Mount Makiling rises directly south of Calamba, a thickly forested dormant volcano managed as a forest reserve by the University of the Philippines Los Baños. The most popular hiking route is from the UPLB campus side: a 6–7 hour round trip to one of the two summit peaks, through old-growth dipterocarp forest with leeches in the wet season and excellent birding throughout.
You need to register with the forestry office at UPLB before climbing; a guide is recommended for first-timers. The mountain is also a famous spot for hot springs (the Makiling Botanic Gardens have natural sulfur pools) and for the National Arts Center on its lower slopes.