Karlo Pacana
Mainit Hot Spring in Malabuyoc Cebu
HELLO STRANGERS!
Fresh from Kawasan Falls in Badian, I proceeded to the next town and arrived at Alegria municipal hall, where my cousin Desmond was working. Unknowingly, a co-worker of his, Claue, was celebrating her birthday. Arriving just in time to a surprise lunch treat from her boss, Mae, the celebration was held in a restaurant by the sea just a kilometer away.
During lunch, we discussed the things the town has to offer. Alegria is famous for its Downstream Canyoneering, hidden waterfalls, and caving spots. Since this was an impromptu side trip and I needed to be back to the city by evening, time was not on my side to fully indulge in these popular destinations. For a good and cheap alternative, they told me to check out Lepanto, the highest point in Alegria, and also the sought-after Mainit Spring in Malabuyoc.
Proceeding to the Alegria Tabo, I rode a motorcycle toward my first destination. Along the way, there was an overlooking chill spot on the left side of the road. Instantly falling in love with the wooden bench between two tree trunks, it was, for me, the perfect relaxation spot while playing the ukulele on a cloudy afternoon. It would have also been very romantic with the sunset on the horizon if I was traveling with a special someone. I just told the driver to drop me off and pick me up an hour after.
An hour has passed, and yet RJ has not come back. Feeling thirsty and my water running out, I had no choice but to politely ask for water. Though quite in a secluded spot, there was a house a few meters away. Approaching the house, coconut trees in their backyard came into view.
Changing my mind, I asked for a coconut. It was only worth five pesos! I handed a twenty peso bill to the ‘manananggot’ for his Spiderman efforts, got the chance to have a quick chat with his family, and also asked to take a couple of pictures of their humble lifestyle.
A few minutes later, RJ arrived, and off we went to Mainit Spring, located twenty minutes away in the next town of Malabuyoc. The entrance fee was only twenty pesos. The tourist spot consists of multiple springs of flowing water naturally heated by underground sulfuric rock. One mini-spring had the highest temperature of 42.6 degrees Celsius. Dipping my finger to test the temperature, the water was indeed very hot.
With hesitation, I finally decided to try and slowly submerge my entire body one part at a time. It felt like a natural thermos. Sweating with my pores opening up, I was able to detoxify naturally. The source of the flowing water was from Mainit Falls, which was ironically cool. Sadly, I couldn’t check it out due to safety precautions from the management since the access path to it was full of debris caused by the strong typhoon Haiyan that struck the area a few months back.
After my perfect afternoon detoxification, I called it a day and rode the bus back to the city. I’ll be back to explore the caves, waterfalls, and downstream Canyoneering next time! For more of my adventures, check out my blog at kingofsinulog.wordpress.com. Cheers!
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Read:
- Natural Hot Spring Resorts in the Philippines for a Relaxing Soak
- Where to Stay: List of Resorts in Tayabas City
- Why I want to visit Guam?
- Where to Eat in Alegria Cebu: Cosina Organica
- Where to Stay in Alegria Cebu: De Alegre Travellers Inn
