Liliw Voyage Tips and guide

Liliw is a town in Laguna, in the Philippines. Liliw is one of the oldest towns in Laguna, having existed as a settlement before the Spanish conquest. This town, nestled at the foot of Mount Banahaw, has multiple cold springs, a sizeable number of heritage houses and has a vibrant shoemaking industry that rivals the one in Marikina.

Nagcarlan is a larger town about 3.5 km (2.2 mi) away. Wikivoyage treats Nagcarlan as part of Liliw although it is governed separately, as their town centers are in close proximity. It is also one of the oldest towns in Laguna and was also a precolonial settlement. It is a less touristy town than Liliw and relies more on its commercial location on a major road junction, but it also has some colonial structures, including the only underground cemetery in the Philippines, and cold springs that compete with those of Liliw.

In 1578, Liliw was reorganized by the Spanish into a formal town called Lilio, with the spelling blamed on the colonizers’ inability to pronounce the native name. This was reversed after independence, enabling the town to have its official slogan as “Liliw, bayang mapang-aliw” (Liliw, enchanting town). It is home to about 40,000 people (census, 1 July 2024) .

Nagcarlan is known in Philippine history as the first place where wheat was grown in the country following its introduction by the Spanish. It became a scene of major confrontations during the Philippine Revolution and the Second World War, when its underground cemetery was used as a headquarters and refuge by Filipino revolutionaries and guerrillas.

On maps, Liliw is an elongated town running south from the lowlands of Laguna to the slopes of Mount Banahaw. Its downtown consists of a narrow strip situated on a gentle slope with views of Laguna de Bay on clear days. At the northern edge of town is the highway running from Santa Cruz to Nagcarlan, while its southern side is bounded by the highway to Majayjay. The town’s western edge is bounded by tributaries of the Santa Cruz River system. At the eastern side are the terminals to Santa Cruz and San Pablo. The town’s northern barangays are accessible via Nagcarlan.

Nagcarlan has a similar geographical layout with Liliw, although a secondary commercial hub exists in the lowland barangay of Calumpang. Its eastern edge is bounded by the Santa Cruz River system, while its northern and western edges are bounded by hills making up the Laguna Volcanic Field and Mount Kalisungan. To the southwest, a pass between the Kalisungan hills and Mount San Cristobal leads to Rizal and San Pablo.

Map of Liliw

This town lies along the narrow and winding national road between San Pablo and Lucban. Most travel to town is through the nearby town of Nagcarlan.

Liliw and Nagcarlan are both hubs for jeepneys coming from San Pablo, Majayjay and Santa Cruz. However, there are few to no jeepneys operating at night. It is far more convenient to rent a car (or a van for large groups) to reach the two towns due to this. As a secondary hub for Nagcarlan, Barangay Calumpang has direct jeepney connections with Santa Cruz.

Much of downtown Liliw is accessible on foot, the only disadvantage being the slightly elevated slope and narrow one or two lane roads that one must share with parked vehicles, moving vehicles and shoppers searching for shoes. Tricycles are the most common form of motorized transport within town.

Due to narrow streets, many visitors park at the yard of Liliw Church.

Nagcarlan is a busier town than Liliw and is a crossroads for those heading for Liliw, Santa Cruz, Calauan and San Pablo via Rizal. Tricycles and jeepneys are the most common form of motorized transport in town.

• 14.12985121.435821 St. John the Baptist Parish Church (Liliw Church), Entrances:9th corner Gat Tayaw Streets and 8th corner San Juan Streets (for vehicles), Mabini Street (for pedestrians only), Barangay Pag-asa, Liliw (Drop off at Liliw Town Plaza). Baroque-style church with red façade and ornate altar, constructed as part of the reducción in 1578.  (updated Dec 2018)
• Heritage Houses, Barangays Rizal, Pag-asa and Maslun. Liliw retains a sizeable number of houses from the colonial era, some of which have been converted into restaurants or commercial outlets. These are concentrated in the town center, particularly in San Juan, Gat Tayaw, Plaza Rizal, and P. Burgos Streets. (updated Dec 2025)
• 14.13135121.414822 Nagcarlan Underground Cemetery, Rizal Avenue, Barangay Bambang, Nagcarlan, [email protected]. 9AM–4PM, closed Mondays and holidays. The only cemetery of its kind in the Philippines, it was built in the 19th century on an octagonal layout, it retains its Spanish-era chapel containing a sculpture of the dead Christ, and its underground crypt with the remains of Nagcarlan's high society still inside. Beside the entrance to the compound is a small but informative museum about the concept of death in Philippine culture. An urban legend claims that the cemetery is connected underground to the parish church, Mount Banahaw and even to Pagsanjan, 41 kilometres (25 mi) away. The cemetery was declared a national historical landmark in 1981. Free, donation optional.  (updated Jan 2026)
• 14.13629121.41743 San Bartolome Apostol Parish Church (Nagcarlan Church), J. Lirio corner Mabini Streets and J. Coronado corner E.A. Fernandez Streets (for pedestrians only); P. Zamora Street (for vehicles), Barangay Poblacion III, Nagcarlan (Drop off at Nagcarlan Town Plaza or Municipal Market). A Spanish colonial church built in a Baroque style with Moorish-inspired crenellations, and supporting exterior pillars that seem wrap around the structure like a cast. Look for the ornate altar and painted wooden carving of the Final Judgement made by carvers from Paete.  (updated Jan 2026)

• 14.13315121.431261 Batis ng Liliw, Nagcarlan-Liliw Road, Ilaya Palina.  (updated Dec 2018)

• Tsinelas Festival - promotes the local wooden slipper (bakya) industry of the town.

Nearly every block along the streets leading to Liliw Church and the municipal hall has a shoe store, including some that export to Manila. An international designer-looking model that could cost thousands of pesos in Metro Manila can be bought in the mid to upper hundreds in Liliw with the same durability.

• 14.13138121.438971 Pamilihang Bayan ng Liliw, Liliw-Majayjay Road. The town’s central market  (updated Jan 2026)
• 14.131106121.4357472 B.N. Badong Footwear Trading (Badong), Gat Tayaw Street, Barangay. Pag-asa. 8:30AM–6PM, closed on certain holidays. One of the oldest footwear stores in Liliw, in operation since the 1960s. Also sells purses. Starts at ₱120.  (updated Dec 2025)

Surprisingly for a town of its size, Liliw has a sizeable number of mid-range to splurge restaurants comparable to those in Metro Manila. For budget options, there are roadside eateries and canteens and roast chicken chains.

• 14.131559121.4357121 Arabela, 503 Rizal Street, Rizal, ☏ +63 49 563-2495, [email protected]. 11:15AM-7PM. Italian dishes, not limited to pasta and pizza, and a selection of cakes and pastries at their bakery. Location rather quite has too low headroom (approximately 5′3″), as the dining area used to be the basement of a colonial-era residence. House style pasta: ₱270-300; pesto: ₱280-320; pizza: ₱290-405 (depending on size and thickness).  (updated Dec 2025)
• 14.13054121.4355282 American Ribs & Wings, Del Pilar Street (in front of St John the Baptist Church). 10AM–9PM. A chicken wings and pork ribs chain offering meals paired with rice. Group-sized platters are also available. ₱95-200.  (updated Dec 2025)

There is a McDonald’s in Nagcarlan.

• Kaylhans Leisure Farm, Nagcarlan-Liliw Road, ☏ +63 49 508-4765. Private resort with swimming pool and jacuzzi. Has A/C bahay kubo cottages with satellite TV and hot water shower. (updated Dec 2018)
• Tree Farm, Magdalena-Liliw Road, Ibaba Palina. A/C rooms with hot water shower. Has a swimming pool, basketball and volleyball court, gym, and strawberry farm. (updated Dec 2018)

On the highway between Liliw and Nagcarlan, drive carefully as the road has two sharp curves around the Liliw and Talahibing bridges, with the latter being more treacherous for vehicles ascending the approach to Nagcarlan.

• Nagcarlan