For those who love walking – and the forest – the R & R resort at the foot of Mt. Makiling is a good place to stay. Although Mt. Makiling is a day trip from Manila just 55 km away, it is nice to get away from the capital during the weekend and explore the forest.

The Makiling National Park is a forest reserve of 24 sq km surrounding the extinct 1100-meter-high volcano. It is under the management of the University of the Philippines Los Banos. The park’s slopes are covered with superb primary forest where bird watchers come early in the morning.

The little resort is quite pleasant with a good view of Mt. Makiling. Lush vegetation surrounds the 10 two-story cabanas which make up the resort.

The cabanas are spacious and comfortabl, with a drawing room on the ground floor, two little marble bath rooms, and two rooms one on each floor. The rooms are very bright due to picture windows. The white and navy-blue walls, and blue lattice windows and the pale bamboo furniture give the place a happy atmosphere. Each cabana has its own terrace furnished with a table and chairs, and a small private swimming pool with hot sulfur waters from the volcano. The cabanas, however are quite close to each other. The four rooms located in a separate building are not as pleasant.

The restaurant looks onto a large swimming pool through big windows. The pool, framed by lush greenery, is equipped with hydrotherapeutic hot water jets, making for a very relaxing swim after climbing Mt. Makiling.

How to get there

By land (1 1/2 hours), 55 km away from Manila. Take South Superhighway until you reach the Calamba exit 50A (Batangas, Lucena, Legaspi). At Calamba Junction, turn right towards Los Banos. Pansol is the village just before Los Banos. Once in Pansol, you will pass by Panama Hospital, Jose Rizal Provincial Hospital and turn right after Barretto Elementary School or Bato-Bato Resort. Then follow the signs indicating R & R Resort.