Imagine being on top of everything else where you can experience a 360-degree bird’s eye view of the place, well imagine no more! If you happen to be in Masbate City, Mt. Mayong-Payongwill definitely give you all of that. Trip to this newest tourist destination is recommendable and worth it since it will not take too much time to get there and not to mention that the scenery is spectacular.
Mayong-Payong is just 20-minutes habal-habal ride from Masbate City to jump-off and from there you have two options to reach the Summit. If you’re an adventurer and have a lot of free time in your itinerary, trekking is for you. Being a casual mountaineer I can rate it as an easy climb with minor ascend, also, you might want to consider the weather since the trail tends to get muddy during rainy season. If you don’t want the hassle of walking and does not have the luxury of time, the other option is to rent habal-habal from the jump-off and it will take you to the summit in less than 25 minutes. The short ride is thrilling due to slippery muddy trail so be cautious on your gadget and valuables, the best thing to do is to enjoy the scenery and trust your driver. There are signs of trail widening and flattening which indicates road construction project may seem to happen in the area.
I was in awe while wandering around the summit which able me to see the whole city of Masbate, neighboring island and its geographical landscape. Looking at the hills covered by green grass and the vastness of the sea makes you ponder how rich Masbate when it comes to natural resources and more reason to protect it. For tourist to enjoy the Mayong -Payong, the local government built a tower deck, cottages which resembles bahay kubo or nipa hut, and swings. As of my visit, there were no store available in the area so you may want to bring foods and especially water. I noticed installed solar panel which indicates their main source of electricity. I think the best time to be in Mayong-Payong is during sunset or sunrise and if you are planning to go overnight, you may opt to bring tent and camp there or you can rent cottages for Php 200.00 each per night.
Editor’s Note:
- Make sure to fully charge your power bank and gadgets.
- Use basic protection for: skin = sunblock, eyes = shades, hair = cap, feet = trekking / hiking shoes or sandals.
- Please observe the golden rule LNT “LEAVE NO TRACE” and CAYGO “CLEAN AS YOU GO”.
Overall Expenses & Contact Persons:
Exploring Mt. Mayong-Payong is part of my Masbate City escapade, to see the details of my overall expenses and contact persons in this trip please click here: Travel Guide: Masbate City.
