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Municipality in Pampanga, Philippines
Photo: Ralff Nestor Nacor, CC BY-SA 4.0 via Wikimedia Commons
Porac is a town in southwestern Pampanga, Philippines. Situated at the foot of the Mount Pinatubo massif and the Central Luzon plains, it combines cultural heritage and natural wonders within its territory, despite challenges brought by the Mount Pinatubo eruption in 1991 and encroaching urbanization from nearby Angeles.
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Porac Church
A Baroque church dating to 1872. It was damaged during World War II, but was restored in the 1980s. Its four-storey belfry was reduced to three storeys by an earthquake in 2019.
Inevitably associated with the town, the volcano is the biggest draw in the area, particularly its crater lake and the lunar landscapes created along its gullies following the 1991 eruptions.
Darabulbul Falls
A set of four cascades. Its name was shortened because its last syllables are also the Filipino word for pubic hair.
San Vicente Ferrer Chapel
The first known circular chapel in the Philippines, built in 1861. Damaged by the 1991 Pinatubo eruption and a 2019 earthquake, it was controversially repaired in a DIY manner by locals amid limited funds and lack of advice from conservationists.
A waterfall on the Mount Pinatubo massif. A permit from the municipal hall is needed before entering.
A gorge named in part because it resembles the setting from the film Avatar (the one with blue aliens).
Virgen Dolores Chapel
A Spanish-era Roman Catholic barangay chapel, built in 1838 and repaired following damage caused by the 2019 earthquake.
Part of the Alviera private development, it has a giant swing and an obstacle course. Being in a relatively dry area near Mount Pinatubo, it can become hot during the months of March to May, so prepare to get sunburned.
One of many trails leading to Mount Pinatubo and its crater lake, with a duration of 8-10 hours and length of that is thankfully covered by 4x4 drives through gullies clogged with lahar. Although the trail's jump-off point is actually in Sapang Bato in Angeles City, the majority of the route passes through Porac and usually includes stops at other attractions along the Pinatubo massif such as Puning Hot Springs, Tutulari Gorge and Ana-an Falls. The route also passes through the ancestral domain of the indigenous Aeta communities and provides opportunities for those seeking to combine cultural experiences with the hike, especially as most guides are also resident Aetas.
Restaurant serving Kapampangan, FIlipino and Asian cuisine.
A chicken wings restaurant.
For private vehicles, the fastest way to enter Porac is through the Subic-Clark-Tarlac Expressway (SCTEX), which has an exit in Porac.
Read in the guideTricycles are the main form of transportation in town. Roads in town tend to be on hilly terrain unlike in the rest of Pampanga.
Read in the guideChoose an airport to see hotels, stations, taxi ranks and car rental desks around it.
Mabalacat · International · CRK
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