Caliraya Lake is a favourite vacation spot amongst motorbike riders and bikers primarily based in Metro Manila for weekend rides. Positioned within the mountainous space of Lumban, Cavinti, and Kalayaan in Laguna, the realm surrounding Caliraya Lake has also referred to as a high vacation spot for outside recreation, water sports activities, retreats, and fishing.
Since journey has eased once more after the pandemic, the realm appears to be gaining popularity amongst households for automobile tenting, glamping, and different outside nature actions. There are much more family-friendly resorts, glamping locations, and new al fresco eating places serving wider meals choices which have popped up within the space previously two years.
Earlier than the pandemic, we normally simply rode our bikes going right here and again on fast day journeys for a easy breakfast or lunch meal. Only for a change of tempo, we determined to deliver our bicycles to do a Caliraya Lake-Pagsanjan loop trip, staying in a single day earlier than and after biking across the space for a soothing bike-cation weekend.
As of our go to, there are not any extra checkpoints and journey necessities to go to Caliraya coming from Metro Manila.
Lake Caliraya is a man-made lake located within the municipalities of Lumban, Cavinti, and Kalayaan in Laguna province. The lake is located at 1,200 above sea-level, roughly 100 kilometers East of Metro Manila.
Attending to Caliraya Lake is about 2 and half to three hour drive from Makati. The most well-liked route for automobile homeowners is through SLEX, exiting Calamba via the Bucal By-pass highway of Greenfields growth, and exiting to Los Banos. From Los Banos, proceed to drive via Sta Cruz and eventually Pagsanjan, earlier than going up the hill of Caliraya.
The popular route for these coming from the East and motorbike riders is the Manila East Street. One of the best ways to entry this is able to be from Ortigas Avenue, then Ortigas Avenue Extension, E. Rodriguez, ultimately resulting in the Nationwide Street and Manila East Street. If you happen to take this route, you may be passing by Cainta, Antipolo, Teresa and a number of other scenic cities of Laguna, together with, Tanay, Pililia, Siniloan, Pakil, Paete and Lumban. Traversing this highway will lead you alongside the perimeter of Laguna de Bay.
Fashionable spots and landmarks within the space embody:
- Japanese Backyard (nonetheless closed to the general public as of Could 2022)
- Caliraya Lake
- Lumot Lake
- Cavinti Falls
- Hulugan Falls (Luisiana)
- Pagsanjan Arch
- Our Woman of Guadalupe Parish Church
- Cavinti Underground River and Caves Complicated
Cyclists can bike all the best way to Caliraya Lake from Metro Manila in the event that they need to taking each routes for a full Laguna Loop or can take the extra scenic Manila East Street route. Nonetheless, simply getting there’ll in all probability eat up an entire day, because it’s over 100 kilometers coming from Quezon Metropolis. The Manila East Street route crosses Antipolo Metropolis, Teresa, Morong, Pililla in Rizal Province and Mabitac, Famy, Paete, Pangil and Pakil in Laguna Province with a complete elevation acquire of 1,100 meters.
For these with restricted time or are touring with households and children, another choice is to only drive to the Laguna space with automobiles bringing bicycles so you’ll be able to keep away from the highways and begin biking across the space when you get there. If you happen to use Caliraya Lake as your base, you’ll be able to take pleasure in a extra leisurely trip and have time to do different actions like boating, river rafting, kayaking, fishing, sightseeing, visiting waterfalls and caves, and extra.
For this explicit trip, our begin and finish level for biking was Caliraya EcoVille Farm Resort. We began our bike trip at about 9:00 am within the morning after breakfast.
Our unique plan was to loop Lumot Lake on the best way to Cavinti and Pagsanjan as a result of the highway seemed satisfactory on Googlemaps. Nonetheless, we encountered lifeless ends and fenced off roads that required us to backtrack. A predominant filth entry roads was minimize off attributable to new developments within the space. The sign within the space was additionally very weak and maps wouldn’t load correctly so we acquired a bit misplaced.
At any price, the highway going to Lumot Lake is nice for bikers as a result of not plenty of motorized autos go right here, and the realm is simply being developed, so it feels very uncooked and new. There are plenty of uphill areas to deal with and good flowy downhills.
We got here throughout a number of new tenting areas on the highway resulting in the Cavinti Underground River and Caves Complicated, a newly found cave complicated which is fast-becoming essentially the most promoted eco-tourism vacation spot within the province of Laguna. Sadly, you’ll be able to’t simply go to the cave with out prior coordination.
Guests should get a allow or waiver to go to from the tourism workplace within the city correct. We’ll attempt to revisit it one in every of as of late (however not by bike), as a result of the highway taking place is extremely steep (nasunog yung brakepads ko) and nonetheless requires about half an hour of climbing via a mud path in accordance with locals.
- Tourism workplace: 523-0152 / 523-0129 loc. 106
- Cell No: 0948-1571174 / 0912-8067356 / 0915-2934238 / 0963-8783289
- E-mail: amazingcavinti@gmail.com
- Twitter: @acavinti
- Fb: Superb Cavinti
Parts of the highway are additionally nonetheless below building resulting in the cave complicated and there have been indicators that stated “No Trespassing” past a sure level. That detour really took up plenty of time, however it ended up being essentially the most attention-grabbing a part of the trip.
Once we lastly acquired a sign, we realized that we had biked manner too far past the place we must always have turned, so we determined to only backtrack to the primary freeway and acquired to Lumot Lake at round 1:00 pm.
From there, it was easy to Pagsanjan, with photograph stops on the well-known Pagsanjan Arch at 2:30 pm and a binalot lunch at a bike-friendly restaurant proper within the city.
After lunch, it was a gradual and regular ascent again as much as Caliraya Lake from the primary highway. There are plenty of scenic overlooking spots right here and new restos to cease for many who need to take a break.
We acquired again to the lakeside space round 5:00 pm and stopped for a lugaw lakeside meal and watched the sundown earlier than heading again to the resort. After the lengthy trip, it was nice to have the ability to relaxation and have a comfortable mattress to return again to and never need to bike all the best way dwelling.
In line with my Strava stats, the realm we ended up protecting was 63.14 km with an 845 elevation acquire, with nearly 5 hours and 42 minutes of shifting time. If you happen to skip the detour, the loop shall be roughly simply 35 km.
For this biking journey, we stayed in one of many older institutions within the space that provides a one-stop base for nature actions – Caliraya Ecoville Recreation Farm., which gives lodging superb for households, {couples}, and teams of buddies to relax, chill out and revel in nature.
The 20-hectare facility boasts of a 2-hectare fish pond, campsites, nature trails, and a eating and indoor sport space.
For many who don’t personal bikes, the farm resort additionally gives bike leases and has a brief biking/climbing path. Visitors may take pleasure in kayaking, stand-up paddle boarding, fishing, smooth archery, Caliraya Lake boat excursions, and different nature actions.
We booked a keep at one of many conventional lakeside Nipa Hut Cottages (P2,500/an evening). The fan room dealing with a small lake gives a back-to-basics really feel, with a view of coconut bushes from the window. It was stress-free simply to hearken to the crickets and frog sounds at night time.
For many who actually need to be one with the outside, the farm grounds additionally supplies a safe campsite the place you’ll be able to pitch tents {P500/night time) and go to sleep below the celebrities.
For many who desire creature comforts and need more room, there are premium lakeside cottages and air-conditioned lodge rooms to select from for P2,999/night time).
Except for Caliraya EcoVille, there are plenty of different distinctive lodging choices across the Caliraya Lake space, together with the Bali-inspired resort Baliraya, glamping spot Kaliraya Surf Kamp, Aquascape Lake Caliraya and extra.
The final time we stayed in a single day in Kaliraya Surf Kamp in 2019, it was only a easy campsite for riders and bikers, however it’s now below new administration with EcoHotels.
The grounds now provide tiny home quarters for household automobile tenting and glamping with quick access to a restaurant plus first rate restrooms for many who need to take pleasure in being outdoor however don’t need to tough it out a lot.
Throughout earlier visits to the realm earlier than the pandemic, there weren’t plenty of eating choices within the Caliraya space apart from the standard eateries serving silog meals. For bikers who simply need good espresso, there’s a lakeside cafe known as Kreme Puff, and a small eatery serving fruit shakes, lugaw, and extra.
Extra upscale eating places and al fresco bars have additionally popped as much as cater to the tastes of households and glampers.
We have been stunned to discover a beautiful department of Trattoria Altrove (the well-known brick-oven pizza from El Nido) in Caliraya. The al fresco restaurant positioned inside Kaliraya Surf Kamp, gives scrumptious Italian eating specializing in pizza and pasta with premium substances.
Pizza is my favourite consolation meals, and Trattoria Altrove has probably the greatest pizzas I’ve tried outdoors Manila restos. It was the final order by the point we acquired right here, and meals was supposedly only for takeout, however the employees on obligation was good sufficient to allow us to dine-in and have a number of beers. It helped that one other group arrived shortly after us. I’d like to strive the opposite dishes subsequent time. Nice interiors and ambiance too.
Different eating spots round Caliraya Lake you’ll be able to eat in embody Del Lagos Kitchenette, Popoy and Basha’s Ribs and Steak, and Meldivz Mountain View, an al fresco meals park with a view with Unli Samgyup, ramen, Japanese rice bowls, and grilled specialties.
We noticed a brand new cafe known as Alexa’s at Caliraya Heights, which gives pasta, sandwiches, premium espresso and overlooking views, which was simply on smooth opening.
Yhamshe Resort Resort and Restaurant, an area resort additionally has a brand new department known as Yhamshe Grill that provides a spectacular view of the ridge overlooking Laguna Lake, the place you’ll be able to take pleasure in Filipino specialties and beer.
For these in want of a nature getaway for a weekend, the realm round Caliraya Lake gives the proper place to flee town and simply benefit from the easy life for a weekend.
