Pook ni Mariang Makiling is one of the many attractions of the town of Los Banos in Laguna and is part of the Mount Makiling National Park just like the National Arts Center (NAC), the Philippine High School for the Arts, and the Boy Scouts of the Philippines (BSP) National Jamboree Site.
The normal route for tourists, especially buses, to reach Pook ni Mariang Makiling is via the University of the Philippines Los Banos campus. However, this route would take you through the busy intersection of College, Laguna, where traffic going to Santa Cruz and San Pablo also passes.
If you are using a private vehicle (not a bus!), the alternative Jamboree route is recommended to avoid the College junction traffic. This more scenic route would take you up the mountain with dangerous turns and steep inclines so care must be taken at all times when using this route.
The critical turn for this alternate route to Pook ni Mariang Makiling is the PCARRD (Philippine Council for Agriculture, Forestry and Natural Resources Research and Development) road. At present, the point where this road joins the National Highway has a big sign that notifies the public that buses are not allowed on this road (see point A in the map above and the photo below).
If you're coming from Manila, turn right when you spot this PCARRD junction, and proceed (PCARRD entrance is about 100 meters on your left). This is PCARRD-Jamboree Road and just follow it to reach the BSP Jamboree site, which is about two kilometers away. In a little more than a kilometer from the PCARRD turn, you will see the Magnetic Hill gate to your right (see point B in the map and the actual photo below).
At this point, you would be nearing the BSP Jamboree boundary and expect more dangerous curves and steep climbs and descent in the next kilometer or so. You will run into two forks after you enter the BSP Jamboree arch. In both cases, just choose to turn right instead of going straight. See points C and D in the map and the following photos.
After this last right turn, you can immediately spot the National Arts Center arch. Just go straight (instead of going to the gated uphill road to the right that leads to NAC). The next structure you would find is the (unmaintained) BSP swimming pool. Proceed farther until the final right turn to enter the Pook ni Mariang Makiling arch (see yellow star in the map above and the photo below).
Enjoy the scenery and the olympic-size swimming pool within the Pook ni Mariang Makiling compound.
Reminder: it is not advisable to use this alternate route during inclement weather and wet road conditions.
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The normal route for tourists, especially buses, to reach Pook ni Mariang Makiling is via the University of the Philippines Los Banos campus. However, this route would take you through the busy intersection of College, Laguna, where traffic going to Santa Cruz and San Pablo also passes.
If you are using a private vehicle (not a bus!), the alternative Jamboree route is recommended to avoid the College junction traffic. This more scenic route would take you up the mountain with dangerous turns and steep inclines so care must be taken at all times when using this route.
The critical turn for this alternate route to Pook ni Mariang Makiling is the PCARRD (Philippine Council for Agriculture, Forestry and Natural Resources Research and Development) road. At present, the point where this road joins the National Highway has a big sign that notifies the public that buses are not allowed on this road (see point A in the map above and the photo below).
If you're coming from Manila, turn right when you spot this PCARRD junction, and proceed (PCARRD entrance is about 100 meters on your left). This is PCARRD-Jamboree Road and just follow it to reach the BSP Jamboree site, which is about two kilometers away. In a little more than a kilometer from the PCARRD turn, you will see the Magnetic Hill gate to your right (see point B in the map and the actual photo below).
At this point, you would be nearing the BSP Jamboree boundary and expect more dangerous curves and steep climbs and descent in the next kilometer or so. You will run into two forks after you enter the BSP Jamboree arch. In both cases, just choose to turn right instead of going straight. See points C and D in the map and the following photos.
After this last right turn, you can immediately spot the National Arts Center arch. Just go straight (instead of going to the gated uphill road to the right that leads to NAC). The next structure you would find is the (unmaintained) BSP swimming pool. Proceed farther until the final right turn to enter the Pook ni Mariang Makiling arch (see yellow star in the map above and the photo below).
Enjoy the scenery and the olympic-size swimming pool within the Pook ni Mariang Makiling compound.
Reminder: it is not advisable to use this alternate route during inclement weather and wet road conditions.
