Where to Bike Next? | Bale Batu, Arayat, Pampanga

April 27, 2021April 27, 2021 Rex Lim Lim where to bike

Reading Time: 5 minutes

This mysterious temple like structure sits at the foothills of Mt. Arayat in Pampanga, but no one knows exactly what inspired the construction of the Bale Batu.

Join me on this bike ride as I visit this one of a kind house in Pampanga.

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A Temple, a House, or an Enigma?

Table of Contents

A Banyan Tree or known locally as Balete stands on top of the entrance gate to the compound. Afterwards, the pyramid like structure, which stands ominously amidst trees and foliage, will welcome you.

Bale Batu, albeit lacking that of grander scale, somehow resembles the Angkor Wat of Cambodia or Javanese temples of other Southeast Asian countries.

But what inspired Jesus Padilla or called affectionately by his family as Apung Susing, to build this bizarre house, is now an enigma that he has taken with him. He has already passed on peacefully in 2007.

Between the 1960’s to 1970’s, his wife, Apung Sitang was overwhelmed with Apung Susing’s grand plan of building a house since they don’t have any money to support the project.

He planned to build a rock house which can withstand extreme weather conditions and is resistant to termites and grass fires which is rather common in Arayat.

A Token of Love

There is no denying that this house he constructed himself for over 40 years is definitely a toil of his love for his family. With no prior architectural background, Apung Susing worked on his dream home for three months every year during the dry season.

Their funds came from selling crops and vegetables harvested from their own land. Moreover, he then used pulverized mountain stone and cement in building this rock house, a mixture that was taught to him by his grandfather.

In the course of four decades the house was almost finished. The structure is replete with a working kitchen, a dining room, bathrooms, and other amenities such as swimming pools and gazebos in the backyard.

Today, the dream home of Apung Susing now serves as his temple and burial ground. Some of his works are displayed inside. A minimal fee is asked from visitors for the maintenance of the area.

How to Get There

Bale Batu is located in Brgy. Baliti, Arayat, Pampanga
For Bikers, you can pin Gintung Pakpak Ecopark instead of Bale Batu since it shows the wrong location (which I accidentally followed leading me into rice fields and small streams in San Vicente)

Got lost going to Bale Batu, this photo is after I took off the mud from my feet after crossing a muddy creek barefooted

This bamboo path welcomed me after I bush-wacked my way going to the wrongly pinned Bale Batu location

From Manila, take any bus bound for Olongapo, Balanga or Mariveles (Five Star, Bataan Transit, Genesis or Victory Liner). Hop off at SM Pampanga or Robinsons Starmills. (Fare is at 110php, 2-3 hours travel time)
From SM Pampanga, take a jeep bound for Magalang and tell the driver to drop you off at Brgy. Buensuceso crossing. (22 kilometers, Fare is 30php, 30 minutes travel time)

Transfer to a tricycle and tell them you’re going to Bale Batu. (Fare is 50php, 15-20 minutes travel time)
Bale Batu is on the right side a few meters away from Gintung Pakpak Ecopark
A minimal fee of 50php is asked from visitors for the maintenance of the area
With the ongoing pandemic, Transit Pinas advises you to travel with your own private vehicles. Follow minimum health standards such as wearing of facemasks and faceshields. Travel in a small group, particularly with family or friends from the same area
Follow Leave No Trace (LNT) Principles at all times