The Location 

 

Caliraya Lake is actually situated in the three towns of Laguna, namely Lumban, Cavinti, and Kalayaan. It is a man-made mountain lake complete with coves and sand bars that we could boast internationally. More than that, it is also a home of several beautiful resorts. You could reach Caliraya by -public or -private transport. There are several ways to reach this place, but here are the two of it.

 

 

 

One from Makati through the South Expressway and the other, from Antipolo, which you could took the zigzagging through the thickly forested rolling hills and rugged ridges of Rizal towns of Teresa, Morong, Baras, Famy and all the way to Laguna towns of Pillilia, Sinoloan, Pangil, Pakil, Paete and finally Lumban where the unique lake is located. The travel time to a distance of about over a hundred kilometers from Manila was two-and-a-half hours by going there privately and of course, much long if you take it publicly.

 

Brief History 

 

Caliraya Lake and the less publicized Lake Lumot that connects it are the results of an infrastructure project. It is actually a large reservoir built in late 1930s  by the American engineers to supply water to the Caliraya Hydroelectric Plant. At present became a major tourist destination. As the dams were constructed, entrepreneurs with foresight created two adjacent communities which were envisioned to be ecological communities, where one can enjoy the beauty and richness of unspoiled nature. The results were man-made mountain lakes complete with coves and sand bars - Caliraya Lake and Sierra Lakes.

In fact, the two lakes are the only place in the whole country where Philippine anglers can attempt to catch the famed Largemouth Black Bass, one of the top freshwater gamefish of the United States of America. The Americans also seeded the lake with Largemouth Black Bass imported from the United States of America, which continue to proliferate and provide game fishers with year-round weekend excitement.

 

 

The waters of Caliraya Lake are cool and measures about fifty meters at its deepest. The lake extends and roves over partly submerged hills which form islands. The shores are of sticky red clay on some areas and pebbled on other areas. The deep waters of the lake and the strong mountain breeze that blows from the Sierra Madre Mountain Ranges and the distant Mount Banahaw, make Caliraya Lake a perfect place for aqua sports such as  boating, wind surfing and water skiing.

 

The lake is also ideal for game fishing as fairly large game fish swim here. A boat trip around the lake is also available that would take about four hours. One of the resort there is perched on top of a low-lying mountain overlooking the lake and commands a spectacular view of the lake and three great mountains: Banahaw, Cristobal and Makiling as well as the tail part of Laguna de Bay.

 

Caliraya is a place where you can relax luxuriously - take a boat ride, fishing, water ski, or windsail. Or, you can just explore the surrounding forest or simply enjoy the cool breeze, enjoy the sun and wind. An ideal place for winding down after all that hectic and fast-pace life in the city, or a getaway place with your partner, friends, and families. So if you have time, why don't you visit the excellent place there for you to have a wonderful and unforgettable experience!

 

 

Upon visiting the Caliraya Lake in Laguna, there are two options for you to choose from, depending on your location, your type of transportation, public or private, or if you want a shorter time or course in going there. One is via the South Luzon Express Way while the other one is via Antipolo.

* From Metro Manila bus station, take a bus with a signboard of Sta.Cruz in Laguna and get off at the Pagsawitan, Pagsanjan terminal. Then, take a jeepney- or tricycle- ride that brings to you to the Sta. Cruz terminal. The jeepney will pass thru Pagsanjan, it will turn left then pass thru Lumban, turn to the right to climb the mountain road to Caliraya where you can find of course the Caliraya Lake with different resorts along with it. 

 

Laguna Province Accessibility

Major bus companies here in the city have its trip to the well developed roads to and from Metro Manila and within the CALABARZON (Cavite-Laguna-Batangas-Rizal-Quezon) on a regular basis. Bus terminals are located at Buendia and Taft Avenue and EDSA in Pasay City.

* Eastern route: In this route, you must take the Ortigas Avenue through the towns of Rizal and onward to the eastern towns of Laguna through the Laguna de Bay road network.

* Southern route: In this particular route, the South Expressway is the main artery, with exits at San Pedro, Biñan, Sta Rosa, Cabuyao and Calamba in Laguna.

* Calabarzon route: The highway system and well-developed road network of this region links the neighboring provinces with ease and convenience for tourism, trade and commerce.