Mt. Gulugod Baboy Climb Guide

Introduction

Mt. Gulugod Baboy is a beginner-friendly mountain located in Mabini, Batangas. It offers a 360-degree scenic view of Batangas Bay and nearby islands. Additionally, Mt. Gulugod Baboy has an elevation of 525 meters above sea level or 1722 feet.

The Tagalog word Gulugod Baboy means “pig’s spine”. Gulugod means “spine” and Baboy means “peak“. According to locals, the mountain was named as such because of the curve of the hills and its peak that looks like a pig’s spine. Formerly, apart from cows and goats that were normally encountered, pigs were also found on the trail.

The mountain has three peaks. First is the Gulugod Baboy stands at 470 meters above sea level. Second is Gitna stands at 485 meters above sea level and thirdly is Pinagbanderahan which stands at 525 meters above sea level. According to its past history, there is a Japanese plane that crashed on the mountain long ago. Luckily, some of the Japanese aircrews on board during the plane crash managed to survive. As a result, they raised a flag on the mountain, and the mountain was called “Pinagbanderahan”.

Mt. Gulugod Baboy has been a favorite hiking destination in Batangas for a very long time. It is a famous hiking spot for beginners because of its easy trail that leads to rolling hills, grasslands, and panoramic views of the coastal waters that surround the province.

Name: Mt. Gulugod Baboy
Difficulty: 2/9
Location: Mabini, Batangas
Features: Tropical forest, rolling hills, scenic views of the Batangas Bay and nearby island.

My trip to Mt. Gulugod Baboy

I haven’t been able to hike for nearly three months, so I thought of hiking again because I’m always in the city with the view of buildings, markets, malls, and houses. I want to change the view of what my eyes see. Also, I need a short escape to release my stress, expect nothing and appreciate everything.

After seeing the beautiful photos of Mt. Gulugod Baboy online, I said to myself this mountain is the perfect next trip. As a result, I decide to join an organized tour going to Mt. Gulugod Baboy. I meet up with the group at Greenfield Mcdo around 1 am and when the group is complete and ready, the van departs and heads to our destination.

After three hours of land travel from Manila to Batangas, we reached Mt. Gulugod Baboy parking area near the campsite at 4:30 am. We had our breakfast at the parking lot so went out outside of the van. Also, we saw several groups of hikers that will be hiking Mt. Gulugod Baboy too.

I can see the city lights from distance but I was shivering because I forget to bring a jacket, that was my biggest mistake. I underestimate the weather in Mt. Gulugod Baboy in the early morning but thanks to the group leader, she gave us some Nescafe coffees and hot water. As a result, I no longer felt the cold.

Later, we introduced ourselves to each other, we prayed and since this is only a minor climb, we pack light and the hike started at 5:15 am. From the parking lot, it’s a very short walk on the flat concrete road that passes several houses and later goes up to the well-established grassland uphill trail leading to the campsite. 

The trail is kid-friendly, pet-friendly, and perfect for beginners. I was shocked also because it’s only a fifteen to twenty-minute hike going to the campsite. At 5:35 am we reached the super-wide campsite and I was stunned by the view.

Without a doubt, nature is an art. Indeed, it’s a 360-degree view of Batangas Bay and Balayan Bay. I can see the nearby island, Mt. Maculot, and some mountains in Lobo, Batangas. In addition, I like this place and could willingly waste my time here at the campsite. In times like these, I just want to stay in one perfect spot and savor the view. Even so, I wouldn’t have minded staying there all morning.

Moreover, we saw several tents and some hikers that do overnight at the mountain. Although it’s Sunday, it’s not really crowded. We stay at the campsite for almost two hours. For the most part, we enjoy the refreshing cool breeze, the fog, the rolling clouds, the view of the blue waters of Batangas and the rolling hills similar to Batanes, and the magnificent views of the neighboring island. Overall, we can’t resist the beauty at the top of the mountain and I thank God for letting us see this kind of perfect surroundings.

In my opinion, this is the best view of all the mountains I climbed in the province of Batangas. Mt. Gulugod Baboy became famous because of its beauty and proximity to Manila. The sea breeze is so refreshing. There’s a cool wind in my hair.

The surface of Mt. Gulugod Baboy is covered with green grass while the slopes are impeccable. The terrain has a combination of shrubs and cogon grass. According to the locals, the trail is friendly during the dry season but during the rainy season, the terrain becomes sticky and slippery because of the mud.

We take many selfies and group photos at the campsite because the views are so wonderful. In addition to this, the sunrise is perfect and picturesque. We shared some thoughts about the pandemic and the mountains we climbed in the past and we had fun at the campsite.

Then, later on, we head toward the summit of Mt. Gulugod Baboy. The weather becomes cloudy. As we walk along the trail, up ahead in the distance we saw the famous Sombrero Island below, it’s a hat-shaped island. According to our guide, it’s a good side trip and a fun adventure after hiking this mountain.

As we continue hiking, I can feel the strong force of the wind and a whispering breeze. For the most part, the trail is full of bushes, tall grass, and wildflowers. We take a lot of pictures again on the way to the summit.

We reached the summit at 7:40 am. However, it was too foggy at the summit. We didn’t see any clearing and we can’t appreciate the view but we saw how wide and how beautiful the trail of Mt. Gulugod Baboy was. We enjoyed the cool weather at the summit and took some pictures although the background is white only.

After our group enjoy the cool winds from the summit, we started the descent going back to jump-off point at the parking area to have more time to swim and relax on the beach. We haven’t been to the beach for a long time due to the pandemic and some restrictions in the country. For this reason, we are so excited.

We feel the sheer enjoyment of running on the trails as we go down. Also along the trail, we saw several tents and some cows grazing. We take a rest and buy some snacks and drinks at the parking lot. Then, we take group pictures at the Mt. Gulugod Baboy marker.

In general, what I love about this climb was the absence of the slightest amount of pressure. There was no pressure at all. Without a doubt, Mt. Gulugod Baboy is one of the easiest mountains that I climb. It’s a walk in the park. It was just a group that had fun and shared thoughts with one another while hiking this mountain for a very short period of time. Indeed, Mt. Gulugod Baboy is a playground for adventure and a great place to come back.

Our van left Mt. Gulugod Baboy to go to the beach resort at 8:30 am but before that, we made a stopover in a store where there is a famous Batangas Lomi food, and there we have snacked.

We reached the beach resort at 9:30 am and we have a cottage there. While our group leader and her assistant prepared and cook the food for our lunch, we go straight to the beach and have fun swimming there even though the beach is so rocky. Swimming after a hike is happiness. 

The view from the beach is beautiful. Also, we can see some boats and divers at the beach.  Although it was so hot already, we stay, refresh, relax and had fun swimming on the beach for two hours. We take time to enjoy life.

Then we have our lunch at 12 pm and after that, we go back to the beach again, to chill and to take some photos. We wash up and left Batangas at 4 pm. It was a smooth ride going back to Manila with the view of Mt. Makiling in the background. Later we come back to Manila safely and sound. Special thanks to Ahon Expedition outdoor adventure group for organizing this amazing day hike tour. For more hiking-related events please visit their Facebook page group.

Sample itinerary to Mt. Gulugod Baboy

12AM – Assembly/meet up
12:30AM – ETD from Manila going to Batangas
4:30AM – ETA Mt. Gulugod Baboy parking area
5AM – Start hiking
5:30AM – Campsite, photo ops
7AM – Other peaks, summit
8AM – Start Descent
10AM – ETA beach resort, swim
12PM – Lunch
1:30PM – Free time
4PM – ETD going back to Manila
8PM – ETA Manila

Note: the sample itinerary is just a basis and not absolute or will not be 100% perfect due to many factors such as the weather condition, group pacing, traffic, emergency, etc.

Things to bring on your visit to Mt. Gulugod Baboy:

Trail Foods
1 to 2 liters of water
Camera
Extra clothes and money
Toiletries
Sunblock
Trash Bag
Personal Medkit
Umbrella (optional)
Tent (if you plan to do camping and overnight)
Swimwear (if you plan to go to the beach)

How to Go to Mt. Gulugod Baboy:

By Commute

1. From Buendia DLTB bus station near LRT Gil Puyat station, ride a bus going to Batangas City Grand Terminal. The travel time is approximately two hours. The fare is 200 pesos. 

2. From Batangas City Grand Terminal, ride a jeep going to Mabini then drop off at the tricycle terminal. 

3. Then ride a tricycle and tell the driver to drop you off at the Mt. Gulugod Baboy registration desk, it’s just twenty meters away from the Philpan Dive Resort signage. The travel time is ten minutes.

By Private Car

1. From Manila, drive going to SLEX (South Luzon Expressway), then proceed to CALABARZON Expressway then Exit to Batangas City.

2. After that straight to the Diversion Road, turn right to Palico-Balaya-Batangas Road, left to Bauan-Mabini Road, 

3. Then turn right at the crossroad of Mabini circumferential road then you will see Philpan Dive Resort signage on the right side.

Reminders and Tips:

• Mt. Gulugod Baboy is good for beginners, kids, and adults. It’s a minor climb only. The trail is very easy. Just go ahead directly to the Mt. Gulugod Baboy parking area near the campsite. They can simply enjoy the view of Mt. Gulugod Baboy without hiking much. It will take only a 15 to 20 minutes hike from the parking area going to the campsite. 

• Private cars can be driven straight to the parking lot of the campsite. A van or other private vehicle could make it to that point despite the steepness of the road. Be mindful though especially on steep turns.

• On the other hand, if you want to take the longer trail and not start at the parking area near the campsite, you should begin at the main jump-off at Barangay Anilao, Mabini, Batangas. It will take only two hours from the main jump-off to its summit depending on the group pacing. In the first few kilometers, you will be walking on a steep concrete road so I highly recommend you hire a guide especially if it’s your first time or not familiar with the place. 

• Mt. Gulugod Baboy has a total trail length of 4.1 kilometers. 

• From the campsite, if you don’t want to hike back to the main jump-off point (near Philpan Dive Resort), you can actually hire a tricycle to take you back to the jump-off point or to your chosen beach resort.

• If you’re alone and it is your first time hiking, it is required to get a guide before hiking Mt. Gulugod Baboy for your own safety. On the other hand, if you already know the trail and you’re an experienced hiker then there’s no need to get a guide. 

• Please take note of this if you’re commuting (DIY), jeeps traveling back to Batangas City Grand Terminal from Mabini can be hard to find during the night so don’t stay too late and as much as possible be back at the Batangas City Grand Terminal in the late afternoon. Manage your time properly. However, if you miss the last trip from Anilao going to Batangas City Grand Terminal, you can take a jeep going to Bauan where there will be plenty of passenger jeeps bound for the Batangas City Grand Terminal until 10 PM. Another option is to ride a tricycle going back to the Batangas City Grand Terminal. Mt. Gulugod-Baboy is one hike trip in which private transportation is advised. 

• As you hike in Mt. Gulugod-Baboy you will be passing by private property so make sure you respect the place and the locals. Also, there are dogs on the loose in some parts so be careful.

• There’s a restroom and sari-sari store in the parking area near the campsite.

• If you plan to camp or do overnight at the mountain, you must bring your own tent and other camping essentials. Alternatively, if you don’t have a camping tent then there’s an available tent for rent at Mt. Gulugod Baboy which ranges from 250 to 300 pesos.

• If you want to stay overnight at the main campsite of Mt. Gulugod Baboy, coordinate first with the officials and local guide from the registration desk.

• Pay attention to the weather forecast and other announcements before you visit Mt. Gulugod Baboy for your own safety.

• Please take note that the cellphone signal is very limited at the campsite and at the summit.

• Bring your own trash bag or plastic bag. Do not leave your trash in the mountain. Bring your own trash when u go down. Observe the Leave No Trace (LNT) principle. Take nothing but photographs, leave nothing but footprints, and keep nothing but memories. 
  
  

Other notable fees:

• The overnight camping fee is 80 pesos per head and the overnight parking fee is 180 pesos.
• The environmental fee 50 pesos per person.
• The guide fee per group for a day hike (maximum of 4 persons) is 500 pesos. On the contrary, the guide fee per group for an overnight hike is 800 pesos to be only delivered in the evening and not to be picked up in the morning. An additional fee will be added when the tour guide picks you up in the morning.
  
  

Sidetrip:

There are plenty of beach resorts in the area where you can stay such as PhilPan beach resort. However, the beaches in Mabini, Batangas are mostly rocky.

If you plan to overnight at Mt. Gulugod Bagoy and you have more time the next day, you can visit Sombrero island where you can swim in the pristine waters and have more adventure under the sun. 

To go to Sombrero island, ride a motorized boat at PhilPan Resort going to Sombrero Island. It will take only twenty minutes to reach the destination. On this island, there’s a white sand beach with colorful sea creatures but you need to be very careful as the water current is really strong, especially if it’s high tide, so please be mindful of that. 

There you have it, lovely people. You don’t have to be rich to travel well. I hope this travel guide to Mt. Gulugod Baboy has been helpful to you. Also, don’t forget to share this with your friends or groups if ever you plan on doing the Mt. Gulugod Baboy climb. God bless you in all your hiking adventures. Hope to see you on the trail. Till the next mountain. Thanks for reading.