The Seven Lakes of San Pablo: Laguna's Ideal Destination for Field Trips

Of all the places in Laguna, San Pablo City is the most ideal for field trips. It is home to seven crater lakes, each found in a different location and each with distinct characteristics.

The most accessible is Sampaloc Lake, located right behind the San Pablo City Hall. It is the largest of the seven lakes and has the most fish pens. It is classified as a eutrophic lake because it is shallow and saucer-shaped, which makes it rich in nutrients.

Another eutrophic lake is Bunot Lake. Its name comes from bunot, the Tagalog word for coconut husk, because people living around the lake make a living from husking coconuts. Houses line the edge of the lake, and the families there depend on it for their livelihood. This also explains why it is considered the most polluted of the seven.

On the other hand, Calibato Lake is located on the highest point of San Pablo. To reach it, you need to trek across a quarried mountain and go down a cliff. Its water has a slight odor, but it is not as strong as Bunot Lake's. It is categorized as a mesotrophic lake because it is deeper than the first two. Mesotrophic lakes are often described as plate-shaped in terms of depth.

Among the seven, Pandin Lake is the most visited. It is located in Brgy. Sto. Angel, about a twenty-minute walk from the main road. It is guitar-shaped and about 180 feet deep, which is why it is classified as an oligotrophic lake — deep, clear, and low in nutrients. Fifteen families live along its shore and depend on fishing and bamboo rafting for their daily needs.

Another oligotrophic lake and the most challenging to find is Pandin's twin, Yambo Lake. You have to trek up a steep and slippery hill to get there. The lake can only be viewed from the top of the hill, as there is no trail going down. Unlike the other lakes, no one lives along its margin, which is why it is considered the cleanest of all.

Mohicap and Palakpakin Lakes are the most difficult to reach due to their remote locations. These seven lakes were formed by the eruptions of three volcanoes that surround San Pablo: Mt. Cristobal, known as the Devil's Mountain; Mt. Banahaw, known as the Sacred Mountain; and Mt. Makiling. All three were once active volcanoes.

Today, these lakes attract tourists from different parts of the world and provide a livelihood for the people of San Pablo City.