Mambukal Mountain Resort - Murcia, Negros Occidental

Written By DANLEY on Thursday, April 17, 2014 | 8:41:00 PM

If you ask some local tourists in our country where they can find the best mountain resort in our country. We will always come up with the same answer, and its on the mountainous swimming resorts on Mount Makiling in Laguna. People have already tried it many times because of its easy accesibility in Manila but we found out this infamous mountain resort in the Visayan region in Negros Occidental. With its location on Mount Kanlaon, this resort named Mambukal Mountain Resort is one of the must-go locations when you're in Bacolod City or even in the Negros island.

The entrance at Mambukal Resort

The resort is located 1,200ft above sea level in the foot of Mount Kanlaon and serves as a gateway of the Mount Kanlaon Natural Park. The resort was originally built as a small bathhouse and garden by a Japanese named Kokichi Paul Ishiwata in 1927. It is accessible to Bacolod City by a 35-minute drive passing through the small town of Murcia before going up to the resort in the mountain.  The resort is known to its cold weather (due to the fact that it's on the mountainsides), hot springs, sulfur formations, and its cut through by a mountain stream coming from the seven waterfalls in Mount Kanlaon that leads to the lagoon in the center of the resort where visitors can go boating.

The hot sulfur dipping pool
©Mambukal website

The kiddie and adult pools
©Mambukal website

Mambukal also has its swimming pools dedicated for kids and adults alike. Included in their pool line up is their dipping pool where people can take a bath on the hot water spring of Mount Kanlaon. Aside from the swimming pools, there are also different activities in the resort like wall climbing, slide for life, and a visit to the orchid gardens of the resort (Known by locals as the Butterfly Garden). The final activity that can be done in the resort is the trek to the seven falls. Visitors can hire local guides which will guide them to a trek going upwards to pass the seven falls of the Mount Kanlaon. This trek is quite dangerous and tough especially in rainy days. There are previous records of deaths in this trek when the resort is still not yet fully developed at the past so visitors are strictly enforced to follow the guide's instructions and the signs on the mountain trail. Despite of the reputation of the trek to the seven falls, its a must try for first timer visitors of Mambukal.

Photo of one of the seven waterfalls that is on Mambukal Resort.
©Mambukal website

If you're in Bacolod City and you're looking out for a good hangout time, I suggest you try going to Mambukal. For more information about the rates, feel free to check out their official website http://mambukal.negros-occ.gov.ph/