There is a lake nestled in a mountainous part of Laguna. It is a beautiful body of water. It is called Lake Caliraya and it encompasses the towns of Kalayaan, Cavinti and Lumban. It is actually a man-made lake built by the Americans to serve as a dam where hydro electric power is sourced.
Taking the Manila East Road, it is about 80 kilometers of good roads from Metro Manila. One passes through the sleepy towns of Mabitac, Famy, Pangil, Pakil, Paete, Kalayaan and finally begins the ascent at Lumban. The uphill climb provides the traveler an astounding view of Laguna de Bay.
There are several resorts located around Lake Caliraya. There is Lagos Del Sol which is a first class hotel. Other resorts are Lake Caliraya Country Club, CaliRana Resort, Caliraya Springs and Caliraya Hilltop. They have clean rooms and complete facilities. Company outings are regularly held there.
At Lake Caliraya, one takes in fresh, unpolluted mountain air while enjoying the majestic views of the vast Sierra Madre Mountain Range and the other mountains of Laguna. One will surely enjoy fishing or boating at the clear waters of Lake Caliraya. There is so much peace and quiet throughout the day.
About three hundred meters away from the lake is a beautiful Japanese Garden built in memory of those who perished during WWII. The garden occupies about 12 hectares of flat land and rolling hills. It was built with the support of the Japanese government which shelled out millions.
Lake Caliraya provides one a break from the hustle and bustle of city life. With serene surroundings, a clean, clear lake and a big, beautiful garden, what more can the fastidious guest ask for ? Nada mas, nada mas.
- Konted
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| The road that leads to Lake Caliraya. You turn left at the national highway in Lumban if you take the Manila East Road route. You turn right if you prefer the SLEX-Los Banos-Sta Cruz route. |
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| The uphill climb to Lake Caliraya begins. Travel time from the national highway to the lake itself is about 15 minutes. |
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| Panoramic view of Laguna de Bay on the way up to Lake Caliraya |
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| A big bird glides and sways against the tropic sky. |
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| Lake Caliraya |
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| There are private houses near Lake Caliraya. |
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| You take a boat ride to the other side of Lake Caliraya where some of the resorts are located. |
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| You can spend the whole day just gazing and gazing around. |
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| The monitoring station at Lake Caliraya. The water level is monitored by Napocor authorities from time to time. |
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| More houses at the eastern side of the lake |
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| A beautiful park near the lake and near the main road |
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| Motor boat berthed near the ramp |
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| Boat for hire |
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| The water level of the lake last week was above the normal level. |
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| A campaign poster of Grace Poe is nailed to a tree. When i asked the boatman about Grace Poe, he answered: "Anak po ni FPJ. Sigurado po mananalo yan." Grace Poe emerged as the topnotcher in the May 13 polls. |
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| A minibus transports passengers from Lake Caliraya to the capital town of Sta. Cruz. |
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| Old photo of Lake Caliraya taken in 1996 when Albert was only 7 years old. The water level on that day was way below the normal level. |
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| The Japanese Garden near the lake. |
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| An afternoon meal at Kainan sa Tabing Lawa on our way home. It is very near Laguna de Bay . |
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| Kanduli sa Miso |
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| Pritong Dalag |
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| Kanduli sa Miso #2 |
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| Food delights |
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| Plain rice |
