Biyahero

• The Cathedral of St. Paul the Hermit was first built with light materials by Fr. Mateo Mendoza in 1586. The second church, made of brick and stone, was built in 1629 by Father Hernando Cabrera.  The present building was built in 1714 by Fr. Francisco Eloriaga on a foundation laid down by Fr. Juan Labao in 1680. 
• The Franklin Baker Dessicated Coconut Factory is the world's largest.  
• Villa Escudero, located 10 kms. south of San Pablo City, is an 800-hectare coconut plantation purchased by Placido Escudero and wife Claudia Marasigan in the late 18th century.  Revolutionaries against Spain and America were given shelter here and again in 1941 for Filipino and American soldiers retreating south to Bataan.  Arsenio Escudero also organized a guerilla band during the resistance.  A National Historical Institute marker was installed here in 1984.   The plantation is now tenanted by 300 families and is located along the highway to Lucena City near the Laguna-Quezon (Tiaong) border arch.  It includes the adjoining Quezon towns of Tiaong and Dolores and ends at the foothills of majestic 2,177-m. high Mt.  Banahaw
• The circular Sampaloc Lake, the nearest and most accessible lake, is best viewed from the massive stone balustrade off the street above the lake or the stone benches and picnic tables of the small Doña Leonila Park adjacent to the San Pablo City Hall.  The lake is accessed by an 89-step concrete stairway (built 1912 to 1916).  It is 1 km. across and 27 m. deep and has a fairly large river flowing through it.  A 4-km. cemented peripheral road (Dagatan Drive) encircles the lake which also serves as a walking path.  Around the lake are floating fishpens and cages (bangus and tilapia), water hyacinths (used for sandal weaving) and lakeside restaurants (serving Filipino and Chinese cuisine) standing on piles along the shore.  The massive silhouette of Mt. San Cristobal forms a beautiful background on the east.
• Calibato Lake, located south of Narcarlan Road, it is a 500-m. walk from a dirt track at the entrance of Villa Reyes in Brgy. Sto. Angel.  It also has fishpens and has a fine view of Mt. San Cristobal and Mt. Banahaw.
• The 8.296 q. km. Malabunot Lake, also called Bunot (meaning “coconut husk”) Lake, is located 2.5 kms. along the Nagcarlan Road and can be accessed from the Guia Compound and a short hike to Bunot Lake Resort.
• The small, beautiful and secluded Mohicap Lake is located in a comparatively deep crater without an outlet near a coconut and banana plantation.  It is bordered by some small rice terraces.  Passing by Sampaloc Lake and some small villages, you enter a village where the road is joined by another road coming from your left.  After another km. park your car.  It is a 400-m. walk from the road, behind a slightly elevated coconut grove and a banana plantation.  A small village is located along its shore and you can descend the lake and walk halfway around its shores.  Mt. Nagcarlan overlooks it on the northeast side.
• The steep-sided Palakpakin Lake is drained by the same river that drains Sampaloc Lake.  It is accessible by a 6-km. jeepney ride from the city to Brgy. San Buenaventura.  On the right, after the village, is an access road to the lake.  After less than a km., you cross a bridge and the lake is to your right.  It also has water hyacinths and fishpens.  Here, you can find salambaos, long bamboo rafts with huge nets on one end, used for fishing the waters.  
• Lake Pandin and Lake Yambo are called twin lakes because they are about the same size and share a common ridge on one side. Pandin Lake, located north of Nagcarlan Road, is a 15-min. hike into a coconut plantation. Yambo Lake, located north of Nagacarlan Road, is a further 20-min. hike beyond Lake Pandin.   The crater rim is steep in places and a hike down to the shore requires care and some sliding.A local guide may be necessary to explore both lakes. 
• The AERA Memorial Museum, at Villa Escudero, houses the collections (began on June 29, 1923) of Arsenio and Rosario (nee Adap) Escudero and run by the AERA (acronym of the founders’ names) Memorial Foundation.  It is housed in an exact replica of the beautiful San Francisco Church in Intramuros (destroyed during the liberation of Manila and now occupied by Mapua Institute of Technology).  Its collection of religious art is its main attraction. It non-religious collection include ancient pottery, gilded carrozas (Spanish carriages), oil paintings of rural scenes, life-size dioramas of ethnic tribes, ethnic artifacts and clothing, Muslim wares, antique furniture, secondary burial coffins, a numismatic display of obsolete coins and money, antique furniture, costumes of beauty queens, deep sea diving equipment and astronaut suits.  A walk through our country’s political history is revealed in a display of inaugural suits and gowns of all the past Philippine presidents and their First Ladies.   There is also a Philippine and African beetle collection and beside it, an extensive freshwater, “Golden Cowrie”).  Beside it are dioramas of stuffed rare and some already extinct Philippine fauna.  A granite Chinese fu dog guards the staircase and a properly-identified 22,000-piece butterfly collection is at the ground floor gallery.  Outside are World War II weapons and relics including tanks and cannons. 

• San Pablo was formerly called Sampaloc and San Pablo de los Montes
• It was founded by Fr. Hernando Cabrera in 1678. 
• San Pablo was annexed to Batangas in 1756 by Gov. de Aranda
• It was returned to Laguna in 1848. 
• San Pablo was declared a city on May 7, 1940 by virtue of Commonwealth Act No. 520.

• Area (sq. kms.): 214 
• Population (2000): 207,927
• No. of Barangays: 80
• Income Class: First
• District: Third
• Zip Code: 4000
• Area Code: 049

• The 450-hectare Villa Escudero Plantation and Resort, a Class “AA” resort opened in 1981, has 23 non-air-con cottages with bath, restaurant (Coconut Pavilion), bar, conference rooms, business center, museum, clinic, spring-fed swimming pools, tennis court, game rooms and basketball and volleyball court.  Its Coconut Pavilion has a ceiling made of layers of coconut wood set on large concrete beams.  The Col. P. Escudero Memorial Auditorium features song and dance performances by the Villa Escudero Cultural Troupe. The resort also offers buffet lunches beside man-made Labasin Waterfalls, fishing and bamboo raft rides at the artificial lake (made from the dammed Lagnas River), carabao cart rides and demonstrations on how coconuts are harvested, processed and used.  Manila sales office: 1059 Estrada St., Malate in Manila. Tel: 521-0830, 523-2944 & 523-0392.  Fax: (632) 521-8698.  E-mail: vespar@vasia.com.  Website: www.villaescudero.com.
• Platinum Lodge, a tourist inn along Maharlika Highway in Brgy. Bagong Bayan, has air-con rooms with bath.  Tel: 561-2810-13. Fax:  562-4279.  E-mail: platinumlodge@yahoo.com.
• Alvero's Executive Tourist Inn, in Brgy. San Francisco Calihan, has 24 rooms.  Bukid Garden Resort, in Brgy. Concepcion, has swimming pools and pavilions.  Tel: 562-3746 & 562-0126. 
• Bunot Lake Resort, along Malabunot Lake, has cottages, swimming pool and picnic areas.
• City Inn Hotel, at 126 C. Colago Avenue, has 20 rooms (four air-con rooms with bath, four non-air-con rooms with bath and 12 non-air-con rooms with common bath) and a restaurant.  
• Coco Palace Hotel, along the Maharlika Highway, has air-con rooms with bath.  Tel: 561-2271-72 & 562-2254.  E-mail: info@cocopalacehotel.com.ph.  Website: www.cocopalacehotel.com.ph.
• Countryside Spring Resort, at Brgy. Sto. Angel, has rooms, cottages, swimming pools, conference facilities and campsite.  Tel: 562-3542.  Cel: (0912) 311-9927.        
• Cresta Monte Resort, along Angel Road at Brgy. Sto. Angel, has air-con executive suites, cottages with bath, restaurant, pavilions, cabanas, swimming pools and recreation center.  Tel: 562-8017, 560-4260, 560-7301, 560-3326, 560-3568 & 560-4427.  
• Kalibato Lake Resort, along Lake Callibato, Villa Reyes, has air-con rooms.
• Sampaloc Lake Youth Hostel, along Schetelig Ave. in Efarca Village, along the road to Nagcarlan, has dorm beds and non-air-con single/double rooms with bath.  Tel: 562-3376.
• San Rafael Swimming Pool Resort, in Brgy. San Rafael, is located 2 kms. from the city along the Alaminos Road.  It has non-air-con cottages with bath and two swimming pools.
• Tierra de Oro Resort Hotel, along Maharlika Highway, Brgy. San Antonio, has hotel accommodations, cottages, treehouses, restaurant, swimming pool, function hall, seminar hall, nipa huts and playground.  Tel: 562-3084.
• Bae-Yiw Country Resort is located 5 kms. from the city
• Bato Springs Resort (special interest resort) - Brgy. San Cristobal (tel: 562-0976)
• Cocoland Hotel is located a short distance along the road to Calauan
• Executive Hotel is located along the road to Lucena City
• Fine Rock Hotel - Maharlika Highway (tel: 562-7521)
• Kay Inay Resort - Colago Ave.
• Mohicap Lake Resort - Brgy. San Buenaventura
• San Francisco Inn - Brgy. San Francisco Calihan (tel: 562-8098)
• Star Lake Resort - Sitio 4, Brgy. San  Buenaventura, near Lake Mohicap (tel: 562-0484)
• Siesta Residencia de Arago - Green Valley Subdivision (tel: 562-0647 & 562-0650)

Distances (San Pablo City to): 

• Manila: 88 kms. (2 hrs., Batangas Laguna Tayabas Bus Co., Inland Trailways, JB Bicol Express, Philtranco and Superlines)
• Los Baños: (30 mins., jeepneys)

• City Mayor's Office - City Hall (tel: 562-3635)

• Second Week of January (Coconut Festival) - features different products made from coconut
• January 25 (St. Paul) -  features a parade and carnival

• Bank of the Philippine Islands - M. Paulino St. (tel:  562-7903, 562-0425 & 562-6844, fax: 562-5509)
  
• Bank of the Philippine Islands - cor. Rizal Ave. and Bonifacio St. (tel: 562-0765-67, fax: 562-0640)
• Equitable PCI Bank - G/F, Farcon Bldg., Rizal Ave. cor. Lopez Jaena St..

• Tel: 46-1115

• Tel: 46-1115

• Tel: 46-1115