One doesn’t need to be a hardcore mountaineer to enjoy the spectacular highland sceneries located all over Luzon. Just because you’ll be rewarded with breathtaking views doesn’t always mean it will involve crazy calf-burning hikes or grueling six-hour-long treks! Without further ado, here are some easy, accessible hikes in Luzon that will instantly give you beautiful, postcard-worthy scenic backdrops.
5 Easy Hikes in Luzon With Gorgeous Postcard Views
1. Dingalan Hill, White Beach (Dingalan, Aurora)
An easy and absolutely chill hike to the top of Dingalan Hill safely gives you a front-row view of the massive Pacific Ocean’s heavy waves as they forcefully slap against the sharp ridges of the rock formations below. You get to completely experience this while being surrounded by a beautiful, vibrant bloom of rolling hills and the sheer vastness of the open sea.
Your obligatory photo standing at the green saddle with your arms joyfully outstretched doesn’t even come close to properly capturing the unrivaled freedom one profoundly feels when encircled by the magnificent wonder of nature.
2. Mount Sawi (Gabaldon, Nueva Ecija)
This mountain's tragic name may seem exactly like it’s purely meant for the brokenhearted, but Mount Sawi is, in fact, a very happy and rewarding mountain to hike because of its easy, well-marked trail that requires only a couple of hours of moderate-level trekking.
Upon happily reaching the scenic summit, take your sweet time to soak in the incredible view of the unique local landscape featuring winding river streams and the vibrant colors of the rural countryside below. Scream your heart out proudly at the top—not for forlorn romantic reasons, but completely out of sheer, unadulterated exhilaration.
3. Cape Engaño Lighthouse, Palaui Island (Santa Ana, Cagayan)
The historic Spanish-era Cape Engaño Lighthouse is a highly worthy precursor to the breathtaking 360-degree panoramic view that eagerly awaits you at the very top of this prominent hill in remote Palaui Island. Enduring the long, exhausting journey to Santa Ana, Cagayan, and safely braving the volatile, choppy waves of the Pacific Ocean will eventually prove to be entirely worthwhile once you lay your tired eyes on the majestic scenery dotting Palaui Island.
Lush tropical greenery and deep blue waters boundlessly abound, as do several easy hiking trails systematically scattered on other beautiful parts of the island. Easy hike? Check. Spectacular sweeping views? Check. Ideal beachfront camping spots? Check.
4. Vayang Rolling Hills (Basco, Batanes)
Characterized beautifully by wave-shaped green hills quietly dotted by grazing cows, Vayang Rolling Hills perfectly epitomizes the iconic pastoral element of Batanes—a rugged province which continues to successfully charm its visitors with its unmatched romantic ambiance.
It’s no major surprise that this gorgeous hill and several other parts of Batanes have rightfully become highly sought-after pre-nuptial photo destinations for upcoming brides and grooms. A very easy, short hike safely originating from the lone narrow road takes you instantly to the magical Vayang Hills.
5. Bangaan Rice Terraces (Banaue, Ifugao)
Proudly recognized as one of the Cordilleras’ five premier clusters of ancient rice terraces officially included in the UNESCO World Heritage Sites, the Bangaan Rice Terraces beautifully appears like an immense, unbroken stretch of an immaculately carved piece of nature.
The relatively short hike from the main mountain highway going straight down to the small, quaint valley village will comfortably make you pass through a majestic panoramic scenery heavily defined by snaking green rice terraces.
When comfortably visited during the absolute peak of the local harvest season, the deep, rich green colors of the mature crops and other wildly blooming flowers can appear so overwhelmingly stunning to the naked eye.
These are just some of the very easy hikes one can safely travel to in Luzon. Of course, other moderately challenging mountains such as Mt. Batulao, Mt. Makiling, Mt. Maculot, and Pico de Loro are also considered laid-back treks but honestly aren’t as easy as the scenic places listed above. If you have any more solid suggestions for relaxed, scenic hikes in Luzon, please let me know down in the comments section!
