Mt. Talamitam, Batangas

My friend Brianna messaged me on a Thursday night if I had plans for the weekend, since she was up for an adventure. I was pretty busy that day, so we only got to finalize our “adventure plan” on Friday evening.   We tried to get more people to join, but because it was too spur-of-the-moment,  no one said yes.  That, however, didn’t dissuade us from proceeding with our plans.

After discussing several options, Bri and I decided to go for Mt. Talimitam. For this trip, we just wanted a relaxed, easy hike, and one close by.  This turned out to be the perfect choice.

How to Get there:

Ride a bus going to Nasugbu, Batangas from Pasay Terminal station (near the LRT-1 Taft station.)  Our choice of bus line was DLTB. It was really comfortable. We left Pasay at 6am. We told the conductor to drop us at Sitio Bayabasan.  We paid Php 178 for the trip.

Our Story

At 4am, I checked Accuweather for Batangas, and it said: “cloudy and thunderstorms”.  We thought this would derail our plans, but upon checking that rain was expected to pour at 1 pm,  we figured we could get back before then.

Mt. Talimitam  ( 630+MASL)  takes 1.5 to 2 hours getting up to the summit,  but descent is faster. We got down in less than an hour.

We arrived Sitio Bayabasan at 8:30 am  and registered for the hike. There is a Php 20 registration fee per head.

We were required to take a guide since they opened a lot of new trails due to motorcycles and trail runs, and it can be confusing.  We got Kuya Francis, a very helpful one.  There is no fixed rate but the minimum that they say to give is Php 300.

As we bagan our ascent, Kuya Francis warned us that it could get really hot.  The trail started with a dirt road, then turned into a forest.   Despite Talimitam being called an easy trek, humidity can work against you. It was a steady uphill climb and although gradual, both Bri and I were sweating like anything. Water is definitely a must in this trail.  There is no proper store up there but there are people selling fresh buko juice along the way.

After the forest, the trail opens up into grassland.. I could see how, on a sunny day, this part can be difficult due to the heat. There are  hardly any trees for shade.

Brianna and I love nature and both appreciate the simplicity of things. On one of our breaks, we sat down on the grass and were “wowed” by the awesome view of Mt. Batulao. At that point, without even having reached the peak yet, we agreed that this mountain was already worth it. Brianna, who is American, shared that she felt like she was in Ireland or in Europe. She was once again amazed at the beauty our country.

We sat there awhile and marveled at the beauty before us that seemed like a post card picture. Bri and I talked about life and how glad we were that we went on with this trip even if it was just the two of us.

After taking in the view, we got up and started walking again. Talimitam felt like farmland, with lots of animals roaming freely.

The most challenging part of the hike is the 60-degree trail just before reaching the peak.  This part takes around 20-30 minutes and it can get tiring, but the trail is set so no need for scrambling. Watch out though for thick clusters of tall grass that can be sharp, and can slow you down.

Finally, the peak.  The peak has a 360 degree view of all the mountains surrounding Mt. Talimitam.  From a distance, you see Pico De Loro, Mt Marami and Mt. Batulao.  The peak is very open, which could be a problem at the height of noon. Luckily, we were able to sit at a small nipa hut  to eat our packed lunch.  Our guide said there used to be 5 huts, but now only 3 remain after the storm.

The view from above was outstanding. This easily became one of my favorite mountains —- easy trail and amazing views.

Realizations from the Peak

We were so thankful for today, and felt God’s greatness. For one, we had climbed on a supposedly rainy day, but we got the “best” weather instead. It may have started humid, but when we said, “we just need a little breeze and it will get easier”, that’s what we got.

We saw dark clouds from a distance so we  started packing our cameras and bags with whatever we had. The sky continued to get darker and we worried we wouldn’t see the view when we got up. Rain started to fall, but it turned out to be just a drizzle, enough to keep us hydrated.

God gave us just what we needed —- a little bit of sun, a little bit of rain, and a little bit of wind.  “Ask and it shall be given unto you; seek and you shall find; knock and the door  shall be opened” —- that was exactly what we were blessed with today.

The descent

As I mentioned earlier, the descent was a lot faster than we expected. It was all downhill, which posed a problem when raining. It was muddy and slippery; Brianna fell and ended up getting really dirty. Luckily, at the foot of the mountain was a river, Layong Bato, where we swam to clean up.

For those who want to try hiking, Mt. Talamitam is just a few hours from Manila, and is not too difficult to start on.

Expenses

DLTB Pasay to Sitio Bayabasan         P178

Registration                                          P20

Guide                                                     P300/group

SItio Bayabasan to Pasay                   P124

Shower                                                 P20