“I won’t promise it’s painless yet I swear it’s cool atop Ligñon.”
True, your heart would pound. Shortness of breath is a reality for every attempt at ascent. But I don’t think you’ll have a heart attack.
It took me 30 minutes to reach the summit of Ligñon Hill. Though tiny compared to the imposing Mayon, never underestimate its steepness. You’ll break a sweat and you might need to pause for a break twice or thrice.
A hike to Ligñon Hill is like a brief penance rewarded by the magnificent view of Mayon, the thrill of ziplining or hanging bridge crossing, a creepy yet curious side trip inside a 50-foot Japanese tunnel and the therapeutic effect of souvenir shopping.
Truth be told, leaving Ligñon Hill nature park is the hardest part.
What My Local Guide Has to Say About Ligñon Hill
My guide (whose name I can’t give, in respect for his privacy) didn’t like Ligñon Hill Nature Park. He said the local government shouldn’t be charging people who visit the spot for leisurely walk.
At the entrance booth, the staff asked if we were joggers. We didn’t have the running shoes to prove we were. Moral of the story: always wear your running shoes – you never know when you can get a P20 discount at parks in Legazpi, particularly at Ligñon Hill.) Try it and see if you could get in without a fee – just for fun.
On our way up, I saw the tunnel on the side. He smirked when I said I wanted to go inside and check. He said the tunnel was a fake one ( That’s when it dawned on me that he was frowning at my ignorance).
As his story went, that tunnel was built to feed the imagination of tourists. My guide and his friends used to climb this hill weekly before it was improved as a nature park but they never saw this tunnel. Meaning, the Japanese tunnel just miraculously appeared out of nowhere.
Upon reaching the top the hill, I was relieved that my guide’s mood had changed a bit. He was smiling more. And sharing more. He said he’d like to go abroad to seek his fortune and build a restaurant. And then he told (more like scolded) me about the difference between pinangat and laing – he mentioned other Bicol delicacies I never heard of before.
It was getting dark so we had to leave the park. I must say Ligñon Hill was well worth the hike, which culminates at this scenic view of Mayon. 
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