Laguna: 2 Days Itinerary and Budget Expenses

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Our weekend was full of unforgettable first time experiences. What's great about this trip was that we were able to do many things in just 2 days and swim in different bodies of water - falls, batis and lake. See, Laguna is more than just hot springs, slides and theme parks.

what our Php2000 budget allowed us to do ^_^

Laguna Weekend Series:

Travel Video: Laguna Weekend Getaway
Laguna: The 2-Hour Plan Challenge
Pagsanjan Falls: The Php150 Challenge
Villa Sylvia Resort, Nagcarlan
Lake Pandin: Not Your Ordinary Outdoor Pool


Places we visited: Pagsanjan Falls (via Cavinti Trek), Villa Sylvia Resort in Nagcarlan and Lake Pandin of San Pablo.

Here's a rough draft of our itinerary:

Day 1

Midnight Check in at Villa Sylvia Resort in Nagcarlan
Commute to Pueblo El Salvador in Cavinti for the Trek downhill to Pagsanjan Falls
Ride the raft to Pagsanjan Falls
Back to resort
Night swimming

Day 2

Soak in the resort's batis (with water coming from Mt. Banahaw)
Room Check out
Commute to Lake Pandin in San Pablo
Lunch buffet and swim in the lake
Back home

The Route we took:
 
View Larger Map

From Makati to Nagcarlan
1. From Buendia JacLiner Bus Terminal, ride a bus to Lucena and ask conductor to drop you off at San Pablo Church (near 7/11)
2. From San Pablo Church ride a jeep going to Nagcarlan and ask driver to drop you off at Villa Sylvia Resort which is just along the road.

From Nagcarlan to Cavinti
1. From Villa Sylvia Resort, ride a jeep going to Liliw
2. From Liliw, ride another jeep going to Pagsanjan which should dropped you at the back of Pasanjan Aresa Complex (near Jollibee). Visit the Tourism Office and choose the route you want to take (Shooting the Rapids or Cavinti Trek)
3. We chose the Cavinti Trek so we waited for jeepneys along the highway with Lucena signboard. We alighted at Cavinti near a tricycle terminal.
4. Ride a tricycle going to Pueblo El Salvador (jump off point/start of trek). Make sure to ask for the contact number of the tricycle driver so you can just text him to fetch you after the trek.

From Pagsanjan to Nagcarlan (back to resort)
1. Ride a jeep going to Sta. Cruz
2. From Sta. Cruz, ride a jeep going to Nagcarlan.
3. From Nagcarlan, you can choose to ride a jeep going to San Pablo or you can ride a tricycle to reach the resort.

From Villa Sylvia Resort to Lake Pandin
1. The resort, cross the road and wait for jeepneys going to San Pablo. Ask the driver to drop you off at Lake Pandin. Short trek starts at the parking lot.

*Whew, that was quite a commute! From the resort, we have no prior knowledge as how to go from point A to point B. By simply asking the locals, we were able to reach our desired destinations and have passed by a good number of old churches.

Estimated Expenses:

Php600 - Accommodation at Villa Sylvia Resort (for 2 nights with discount)
Php400 - Transportation
Php150 - cheapest Pagsanjan Falls package (via Cavinti Trek)
Php360 - lunch buffet at floating raft with swim at Lake Pandin
Php200 - food (less lang kasi we have baon for our supposed Anawangin camping)
Php100 - 3 packs of San Pablo's special ube pasalubong
Php80   - tip ( x 5 for the Guides in Pagsanjan and Lake Pandin)
_________

Php1890 - Estimated total expenses


These natural bodies of water heed the call for adventure that no modern pool can provide.

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