MT. TAGAPO Talim Island, Laguna de Bay

MT. TAGAPO Talim Island

Laguna de Bay

Jul 31, '09 11:16 AMfor everyone

Start: Aug 15, '09 12:00p

End: Aug 16, '09

MT. TAGAPOTalim Island, Laguna de Bay

Major jump-off: Brgy. Janosa (Talim Island) Binangonan, Rizal

Days required / Hours to summit: 1 day / 2 hours

Specs: Minor climb, Difficulty 2/9,

Trail class 1-2

BACKGROUNDAt the heart of Laguna de Bay lies Mt. Tagapo. Its unique geography makes it a worthwhile hiking destination. You will have to board a pumpboat from the towns of Rizal to reach the island; this boat ride will take you to the scenic lake and its fishing villages. You will realize that Laguna de Bay is so huge it's almost like a sea. Then, on Talim Island, as you start hiking, you will be surrounded with bamboo; the whole island is like a grove, and people live on the bamboo, which islanders use to produce furniture, toothpicks, and even charcoal (hence the name Tagapo, from 'taga' which means 'to chop'). The trails are easy and in 1.5 hours you will be at the peak; There you can behold the entire Laguna Lake and its coastal towns; the skylines of Makati and Ortigas; as well as nearby Mt. Sembrano. This is not a popular hiking site, but it is highly recommended.Talim Island is technically under the municipality of Binangonan, Rizal. Pumpboats ply the routes to different barangays in the island, connecting them to mainland Rizal. Less frequently, there are also trip to Calamba Laguna. Talim island, as its name suggests, is shaped like a blade, cutting across Laguna Lake from south to north. Its uniqueness, as an island community within a large lake, is unparalleled.The Tagalogs, having a rich imagination, call Mt. Tagapo 'Mt. Susong Dalaga'. From the towns of Laguna, you can readily spot the peak of Tagapo, which indeed has the form of a young woman's breast.