Bato Spring Resort, San Pablo City Laguna

5 Reasons Why We Love Bato Springs

When we talk about hot springs, Los Banos comes to our minds first. 

But this time of summer, we crave for cool dips, a treat to where we can forget the heat brought by the day. 

Searching the net brought us to Bato Springs, a popular outing destination located at Balagtas Boulevard, San Pablo City, Laguna. Entry point will be in Brgy. Bulakin 1, Dolores Quezon.

Bato Spring is perfect for group/barkada outings and families who seek some nature tripping and adventure. It is better to have your own service provided that the place has a wide parking area. However, commuting is not really that hard as long as you have long patience.

Upon checking the place, we enumerated 5 Reasons why we love Bato Springs:

1. Cold water

Yes, when your think of cold, Bato Springs mean the word in very way possible. It was really cold. But after some dips, our body can totally tolerate it. It takes us some minutes to adjust our body to the coldness of the water. I literally scream when I showered under the "falls" and it was quite a very nice experience. Thinking of it makes me wanna go back to Bato Springs again.

2. Cleanliness

Considering the flocks of the crowd going to Bato Springs and the reason that it is open 24 hours a day, we expect that the resort would not be maintained very well. But entering the Bato Springs ground welcomes us to a wide clean ground with no noticeable litters and orderly tables. We observed personnel who swept fallen dried leaves. The women's/men's room which are newly built are also regularly cleaned. No unwanted smell around and garbage bins are propely located around the resort. It is important that each guest should bring discipline when visiting any public place. It favors everyone, of course. 

3. Friendly and Accommodating Staff

Even at the gate, the ticket officer greeted us and attends to us nicely. I noticed there is a car behind us but he humbly asked the guests to wait after he received our payment. 

Another thing, we did not bother to rent for a table because we only have our back packs with us. What we did is to ask for a locker for rent where we can store our belongings while we enjoyed the place. Good thing, they have a vacant locker. Rent is Php 100.00 per locker. We just bring our foods and camera with us. We went back many times to the locker located at there office and they still accommodated us without any hint of irritation.

Lastly, there is a short light rain at that time and we ask the lifeguard if we can just put our camera in his place and he agreed with smiles. So nice and kind!  

4. Affordable

Yes, for Php 70 entrance fee on weekdays, we agreed it is value for money (very sulit) price. Wooden tables are for Php 400 and concrete cottages are Php 800. The most affordable private fan room costs 1,500.

5. Very close to nature

From the jeep, we entered a walkway full of narra and coconut trees which seemingly like a forest. Tricycles are available but that cost you Php 50 for one way ride. When we tried going to Bato Springs, it took us only a 10-15 minutes leisurely walk. We passed by two old bridges and wide coconut farm lands and shaded by trees along the road. 

Upon entering Bato springs, we were also greeted by coconut trees and we can hear the typical background of children's screams and some old man's laughters. We saw a huge swimming pool with tiled base accentuated by a man made falls. We wonder if that was the only place where we can swim. So we explored the area and a beautiful piece catches our attention. It was indeed a beautiful pool with "falls" perfect for back massages, where water continuously running from the spring of Mt. Banahaw and Mt. Cristobal. It would be majestic minus the lots of people in there. Hehehe. But anyway, we eventually joined in them and soak ourselves with the very cold water and enjoyed the falls. walking further, you can see some big rocks with fresh water running in them. We noticed some people fetch there drinking water from the spring. Moss are present but are maintained so that guests wont slip.

Accomodations are available

picnic tables are also available for rent
but we just rent a locker so that our things are safe
while we plunge into the cold spring

Downsides to be noted:

1. Expensive foods inside

They sell fresh tilapia, mangoes, charcoal, rice and many more but prices may be doubled. The coffee/choco which we usually found on the corners which regularly cost Php 5 costs Php 10 there.

2. Many customers/guests

Due to its popularity to company outings and family/barkada out of town trip, Bato Springs has so many guest. But as we told you earlier, it is very clean there. There is a huge pavillion where the conduct programs and as we passed by, we can smell beer/liquor so be better cautious even if we observed the place is safe. People are friendly especially the locals. 

3. Be extra careful when walking down the "falls" area. Slippery.

You wanna go home whole with no broken bones.I slip on one of the rocks and I'm lucky I just got a painful butt. But that's all.

How to get there (cheapest way possible):

1. Ride bus bound to Sta. Cruz, Laguna. Terminal is located at the side of Mang Inasal Cubao. Drop off at SM Calamba.
2. Ride jeepney bound to San Pablo. Drop off at SM "Sa Manga" San Pablo Plaza.

3. Walk to the back of San Pablo Shopping Mall where Dolores bound jeepneys are located. Wait for passengers. Fare is Php 15/pax.
4. Drop off by Brgy. Bulakin 1, Quezon Province. Travel time is about 30minutes.
5. You can just walk to Bato Springs or you can ride tricycle for Php 50.00. In our case, we just walk for about 10-15 minutes under shade of trees.

GOING HOME (and some tips for more side trips): 

1. Ride tricycle or walk back to the main road. Wait for San Pablo bound jeepney coming from Dolores. Fare is Php14.00 for about 20-30minutes

Tip Number 1: Along the National Highway, you can pass by Ujike Merchandise. It is a big Japanese surplus, where you can buy bicycle, kitchen ware, ukay-ukay, etc..

To go back to the plaza, just ride passing jeepneys (Php 8) or tricylcle (Php10).

Tip Number 2: You can ask the jeepney driver to drop you off infront the Shopping mall where there are stalls for the night bazaar daily starting 4pm to 10pm. One can buy variety of foods for merienda like siopao, lumpiang sariwa and pastries and dinner meals like rice grilled tilapia and BBQ in pack for very affordable price. Also perfect for pasalubong shopping. Never miss San Pablo's tastiest ube halaya as pasalubong.  

Tip Number 3: If you want a relaxing moment, you can just walk up to Sampaloc lake. It can be walked for 15 minutes. We always enjoyed our moment sitting on the benches as we rest. And for relaxing dinner, we dine at Cafe Lago near the Sampaloc lake. Price are bit higher but it is okay to shell out some more. Both of us crave for a hot soup and we ordered Sinigang sa Miso for Php 215 good for 3 people, Chopsuey for Php185 and rice for Php 20 each. Iced tea cost Php 45.00

2. Ride a tricycle going to the bus stop located infront San Pablo medical center and 7/11 store. Fare is Php40.

3. Wait for Cubao bound bus. There are lots of buses especially those coming from Lucena City Quezon Province. 

More photos...

Tiled swimming pool with man-made falls. Lots of guests comes even on weekdays.

For me, this is the main feature of bato springs. It is not tile-floored but of small pebbles but clean and very cold.
The flowing  came from the top of Mt. Cristobal and Banahaw, they say. It's deep by the way. So you need to be good in swimming even if a lifeguard is visible around.

Another feature with a nature theme. Haha! So nice picture background. But people are abundant too.