The best adventure spots in northern Philippines

We travel to the Philippines’ northern provinces and find a place where thrill-seeking travelers can choose their own adventures

On the beach, the surfing instructor had made it look so easy. But in the water, right before he spots a wave and gives my surfboard a push, I find myself struggling to remember what to do: hands up to the side of my chest, push myself up, pull one knee quickly to my chest, pop up the other leg, find my balance. I do my best but I end up in the water. I get back on the board, try to stand and again I fall. I follow the steps repeatedly, always with the same result. Soon, I lose count of how many times I’ve fallen. For me, trips to the beach have always meant hours spent stretched out on the sand and the occasional dip in the water. Not falling into it over and over again.

But the Northern Luzon Expressway (NLEX) Lakbay Norte trip, led by the Manila North Tollways Corporation and North Philippines Visitors Bureau, isn’t about experiencing Zambales, Tarlac and Pampanga in the usual manner. From riding a dune buggy on rough terrain in Tarlac and wakeboarding in Pampanga to flyboarding in Subic Bay and surfing (or, for me, pointedly failing to surf) in San Narciso, Zambales, a host of adventures awaits anyone willing to step out of their comfort zone. Or climb back onto their surfboard again and again (and again).

Tarlac

Though travelers heading farther north often consider Tarlac a mere stopover, there’s more to this landlocked province than meets the eye. Its vast plains and mountains are places of history, culture and adventure.

At Tarlac Recreational Park (San Jose; +63 998 354 4261), located in the mountain ranges of San Jose municipality, visitors can indulge an appetite for adventure thanks to the many outdoor activities on offer. Beyond the Olympic-sized pool, track-and-field oval, football fields, basketball courts and other facilities that one would expect of a sports complex, the 78ha property is also home to ATV, dune buggy, motocross and mountain bike trails.

I start off by kayaking in the park’s serene lagoon as the sky begins to change color in the late afternoon, which makes for a relaxing few minutes. That is, until I decide to shift gears and jump into a dune buggy. On a rocky trail, surrounded by trees and overgrown cogon grass, our buggy rumbles through uphill climbs, turns and drops. The ride is as bumpy as it is exciting.

But if getting tossed around on a 3 or 4km stretch of rough terrain in a dune buggy or on an ATV is not your idea of fun, the alternative is to get some thrills at KCT Kart City (MacArthur Hwy, San Roque; +63 45 491 4053). The adrenaline rush here comes courtesy of speeding go-karts. What began as a hangout for a group of Tarlaqueño friends, who grew weary of traveling to Manila to get their racing fix, has now became a magnet for local residents. The track can be reconfigured in nine ways so even repeat customers will find it tough to have the same experience twice.

From Clark International Airport: 61km/1hr via SCTEX to TRP; 20km/30min to KCT Kart City

Zambales

This province’s countless coves, spacious beaches and majestic mountain range, which stretches the full length of Zambales, make for a ruggedly beautiful landscape that easily lures adventurers. For me, the lovely scenery was even something of a consolation when I made my pitiful attempt to surf. My obvious shortcomings on a surfboard notwithstanding, the waves that pound the Zambales shoreline are suitable for beginners, or at least that’s the case during the north swell season from mid-October to February. Intermediate and advanced surfers get their time to shine during the south swell, from June to mid-October. Less than a three-hour drive from the NLEX, Zambales is the surf spot closest to Manila.

Try the break right in front of Crystal Beach Resort (San Narciso; +63 47 222 2227; www.crystalbeach.com.ph) in the town of San Narciso. The resort is home to a campground, cottages, pine tree-lined pathways and a spacious beachfront. The resort’s Quiksilver Surf School offers lessons and board rentals. After testing your skills, stretch out in a hammock and snooze in the shade.

Head next to the town of San Antonio. From Capones Vista Beach Resort (Brgy Pundaquit, San Antonio; +63 47 603 1382), which sits on Pundaquit Beach, you can take a boat to Capones Island. If the water is rough and the boat can’t get close to the island, be prepared to jump out and swim toward the rocky shore. Once there, trek up to beautiful though battered Capones Lighthouse and be rewarded with a panoramic view of the mountains and the sea.

Farther south is Subic Bay, the former US naval base-turned-freeport zone that has become a playground for outdoorsy types. Network Jetports (Waterfront Rd, Subic Bay Freeport Zone), which runs water-sports activities for a number of resorts in Subic, including the stylish and cozy Lighthouse Marina Resort, rents out everything from jet skis and banana boats to bandwagons, flyboards and hoverboards. If you have dreams of soaring through the clouds like Iron Man, don a flyboard jetpack, plant your feet on the board and let the water pressure from the boots and the jetpack thrust you up to 40ft in the air. The hoverboard operates on the same principle, though in this case you only have the board to maneuver. The bandwagon looks deceptively chilled-out as rides go so it’s the first one I try. Like a banana boat, it’s towable but it’s shaped more like a big inflatable sofa. You can sit, kneel or stand on a bandwagon but no matter which posture you choose, you’re pulled at top speed and subjected to plenty of sharp turns. In short, it’s far from relaxing. Even less so if you let go of the handles and go flying off into the water.

From Clark International Airport: 113km/2hrs via SCTEX to San Antonio and San Narciso; 88km/1hr from SCTEX to Subic Bay Freeport Zone

Pampanga

Dive into even more marine activities at Deca Wakeboard Park Clark (Margot, Angeles City). Thrill-seekers living in Metro Manila or flying in via Clark can get their feet wet at this wakeboard cable park (while avoiding the need to go all the way to CamSur).

Unlike surfing, where you have to get to your feet while riding, wakeboarding lets you start off with both feet already planted on the board. The only question is how long you manage to keep them there once the towing by electronically controlled cables begins. If you’re a beginner, don’t fret. You’re unlikely to be the only one, especially on weekends when newbies tend to come here. And if you fall off, just get up and jump back in line to give it another go.

Our last stop is SandBox (Alviera, Porac; www.alviera.ph), a newly opened recreational park in Alviera, Porac, which claims to offer “unique outdoor thrills” and goes a long way toward living up to that promise. The one-hour ATV ride through vast lahar (volcanic mudflow) plains and dunes reveals dramatic landscapes the sight of which is worth the thick coating of lahar dust that will cling to every inch of your clothing and uncovered skin. The 10m-high giant swing, the nation’s biggest, will leave you clinging to your harness and looking on in awe (or not, if your eyes are shut) as the ground shrinks away and you’re pulled to the top ahead of the inevitable, gulp-worthy plunge. And then there’s the Avatar One Roller Coaster Zipline. It’s unique to SandBox so I throw caution to the wind and decide to give it a try.

When I reach the top of the five-storey Adventure Tower to begin my ride and peer down at the ground far below, I have to swallow my fear, which is probably par for the course for anyone flinging themselves out from such a height. But in the end I’m glad I shook off the nerves and braved the 180m course, which zigzags and dips and climbs. Before I know it, I’m back on terra firma and raring to give it another go. And, let’s face it, getting back up when you’re down is the name of the game, whether we’re talking about weekend thrill rides or life itself.