Moving up to Negros Occidental's Mambukal Resort
Sitting at the foot of Mt.
Kanlaon, the 24-hectare Mambukal Mountain Resort is considered the “it”
hideaway in Negros Occidental since the ‘70s. It’s said that you haven’t been
to the province if you didn’t make it to the resort. Nestled at 366 meters
(1,200 ft) above sea level, anyone who visits this popular hideaway would
surely have a great time bonding with Mother Nature.
So, what can
nature lovers expect from this resort that’s just 45 minutes away from Bacolod
City? I found the answer when I visited Sugarlandia recently. Together with
friends from Manila, Davao and Bacolod, I moved up to Mambukal for a short but
sweet visit, a welcome break from the hullabaloo of the festivities we attended
in the City of Smiles.
From the city,
our group composed of Juju, Jojo, Jim, Bobby, Minnie, Letty, Lily, Marisa and
their kids drove all the way to the municipality of Murcia where the resort is
located. En route to that town, we were treated to a picturesque vista of the
countryside whose unspoiled images made me prouder of this country. It was a
relief to see that there’s still so much rustic beauty in the countryside that
is largely unscathed by the inroads of unbridled development. I just hope
they’d remain that way for many more generations to appreciate.
When we reached
the resort, Mambukal was overflowing with people from all walks of life because
of the long weekend break brought about by the celebration of the Masskara
Festival. It was evident though that the resort can accommodate everyone
because of the presence of several amenities such as picnic huts and cottages,
a dormitory and lodge for those staying overnight and a camping ground for
those who want to pitch their tents.
Since it was
almost lunch time when we got there, the first thing we had in mind was food.
It’s a good thing that the resort has its own canteen where you can order fresh
meat, seafood and other delights and have them cooked anyway you want. With
that taken care of, we went on exploring the resort.
Because of its
proximity to one of the Philippines’ most active volcanoes, Mambukal has a good
number of sulfuric springs that are said to be therapeutic. In many of its
rocky parts, sulfuric water gushes out naturally. To collect this water, the
resort’s management laid pipes that channeled it to a huge pool where people
can enjoy swimming in it.
Tourists are
also lured to the resort because of the series of seven falls that supplies
cool spring water to its swimming pool and boating lagoon. The water from the
falls is said to be coming from a huge mountain stream that’s being fed by
various water channels. Together with Juju, Letty and the girls, Ira, Alyssa and Paola, we attempted to scale the
seven falls of Mambukal, with the help of two guides whom Juju hired to assist
us in our trek into the rainforest where the falls are located.
Going to the
first waterfall was quite effortless. After that, the winding trail leading to
each of the other six falls became challenging to negotiate. One false step and
you could fall flat on your face in the narrow, slippery footpath. I think it
was quite harder for me because I had to keep my balance what with all the
backpack, camera and tripod I was carrying that time. Good thing, there are
handrails that people could hold on to at some parts of the path.
Pressed for
time, our group only managed to make it up to the third falls. Also, our guides
discouraged us from climbing any further as the trail upward had become
treacherous due to the heavy rains the night before. Even so, snapping at three
of Mambukal’s lovely cascades was more than enough for me. The excursion really
made my day.
 |
| pic courtesy of S. Paner |
Aside from the
sulfur swimming pool and seven falls, the resort has other tourist attractions
that the adventurous would surely love: boating lagoon, slide for life, canopy
walk with hanging bridges, rock climbing wall, to name some. For me, however,
it’s the trek to the seven falls that I’d consider the definitive experience
for anyone who goes to Mambukal.
Though we only
spent a few hours in the resort, there’s something I learned about it which I’d
treasure for a long time: whether you go swimming by the river, dipping into
the sulfuric pool, trekking into the rainforest, taking pictures of the seven
falls, or simply watching water rushing down the cliffs above you, Mambukal can
give you the much-needed breathing space from the cares of the world. Or, in my
case, a sought-after mental respite from the whirr and whirl of the workplace.
So, what can
nature lovers expect from this resort that’s just 45 minutes away from Bacolod
City? I found the answer when I visited Sugarlandia recently. Together with
friends from Manila, Davao and Bacolod, I moved up to Mambukal for a short but
sweet visit, a welcome break from the hullabaloo of the festivities we attended
in the City of Smiles.
From the city,
our group composed of Juju, Jojo, Jim, Bobby, Minnie, Letty, Lily, Marisa and
their kids drove all the way to the municipality of Murcia where the resort is
located. En route to that town, we were treated to a picturesque vista of the
countryside whose unspoiled images made me prouder of this country. It was a
relief to see that there’s still so much rustic beauty in the countryside that
is largely unscathed by the inroads of unbridled development. I just hope
they’d remain that way for many more generations to appreciate. 
Since it was
almost lunch time when we got there, the first thing we had in mind was food.
It’s a good thing that the resort has its own canteen where you can order fresh
meat, seafood and other delights and have them cooked anyway you want. With
that taken care of, we went on exploring the resort.
Because of its
proximity to one of the Philippines’ most active volcanoes, Mambukal has a good
number of sulfuric springs that are said to be therapeutic. In many of its
rocky parts, sulfuric water gushes out naturally. To collect this water, the
resort’s management laid pipes that channeled it to a huge pool where people
can enjoy swimming in it.
Tourists are
also lured to the resort because of the series of seven falls that supplies
cool spring water to its swimming pool and boating lagoon. The water from the
falls is said to be coming from a huge mountain stream that’s being fed by
various water channels. Together with Juju, Letty and the girls, Ira, Alyssa and Paola, we attempted to scale the
seven falls of Mambukal, with the help of two guides whom Juju hired to assist
us in our trek into the rainforest where the falls are located.
Going to the
first waterfall was quite effortless. After that, the winding trail leading to
each of the other six falls became challenging to negotiate. One false step and
you could fall flat on your face in the narrow, slippery footpath. I think it
was quite harder for me because I had to keep my balance what with all the
backpack, camera and tripod I was carrying that time. Good thing, there are
handrails that people could hold on to at some parts of the path.
Pressed for
time, our group only managed to make it up to the third falls. Also, our guides
discouraged us from climbing any further as the trail upward had become
treacherous due to the heavy rains the night before. Even so, snapping at three
of Mambukal’s lovely cascades was more than enough for me. The excursion really
made my day.
Though we only
spent a few hours in the resort, there’s something I learned about it which I’d
treasure for a long time: whether you go swimming by the river, dipping into
the sulfuric pool, trekking into the rainforest, taking pictures of the seven
falls, or simply watching water rushing down the cliffs above you, Mambukal can
give you the much-needed breathing space from the cares of the world. Or, in my
case, a sought-after mental respite from the whirr and whirl of the workplace.
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