approximately four to five hours of trekking on a rocky path) or a shorter one — riding a 4x4 vehicle, passing a lahar desert while navigating through an uphill trail before finally mustering enough stamina to do one to two hours of trekking. Not exactly a walk in the park, the trek is not that hard, either. Either way, the road is a patchwork of stones and dried mud, which is definitely a must-see.

Words are not enough to describe the stark beauty of the crater with its lake — the moist coolness of the mountain vegetation alongside bare volcanic rock. The 2.5-km. lake sits inside the crater with a shore occasionally gentle, sometimes rough. Take a plunge in the deep blue waters of the Mt. Pinatubo Crater Lake. Swimming is allowed so long as one avoids going near the middle. 

Another way to enjoy the water is to ride a kayak, a picture-perfect opportunity to see nature in its raw resplendence.

For safety and convenience, it is best to hire a guide. Not only do they know the safest routes, prices also include securing a permit, transportation fees and food. The latter is particularly important for there are no restaurants on the crater. Package tours are usually pegged at P3,500, depending on the number of trekkers and tour guides. There are also packages that include a visit to the Spa Town in Santa Juliana, about 17 kms. from Capas Junction. The Spa Town boasts amenities and services such as massage and a volcanic ash spa, which is known to have curative properties.

While summer is the best time to trek Mt. Pinatubo, the ash reflects the sun’s rays so slap on generous amounts of sunblock and wear only appropriate clothes. A quick tip: trek early morning or later in the afternoon to avoid the noontime heat. It is also prudent to avoid trekking at night, when the cold air may be volatile.

For daily bus schedules and to reserve bus accommodations on Victory Liner, the country’s pioneering bus company which travels daily to Pampanga on the way to Baguio, visit www.victoryliner.com.