Laguna Caldera District Voyage Tips and guide

The Laguna Caldera District of Rizal is a rough agglomeration of seven towns along the shores of the Laguna Caldera, an inactive underwater volcano that forms the central lobe of Laguna de Bay, the largest lake in the Philippines.

Map of Laguna Caldera District

This area guide encompasses seven municipalities of southeastern Rizal, namely:

• 14.516667121.2666671 Baras — known for the local martial arts called Sikaran.
• 14.486111121.2288892 Cardona — secondary gateway to Talim Island
• 14.354121.3243 Jalajala — off-beat rural town and gateway to Mount Sembrano
• 14.5127121.23854 Morong — vibrant cultural hub with a Spanish-era church whose façade is also its belltower.
• 14.483333121.35 Pililla — home to Pililla wind farm
• 14.497222121.2863896 Tanay — ecotourism destination on the slope of the Sierra Madre
• 14.558611121.2083337 Teresa

Unlike the rest of Rizal, the region is predominantly rural and has avoided the urban sprawl from Metro Manila that has subsumed the western portion of the province. The region's geographical position between Laguna de Bay and the Sierra Madre mountains gives it a greenish impression, with frequent rains feeding the waterfalls and forested highlands, as well as the extensive ricefields that sustain the region's economy, along with a growing interest in ecotourism features such as Masungi Georeserve, the Tanay Highlands, Talim Island, and Jalajala Peninsula. Four of the province's heritage churches, dating from the Spanish era, can be found in this region, making it a hub for Catholic, Christian and syncretic faith tourism with its iconic religious images and unique festivals and rituals.

Although there are no officially-recognized cities in the area, the towns of Morong and Tanay are the main commercial hubs due to their location in major highway junctions. Despite its rustic settings, the region enjoys direct access to Metro Manila and the provincial capital, Antipolo, in terms of public transportation and road infrastructure, making them an ideal base to explore the outlying towns.

From Manila, the main route to the Laguna Caldera District is from Manila East Road, which begins in Ortigas in Pasig and continues through western Rizal (Cainta, Taytay, Angono and Binangonan) before entering the area at Cardona, passing through Morong, Baras, Tanay and Pililla on its way to northeastern Laguna. Another option for those heading from Antipolo is E. Rodriguez Avenue, which descends southeast towards Teresa and Morong Junction with Manila East Road through a downhill road that features hairpin turns near the Antipolo-Teresa boundary with views of Laguna de Bay.

It is also possible to reach Laguna from Rizal through the Marcos (Marilaque) Highway from Antipolo into the mountain regions of Baras and Tanay on its way to northern Quezon, but it is a longer drive that passes through mountains and involves navigating dangerous curves. It also does not pass through major population centers apart from Barangay Sampaloc in Tanay and is connected to the rest of the region by a two lane-road in Sampaloc. Further south, Pililla-Jalajala-Pakil Road leads to Jalajala from northeastern Laguna.

From Metro Manila, there are jeepneys running from EDSA Crossing/Starmall in Mandaluyong traversing Manila East Road to Laguna Caldera, except for Jalajala, which requires transferring to other jeepneys in Tanay or Pililla. There are also jeepneys traversing Marilaque Highway from Antipolo, but operate at an infrequent pace.

There are also minibuses from SM Masinag in Antipolo heading to Pililla, passing through Teresa, Morong Junction, Baras and Tanay.

The main form of transportation between the region's towns are jeepneys, with fares starting at P13.

Driving in the Laguna Caldera is generally a quick affair, with the exception of the town centers. Bypass roads have been built along Manila East Road to avoid traffic along the town centers of Baras, Tanay and Pililla. However, mountainous stretches of road require great care, including in Cardona, Marilaque Highway, and Manila East Road between Halayhayin Junction in Pililla and the boundary in Laguna.

For individual listings, see Baras, Morong, Pililla and Tanay.

The main reasons to go to the Laguna Caldera District are to hike its mountains, swim in pristine waterfalls, or to pray and marvel at the Spanish-era churches of Morong, Baras, Tanay and Pililla.

The Laguna Caldera District is free of shopping malls, with commerce in the regions being conducted in the respective municipal markets, small groceries and supermarkets.

Dining options are relatively extensive and in towns along Manila East Road, but decrease in the outlying areas. Street food is prevalent everywhere, though standard hygiene precautions also need to be considered.

Convenience stores like 7/11 and Dali are available in most towns.

There are multiple cafes along Marilaque Highway catering to daytrippers.

Marilaque Highway has glamping and camping resorts for tourists coming from Metro Manila.

As a predominantly rural area, Laguna Caldera District is generally safe, though some areas in Teresa and along Manila East Road suffer from the occasional petty crime vibes of a moderately-sized Philippine city.

Floods can be a problem when Laguna de Bay or any of the rivers that empty into it overflows. Typhoons are also another major risk.

Despite Laguna being named after Laguna de Bay, swimming in the lake itself is not a good idea due to pollution, murky waters, lack of beaches, volatile currents and lots of fishing boats and fishponds operating in it.

Like the rest of the Philippines, standard precautions should be made when coming into contact with stray dogs, cats and other potential carriers of rabies, snakes (particularly when hiking or in agricultural lands) and dengue-carrying mosquitoes.

Pharmacies are found in virtually every town. Hospitals of varying quality exist in most towns, but serious cases are generally referred to Metro Manila.

Pasig ← Binangonan ←	W  E	→ Mabitac → Pagsanjan
Marikina ← Antipolo ←	W  E	→ Santa Maria → Infanta