LOOK: The Trails of Masungi Are Covered in Pink Cherry Blossom-like Blooms
No visa required: These are our very own blush-colored summer flora.
Published on Apr 10, 2026
(SPOT.ph) For many travelers, seeing the cherry blossoms in full bloom is the highlight of the spring season. But if you’ve missed the window to visit the countries where they're at this year, you can look to the trails of Rizal for a dose of our own pink blooms.
Every summer, Masungi Georeserve gets a rosy makeover as the salinggogon trees begin their annual bloom. For only a few weeks, trails in Baras, Rizal feature splashes of bright pink set against green slopes and clear blue skies. Here's a peek at our own "cherry blossoms" in bloom.
Meet the "cherry blossoms of the Philippines"
The salinggogon (Cratoxylum formosum) is a native Philippine tree that can grow up to 45 meters tall. For most of the year, it blends into the lush forests of the Masungi Georeserve, but when the dry summer season sets in, the salinggogon trees bloom, shedding their leaves to make way for delicate pink flowers. It’s a brief but dramatic transformation that gives the park’s rugged limestone trails a natural, rose-colored filter.
According to the Masungi Georeserve post, pink salinggogon trees are currently in bloom along the popular Discovery Trail. This three- to four-hour guided hike winds through the conservation area, with the said native blossoms dotting the trail in shades of pink.
If you're planning to see this pink flurry for yourself, best to plan your hike soon. Much like the sakura, the pink flowers of the salinggogon are also famously fleeting, typically peaking around March and April. If we were you, we'd make a beeline for the reserve ASAP. Private and shared treks along the Discovery Trail are available for booking.
Other local pink blooms
Masungi isn’t the only place in the Philippines blessed with a pastel-colored makeover. The Palawan cherry blossom, or 'balayong,' is a native flowering tree that is celebrated with an annual festival in Puerto Princesa around March.
And if you want literal cherry blossoms, they do exist in the country, too. Actual sakura trees from Japan were donated to the Baguio Country Club back in 2018 and 2019. After seven years of patient tending, these trees finally blossomed for the first time in early 2026.
For more information, visit Masungi Georeserve's Facebook page.
Also read: Seeing Masungi Thru A Forest Ranger's Eyes
Celia Nachura writes to pay for plane tickets, tennis classes, and a pile of books she’ll never have the time to read. She is also the emotional support human to two dogs, Daisy and Nacho.