Can we swim in the lake?
Yes, we and many of our guests have enjoyed swimming there. Note though that swimming in lakes is generally different from swimming in the sea: the lake floor is not sand, the visibility is not as good, and you’re less buoyant in the water. If you do decide to swim, we urge extra caution, especially with children: never let them into the water unless they know how to swim and they’re always accompanied by adults.

Where do we park our car?
There is a parking lot off the road where you will get on the boat to reach the island. It is gated and manned by a security guard 24/7. It is managed and guarded by the lake management authorities. They charge P50 for 24 hours; this goes directly to them and is not included in your rent. 

Doesn’t it get hot in there?
In our experience, it’s almost always windy and it tends to get cooler–even colder–during the night. Note that since the lake is about 400 meters above sea level, and since the island’s surrounded by water and forests and there is no “urban heat island” effect, the temperature there is generally naturally lower than in the plains and cities. The house is also well-ventilated, with large open windows. In our two years of visiting and staying at the island–we’ve never really felt the great need for fans/AC. In fact, on some nights, especially during the rainy season and from December to February, it can even be as chilly as Baguio or Sagada: don’t forget to bring jackets!

That said, we of course can’t guarantee what the weather and the temperature will be like during your actual stay and we understand that people have different tolerance levels. We don’t recommend the island to those who for whatever reasons may be more sensitive to warm weather, especially as we don’t have air-conditioning.

Can we have the generator on before 6pm and/or after midnight?
Yes, but we charge P70 per extra hour beyond the 6 PM to 12 MN period. Note too that, while the generator is not extremely loud and it is located about 20 meters away from the house, it does make some noise, so you might want to think about whether you really want to keep it on all day/night. If you decide to, just let us know in advance as we need to stock up on gasoline.

How do we get there? How long does it take?
BY PRIVATE CAR: From Metro Manila, you can reach the island by car through the Antipolo/Manila East Road route or through the Calamba/SLEX route. Both are generally the same distance to the island, give or take a few kilometers. Which one is better for you depends on exactly where in Metro Manila you’ll be coming from (SLEX makes sense for those coming from Manila while Manila East Road makes sense for those coming from Quezon City/Pasig), time of day (we don’t recommend taking Manila East Road at night), and other preferences (in our view the Manila East Road is more scenic). Depending on how long you spend on stop-overs, you should reach the island in about 3-4 hours.

BY BUS/JEEP: If you’re commuting from Metro Manila, you can take the bus going to Santa Cruz-Pagsanjan at the HM Transport Bus Terminal on EDSA corner New York Street, Cubao, the Green Star Bus terminal near the southeastern corner of Sen. Gil Puyat Avenue (Buendia) corner Taft Avenue, or the HM Liner Bus Terminal in Manuela Metropolis Alabang (Metropolis Mall).

We will send you more detailed directions upon confirmation of reservation.

Can we bring pets?
Yes, your pets are more than welcome in our island: they probably love the outdoors too! Just let us know what/who they are. We have two friendly dogs, Panda and Big Boy. They can be hostile when you first arrive, but they eventually become more welcoming once it becomes clear you’re guests.  If not we can have them chained while you’re there.

* If you have any other questions that are not answered here, just send us an email at sundangisland@gmail.com and we’ll try to get back to you within 24 hours.