Mount Malasimbo

Mount Malasimbo is included in the chain of mountains of the Northern Mindoro together with Mts. Alinbayan, Calavite, and Talipanan. It dominates the skyline of the famous beaches of Puerto Galera. Mount Malasimbo is home to a wide range of flora and fauna: deers, wild boars, and rare varieties of birds.

Meet the Mangyans

The mountain is the home of the Mangyan tribes. An encounter with this indigenous people serves as part of the experience of climbing Mount Malasimbo. However, majority of the Mangyans have embraced modern culture and have donned contemporary clothing.

In order to reach the peak of the mountain, one would have to travel to Puerto Galera since most climbers like to take a dip at the beach first before making the climb. A normal climb to Malasimbo would need three days. For the hardcore climber, successive treks to Alinbayan, Malasimbo, and Talipanan is a viable option. Starting off at Brgy. Tabinay, the tour will take two and a half days.

A Trip With a View

From the top of Mount Malasimbo, one would see the whole of Puerto Galera as well as Verde Island. Aside from that, the peaks and southern beaches of Batangas is worth viewing as well. Of course, the dome-shaped peak of the mountain is worth seeing as well. The road to the top becomes steep from the water source at first but after that the climb will be relatively easy.

To climb comfortably, climbers should assume daylight until 6 oclock in the evening. However, during the rainy season, a conservative schedule should be followed and an easy trip would require an early morning climb the following day. It would be advisable to ask the help of the local residents where the starting point going to Mount Malasimbo is.

As mentioned above, there are steep portions of the climb. This includes the area after the water source. Another treacherous portion of the trail is the forested area between the basecamp and summit. Advanced planning is vital to climbers.

How Long Will it Take?

The trip to Mount Malasimbo will cover a total time of 4-5 hours. Climbing during the day is likely if the climbers are billeted in Puerto Galera. There is no need to secure a permit when climbing the mountain as well as in other hiking venues.

In case of emergency, there are two medical clinics operating 24 hours with licensed physicians. They are available for home and resort consultations. One clinic is found in Sabang Beach while the other is in White Beach.

Although there is another Mount Malasimbo in Zambales, it is not as famous as the one in Puerto Galera.