Our national hero, Dr. Jose Rizal, once mentioned Isla de Talim in one of his novels. The dagger-shaped island sits quietly in the vastness of Laguna Lake. No wonder Dr. Rizal was familiar with the island. While his works are fictional, Talim Island is real and accessible.
The island is geographically located in the province of Rizal. Administratively, the municipalities of Binangonan and Cardona hold the jurisdiction in Talim. From Ortigas and/or Cubao, the Binangonan Fish Port is approximately two hours away. Depending on which barangay you will dock, the boat ride duration from the port to Talim Island ranges from 30-90 minutes; the boat fare is 15-60 pesos. You can rent the whole boat for personal use, too; just haggle with the pump boat operator.
Lately, Talim Island has been gaining popularity due to the influx of trekkers and bikers who want to explore Mt. Tagapo, but the island and its barangays offer more.
Check out these 10 exciting activities to complete your Talim Island experience.
10 Must-Try Activities to Complete Your Ultimate Talim Island Experience
10. Biking
Photo credit: Facebook/cjhaymamaradlo
You can hike Mt. Tagapo with a bike or go barangay hopping. About 17 barangays are interconnected by paved roads, so you can savor the beauty of the island.
9. Taking stunning photos
Photo credit: Facebook/Paperwall Studio
Photo credit: Facebook/Paperwall Studio
We had our prenup photo shoot in Talim Island and we were not disappointed. It has the perfect natural backdrop – water, clear sky, mountains and lots of bamboo grass – simply beautiful! It’s a good location to savor nature’s beauty and take souvenir photos in the process.
8. Birdwatching
You can catch different kinds of birds in the area. According to Greenpeace, there are about 181 species of birds that thrive in the areas surrounding Laguna Lake. Some of these are the herons, kingfishers, flowerpeckers, and malkoha.
7. DIY hot springs
Talim Island has an inactive volcano; arguably, this could be Mt. Tagapo’s peak. As such, there are areas in Talim with hot springs. Check out Brgy. Tabon and Binitigan. The water from the artesian well is hot – reminiscent of the hot springs in Pansol, Laguna.
6. Lunch in a floating house
Residents of Talim Island are fishermen. Some of them own a fish pen or look after a fish farm. Stilt houses abound in the lake. You can ask a boatman for referrals, so you can go to one of these houses and have lunch there. The price will depend on your negotiation with the owner or caretaker. You can even get it for free if you are fortunate enough.
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