Lake Sampaloc
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The largest of the seven crater lakes scattered around the city, and the easiest one to reach: it sits directly behind the city hall. Fishpens and small cottages on stilts stand in the water. A public playground was built on the shore, and small restaurants nearby serve native dishes. It is the youngest crater lake in the San Pablo volcanic field.
A local story explains the lake another way. A giant sampaloc, or tamarind, grew in the garden of a hard old woman. An old man asked her for fruit to cure his sick grandson, and she set her dogs on him. He was a diwata in disguise. After he left came thunder, rain and the cracking of the earth, and the whole orchard sank into a pit that filled with water. The lake keeps the name of the tree.
- Town
- San Pablo City
Written by an editor · 22 Sep 2026 · source: Wikipedia, Lake Sampaloc