Lake behind the Mountains Lake Holon/Maughan

panorama at the lake using my iphone

Crystal clear water, fresh air, adventure and amazing experience what makes Lake Holon/Maughan(dried) unique from other lakes around the world. Located at the heart of South Cotabato. A lake behind mountains, enchanted and where the rich culture of T’boli came from. I’ve seen it myself after 3hours of bus ride and 3 hours of trekking. Yup it’s a tiring walkathon, down and uphill terrain up there but it’s all worth it.

Where did you know that place?

my co-mountaineers in our cute group picture.

 Ahmmmm my co-mountaineers always telling me story of a lake at the Municipality of T’boli. They told me that the lake was so great and taking pictures there would be so nice, until then I dreamed of going to that place. My trek to Mt.Parker makes me more fascinated of the lake when I've seen its bird eye view up the mountains where it was hidden. My fascination of that place what made me decides to join the 11^th Eco-trek of Earth Island to Lake Holon/Maughan.

tilapia for our breakfast, lunch and dinner.

Preparation?

our buss soo strong

Preparations where done just like mountaineers I travel lightly. I just brought with me 2shirt, 1 pants, 1 short, bonnet, sleeping bag, tent, jacket, 6meal equivalent of food, shoes, slippers, some chocolates, and my photography equipment’s, my Nikon D90 with tokina 11-16 f2.8 and nikkor 35mm 1.8g, flash, nd filters, remote, tripod and also my iphone 4s as my hand cam because my DSLR are packed on my bag and for easy picture taking purposes also.

The Lake Legends

my picture in the lake.

I was so fascinated to t'boli culture so as the legend of this lake. Long time ago a witch named Unsak lead its follower to the lake because she prophesied that the end is near and they will ascend to heaven they jump of the lake promising eternal life. After then they have never been seen. Mourns of the followers still echoes the lake so it is where the name holon came from which means "portal to heaven".

my co-mountainers cooking our delicious arozcaldo

The experience

Our itinerary is shown above. It is what we all did in the lake but also we did some fun. At the first
day trekking to the lake is so KAPOOOY(tiring). Every time I encountered uphill terrain I stop and rest for 10mins and just told myself there’s nothing to hurry it’s not a race (low stamina alibi). After about 2 and a half hour walk descending terrain awaits you it’s about a 30mins walk. Then when you arrived the lake you just say wow.

jumping off the lake with friends is so fun.

I didn’t make myself a photographer seeking for photo entry WTF shoot the whole time but rather I sleep and sleep. All I can say the lake is enchanted because it makes my eye brows bend down and tell me to sleep. Yup your right I eat sleep, shoot and swim there. Visiting to such place helped me relaxed and relieved from problems and sorrows at the city it makes me more in love of exploring more places makes me think that GOD up above made the world so mysterious waiting for us to be explored.

me jumping off the lake. just like a frog

The lakes water is so deep and so abundant with life forms such as tilapia, sword fish, carp, guppy, and also it’s so refreshing. Jumping to its cold water whole day pays the tiring trekking and never to mention the free fish spa when you just deep your body at the lake. Truly a nice places to hang out with friends, family and even love ones. Sad to say this June 2014 it will be closed to public for preservation purposes and will be re-opened on March 2015.

P.S

orientation with the D.O.T of t'boli before ascending.

Let’s make every natural wonders preserved for our siblings. Let’s not leave garbage at the lake, don’t use soap and shampoo while taking a bath or other chemicals on the lake and never ever cut trees and always respect the culture of the natives.

(c)

Michelle Ann Chua

sunrise appears on the spot of holon at 8am to 9am.

the lake is abundant of tilapia which what natives sell for living.

we played parlor games in holon.

refill your water here the water taste so good and so refreshing

bingo playing more fun in Lake holon

fun time playing bingo at lake( we are only the noisiest group there)

flowers down the road

try this when you got to lake. ziplockyour iphone and jump to the lake and have a selfie at the middle of the lake.