Mt. Secret + Malangaan Cave and Spring

Introduction

Mt. Secret is located in San Rafael, Bulacan. It is a beginner-friendly mountain that offers a scenic view of some plains in Bulacan province and the popular Mt. Arayat in the background. Mt. Secret is a minor climb and is considered one of the new tourist destinations in the Philippines. It is often tagged as the “The Hidden Mountain of Bulacan”.

Mt. Secret has an elevation of 376 meters above sea level or 1,233 feet. It has a well-established trail and the hike to the summit takes about less than one hour at a moderate pace. The total hours to and from the summit could take up less than two hours only. Nevertheless, after hiking this mountain, visitors, hikers, and mountaineers can go to Malangaan Cave and Malangaan Spring for a pleasant side trip. 

Name: Mt. Secret
Difficulty: 2/9
Jump-Off: Barangay Camachile, San Rafael, Bulacan
Features: rock formation and scenic view of Bulacan province

My trip to Mt. Secret and Malangaan Cave

After two years of not climbing mountains because of the pandemic, losing my job, and I’ve got Acid Reflux disease, finally, I decided to hike again but this time in the near Province of Bulacan. In addition, I really want to hike, relieve my stress, go outside Manila and see a different view. One day, I saw a post on a Facebook group about Mt. Secret and Malangaan Cave tour. Then I said to myself this is my perfect next trip because of its proximity to Manila.

As a result, I joined an organized tour going to Mt. Secret. I am a solo joiner, no problem at all because I’m used to being a solo joiner ever since. I meet the other group members at Greenfield Mcdo around 2 am. Then our van left Greenfield at 2:30 am and headed towards our destination.

We arrived at the Mt. Secret registration area at 5 am and we have our breakfast there. We started to hike at 6 am and fortunately, the weather is foggy and it didn’t rain because the weather forecast earlier is cloudy with some rain.

The trail is wide open, easy with short uphill ascending. Without a doubt, it’s very good for beginners and I feel the joy of hiking again. This is the kind of morning I need. The trail is also muddy because of the past rain in the area, but it’s manageable. As we walk along the trail, we ask our tour guide why Mt. Secret is the name of the mountain, however the tour guide just only mentioned that it was named by the locals of the land where the mountain was situated.

Since we hike on weekends and Mt. Secret is becoming popular with tourists, travelers, and hikers, we expect a lot of people at the summit of Mt. Secret. The tour guide decided to stop our trekking because we have to wait in the middle of the trail for the other group to get down to the summit before starting to hike to the summit again.

So, we take a rest, took pictures of the sunrise and we share some thoughts. While we continue our trekking there’s a short ladder that we need to climb in order for us to reach the summit.

We reach the summit of Mt. Secret around 7:30 am. Due to it’s low elevation, it took us only 1 hour and a half to reach the summit including our waiting time, taking pictures, and rest. Because of foggy weather, we didn’t see Mt. Arayat in the distance but we did see the beautiful plains of Bulacan province. The view from the top is 360 degrees. The two rock formations at the top of the mountain are what they called the summit.

Mt. Secret summit is rocky with sharp surfaces. As a result, I got slight scratches on the leg. It’s equally similar to Nagpatong Rock Formation in Tanay, Rizal. They both have the same texture and somewhat similar shapes. On the other hand, I love the view and I love places that make me realize how small I am and my problems are. We take a lot of pictures at the summit, enjoy the view and beauty of mother nature, and stayed there for nearly one hour. Then we start our descent from the summit going to White Rock formation at 8:30 am. We did backtrail.

The White Rock formation is easy to climb. However, the view is the same as the summit view earlier. Undoubtedly Mt. Secret was one of the easiest mountains that I climbed.

Then at 10 am we start our caving experience in Malangaan Cave. We explore Malangaan Cave and we take a level 2 caving experience. In some spots where caving is difficult our local guide is there to assists us. Malangaan Cave is a very cool, beautiful, spectacular, and natural cave, it’s also amazing on the way leading there, a very small and calm flow. We’re having fun at Malangaan Cave.

To be honest, before the hiking event, I didn’t know that this cave existed in the Bulacan province maybe because it’s not that popular yet compared to the other caves in the Philippines. Even so, Malangaan Cave offers an exciting opportunity for hikers and adventure seekers.

We witness the stunning rock formation of the cave. I think life is made of small moments like this. Overall, I highly recommend this place. It’s a must-visit destination during the summer season. Undoubtedly, the caving experience is the most thrilling adventure. We’re so fortunate that we’re living in a beautiful country like the Philippines. Hiking Mt. Secret and going to Malangaan Cave is one of the best experiences I had while this pandemic is still ongoing.

Then at 12 pm we headed back to the jump-off and we saw the Spring where you can swim in the natural cold spring waters. It’s a beautiful spring but a little bit crowded on weekends. We take our lunch at the store near the jump-off. Later, we wash up and go back to Manila.

Overall, my trip to Mt. Secret and Malangaan Cave sums up this nice quote: “Jobs fill your pocket but adventures fill your soul.”

Sample itinerary to Mt. Secret and Malangaan Cave:

2AM – Assembly/meet-up
2:30AM – ETD going to San Rafael, Bulacan
5AM – ETA San Rafael, Bulacan
5:30AM – Register and Secure Guide (briefing of the mountain)
6AM – Start Hiking
7AM – Summit of Mt. Secret
8:30AM – Start descent going to White Rock
9:15AM – Arrival at White Rock
10:15AM – Caving experience at Malangaan Cave
11:30PM – Back to jump off and take lunch
1PM – Swimming at the Spring, socials and photo-ops
2PM – Back to jump off and wash up
2:30PM – Free time, going to another side trip in Bulacan
4:30PM – ETD going to Manila
7:00PM – ETA Manila

Things to bring on your visit to Mt. Secret and Malangaan Cave:

1-2 Liters of water
Trail foods
Toiletries
Extra clothes and money
Camera
Flashlight or Headlamp
Personal medication
Garbage bag or trash bag
Gloves (optional)
Trekking pole (optional)
Swimwear

How to Go to Mt. Secret and Malangaan Cave

By commute

Option 1:

1. Ride a bus in Cubao bus terminal going to Baliuag, Bulacan. Then, drop-off at Baliuag town proper. The bus fare range is 92-100 pesos and it will take one hour ride. 
2. Then from Baliuag town proper, ride a jeep with signage of Pulo, and tell the driver to drop you off at Pulo Town. The jeep costs 10 pesos and it will take twenty minutes. 
3. From Pulo town, ride a tricycle and tell the driver to drop you off at Tukod going to Mt. Secret and Malangaan Cave registration area. It’s a short ride and will only take 10 minutes. The tricycle ride costs 100-150 pesos per way depending on the driver.

Option 2:

1. From Manila, ride a bus, jeep, or train to go to Cloverleaf Mall in Andres Bonifacio Avenue (Balintawak). 
2. Then from Cloverleaf Mall ride a bus bound to Angat, Bulacan.
3. From Angat municipality, ride a tricycle bound to San Rafael, Bulacan.
   
   

Note: Cloverleaf has frontage in both Andres Bonifacio Avenue and EDSA making it highly accessible via public transportation. It is also connected to the LRT (Light Rail Transit) Balintawak station. Moreover, Cloverleaf is located close to the Metro Manila Skyway Stage 3 which reduces driving time to Makati City to 20 minutes. Nearby landmarks include Balintawak Public Market and Ayala Malls TriNoma.

Note: If you don’t want to DIY (Do it yourself). I highly recommend getting an organized packaged tour when you plan to visit Mt. Secret for ease and convenience. Inclusion in the package tour is roundtrip private van transfer (Manila-Bulacan-Manila), local guide fee, driver’s meal, gas/parking fee, environmental fee, and registration fee.

Reminders and Tips:

• Mt. Secret is good for beginners, it’s only a minor hike. Also, it’s a nice destination for family bonding too. Just pack light. 

• Respect the place and the locals.

• Always follow the Leave No Trace (LNT) principle. Take nothing but photographs, leave nothing but footprints, keep nothing but memories. 

• Always be a responsible tourist and bring your own trash when u go down. Do not leave your trash. Keep the mountain, cave, and spring clean.

• Just visit Mt. Secret and Malangaan Cave and Spring during the summer season only. It’s safer and hassle-free.

• There are cottages near the spring worth 150 pesos and the parking is 30-50 pesos.

• Rented salbabida is worth 60 pesos.

• You don’t have to worry about food and drinks because there are several mini-stores and eateries at the jump-off point of Mt. Secret. Also, parking spaces and restrooms are available at the jump-off point.

• Malangaan Cave is good for those who are looking for an additional thrill but always watch your head and your entire body in the cave or else you’ll get lumps and bruises.

• I’m not in favor of taking risky pictures or putting your life in peril. So please be very vigilant when taking pictures, especially at the edge of the cliff. Carelessness can result in accidents. Hike at your own risk.

• Last but not least, hire a tour guide if you’re doing DIY (do it yourself). It was relatively easy but it’s way better to have someone who knows the place and will guide you.
  
  
  

There’s no time to be bored in a country as beautiful as this. Travel and hike as much as you can. Overall, I hope this travel guide to Mt. Secret and Malangaan Cave has been helpful to you. Moreover, don’t forget to share this with your friends, groups or co-workers if ever you plan on doing the Mt. Secret and Malangaan Cave tour. God bless you in all your travel and hiking adventures. Until next time. Thanks for reading.