Mt. Palay-Palay | Dayhike

Venturing Mt. Palay - Palay for the second time  with a more gradual and plain trail including minor assault.

How to get there

Ride a bus in Coasta Mall Terminal bound to Ternate, Cavite. Tell the driver to drop you off in Maragondon or just say that you'll hike Mt. Palay-Palay (Pico de Loro). Alternative is you may drop-off at their respective terminal. Then, hire a tricycle ride heading to jump-off point (DENR). 

Itinerary
Dayhike
0500am Meet up in Coastal Mall Terminal
0600am ETD to Maragondon, Cavite
0730am ETA at Maragondon, Cavite
0800am ETA at DENR Registration Point
0815am Register, rest
0830am Start hike
1130am Arrive at the campsite, rest, photo and video Ops
1230pm Arrive at the Summit, photo and video Ops
0100pm Arrive at the Monolith, photo and video Ops
0300pm Start descend
0530pm ETA at DENR Registration Point
0600pm ETA at Maragondon, Cavite
0630pm  ETD to Manila
0900pm ETA at Manila

Background

Mt. Palay-Palay is known for its summit structure similar to  a parrot beak and the monolith beside it. This mountain which is popularly known as Pico de Loro is situated in Cavite and Batangas. 

DENR authorities allow hikers to venture the mountains during daylight only. Camping overnight has been prohibited to restore the original composure of the mountain and its soil. Since a lot of hikers are visiting,  the soil condition in the trails and the mountain itself has been compromised in a lot of ways.

Considering it is a National Park and selling government-owned land is prohibited, still the land occupying the old trail was sold to private owners (capitalist) according to some locals. 

Maybe it was one of the reasons why DENR created a new trail for Mt. Palay-Palay. The downside is hikers will not be able to do a side trip at the falls due to the new trail created.

Once you're at the apex, you'll be able to have a 360 view including the famous monolith -  a large single upright block of stone beside its summit. Every hiker will be challenged to  reach the top of the monolith descending through a cliff  and will require you to climb using a rope. Reaching the top will surely defy individual's strength and bravery. 

Below the Monolith there is a trail which is the route for traverse heading to Batangas area. Traverse can start either in Batangas or in Cavite, depends on your preference, but most hikers tend to start in Cavite side tripping some beach in Batangas area.  

Journey

It was a spontaneous decision to go to Cavite instead of venturing somewhere else in Batangas. Along with my buddy, Maan, we sporadically pursue Mt. Palay-palay in Maragondon, Cavite.

Me and Maan along with other kuyas in Maragondon

Prior to our hike, we were informed that Mt. Palay-Palay or should we say Pico de Loro has a new trail in which there will be a direct entry from DENR area which is the registration point. We were convinced that the trail will be pure assault and slopes all throughout, but it was the opposite, it's more plain and established compared to the old one. 

Our plan was to camp overnight in Cavite. Because of known circumstance that Mt. Palay-Palay is only available for day hike, we had to instigate a side trip or go to other mountains to settle for camping. So we  brought all our camping gears through our journey.

It was already 8 am in the morning when we arrive at the registration point of Mt. Palay-Palay, there was tiredness felt due to our arduous trip. So we rest a little bit at the store after paying our registration fee.  Nearby DENR office are stores, a queue of tricycle rides, shed, Comfort Rooms and parking space.

The Registration Point

The Store

We began our hike afterward, passing through a creek extending a minor assault that required roots to hold on, rain pours the day before we venture which resulted to muddy and slippery trail. Hikers we met were laboring on their descend, tiredness and sweat are apparent by the look of their faces. 
 

The creek

There were no obscurity of the trail; the trail was well established. We set foot at the camp sites  after a 3-hours hike, along with the presence of fellow hikers: documenting, sightseeing, and resting. 

In retrospect, our last visit at the mountain was favored by the weather where the condition was sunny glimpsing the mountain that paint a perfect scenery; where the mountain and the monolith was evident from afar the campsite. On the contrary, wind lash greeted us and the fog engulf the whole mountain including the campsite in which there was an obscure view of the surroundings. 

As the fog began to doomed its presence around us, we caught a glimpse of the summit and monolith that was structured similar to parrot beak if viewed from the campsite where we stood. There was a euphoria upon seeing those wonderful scenery; a captivating and mesmerizing scenery. We calmly nod when the fogs resumed its rise. Subsequently, we ascended to its summit tackling through a minor assault, which requires a rope to hold on before reaching the top. 

The summit and the monolith

We stay at the summit for hours expecting a clearing, but unfortunately we were unlucky so we descended on our way to the Monolith in which we were welcomed by rain. It was windy and cold when we climb the monolith, it was the rope bind in some part of the rock that supported us in climbing. The audacity of hope in reaching the top of the monolith was tremendous despite the weather condition. Still, on our reach to the top, fog was still omnipresent.  

The fog was steadily present for 2 hours of our stay, we only bare to glimpse a view for seconds. Whenever there's a clearing at the monolith: we take pictures, waved our hands, and say our greetings to all hiker at the summit, and they'll answered back with hellos. 

After finally taking cools shot in the Monolith, this time with clearing, we descended back to the registration point. We Tidied ourselves, took some rest, and plan on where to go next for our side trip. It was spontaneously decided by the two of us to go on a beach instead of hiking another mountain. Prior choosing to Boracay de Cavite, we were planning to hike either Mt. Nagpatong or Mt. Buntis, but it was then settled when we were advised by some tricycle drivers and guides whom we talk along with at the store near the registration point that Boracay de Cavite is majestic.

Pictures

Concerns

Contacts	Marvin Bayrante – 09059528287 (Guide) Ranie - 09366824522 (Tricycle Driver)
Guides	Available but not required in the New Trail. P500/5 pax (5:1 ratio)
Limatik	None
Sidetrip	Mt. Buntis Mt. Nagpatong Cavite de Boracay
Water source	Base of the Campsite
Registration	Logbook in DENR P25/head will be paid.
Rattan	Some
Signal	None
River Crossing	None
Dayhikable	Yes
Budget	P500 – P800 (Dayhike)

Expenses (as of August 2015)
Coastal Mall - Maragondon, Cavite: P90 x 2 = 180 (Back and Forth)
Maragondon, Cavite - Jump-off: P300/rent, P100/head if excess to the numbers allowed
Registration Fee: P25/head

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Photo Credit: Maan Villamor