Calamba

Calamba is a city in Laguna, Philippines, a major economic, transportation, and tourist hub in the Calabarzon region. It is the birthplace and ancestral location of the Philippines' National Hero, Jose Rizal, and one barangay, Pansol, is home to various hot spring resorts near Mount Makiling.

Understand

Calamba City is a regional center for Laguna and the Calabarzon region; it lies 50 km (31 mi) from Manila and houses many businesses, tourist attractions, colleges and universities, transport stations, and industries. The city houses the Philippine national hero Jose Rizal's mansion, and Pansol, a barangay with many private hot spring resorts at the foot of Mount Makiling.

The city's history is traced back to the Spanish era. Calamba is formed from the barrio of Sucol of Tabuko (present-day Cabuyao), and in the 1800s, the Dominican friars divided up their hacienda and gave it to locals, including Jose Rizal's family. Calamba was also a scene of a Japanese war crimes during World War II: 2,000 civilians were murdered and raped by Japanese soldiers in the barrio of Real and St. John the Baptist Parish church was burned down. The city gained cityhood in 2001 after president Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo signed the Calamba City Charter Act (Republic Act 9024) and locals won a majority in the following plebiscite.

Orientation

The city is divided into 54 barangays, including 7 forming the Poblacion. Calamba's Poblacion is the commercial heart of the city; the congested Calamba Crossing between Maharlika Hwy (Rte 1, also Real Rd up to SLEx) and Rte 66 (or National Hwy locally) lies there. Barangay Pansol, near the boundary of Los Baños is home to many private resorts, both big and small. Canlubang, a large residential barangay, has, the majority of the Nuvali mixed-use development (the remainder lies in Cabuyao and Santa Rosa), Camp Vicente Lim, and two industrial parks.

Get in

By bus

Calamba is a major stopover for buses headed for South Luzon

• 1 JAM/Philtranco, Maharlika Highway, Turbina, ☏ +63 917 524 6337. A large, covered bus station which primarily serves JAM, Philtranco and Amihan buses. The station is undergoing renovations to add air-conditioned lounges, showers, further retail space, and rooms for overnight stays. (updated Nov 2020)

In addition to the JAM/Philtranco bus station, there are also other bus companies with stops at Turbina, all not far away from each other. The terminals themselves are only used for southbound buses, and northbound, buses stop at the Flying V gas station across the highway from the JAM bus terminal

• Bobis Liner/Elavil Tours. (updated Nov 2020)
• DLTBCo. (near Shell), ☏ +63 49 520 5582. (updated Nov 2020)
• JAC Liner/LLi (directly in front of Angel's Nest). Stop also serves ALPS, Ceres, Dela Rosa, Gold Star, JAPS and P&O Transport buses. Stop has a simple waiting area and restrooms. (updated Nov 2020)
• Superlines, Purok 2, Turbina (Beside Petron), ☏ +63 933 942 1373. (updated Nov 2020)

If getting down directly at the city proper, around the Calamba Laguna Crossing:

• HM Transport, National Hwy cor Carnation St, Barangay 1 Poblacion (directly in front of Joy Hotel). (updated Nov 2020)
• JAPS, National Hwy, Real (beside CMC). (updated Nov 2020)
• Saint Rose, Km 50 National Hwy, Barangay 1 Poblacion (beside Teodora Building). Has one large shelter with an attached Ministop (updated Nov 2020)
• 1 SM City Calamba Transport Terminal, National Highway, Calamba Crossing (part of SM City Calamba (see #Buy).). (updated Nov 2023)

By Turbina Calamba Province Of Laguna Crossing route:

• Alaminos, Province Of Laguna
• San Pablo, Province Of Laguna
• Santo Tomas, Batangas 1st Class Industrian Component City in Province Of Batangas
• Port Of Batangas City
• Province Of Batangas
• Southern Province of Quezon Province
• Bicol Region
• Bondoc Peninsula Quezon
• Mauban, Quezon Province
• Province Of Laguna (Rizal, Laguna)

By Real Calamba Province Of Laguna Crossing route:

• Santa Cruz, Capital Province Of Laguna (Mainland)
• Rizal Province (Mainland)
• Dr. Jose Rizal Museum formely House Of Our Late Filipino Hero Doctor Calamba, Laguna.

By jeepney

From Manila, you can take either the traditional T420 or the 414 jeepney routes, both starting from Alabang. Both routes terminate at Alabang, and take the expressway.

There are also jeepneys from Santa Rosa, Santa Cruz and San Pablo

By train

Philippine National Railways has a station in Calamba, on the South main line from Manila. Service is limited to evening and morning commuter trains, and travel by train is not practical until the existing railway line is modernized.

• 2 Calamba-PNR Station, Rizal Street. Served by several air-conditioned trains between Manila and Los Baños (IRRI), and a night train from Manila. Long-distance services are cancelled since 2015. It is also the future terminus of the new electrified mainline running up to Malolos in Bulacan, Clark International Airport in Pampanga, and Capas in Tarlac. (updated Nov 2023)

By car

Calamba is a major crossroads; it serves as an important junction for South Luzon Expy (SLEX, E2), Maharlika Hwy (Rte 1), and Rte 66 (officially Calamba-Santa Cruz-Famy Rd, locally National Hwy). SLEx has four exits: Silangan (exit 45), Canlubang/Mayapa (exit 47), Batino (exit 49), and Calamba (exit 50); the section between the Calamba toll plaza and Ayala Greenfield toll plaza has no exit toll gates. Rte 66 runs from Pagsanjan at Calamba, while Maharlika Hwy (Rte 1), the older toll-free highway paralleling SLEx, runs through the centers of the cities in northwestern Laguna (as the National Hwy) and enters Batangas at Santo Tomas. SLEx and Maharlika Hwy from Turbina forms Asian Highway 26.

Get around

By jeepney

Jeepneys serve most areas along the Maharlika Hwy and National Hwy, including Crossing and Pansol. There are also jeepneys to Canlubang, but are impractical for travel to Nuvali.

By tricycle

There are plenty of tricycles around downtown and the Crossing area. Trips generally cost ₱9 per kilometer, but it can cost ₱40 if you catch one alone (or a "special" trip), for example, on a trip from Crossing to the Rizal mansion.

Anywhere in Pansol can be reached by tricycle, with stands near the subdivision entrances.

By car

Traveling by car within the city proper is inadvisable. Traffic jams are common at the Crossing, Pansol and Real, and parking is hard to find at the poblacion. That said, most malls, the City Hall, and the City Park have free parking. The resorts at Pansol are more conveniently accessed by car.

See

• 1 Museo ni Jose Rizal (Bahay ni Rizal), F. Mercado Street. 8AM–4PM. The birthplace of the Philippine national hero, Jose Rizal. It houses the restored colonial-era mansion of Jose Rizal, which contains his memorabilia. (updated Nov 2023)
• 2 The Plaza, Chipeco Avenue (in front of the Calamba City Hall). Open 24 hours. A park built to commemorate Rizal's 150th birthday. Opened in 2011, it houses a 6.7-meter (22-foot statue) statue of Jose Rizal, formerly the tallest. (updated Nov 2023)
• 3 St. John the Baptist Parish, J.P. Rizal Street, Barangay 5 (Poblacion) (beside Rizal Shrine). The oldest Roman Catholic church in Calamba, built in Baroque style. (updated May 2018)
• 4 Calamba Baywalk, Barangay Lingga. This is also the jump-off point for the ferry that goes to Calamba island in Laguna Lake. There are food stalls here from which you can buy quick meals and refreshments. Free. (updated Nov 2023)
• 5 Jose Rizal Monument - The Plaza, Chipeco Avenue. Open 24 hours. The largest statue of Dr. Jose Rizal that can be found in the city of Calamba. The statue was unveiled in the sesquicentennial anniversary of his date of birth (2011). (updated Nov 2023)
• 6 San Pedro Calungsod Parish Church - (Diocese of San Pablo), Villa de Calamba, La Mesa. 9AM–noon, 3–6PM. (updated Nov 2023)

Do

• 1 Republ1c Wakepark, West Diversity Avenue, Canlubang (inside Nuvali). A wakeboarding park inside the Nuvali development in Canlubang (updated May 2018)

Buy

• 1 SM City Calamba, Maharlika Highway, Poblacion, ☏ +63 49 530-0062. 10AM-10PM daily. Huge SM mall, providing a refuge from the cacophony of the Calamba Crossing area. (updated Dec 2018)
• 2 Walter Mart Calamba, Maharlika Highway, Real, ☏ +63 49 545-7037, wsc.admin.calamba@waltermart.com.ph. M-Th 10AM-8PM, F-Su 10-9PM. (updated Dec 2018)
• 3NOT EXISTING LISTING IMAGE Walter Mart Makiling, Km. 54 Maharlika Highway, Makiling, ☏ +63 49 530-0854, wsc.admin.makiling@waltermart.com.ph. M-Th 10AM-8PM, F-Su 10AM-9PM. Another Walter Mart mall, with some fast food restaurants and shops, a Uno department store, and supermarket. (updated Dec 2018)
• 4 Calamba City Public Market, Public Market Inner Road. (updated Nov 2023)
• 5 Novo Department Store - Calamba, J.P. Rizal Street. 8AM–8PM. (updated Nov 2023)
• 6 Lianas Supermarket, Manila South Road. 8AM–9PM. (updated Nov 2023)

Eat

• 1 Ippon Yari, Maharlika Highway, Turbina, ☏ +63 49 502-0333. M-Sa 11AM-2:30PM (lunch) 5-11PM (dinner); Su 11AM-2:30PM (lunch), 5-9:30PM (dinner). Authentic Japanese dining, including common Japanese fare like bento, ramen, sushi and tempura, shochu. Tables have tatami mats. (updated Nov 2023)
• 2 Samaral Seafood Restaurant, National Highway, Halang (Near railway crossing), ☏ +63 49 545-4730. 10AM–9PM. Usual Filipino seafood fare, served on bamboo and nipa cottages. (updated Nov 2023)
• 3 Bulalo sa Banga, 19 San Juan Road. 10AM–9PM. (updated Nov 2023)
• 4 Carmi's Kitchen, 381 Ilang-ilang Street. 10AM–9PM. (updated Nov 2023)
• 5 Angel's Pizza - Calamba, Julita Bldg. 3, Sampaguita Street corner Chipeco Avenue Extension. 9AM–2AM. (updated Nov 2023)
• 6 Tuding's Original Porkchop, Real Road. 8AM–10PM. (updated Nov 2023)
• 7 PAULS dining + kitchen, Ipil-ipil Street. 11AM–9PM. (updated Nov 2023)
• 8 Burger King, Manila South Road. 6AM–midnight. American burger chain. (updated Nov 2023)
• 9 Buddy's - Calamba, Manila South Road. 9AM–7PM. Originating from Lucban, Quezon Province, This establishment mainly features fiesta food and the interior ambiance exudes the well-known fiesta atmosphere. (updated Nov 2023)

Sleep

• 1 RedDoorz @ Chipeco Avenue, 3 Chipeco Avenue. Check-in: 2PM, check-out: noon. (updated Nov 2023)
• 2 RedDoorz near SM City Calamba, Manila South Road. Check-in: 2PM, check-out: noon. Set on a busy road, this unpretentious budget hotel is an 11-minute walk from SM City Calamba shopping mall, 19 minutes away on foot from Rizal Memorial Park and 3 km from the E2 expressway. (updated Nov 2023)
• 3 Castle Rock Inn, Manila South Road, ☏ +63 922 407 6303. (updated Nov 2023)

Go next

The city serves as a tourist hub to other destinations in Laguna like:

• Los Baños - Bordering university and resort town, noted for the University of the Philippines Los Baños campus, the International Rice Research Institute, and hot springs
• Pagsanjan - Home to Pagsanjan Falls

Routes through Calamba

Alabang ← Cabuyao ←	N  S	→ END
Manila ← Biñan ←	N  S	→ Los Baños → Lucena
Manila ← Biñan ←	N  S	→ Los Baños → Lucena
Manila/Alabang ← Cabuyao ←	N  S	→ AH26 exits SLEX and follows → Santo Tomas → Lipa/Batangas City (via )
Santa Rosa ← Cabuyao ←	N  S	→ Santo Tomas → Lucena
Merges with ←	W  E	→ Los Baños → Santa Cruz