Last April, we visited Mapanuepe Lake which has become a go to outdoor-sy spot and camping site in Zambales.
Introduction
We booked a packaged tour service for 2 days and 1 night which included pick up and drop off in Metro Manila. After traveling for almost 4-5 hours on the road, our final van stop was not actually the main camp site. We were drop off near the lake where we were surprised to learn that we would have a short 3-5 minute bangka ride to get to the actual camping area.
Boat Ride
The bangka ride was an experience in itself. It was still early morning around 5am and the lake was glimmering with light from the sun rising. After a broad turn to the left away from the sunrise, we had a different view of the lake which now had a calming shallow fog on the water’s surface. The environment was a bit surreal especially after the bangka’s engine turned off and we slowly floated towards the shore. As an activity, the local guides also offer trips to visit the sunken ruins of a town within Lake Mapanuepe via bangka.
Lake View Camping
Lake Mapanuepe is huge. The place reminded me of American movies and tv shows I used to watch growing up where teenagers spend their spring break near a lake. However, swimming in Lake Mapanuepe is not allowed due to toxins in the water from the mines that are now underwater when the lake formed. We were only camping at one area out of four that’s actively being developed as a tourist spot/camping destination. When we actually got there, you can in fact bring private vehicles within the campsite and in fact many were even bringing their vehicles right to the lakeshore and setting up their tents right beside them. We were told later in the day that bringing a vehicle within the campgrounds would cost extra which is why our tour guides parked the van outside premises.
After breakfast, we were able to appreciate the area some more. There were many tall pine trees in the campsite which made it perfect for our hammocks. We pitched our tents near the lakeshore. Our particular view of the lake looked even better as there were mountains peppering the background with one large mountain right in front.
We had lunch courtesy of our tour guide and it was delicious. But then this is where we realized the mistake of doing a camping trip in the middle of summer. Lake Mapanuepe is not particularly high up and so you can’t expect any cool mountain air. We had to endure a couple of hours of heat from the sun. We tried sleeping to make time move faster, kept drinking water, and luckily for us, there’s a store right in the campsite that sold softdrinks and coffee.
Bathroom Situation
The restrooms/bathrooms could be found at the edge of the camp. Most people lined up to shower in the late afternoon. You had to pay P10 to use the bathrooms and shower. The pump was right beside the bathrooms and it was audible at the time since there was a rush of people. There was a few minutes where water ran out but good thing I was already done by then. No actual shower heads inside, just a pale and bucket. It wasn’t bad but the bathrooms will remind you that you are in a camp site. I would say showers and restrooms in an average philippine beach were marginally better than what was there in the camping area.
At Night
I honestly think, like most camping trips, the highlight of the trip was the ambiance at night. You can finally appreciate being away from the city and the light pollution. The night sky was beautiful and the moon was bright. We did wake up in the middle of the night and it was a long walk in the cold to reach the bathrooms. However, it did have the nice surreal feeling walking around all the silent and dark tents in the campsite.
Conclusion
Comparing this to other camp sites we’ve visited especially the ones in the Rizal mountains, it’s a place worth visiting and camping in. The lake gives a different feel compared to camping in the mountains. Both types of camping are worth experiencing although our experience in Mapanuepe Lake might have been better if we just avoided the summer heat.
Zoomer PH 