15 Fun & Unique Things to Do in Laguna
15 Fun & Unique Things to Do in Laguna
15 things to do in Laguna that you can look forward to when you find yourself in this part of Luzon.
Travel to the City of Seven Lakes
Go for a Swim at Laresio Resort
Family-friendly fun at the Sta. Elena Farm!
Pay your respects at Rizal Shrine
Find the Hidden Valley Springs
Discover the art heritage of Paete
Bond at the Rizal Re-Creation Center
1. Travel to the City of Seven Lakes
Engage your senses by traveling to San Pablo, Laguna, heralded as the City of Seven Lakes. It’s named as such because it’s surrounded by some of the most beautiful lakes in the province. Situated between the foot of two mountains—Makiling and Banahaw—San Pablo boasts of Lakes Sampaloc, Yambo, Pandin, Bunot, Kalibato, Muhicap, and Palapakin. While you can travel all 7, the most tourist-friendly are Pandin, Yambo, and Bunot.
Location: San Pablo
Budget: up to P1,000
Operation Hours: Tours begin as early as 9am-10am and are in operation until sunset.
Best for: Adventurous couples, Barkadas, Families going on a picnic
Highlights: Seeing the Lakes up close, jumping into the rivers, rafting, and being surrounded by fresh mountain air
Activity Tips: Ask tour guides for the history of San Pablo, as well as the individual history of the Lakes you visit. Go as a group to maximize costs of raft tours and food spreads, and prepare trekking shoes for climbing. You can even rent a tricycle to take you to all seven, for a fee of around P500+.
Insider Info: Mt. San Cristobal is the volcano which caused the formation of all seven of San Pablo’s lakes.
Contact Info: Aling Tina or Aling Siony Phone Numbers: +63 9079952983, +63 9299789565
2. Go for a Swim at Laresio Resort
Surprised to see this sort of attraction in an area that’s only one drive away from the city? Laguna has plenty to offer in terms of water activities, and this is just one of them. Offered by the famous Laresio Resort, here are some fun things to do when you’re in this part of town! Remember to bring a swimsuit!
Location: Laresio Resort, Alvair Compound, Purok 1-B, Barangay Tadlac, Los Banos
Fee(s): around P500
Operation Hours: 24 hours
Best For: Families, team building, barkadas who want to do a quick staycation
Highlights: Cliff diving up to 13ft and speed sliding on a 32ft long slide
Insider info: Inquire about a corkage fee and bring your own towels to save on extra cash. Also, the lockers are definitely worth renting out so you can keep valuables safe while you swim.
Contact Details: Phone Numbers: +632 552 5148, +63 9175517934, +63 9175381284 Website: laresio.com Facebook: @LaresioPH
3. Fall for Taytay Falls
Considered the second most popular waterfall site in Laguna, Taytay Falls is located in Majayjay. Besides its clear and clean waters, sometimes you might even catch a glimpse of dragonflies making themselves comfortable in the ambiance.
Location: Majayjay
Fee(s): Commute fees are P150-P180 per person. There is an entrance fee to the falls proper, considered as an environmental fee: P20 per head. Overnight stays will incur a cost of P30/head. Tents can be rented for P200-P350. Parking at the foot of the falls is P40, flat rate.
Operation Hours: 24 hours
Best for: Families on road trips, barkada outings
Highlights: Eating by the food stalls located by the Taytay falls, seeing the Majayjay Church, walking towards the waterfalls and encountering all the greenery of the forestry.
Activity Tips: Bring your own tent to save on costs!
Insider Info: Do not leave for the falls later than 10am! This is because trikes will charge you a rental fee of P700 for the trip to take you to the fall proper after 10. Similarly, jeeps will only take the Majayjay/Taytay routes till 10am.
Contact Details: Barangay: Phone Number: +63 9155278826
4. Experience Pagsanjan Falls
No Laguna to-do list is complete without mentioning one of its more iconic locations. Ranking as the #1 most popular waterfall site in Laguna, the Pagsanjan Falls is a place kids in the Philippines learn about as early as grade school. Known by the locals as Magdapio Falls, this gorgeous landmark is located in the town of Cavinti, and is flocked by tourists all year round.
Location: Cavinti
Fee(s): You can see the falls for free, but if you choose to access other areas of the Pagsanjan park proper, pay around P20-P30 and prepare tips for trike drivers. The tourism office can offer you packages of P1,250 per head since this includes the Pagsanjan Rapids.
Operation Hours: Daylight/working hours, no overnight in park proper
Best for: Families, barkadas
Highlight(s): The two different routes to get to Pagsanjan Falls aka taking Pagsanjan’s rapids, or taking Cavinti Town’s rappelling/hiking/trekking route.
Activity Tips: Gauge how well you can perform some of the physical activities required of the area, like climbing and trekking and cliff-jumping, as some of the offered stunts can be dangerous to those who aren’t prepared.
Insider Info: Look for “Devil’s Cave,” which is a special cavern under the waterfalls accessed via bamboo raft. Look for the jump-off point at the Pueblo El Salvador Nature Park and Picnic Grove too!
Contact details: Tourism Office: Phone Number: +6349 501 3544
5. Bathe in Bato Springs
Since Laguna isn’t that far from the Metropolitan city of Manila, take a trip down to Bato Springs in San Pablo City for a quick weekend of R&R. Perfect for any time of the year, the springs offer a variety of pool sizes and springs for the whole family, or barkada, to wade into. It may actually be a better idea to travel here during its lean seasons after summer, so you can have the entire spring all to yourself!
Location: 71 Francisco Balagtas Blvd., Brgy. San Cristobal, San Pablo City
Fee(s): around P600
Operation hours: 24 hours
Best for: Officemates, barkadas, couples
Highlights: The pool areas with year round cold water, the tranquil vibe where you can kick back with a cold one and relax, the canteen with well-loved Filipino foods.
Activity Tips: Reserve a spot in advance if you visit during summer, but on lean seasons, you’ll have this beautiful park all to yourself! Also, if you want to plan any big family reunions or the like, ask about big rooms that can hold as much as 24 people.
Contact details: Phone Number: +63 9126256699 Facebook: @Batospringresort
6. Family-friendly fun at the Sta. Elena Farm!
Got kids along for the ride? Time to disconnect from technology, mall-hopping, and city-living at Sta. Elena, Laguna’s fun farm! Despite its name, the farm also acts as a giant playground where kids and adults alike can reconnect with nature in a family-friendly way.
Location: Fun Farm, Sta. Elena, Cabuyao
Fee(s): P300 per head
Operation Hours: 9am–5pm
Best For: Families with children
Highlights: The petting zoo, Carabao Carts, and picnicking by the farm grounds! You can also purchase organic veggies and treats at Holy Carabao. Ask about the mini-zipline and horse-back riding too.
Activity Tips: You have to call them to reserve in advance, as they do not accept walk-ins. Avoid coming here on rainy days as it might get too muddy, but if you happen to be here when it does downpour, just be prepared with boots so that the kids can still have fun!
Insider info: Parking is free on site, and there’s no way to get here via public commute so rent a car in advance.
Contact Details: Phone Numbers: +63 9209131349, +63 935 8954 Website: funfarm.com.ph Facebook: @TheFunFarmatStaElena
7. Pay your respects at Rizal Shrine
Location: Francisco Mercado St., corner Jose P. Rizal Street, Barangay 5, Poblacion, Calamba
Fee(s): P80 to P160
Operation Hours: 8am-12pm and 1pmm-5pm (Tuesdays to Sundays)
Best For: People who want to know a bit about our national history, students, field trips, families
Highlights: The interactive renovations are made to highlight the exhibits displayed across the grounds, statues mimicking Rizal in his childhood, preserved artefacts
Insider Info: While the shrine itself is now just a replica, former President Elpidio Quirino supervised its construction with the help of legendary architect Juan Nakpil to ensure the quality was close to the original. You’ll find Spanish era artefacts, an open library for public reading, and gift shops to commemorate your trip.
Contact details: Phone Number: 63 4954520110 Virtual Tour: nhi.gov.ph/firefly/RSC_Facade.html Facebook: @rizal.shrine.calamba
8. Come to the Botanical Gardens
Inhale some of the freshest, cleanest air around when you visit the Makiling Botanical Gardens located at the lower elevations of the Molawin-Dampalit watershed (traveling tip: This is also nearby the University of the Philippines Los Baños campus!) What began as a research facility to support professional instruction related to forestry and plant sciences back in the 60’s, the Makiling Botanical Gardens have now evolved into a recreational park.
Location: College of Forestry and Natural Resources, UPLB Campus, Mauricio Oteyza, Los Banos
Fee(s): P10 per person
Best for: Student excursions and barkada trekking
Highlights: Getting students as tour guides so you get the best experience
Activity Tips: Bringing a picnic basket with you, doing a nature-trail day trip, finding the waterfalls, naming the rare flora
https://www.traveloka.com/en-ph/explore/destination/laguna-things-to-do/636701 Like1 Reply
Good tips.
