Encompassing territory in both Occidental and Oriental Mindoro, Mt Iglit-Baco National Park has been protected by Philippine environmental laws since 1970 and is
currently under consideration by UNESCO for World Heritage status.
The park is, as you would expect, a haven for nature lovers, covering a large area of the central portion of Mindoro Island. Among the extensive number of animal species resident in the park are wild pigs, Mindoro cloud rats and Filipino deer as well as small numbers of the endangered tamaraw, or Mindoro dwarf buffalo.
Bird watchers will appreciate the opportunity to spot both indigenous and migratory species in the park, among which are the Mindoro scops owl, Mindoro imperial pigeon, scarlet-collared flowerpecker, black-hooped coucal and heart pigeon.
Meanwhile, visitors with an interest in plant life will find rare species such as the kamagong, almaciga, tindalo, and kalantas tree as well as the endangered jade vine.
Getting There & Away
From overseas, visitors can fly into Ninoy Aquino International Airport in Manila then travel by road to Batangas (2 hours), from where boats to the island of Mindoro operate. Services dock at Abra de Ilog, from where buses or jeepneys are available to transport visitors the remainder of the distance.