| Mid-range restaurant | USD 15.95 |
| Oranges (1kg) | USD 2.13 |
| Cinema, international release, 1 seat | USD 4.10 |
| Utilities (Electricity, Heating, ...) for medium apartment | USD 86.62 |
| Water bottle (0.33 liter) | USD 0.36 |
| Eggs (12) | USD 1.50 |
| Apples (1kg) | USD 2.12 |
| Apartment (3 bedrooms) outside of centre | USD 249.99 |
| Potato (1kg) | USD 1.57 |
| Fitness club, monthly fee for 1 adult | USD 35.00 |
One of the oldest cities in the Philippines, San Pablo is a thriving city in the southern part of Metro Manila. This city is part of the Laguna province of the Region IV A region or CALABRAZON. The city is about 82 kilometers from Metro Manila. The name of this town came from the Spanish missionaries, their patron saint, St. Paul. The city is located at the foothills of Mt. Banahaw and Mt. Cristobal (these are the some of the attractions to visit and you can ask the locals why).
As a foreign tourist, you can go to San Pablo by bus or by car. But first, you will enter the country by plane through the Ninoy Aquino International Airport. From the airport, you can hire a taxi that will bring you to the bus terminals of the buses traveling to and from San Pablo. Taxi drivers know that place because it is a central terminal wherein different bus operators have terminals adjacent to one another. Once in the city proper, you can tour or explore around by making arrangements with your hotel. They can arrange a car for you so you can tour around comfortably. If you want to do it on your own, use the jeepneys and tricycles. Taxis are uncommon, so ask the hotel receptionist about the route and what jeep to ride. Keep in mind that jeepneys here have signs in front announcing their destination.
As stated earlier, the Mountains of Cristobal and Banahaw are major attractions here. The locals here believe that the Mt. Banahaw is a mountain of positive energy, while the Mt. Cristobal is the opposite. You can say the Banahaw is the good and the Cristobal is the bad and there are many claims about paranormal activities here. So, if you like paranormal activities, hike here. The city is surrounded by 7 lakes, and hence, it is dubbed as “The City of Seven Lakes”. You can enjoy outdoor activities around these lakes such as walking, biking, picnic or even fishing. You can also visit Leonila Park and the St. Paul Cathedral. For more tourist attractions, you can go to the tourism office located at the city hall in downtown.
There are hotels in San Pablo that are great for backpackers. Also, you can find cheap flights to San Pablo via Metro Manila through package tours from travel agencies.