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Santa Maria is a town in the province of Laguna in the Philippines. It is the province's rice granary and has a burgeoning ecotourism industry in its highland areas.
Understand
[edit | edit source]Formerly known as Caboan, the town was established by the Spanish in 1613 and renamed after its patron saint. Tucked away in the northeasternmost corner of Laguna, on the triboundary with Rizal and Quezon Provinces, it sits on an extensive valley that allows for the growing of various crops, most importantly rice. The construction of Marilaque Highway in its northern areas covered by the Sierra Madre mountains has allowed for better access from Metro Manila and a growing influx of tourists who are seeking less commercialized alternatives to similar highland attractions in neighboring Baras and Tanay.
Orientation
[edit | edit source]Santa Maria town center is wedged in a valley between the Sierra Madre Mountains on three sides and Mabitac to the south. It is bisected by the creek-like Mabitac River, which passes through the center of town.
Get in
[edit | edit source]Downtown Santa Maria is bypassed by the Manila East Road (Route 602), the main thoroughfare in northeastern Laguna. Motorists from Manila enter the town from a winding and mountainous section of the road from Pililla in Rizal. At Nanguma Junction in Mabitac turn left towards Santa Maria. An alternate option is the Marilaque (Marcos) Highway, a winding and forested route running through the Sierra Madre Mountains from Marikina in Metro Manila to Infanta in Quezon Province. At a junction in Barangay Cueva, turn right towards lowland Santa Maria.
Santa Maria is primarily served by tricycles from neighboring towns of Laguna such as Mabitac (Nanguma Junction), Famy, and Siniloan, the latter being the terminus of jeepney routes from Cainta, Tanay, and Santa Cruz. Areas along Marilaque Highway are also served by infrequent buses running between Infanta and Metro Manila.
Get around
[edit | edit source]
Tricycles are the primary means of transportation in lowland Santa Maria, while a 4WD or any suitable vehicle is necessary for highland areas and along Marilaque Highway.
See
[edit | edit source]- 1 Nuestra Señora de los Angeles Parish Church (Santa Maria Church), Real Velasquez Street, Barangay II (at the back of the municipal hall). Santa Maria's main Roman Catholic church, built in 1891 and restored to its present state with its original façade intact following destruction caused by a 1937 earthquake and World War II.
- 2 Three Falls (Marilag Falls, Barok Falls), Laurel. A trio of waterfalls on the same waterway inside the Marilag Ecopark.
- 3 Seven Up Hills, Provincial Road, Talangka. A viewpoint on the road between Marilaque Highway and downtown Santa Maria that offers commanding views of the lowlands down to Laguna de Bay.
Do
[edit | edit source]- 1 Sweet Nature Farms, Macasipac, sweetnaturefarms@gmail.com. An agritourism venue dedicated to growing a wide variety of fruits and vegetables.
Buy
[edit | edit source]- 1 Santa Maria Public Market, Victorina Street, Barangay IV.
Eat
[edit | edit source]Drink
[edit | edit source]Sleep
[edit | edit source]- 1 Shepherd’s Ridge Mountain Resort, Sitio Paang Bundok, Cambuja, ☏ +63 969 268 5989, shepherdsridgephbookings@gmail.com. An ecotourism resort on a 3.2 hectares (7.9 acres) estate with Bali-inspired accommodations, glamping domes, and camping tents. It also offers a wide variety of outdoor recreational activities and a Filipino-Italian restaurant. Non-sleepers can also avail of day tours.
Stay safe
[edit | edit source]The Santa Maria stretch of the Marilaque Highway is a known accident-prone area with its winding curves and the occasional horde of motorcyclists and drag racers turning the road into a playground for stunts they cannot do in Metro Manila.
Connect
[edit | edit source]The town's postal code is 4022.
Cellphone service in parts of the Marilaque Highway can be weak or non-existent.
Go next
[edit | edit source]| Routes through Santa Maria |
| Antipolo ← Tanay ← | W  E | → Infanta |