Rediscover Los Baños

Day 1

7:30 AM Departure

9:00 AM Estimated Time of Arrival (ETA) at La Vista Pansol in Pansol, Laguna
La Vista Pansol is home to the Laguna Wildlife Rescue and Rehabilitation Center (LWRRC), a rescue site privately run by the Feathered Friends Foundation and wildlife veterinarian Dr. Nielsen Donato.

To get there, drive along the National Highway in Pansol and look for the large La Vista Pansol sign to your left, after Max’s restaurant. Turn left and follow the other directional signs.

In cooperation with the Protected Areas and Wildlife Bureau (PAWB) of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), the rescue center is committed to rehabilitating confiscated or surrendered wildlife and then releasing them into the MakilingNational Park.

You will find endemic species of birds, small mammals, and reptiles: raptors, wild boars, bearcats, civet cats, macaques, as well as parrots and cockatoos from South America. Your P25 entrance fee will help support the center’s activities.

10:00 AM Depart from La Vista Pansol

10:30 AM ETA Magnetic Hill, Los Baños

Magnetic Hill is located along the PCARD/DOST access road. Along the National Highway, turn right just as you enter Los Baños and look for the metal arch with the sign “Magnetic Hill.” Make a full stop at the bottom of the hill, put your vehicle on neutral, release the brakes, and observe how your vehicle is pulled up an incline of about 100 meters. 

Throw an empty tin can and see it roll up the hill as well. The jury is still out on whether the magnetic force is real or just an illusion. According to one psychic, a UFO landed on the spot and consequently reversed the gravitational forces around the area where it landed.

11:00 AM ETA Makiling Arts Center

Further up the PCARD/DOST road is the UPLB Campus. Just as you reach the Jamboree Site of the Boy Scouts of the Philippines, turn right to visit the Makiling Arts Center. There, you’ll find the Makiling High School for the Arts, where national scholars train in the visual and performing arts.

Halfway up the mountain stands what may be the most beautiful garden chapel in the country. The hanging roof, giant crucifix, fern-covered pews, a wishing well by the altar, and a romantic, panoramic view of greenery will make you wonder why few weddings are held here.

Drive farther up to reach the multipurpose hall on top of the mountain. This vantage point directly overlooks the hot spring resorts of Pansol and gives you a chance to marvel at the vastness of Laguna Lake. On a clear day, you can see as far as Alabang.

11:30 AM Depart from Makiling Arts Center

Click here to read on about The Forest Club in Los Banos, Laguna.