Places to see in San Felipe...

1. Benedictine Retreat house – this retreat house is run by the Benedictine sisters and was constructed on land donated by the Sebastian family. The late Sister Henrietta Sebastian was a nun of the Benedictine order. A number of schools and religious groups, even as far away from Manila, conduct their retreats in this facility. The compound also houses relocated groups that were displaced by Mt. Pinatubo. You can also buy religious articles from them (for pasalubongs). If your group wants spiritual enlightenment, you may contact the Benedictine sisters to arrange for a retreat. (Glenn Puzon). Click on the picture to enlarge.

2. Sabangan of the North – A beautiful place for picnic, or just to enjoy its beauty and serenity. From Sindol cars, jeeps, SUVs and tricycles can easily navigate the road which is part concrete and dirt road to take you to there. (Glenn Puzon). Click on the picture to enlarge.

3. If planning for overnight in the sabangan area, Ichiban Beach resort offers picnic cottages for rent. Rooms are air conditioned rooms but check it out. (Glenn Puzon)

4. Anghalo Falls. Direction to get there:

1. Get a ride (car, tricycle, bike, carabao cart, etc) or walk from Municipal bldg roughly 2.5 km to point #2 in Karampoan.

2. Get off the road here and start trekking towards Lubong and Lubong Uneg to point #3. Probably take 1/2 hr.

3. This is bottom of Anghalo Falls. There is an approximately 60 ft vertical climb to the top of the falls. Climb(literally) up the cliff till you reach the top.

4. A little ways upstream at the top, you will find a 80x40 ft (approx) big pool of water that is more than a good length of bamboo deep. Maybe 20 ft. You will find a feeder stream further up providing a source of water to the pool and the falls. Somewhere on the left side slope of the stream bank, you may be able to find the marks Anghalo left when he took his drink of water (roughly 200 ft upstream of the falls).  Climb up the right side slope of the stream and you will find that the terrain levels out. This is a good vantage point to view the flat valley that extends to encompass Zambales' "4 Sans" (San Felipe, San Narciso, San Antonio, San Marcelino). This valley (in geologically ancient terms) was a big body of water (bay) that eventually filled with sand over several Pinatubo eruptions (over the last 5000 yrs). This explains why there is so much sand there, yet, it is mountain soil almost everywhere else (except Bucao Valley) in Zambales. Bucao was created by the same geologic process.

Climb the left side slope of the stream and you ascend up to Mt Kimmalogong. Notice the map spells it Quimalogong. This is the Americanized spelling from a local pronunciation. There are no "Q"s in any Pilipino dialect. Therefore Kimmalogong is very much closer to truthful spelling of the mountain. Kimmalogong in ilocano means "had put on a hat", or " had taken the shape of a hat". The top certainly looks like a traditional wide-brimmed extra-full circumference farmer's hat.

There are actually 2 mountains in these range of mountains that are called Kimmalogong. Ours is the smaller of the 2. At the top of Mt Kimmalogong, you will see (on its other side), the Kakilingan and Gorong-goro rivers and valley that extends to Maligaya in Maloma. You now have a 360 degree view of ocean, valleys and mountains. Truly a sight to see. (Gaylord Ugalde) Click on the map to enlarge.

 

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