Laguna

We took a van from Clark — about ten of us, family and friends — and headed south to Laguna. The plan was simple: rent a big villa with a hot spring pool, hang out for a few days, and see what the province had to offer. What we got was one of the most relaxed trips we’ve taken in the Philippines.

The villa was set up to entertain. Big pool fed by a natural hot spring, enough bedrooms for everyone, and a common area where the Uno cards came out every night. That’s the thing about Laguna — you can rent these places for surprisingly little money when you split it among a group, and the hot spring water is the real deal. Warm, mineral-rich, and you don’t have to go anywhere to enjoy it. The pool is right there.

Why Rent a Villa Instead of a Hotel?

This is the move in Laguna. Forget the hotel — find a villa with a hot spring pool. The province has hundreds of them, ranging from budget places for ₱3,000–5,000 a night to luxury estates for ₱15,000+. Split among a group of ten, even a nice one is dirt cheap per person. The pools are fed by natural geothermal springs, so the water is warm without any heating. Some places have multiple pools at different temperatures. Ours had a massive pool, a grill area, and enough space that nobody felt crowded. For a group trip, this is one of the best value propositions in the Philippines.

Is Pagsanjan Falls Worth the Trip?

Pagsanjan Falls is the big adventure in Laguna, and it delivers. You take a bangka (canoe) upstream through a dramatic gorge — limestone walls rising on both sides, the river narrowing as you go deeper. The boatmen navigate rapids with impressive skill, and eventually you reach the main falls. The option to take a bamboo raft under the falls themselves is the highlight — powerful water crashing down around you. It’s exhilarating and completely soaking, which is the point.

The whole experience takes about two to three hours. Negotiate the price before you go and clarify what’s included. Tipping the boatmen is expected and deserved — they work incredibly hard paddling upstream.

What About Mount Makiling?

We hiked Mount Makiling, and it’s a solid day hike for anyone who wants to get out of the hot spring pools for a few hours. The trail starts near the UPLB campus in Los Baños and climbs through dense tropical forest. It’s not the most difficult hike in the Philippines, but it’s not a stroll either — the trail gets steep in sections and can be muddy after rain. The payoff is the views and the feeling of being deep in old-growth forest just a couple hours from Manila.

Mount Makiling is also wrapped in Filipino folklore — it’s named after Maria Makiling, a diwata (nature spirit) said to protect the mountain. Jenice grew up hearing stories about her, and walking through the forest, you understand why the legend persists. The place feels alive.

Is Hidden Valley Springs Worth Visiting?

We visited Hidden Valley Springs as a day trip — walked the grounds, had lunch, enjoyed the natural pools. The resort is beautiful, set in a valley surrounded by dense tropical vegetation with spring-fed pools at different temperatures. The grounds are immaculate and the whole place has a calm, almost spa-like atmosphere even though it’s outdoors.

We would have stayed overnight but no rooms were available. If you can book a room, do it. As a day visit, it’s still worth the trip for the scenery and a long lunch. The entrance fee includes a buffet, so you’re not paying separately for food. It’s a polished experience — this isn’t a rustic spring in the jungle, it’s a well-run resort that happens to sit on top of natural springs.

What’s the Story with Calamba?

We stayed in Calamba, and the first thing we noticed was how clean it was. Streets swept, public areas maintained, greenery everywhere. We found out later that Calamba consistently ranks as one of the cleanest cities in the Philippines, and once you’ve been there, it makes sense. It’s a real city with malls, restaurants, and infrastructure, but it doesn’t have the chaos of Manila. It’s the kind of place where you think, I could actually live here.

Calamba is also the birthplace of Jose Rizal, the Philippine national hero. The Museo Jose Rizal is worth a visit — it’s the house where he was born, preserved as a museum with artifacts and exhibits about his life. For anyone trying to understand Filipino identity and history, Rizal is the starting point, and seeing where he grew up adds context that a Wikipedia article can’t provide.

Where to Eat in Laguna

Lola Vi’s Kitchenette (Sampaloc Lake) — A charming spot right along the lake with unlimited free-flowing Kapeng Barako — that strong, traditional Philippine coffee. The breakfast combos are excellent, especially the Liemposilog (grilled pork belly with egg and rice). ₱100–300 ($1.80–5.40 USD).

Kamayan at Palaisdaan Resto Resort — The unique experience here is dining on bamboo rafts floating on fishponds. Filipino fare including Lucban delicacies and grilled seafood. It’s a meal and an experience rolled into one. ₱300–600 ($5.40–11 USD).

The Rustic Bistro (Liliw) — A hidden gem at the foothills of Mount Banahaw. It’s a 350-meter hike from the road to reach it, but you’re rewarded with 360-degree mountain views and farm-fresh comfort food — bulalo steak, shrimp cannelloni. ₱250–500 ($4.50–9 USD).

Rodrigo’s Greenhouse Cafe (Cabuyao) — A family-owned cafe that started as a personal hobby greenhouse. Cozy, green, and the kind of place you stumble into and stay longer than planned.

Buko Pie — Not a restaurant, but a must. Laguna is the buko pie capital of the Philippines. Fresh coconut pie sold at bakeries and roadside stalls throughout the province. Buy several — they don’t last long.

Where to Stay in Laguna

Hidden Valley Springs Resort — A private resort tucked into a valley with natural spring pools and manicured gardens. We wished we’d booked overnight — the day visit alone was stunning. ₱8,000–15,000/night ($144–270 USD).

88 Hot Spring Resort — A solid mid-range hot spring resort in Calamba with multiple pools at different temperatures, clean rooms, and good facilities for families. ₱3,000–5,000/night ($54–90 USD).

Hot spring villas in Pansol — The classic Laguna move. Rent a private villa with a natural hot spring pool — hundreds of options from budget to luxury. Split among a group, even nice ones are dirt cheap per person. ₱3,000–8,000/night ($54–144 USD) for the whole villa.

Makiling Onsen Hotel — A Japanese-inspired hot spring hotel in Los Banos near UPLB campus. Private onsen baths in select rooms and a peaceful atmosphere. ₱2,500–4,500/night ($45–81 USD).

Budget hot spring resorts — Basic villa rentals with hot spring pools for groups on a tight budget. The water is the same — warm, mineral-rich, and right there. ₱1,200–2,500/night ($22–45 USD).

Festivals

The Bañamos Festival in Calamba (August) celebrates the city’s hot springs with street dancing, float parades, and cultural performances. If you’re visiting outside festival season, the hot springs are the permanent celebration.

What’s Hiding in Laguna?

Bunga Falls (Nagcarlan) — A quieter waterfall alternative to Pagsanjan. Less crowded, easier to reach, and beautiful in its own right. If Pagsanjan is the main event, Bunga Falls is the local secret.

Siniloan Eco-Pilgrimage Park — Features the crystal-clear Puting Bato stream and Daping Puti Falls. Horseback riding, hammocks, and a genuinely peaceful setting away from the tourist circuits.

Mount Sembrano (Pakil) — A trail between Rizal and Laguna provinces with views overlooking local towns. The summit reward: fresh buko (coconut) sold by locals at the top. Only in the Philippines do you get room service on a mountain peak.

Balanac River Rafting (Magdalena) — River rafting and water tubing through an unassuming town. Best during rainy season when the water level is up. Finishes with a swim at a local dam.

Liliw Footwear Shopping — The town of Liliw is locally famous for handmade traditional footwear. Shops line the streets near the beautiful red-brick baroque church. It’s a shoe town — and the quality is real.

UPLB Sunday Walks (Los Baños) — Locals head to the University of the Philippines Los Baños campus on Sunday mornings to walk around Freedom Park and Baker Hall. Fresh mountain air, old trees, and a tranquil campus atmosphere.

Casa San Pablo ARTBarn — A community art space with contemporary and folk art exhibits. Quiet, thoughtful, and a side of Laguna most visitors miss.

Laguna surprised us. We came for the hot springs and a group hangout, and we got that — the villa, the pool, the Uno tournaments that went way too late. But we also got Pagsanjan Falls crashing over us on a bamboo raft, Mount Makiling’s old-growth forest, Hidden Valley Springs’ impossibly green grounds, and Calamba’s quiet pride as one of the cleanest cities in the country. We ate buko pie until we were sick of it (we weren’t), drank Kapeng Barako at a little place on Sampaloc Lake, and spent time in a province that felt like the Philippines at its most livable.

Laguna isn’t the destination people fly across the world for. It’s the one that Filipinos themselves escape to on long weekends — and that tells you everything you need to know.