Sitting in a kubo (hut) cottage under lush coconut trees, I savor the light breeze and the view of clear blue waters blending with the mountains and sky.

Had I woken up here with no memory, I would think this is a beach in the ocean. I had just ridden across its serene waters so I knew – this is Naujan Lake in Oriental Mindoro, an understated gem just hours away from Puerto Galera, the beach the province is famous for.

While I see the lake in front of me, to my back is an abundance of more grass and coconut trees. These are punctuated with hut accommodations for sleeping, and goats and dogs. The place is quiet save for the wind and the occasional barks and bleats.

Montelago is a place to relax and just be.

Naujan Lake’s rich biodiversity

Montelago is one of Naujan Lake’s surrounding barangays. The lake is the fifth largest in the Philippines at over 8,000 hectares; it does look like the ocean from afar. It is part of water birds’ migratory route, particularly the East Asian Australasian Flyway. From October to March, thousands of birds take refuge in the warm tropical temperatures here.

The lake and its surrounding forests are also home to threatened and endangered birds and aquatic life, some of which can only be found in Mindoro and nowhere else on earth.

Butas River, gateway to Montelago

Travelers who want to visit Montelago must pass through Butas River. The river flows both to Naujan and to the sea.

I took a jeepney to the dock and as I waited for my tour guide, I soaked in the river’s vibrant greens, and the occasional whites of bird wings. To my right, children swam and frolicked in the waters.

My guide arrived in a motor boat. Mr. Enrique Castillo is the former barangay captain of Montelago and the acting president of one of its local tour associations.

The ride to Montelago was a scenic adventure, with Butas River’s greens giving way to Naujan Lake’s blues. Once we rode into the lake, I felt its vastness akin to the sea’s.

Laidback nature adventure

Once Mr. Enrique and I got off the boat, he guided me through drier and more stable parts of the lakeshore. He explained that the lake’s flooding had been prolonged this year – usually, the floods are only November until February, mainly from heavy rain.

Once we arrived, we settled in one of the huts and had a chat and a snack with Mr. Erwin Peres, another local tour guide.

They shared the story on how community-based tourism started in Montelago. Montelago is a quiet barangay of around 2,500 people in seven sitios. The main sitio, or sitio proper, is where the campsite is.

The area became known among Mindoro locals when Montelago residents posted in social media about its hot spring.

Mr. Enrique, who was the barangay captain at that time, worked with other Montelago residents to form a local tour guide association to welcome tourists. At the moment, their association has 25 tour guides. There is also another association in the barangay.

After our chat, we went to the said hot spring.

After our jaunt to the hot spring, we walked around the sitio. We passed some sari-sari stores – we bought the eggs from one of them earlier, – the barangay hall, the health center, and went uphill to the chapel.

When we went down the hill, we walked by their community garden of vegetables and herbs, and later, their fish pond.

This sitio of Montelago reminded me so much of the simple, laidback life I’ve seen in islands not often visited by tourists. Nature thrives, tranquility rules, and warmth from locals overflows.

While I just had a short day trip in Montelago, I felt I just came from an overnight meditation retreat.

That said, the local tour association offers accommodations for overnight stays. One option is the kubo rooms I mentioned above, and another is tents good for groups.

Groups also have the option to avail of a buffet lunch with ingredients from the lake, like the kuhol in ginataang kuhol. At the moment, meals like these are not available. It is best to inquire with the tour guide association (contact number provided at the end of this article).

Visitors can also do outdoor adventure activities like kayaking and horseback riding.

With or without these outdoor activities, the ride to and from Montelago is already an adventure in itself. This is P700 roundtrip, usually good for two people.

The sunset ride back for me was the perfect ending to my Montelago retreat. I saw some more of Naujan’s thriving water birds, some even resting on debris in the lake.

How to get there:

From Manila: Ride a bus to Batangas Pier from Alabang, Buendia-Taft, Cubao, or other terminals (2 hours or more). From the pier, take the roro or fastcraft to Calapan (1 hour for fastcraft, 2 1/2 hours or more for roro). From Calapan Market, ride a jeep to Bayani (around 1 hour). This is where the dock for the boat ride to Montelago is. Alternatively from Calapan, take a van or jeep to NATSCO, then take a tricycle to Bayani.

For inquiries, contact:

Ms. Resma Tungol Perez
President, Montelago Nature Park Association
(63)951-6181175