Montalban Travels: the clear waters of the Blue Rock Lagoon

Montalban, being a big town and teeming with natural resources like mountains and forests, has its fair share of hidden gems that are just starting to be discovered by locals and 'outsiders' alike. One of the places that is becoming more and more popular is the Blue Rock Lagoon. I first saw this place from my brother's or my cousins' pictures back in 2017, but early this year, I had the chance to see for myself the clear waters that this brook boasts. 

A spontaneous trip to the Blue Rock Lagoon

Schedules were tight. I was actually at the Bureau of Quarantine that morning to get the polio vaccine. And on the way home by noon, the idea to go to the Blue Rock just popped up and I asked my brother Andrew if he was available. (Thankfully he was. My next days were already scheduled for an important trip). 

It was almost 4 PM when we left our house, and I already expected that I wouldn't have much time to enjoy the place. But partly, I was expecting to have the place to ourselves for a human-free photography session, and to get some golden light. 

How to get to the Blue Rock Lagoon

The Blue Rock Lagoon is located at these coordinates: 14.79417, 121.17306.




You can find your way to the Blue Rock Lagoon via Google Maps.

If you can't use your phone for some reason, you should at least be able to go to the San Isidro National High School and from there, look for the cockpit arena (sabungan). The road parallel to a stream (more like a canal) and to the cockpit arena leads to Blue Rock (the aggregate company). This is also where the road starts to turn bad.

I forgot to time our travel, but from our house, it took us around 40-50 minutes to get there. You will have to pass through rough roads which are also used by big trucks, so be a bit careful about that.

You would know you're on the right track after traveling so far when you see sign boards indicating your distance to the Blue Rock.

You would know you're near the Blue Rock Lagoon when you reached the mahogany forest (tbv). It's a shaded path with lots of mahogany trees around and is actually a nice place to take photos from.

You would know you are at the Blue Rock Lagoon because someone will meet you even before you could park properly and ask for the entrance fee. Parang tatakbuhan si kuya ih!

Why Blue Rock Lagoon... or stream?

The place probably got its name for its proximity to the Blue Rock Aggregates Corporation, a destruction company, no less, that you will pass by on the way to the stream.

Blue Rock Aggregates Corporation, Sitio Lukutan Malaki, Bgy. San Isidro, Rodriguez, Rizal

However, Blue Rock Lagoon is not a lagoon, but a brook or a small stream. For some reason, Filipinos associate and apply the word 'lagoon' to a body of water that resembles a pool. But, suit yourself and call it whatever you want. This section is actually only written to mention the Blue Rock Aggregates Corporation and add its name on the Internet, because apparently, there's very little info available about it.

Anyway. Prepare your 15 pesos (and 10 for kids).

Enter the Blue Lagoon

I've seen better streams in Montalban but Blue Rock Lagoon has its own charm. It's deep-ish pool will make you want to jump and dive in. It's probably more crystal-clear during high noon, but still, at that time, the bottom of the brook ---the sand and the rocks--- are very much visible.

There are shallow parts where kids can safely enjoy the waters coming from the mountains.

I'll stop describing the place and continue with the photos.

Photos from the phone

Blue Rock 400 meters away.

Mahogany pathway.

Mahogany forest.

We haven't even parked yet when we were met by this guy and asked for the entrance fee. Kyah, pembarya.

Wasted no time and started shooting the place.

More or less, this is how the water looked like at that time, without editing.

More from the bigger camera

I honestly wouldn't mind shooting only with the phone's camera if not only of the slow-shutter of the DSLR.

 Photos from the forest

We left the place and stopped by the Eastwood bridge because I wanted to watch and take photos of the sky during dusk.

Conclusion

Compared to the photos I've seen before, overall the place isn't that beautiful anymore. The water looked much cleaner and clearer about two years ago.

Though, Blue Rock Lagoon still a really a nice place for families and friends to go to. I often hear others who've been there that it's too far. And that's a good thing. Otherwise, it would be easy for people to reach it and the place might become too commercialized. The locals residing there are still able to maintain and clean the vicinity. Let's hope it stays that way.

I am more worried about the extent that the quarrying in that place has reached.