Of Craters and Lakes | Sampalok

The city of San Pablo in the province of Laguna is home to the famous seven crater lakes namely Sampalok, Palakpakin, Kalibato, Bunot, Muhikap, Pandin, and Yambo. Last May, we had the chance to visit the three of them.

This post will be about Sampalok, the biggest among the seven. Nearly half of the lake’s depth has a shallow depression at the lake’s bottom, indicating its volcanic origin.

The first thing I noticed were the plenty of fish pens and cottages dotting the lakes. As per Wikipedia, Sampalok lake is the most threatened among the lakes of San Pablo due to human intervention. It is very evident in what we saw that day.

This is the view when we arrived. It was around noon time and the sun was scorching hot but this makes up for it.

Froi, Chat, and Me taking selfie.

We climbed down a few flight of stairs to get a closer look.

A few floating plastic materials here and there, and a whiff of pollution in the air. It is sad how it came to this.

But even in its current state, it still is beautiful. Nature is prevailing in a way that only nature can. Under the fierce heat of summer, the lake is still a sight to behold.

The whole circumference of the lake is paved with cement that makes it ideal for biking, jogging, or just walking around.

You will notice how the local government and the tourism department are trying to make Sampalok lake a good place for locals and visitors alike. I have read some blogs about the rehabilitation and the establishment controls being undertaken to prevent further deterioration and pollution to the lake. It is not crowded with vendors, no litters on the streets when we visited, so I am taking that as a proof that their efforts are paying off.

Locals grow Tilapia on this lake. This one’s huge!

Around it are several establishments. Restaurants, hotels, and beautiful old houses lined up the streets.

We just had to climb up this tree for the fun of it!

Famished from all the walking,  picture taking and tree climbing we decided to have our lunch at Claydenjosh. It is located just across the lake, near the stairs from the view deck. They have served us this very delicious Tilapia ( i forgot what it’s called..)

I bet it would be lovely to spend sundown here. But we had to leave after lunch to visit the two other lakes which is Pandin and Yambo.

Panoramic shot of the Sampalok Lake.

Sampalok lake is beautiful in its own way. Though it has changed greatly over the years, it is somewhat thriving. Like all the other natural parks in the country, I am hoping that Sampalok will somehow remain alive. The fact that there are still fishes growing in it is a good sign. They say Sampalok have seen worse, and it is now healing. I hope it continues to do so.

The city is growing. And it doesn’t necessarily have to follow that nature suffer. In years to come, I hope i can take my children here and they will see a much better version of the lake than what I have seen now. In years to come, I hope the lake remains a thriving beauty.

Thoughts?

As a country, we have a lot to offer. As citizens, we have the responsibility to contribute positive changes. Progress is good, but we need to balance them. If we take care of nature, it will definitely take care of us.

Cheers to a good life,

Zai

* My next post will be about Lakes Pandin and Yambo. I am hoping to visit the four other lakes soon!