First and foremost, WELCOME TO MINDANAO – my love, my home land! Marked as the cleanest lake in Region XII with its breathtaking views and great local sagas, Lake Holon, formerly known as Lake Maughan, has become popular among outdoor adventure enthusiasts, trail runners, mountaineers, backpackers, and seasoned climbers like us. It was not my first time going to Lake Holon, but every single time, it gives me a unique experience. Learn more about our journey to Lake Holon.
Our Journey to Lake Holon
We needed to trek for hours to reach the campsite. We traversed the lake and camped overnight. To reach the campsite, we started our trek mid-morning via the Kule Trail. Actually, there are two trails to choose from: Salacafe Trail and Kule Trail. If you choose the easy one, pick the Salacafe Trail. However, you can get only the best of Lake Holon’s majestic view if you pick Kule Trail which is the more challenging one.
Yeah, so we chose the Kule Trail. At some point, we reached the Nabangahan view deck giving us 360-degree view of Lake Holon. It took us about two hours of trekking before reaching the deck. There, we enjoyed taking all the photos we could. We were lucky because we were the second group that time to trek, so we have all the views by ourselves without photobombers. Another 45 minutes to an hour was spent descending to reach the lake. From the end point, we had to ride a boat going to the campsite. We set up our tent, cooked our dinner, and afterwards, we went kayaking.
…t’was an extraordinary experience!
We took the Salacafe Trail the next day when heading back to the tourism office of Tboli. Indeed, it was fun-filled adventure despite all the ascents and descents. Every thing was worth it. The water was very cold and inviting. You can actually drink the water. We also tried fish spa by the lakeshore, courtesy of the tiny fishes in the lake. We also went kayaking. I remember I was having goosebumps when we were at the center of the crater. The dark color of the lake signifies its depth in which until now, it still hasn’t measured yet. Below is the summary of our trip with some good photos along the Kule trail.
THE KULE TRAIL – FIVE (5) STATIONS
We had to pass by five (5) stations before reaching the end point – the camp site.
1st Station – Blete Hemglung
2nd Station – El Kini Hot & Cold Spring
3rd Station – Lemdlag
4th Station – The View Deck
5th Station – The Campsite
Do’s and Don’ts
- Wear proper hiking shoes. You don’t want dead toenails right after, do you?
- Pack light. Bring your own food and water although there water sources along the trail.
- Card games and alcoholic beverages are not allowed. Your bags will checked upon jump-off. Once caught, these will automatically be confiscated.
- Prepare extra money for the guide’s fee. You will save more when you go there by group.
- Practice responsible tourism. Leave no trace and bring your garbage back upon exiting.
- Bring plastic bag or sack bag to cover your belongings just in case it will rain while trailing.
- Bring your own tents just in case tents for rentals are not available.
Where to find Lake Holon
Did you like this article? Let littlemisadvencha know in the comment section.
Cha of Little Misadvencha is a Filipino Civil Engineer, researcher and a fur mom. She came from General Santos City and finds that everything in life teaches her a lesson. She is inspired to write about and out of her experiences, but later found out that it was her experiences that actually inspire her.
What a fascinating adventure. I love hiking too and this would be an amazing experience.
Great pictures! Now I want to go for a hike!
I am not much of a trecker but this location has caught my eye!