THE BEAUTY OF SORSOGON PART 2: Bulusan Volcano National Park, Bulusan, Sorsogon

As I have mentioned in my previous blog, we went on a road trip to magical Sorsogon and used the EZ Maps to tour around the place. Last June 2012, my family and I thought of going to the Bulusan Lake since most people recommended this place. From Legaspi, we travelled almost 2 hours (including traffic) to get there.

The Location of Bulusan Lake 

 

Some people may be confused about where the Bulusan Lake is. I have asked a friend of mine about it and first thing that comes to mind was that the lake is at the crater of Mt. Bulusan. Well, it is near the mountain but it certainly is not within the crater. As the tour guide mentioned, Mt. Bulusan is actually behind the lake and if you are a mountaineer, you have to cross two more lakes to get there. Mountaineers would trek 5,000 ft before reaching the peak, which might be really hard. I am not that adventurous so we just went to the lake. Along the way, you would see hot springs around it which indicates that Mt. Bulusan is still an active volcano. Tall trees shade the area so when you get to the park itself the air is really fresh and cool.

At the front of the Park

 

I didn’t know exactly what to expect from it. When we got there, we paid Php 25 for the parking and went uphill till we reach the park (which is not far from the gate). It was pretty cool. The view is fantastic. You can see how the lake is surrounded by a tropical rainforest. The place is a paradise for people who love nature. If you get tired of island hopping from the beach, you could always come here and look at the forests. People who live here is so lucky to have the best of both worlds :D

At the front of Mt. Bulusan Park (The mountain behind the lake is Bulusan Volcano)

Near the pedalboats and canoes

At the front of the park, there are some pedal boats, kayak and canoes that you could hire for Php 250 for 30 minutes to roam around the lake. To the left, there is a miniature map of Mt. Bulusan which I think is cute. On the map, you would be able to see where the mountain trail is and the bodies of water within the area of Mt Bulusan. To the right, there are some benches and duyan where you could just rest. If you brought your fishing gear, you could also just sit there and try to get your own fish in the lake. Unfortunately, there are no fishing rods for rent so you have to bring your own.

Bulusan Lake Map

The pedalboats and canoes at the front of the lake

The shady benches at the left of the park

The comfy duyan (Swing) near the benches

At that point, we were thinking of getting one of the pedal boats, but my mom is the only one who wanted to go with me and since she is a bit old and might not make it, I thought maybe next time. My brother is not a fan of these boats and just decided to sit there and watch us. It really got me because I really wanted to see what is in the lake. So I talked to the guy who is in-charge of the boats and asked if we could get a guided tour around the lake. He asked two nice people to take us around in a small boat (All four of us went in and they were the two tour guides who paddled the boat). We put our life vests on and hopped in. (Sure got what I wanted he he)

My mom modelling the life vest

Yours truly getting all excited and hyped up

 

 The Boat Ride 

Along the ride, it’s like we are in the amazon forest. We were thinking ooohhh Anaconda must be in the water which is really funny. There were fishermen around the area and most of them are just staying at the sides of the lake. According to our tour guides, the largest fish that has ever been caught in the lake weight around 35 kgs. Wowww, can you imagine a tilapia weighing that much. We were thinking maybe it is a dinosaur fish. It would have been good if there were some photographs of that time but unfortunately there was nothing. Well, just use your imagination for that. Near the trees, there are some monkeys who would sometimes sneak a peek and try to throw something at you or get your things, that is why didn’t have a chance to take a photo of them because I was scared they might take my camera away. There are also exotic trees like santol (a sour fruit with a lot of seeds) that has only one seed and a different kind of guava. I haven’t really seen the fruit of the guava so I can’t say much about this. Lastly, there is this rest stop for bush walkers. A nice small cottage which is located maybe 1 km away from the front of the lake. I think there are some around the area but this one is really near the lake where people could enjoy the view. After 45 minutes of travelling around the lake, we finally reached the front again. The experience was really fun, the only thing scary about it is you have to maintain your balance and not move much because the boat may capsize but all in all I would give it 5 out of 5 stars. The boat trip costs us around Php 600.

Me and my family getting ready for the boat ride

The fishermen at the side of the lake

The view of the lake during the boat ride

Rest stop at the walk trail of the Bulusan Lake

The Souvenir Shop

It would really be nice to stay longer but well if you wanted to see a lot, you have to be on the go. Before we ended the trip we went to the souvenir shop where you can buy some things to remember your trip by. They also got some information about the mountain trekking if you are really interested to go, just ask around in their office. I enjoyed the trip a lot and appreciated nature at its best, I hope you guys would also do the same if ever you come by and visit this area.

My mom fascinated with the size of the eggs at the souvenir shop (They are really large for a chicken egg)

My mom and bro happy after the boat ride (showing off the fruits of the langka tree near the shop

My brother wishing he could stay longer at the park (too bad)

Additional tips for the trip

 

If you plan on hiking around the area, check with the office at the souvenir shop first for any advisories around the area. Don't forget to bring your own fishing gear if you plan on fishing at the lake. The area is really good for family bonding, bring picnic baskets or any tents if you want to camp around the area. Lastly, I don't think you would attempt to swim at the lake so I don't think swimming gear is necessary :D. Enjoy your trip. If you are a city person and don't like to be one with nature at all I do not suggest this itinerary for you alright. Cheers my friends.