Just this past month, I’ve been to two of the thousands of nature spots in the Philippines. My fist stop was in Mambukal Mountain Resort, situated just about an hour-ride outside of Bacolod City, then I was on to one found in the outskirts of Dumaguete City, aptly named Forest Camp.

I’m a nature person who enjoys listening to the chirping of birds in the morning and the crickets at night, but bats? Yup, huge bats and big trees full of big bats hanging like it were black labadas drying in the sun. They were one of the stars in Mambukal Mountain Resort. It was a huge place! If you go from one room to another, then that would suffice for your daily required exercise routine. And that doesn’t include yet swimming in their swimming and warm dipping pools, trekking through the seven falls, trying out Wall Climbing and their Slide for Life, passing the boiling Sulfur Mud Pit (we actually tried this inexpensive mud pack on our faces, and they work!), the vegetable garden, and the Canoeing Lagoon on your way to their Conference Hall where we all congregated. Whew! Talk about getting lost! I was dripping with sweat by the time I found where I was supposed to go.

On the third day that I was there, we all took a trek towards the seventh falls. It was drizzling, which meant they would close off the ordinary rocky route to all seven falls (safety first!). So we decided to find another route which would take us directly to the 7th falls. That’s why we trekked for almost five hours back and forth instead of the normal one-two hours.

As we were negotiating the wet, grassy and sometimes slippery footpath, we took a chance to look back and we saw a breathtaking view of the city below. My friend then whispered in awe, “It’s good to look back sometimes instead of being so focused on what’s beneath your feet, or else you’ll miss something you were meant to see.” Hmmm, food for your thoughts!

The only setback to this resort is their not so friendly staff. But there’s always room for improvement so that this place could be the next big thing for nature trippers!

Several weeks after the Mambukal experience, I got another taste of the serenity of nature, this time closer to the city where I’m found half of the time. It’s just about 11 kilometers from the laid back Dumaguete City. Forest Camp is much smaller but size doesn’t matter much to me as long as there’s the soothing touch of nature. And what a touch! The moment we dipped into one of their man-made pools, we understood the meaning of hypothermia. Their pools and falls were fed by Mt. Talinis and that must be why it felt like we were swimming inside a freezer! And it was amazingly natural! You could chill your beverages without the need of either electricity or a fridge. Walah! Nature provides yet again!

I once read that when you are rich, it’s so hard to be poor. But we seemed to have made that happen…

We are so rich in natural resources, but we don’t seem to realize it (or refuse to see it?). That is what we are poor of …sight. We cannot see what we have right here and what we can do with its potentials. One lifestyle article about our country may try to make you see, but it’s up to you if you want to stop looking for the greener grass…

The author is still feeling invigorated by the waters of Mt. Talinis and the Sulphur mud pack facial from Mambukal. You can’t beat what God provides in nature!

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