There’s always a certain kind of magic when you visit a place for the first time. Maybe it’s the inner child in every traveler, or the wonder of setting foot somewhere new. It’s a feeling I get to relive every time I travel, and my first visit to Quitinday Green Hills Eco-Park was no exception.
What was meant to be just a quick side trip turned into a whole day of simply being, surrounded by endless greenery from atop a quiet hill in Camalig, Albay.
A Unique Vantage Point
Located about an hour from Legazpi, Quitinday Green Hills is an ecotourism destination that offers visitors a 360-degree view of lush vegetation spanning approximately 400 hectares. If you want to see Mayon Volcano from a different vantage poin, beyond the perspective offered by more popular tourist spots such as Cagsawa Ruins and Sumlang Lake, consider visiting this place. At an elevation of 127 meters, it provides an unobstructed view of the Volcano.
Some describe it as “Bicol’s Chocolate Hills”, but for me, Quitinday Green Hills possesses a different kind of charm. Unlike the ones in Bohol, the hills here rise in uneven heights and shapes and are not perfectly similar to each other. Yet, together, they form a breathtaking view—especially with the perfect cone of Mount Mayon standing tall in the background.
Hiking Up & Exploring the Hills
From the registration area, it takes a short 15-minute hike to reach a small nipa hut that could fit several visitors. It’s a resting area that offers shade from the sun, though, like us, others opt to just sit around the grassy hill.
We took off our riding boots and jackets, and for a while, simply laid on the grass. After a while, we then wandered barefoot, feeling the earth and the sun on our skin after our two-hour motorbike ride from Pili, Camarines Sur. There was something healing about it, offering groundedness in the simplest way.
From the hut, narrow pathways led to neighboring hills, where we climbed higher for a more elevated view. There might not be a lot of heart-pumping activities here, like the ATV ride offered in Legazpi City or a zipline where you can scream at the top of your lungs. What it offers is the stillness and beauty of nature itself. It’s a place to feel your senses: your feet touching the ground, your ears listening to the birds, your eyes seeing the clear skies and the green landscapes that many of us only see once in a while.
With just some bread, a couple of chocolate bars, and a bottle of water, we spent the whole afternoon there, resting and watching the day drift slowly by.
A Happy Day, A Lingering Reminder
I watched visitors come and go—some were families, but most were young and old couples enjoying some quiet time. A senior had just hiked the established trail and was happy to finally reach the peak. A kid happily roamed around the hut, her mom looking after her while taking her own selfies. We met a photographer who was also spending his whole day at the hill, hoping to get a good shot of Mayon Volcano — and he did. He happily showed his photo to us when we met him again at Bigg’s Diner in Camalig on our way home.
Like him, we were lucky that the clouds cleared and we were able to catch a glimpse of Mayon in the distance as the sun was setting. It’s a perfect silhouette framed by layers of green hills—a happy day for everyone, indeed.
As someone who loves being in places that are quiet and slow, our visit to Quitinday Green Hills was one of those moments that linger. It reminds me why I love to travel: to be still, to breathe, and to be in awe of the world again.
