A walking day tour in Calamba Laguna

The name of the city comes from a legend that during the early time of the Spanish period in the country, two "guardias civil" or soldiers were lost and passing through what is now Calamba. After the relaxing overnight food tripping and swimming in RockPoint Resort, the day should not end without visiting the famous landmark in town. We have to grab lunch first and we walked through the market area where we found Jingber Refreshment.

Rizal Shrine: This is located at Calamba City Proper. Beside the St. John the Baptist Church, it is where José Rizal, the Philippines' national hero, lived before he was executed in Rizal Park. As per the personnel guiding the tourist inside, this is just a replica of what the house looks like as well as the furniture and accessories inside it. At the back you can find a museum with Rizal’s books and artworks during his time.

Banga/Pot of Calamba: Banga is a large pot that symbolizes the name of Calamba City. The name of Calamba City derived from the two words, "kalan" and "banga". The barangays in Calamba was inscripted around the pot. This pot is also known as Calambanga.

St. John the Baptist Church: Established in 1859, it was burned by the Japanese during World War II. It was reconstructed by Fr. Eliseo Dimaculangan. It was the christening site of José Rizal. The original baptismal font has been preserved and refurbished.

     

  Famous Buko Pie and mouth watering Cassava Bibingka only found in Colettes Pasalubong Center. Don’t forget to bring one before going home.

Don't miss visiting this place if you get the chance to visit Calamba Laguna. This is just a walking tour as these places were conveniently located near each other.

Chilling in Hot Springs of Pansol

We have been wanting an out of time get together as a team, and I guess this has been long overdue.  So i grab my feet and set my mood for another weekend trip all the way south to Pansol, Laguna. The home of the famous “Hot Spring Resorts”

Pansol is part of Calamba and a component city of Laguna. Situated 54kms south of Manila and as mentioned popular for numerous hot spring resorts and of course the hometown of our national hero Dr Jose Rizal.  It lies on the northern slopes of Mount Makiling, a dormant volcano, reason for its therapeutically hot springs.

There were only four souls who confirmed that we are pushing through. So we hop on the bus bound to Pansol located in Quezon City and paid less than Php 100.00. The trip going to Pansol is a bit long maybe because it’s a Saturday and we left late in the afternoon.  We arrived at around 4 o’clock in the afternoon at RockPoint Resort.  If you opted to stay in the same resort just tell the bus driver to drop you at Sol Y Viento, walk 500 meters and you will find signage that will lead you to the resort.

The Reception of Rockpoint Resort

After few minutes of rest, even if we were still tired but growling tummy is always the priority so headed to SM City Calamba to grab some lunch. We settled ourselves in Savory Chicken. I just had my braces adjusted so eating is somehow inconvenient for me. I just love my buddies as they were so considerate :) I had to eat slower than usual.

Lunch at Savory Chicken, SM City Calamba

After filling up our empty tummies we went back to the resort for a hot-cold splash on the pool.  The resort is just perfect if you want a relaxing ambiance. Soothing music playing all over the place. If you want to unwind and forget about the hustle and bustle of Metro Manila, i think this is one great place to stay.  The resort itself is designed for staycationers, everything you need is here: spa, fitness gym, meditation garden, restaurant and lounge, karaoke room and of  course the two hot spring water pools. On top of that, they serve great foods too.

The Garden and Prayer Room

Relaxin’ at the Garden

Checking out the Fitness Gym

The Spa

The Hallway

 

The Pool Area

 

Lava Restaurant

Oh yeah, this is life!

  

Of course, before leaving the resort. Photo Op moment :) It was a short, sweet and relaxing stay in Pansol Laguna specifically in Rockpoint Resort.

 

I deserve this break so much and I am grateful to my weekend buddies for making this happen. A simple resort can turn out to be a great escape to heal some brokenness and be ready for the next chapter. Pansol carved that in  my heart. This is my first time in Pansol and definitely not the last!

The resort is highly recommended for friends and family outing. Make sure to have your reservations ahead of time. You can visit their website for futher information.