Underground Tombs and Nature Trails: A Long Weekend in Nagcarlan, Laguna
The Calabarzon region of Luzon, comprising Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Rizal, and Quezon, is known for its heritage and historical trails, as well as its local cuisine and crafts. The province of Laguna alone boasts a number of destinations where one can spend a long weekend filled with learning and exploration.
Although it was not my first time, I was glad to find myself en route to the town of Nagcarlan for a long weekend with a small group of lifestyle media, upon the invitation of Approche Hospitality Management (AHM), a hospitality management company overseeing the Green Nature Resort and Leisure Park in Nagcarlan. The trip was a curated weekend exploration of the town’s attractions.
Nagcarlan Discovery Day Trip
After settling into our respective rooms in the new wing of the Green Nature Resort and Leisure Park—a five-hectare property featuring a water park complete with a wave pool and water slides—we found the newer expansion to be set apart from the main water park area, offering a more private space dotted with gardens, a large T-shaped swimming pool, and several dozen rooms in a two-story structure. It is just a few steps away from a conference hall, an outdoor dining area and cafe, and the reception.
As tempting as it was to simply retreat to the bed for an afternoon nap, a tour around Nagcarlan awaited us. I was glad that, after more than a decade, I would once again be able to explore the heritage trail of this Laguna town.
Our first stop: the underground catacombs with a story to tell.
After a recent restoration, entering the Nagcarlan Underground Cemetery now feels lighter and appears brighter. Sunlight filters more gently through the chapel and descending into the crypt no longer carries the heavy gloom I sensed during earlier visits.
Built in 1845 under the supervision of Fr. Francisco Velloc, the Nagcarlan Underground Cemetery was declared a National Historical Landmark in 1981. The site bore witness to Philippine history: first as a burial place (the underground crypt for friars, while the above-ground niches were for the public), then as a refuge for Katipunan members during the 1896 Philippine revolution, and later as a hideout for guerrillas during the Japanese occupation.
Recent conservation efforts have focused on preserving the structure while making it safer and more accessible. These included cleaning the masonry walls, reinforcing them with lime and mortar, improving natural light and air circulation, installing unobtrusive lighting, and adding a small museum near the entrance.
At the back of the Underground Cemetery, past a narrow passageway beside the new museum, we meet Nanay Carmen, the founder of Amie’s Espasol.
“Amie is my daughter. This espasol business is already over 30 years old. She was still little when I started,” Nanay Carmen tells me in Tagalog.
In her extended kitchen, a trio is busy rolling espasol dough for a bulk order that arrived that morning. They offer us a few bites. After tasting a couple of pieces, I walk away with two boxes (20 pieces each), costing only 120 pesos per box.
Nearby is the St. Bartholomew the Apostle Church, which was first constructed in 1583 using light materials under the order of the Franciscans and Rev. Tomas de Miranda. A second version, built in 1752 using brick and stone, strengthened and expanded the structure, while a church loft was added in 1845 under Rev. Velloc.
Although parts of the church were destroyed in a fire in 1781, and it later endured the wear of time, a four-story bell tower was eventually added after the fire. The church underwent restoration in the 1990s, preserving much of its 18th-century structure.
This Baroque-style church continues to stand in grandeur to this day, even serving as one of the main shooting locations for the hit early-2000s television series “Kampanerang Kuba” on ABS-CBN.
Visiting Two of the Seven Lakes of San Pablo
San Pablo, Nagcarlan’s neighboring town, boasts seven lakes scattered across its landscape. Two of them, particularly Lake Yambo — the twin lake of Lake Pandin, separated only by a hill — lie almost halfway within Nagcarlan and are easily accessible via the town’s highway.
.jpg)
Geographically also part of Nagcarlan, it was a no-brainer to include the lake in our itinerary so we could enjoy a dose of nature-based activities, such as feasting aboard a bamboo raft, swimming, jumping into the water while clinging to a rope set up by locals on a wooden platform, and riding a giant swing tied to a towering tree.
After our fun on the water, we went on a five-minute hike up the hill that separates Lake Yambo from Lake Pandin. Almost identical in size, the same activities are also available on the other side of the lake.
This morning excursion provided a wonderful way to cap off our long weekend in Nagcarlan, as we spent the remainder of the afternoon unwinding back at Green Nature Resort and Leisure Park until dinner, enjoying good food and lively socialization.
This quick trip also serves as a reminder that one doesn’t have to board a plane or embark on a half-day road trip from Metro Manila just to enjoy nature. Just a couple of hours away in the province of Laguna, travelers can already find a variety of destinations where they can immerse themselves in nature while also learning about local culture and history. Nagcarlan and San Pablo City alone offer plenty to explore, and if you have extra time, nearby towns such as Liliw — the country’s tsinelas capital — make for a great side trip for café hopping and footwear shopping before heading home.
This article first appeared on BusinessMirror.
