Due to the pandemic, some of these destinations might be temporarily closed. Please coordinate with the management or local government before going.
Nayong Pilipino is only one of the recommended tourist attractions in this list!
Image: Nayong Pilipino
We all have our personal reasons for exploring the world, but for most of us, it’s the sheer delight of discovery. To finally check out unchartered places and cross items off our checklists—this is the charm of visiting a place for the first time. Often, that place is within our own vast and vibrant country.
Take Clark for example. The freeport zone in the heart of Central Luzon used to be a military airbase; today, it aids the economy of the region by becoming a fast-growing metropolis—a welcome change for locals and one of the best places to visit for first-time tourists. Not familiar with the place? That has to change soon, as there are various activities in Clark, Pampanga that cannot be missed! With its proximity to Metro Manila, this is a great place to go to for a fun-filled weekend outside the metro. Read on and see seven of the most fun activities in Clark, Pampanga that should be in your itinerary!
1. Visit Nayong Pilipino Clark.
Where: 2010 Centennial Road, Clark Field, Mabalacat City, Pampanga
Budget: PhP100 to PhP150 per person
Take an educational trip through our rich history and heritage inside the famous Nayong Pilipino.
Image: Nayong Pilipino
Opening our list is possibly the most well-known destination for day trips in Clark: Nayong Filipino Clark. The 3.5-hectare cultural theme park greets visitors who want to see the various replicas of national landmarks and experience educational tours and cultural performances.
Marvel at real-life replicas of the Barasoain Church, Mabini Shrine, Rizal Shrine, the Banaue Rice Terraces, Mt. Tabon in Palawan, and scale villages of the Kalinga, Aeta, and Ifugao ethnic groups. Watch regular performances of Philippine folk dances like singkil, malong, or tinikling, or wander through the artifacts exhibited in the Museo ng Nayon (Museum of the Village). The entrance fee gives you a whole-day pass, so you can browse around as long as you want!
2. Learn more about Clark through the Clark Museum and 4D Theater.
Where: S. Osmena Street, Clark Freeport Zone, Mabalacat City, Pampanga
Budget: PhP200 per person
Be inspired and informed at the same time inside the Clark Museum and its hallmark 4D Theater.
Image: @clarkmuseum_4dtheater
On your day trip, you will also want to pass by Clark Museum and 4D Theater. Discover the rich history and heritage of the region, including Pampanga, Clark Freeport Zone, and Metro Clark, with the aid of installations, interactive displays, dioramas, and photographs spread throughout the museum’s four thematic galleries. These galleries depict Clark’s geophysical environment, craft and culture, its martial origins, and its flourishing future as a freeport zone.
Meanwhile, the 4D Theater runs the documentary “Risen from the Ashes,” a 20-minute film about the aftermath of Mt. Pinatubo’s eruption complete with the 4D experience of sounds, wind, bubbles, mist, and more. Admission is free for students and senior citizens. Otherwise, a small fee of PhP200 gives you this unique and colorful immersion into the past and present Clark!
3. Get wet and wild at Aqua Planet!
Where: J.P. Rizal Avenue and Prince Balagtas Avenue, Clark Freeport Zone, Mabalacat City, Pampanga
Budget: PhP750 to PhP950 per person
Prepare for a fun day with unlimited access to Aqua Planet’s attractions.
Image: Aqua Planet
If you’re more in the mood for something aquatic and adventurous, then the adrenaline-pumping Aqua Planet in Clark is right up your alley. Opening for business just last February 2018, the 10-hectare water theme park with almost 40 giant attractions is deemed the largest waterpark in the country.
Take on the nerve-wracking Tornado, a looping water slide that leads to a giant funnel; the Super Bowl, a raft ride for four persons; the Flow Rider, which imitates the surfing experience; the Aqua Loop, a 100-meter free fall with a full loop; or the Lazy River, a 375-meter comfy river ride. Other attractions include the Boogie Bay, a giant dual-wave pool for adults, and a smaller one for children. They also have cabanas and lockers for rent.
Paying the PhP950 entrance fee for adults and PhP750 for kids gives you an all-day pass with unlimited access to all the park’s attractions, so you can go ahead and get wet and wild all you want!
July 2020 Update: Aqua Planet is temporarily closed.
4. Unleash your inner kid-at-heart at Clark Land: Dinosaur Island and Insectlandia!
Where: Gil Puyat Avenue, Clark Freeport Zone, Mabalacat City, Pampanga
Budget: PhP300 to PhP350 per person
Live out your Jurassic Park fantasies with these life-size and life-like dinosaurs!
Images: Dinosaurs Island Clark
Jurassic Park fans will surely get giddy upon entering this adventurous animatronic theme park known as Clark Land. It covers two areas: Dinosaur Island and Insectlandia. In Dinosaur Island, learn about and marvel at the more than 20 different species of dinosaurs replicated through scale animated models in the Dino Trail. If you have the nerves, you can even feed, pet, or get chased by these life-size dinosaurs in the Jurassic Jungle Safari and the Dino World of Fun. If you prefer studying their life through their fossils, then enter the Unearth Museum. Meanwhile, in Insectlandia, you get to interact with mechanical insects. Inside it are also the Butterfly Garden, the Insect Trail, and the Bugs Life Show.
Entrance to either park is at PhP350 for adults and PhP300 for children, with separate rates for each of the parks’ attractions. If you want to enter both parks, there’s a discounted rate.
July 2020 Update: Clark Land is temporarily closed.
Want to find more amusement parks and tourist attractions for kids? Visit Yoorekka!
5. Spend time amidst nature and interesting animals at Zoocobia Fun Zoo.
Where: Calumpang, Clark Freeport Zone, Mabalacat City, Pampanga
Budget: PhP295 per person
Try the ever-exciting Zooc, and get to top speeds on your own gravity car!
Image: Zoocobia Fun Zoo
Another attraction that brings the wealth of animal life in our world is the Zoocobia Fun Zoo, Clark’s first adventure zoo park. Inside, the zoo park is divided into various animal habitats. Be fascinated by the feathered beasts inside Birds of Paradise; try bottle-feeding different baby farm animals in The Barn; or take a look at different taxidermied animals in The Menagerie.
There are also natural sights such as the Mango Camp, where you can take your own basket of mangoes home; Philippines Pride, which showcases endemic species of animals and plants; and The Garden Maze, where you’re challenged to enter and leave the labyrinth. They also house the first-ever gravity car called The Zooc, imitating the luge in Singapore’s Sentosa Resort. Test your guts by skidding through a 400-meter track with three hairpin curves! Admission is at PhP295 per person, with separate fees for the various amenities and activities.
6. Eat a meal (or two!) at Korea Town.
Where: Angeles City, Pampanga
Budget: PhP250 and up
Eat to your heart’s desire in one of the celebrated restaurants in Clark’s Korea Town.
Korea Town is the perfect proof that the Philippines’ and Korea’s culture mesh together perfectly. It is a strip of Korean restaurants and establishments that offer various dishes. Cap off your visit to Clark with a food crawl through Korean Town’s best culinary offerings and samgyeopsal (sliced pork belly) eateries. Grill your way to a great lunch in Jang Soo Korean Restaurant or Yu Ganne 2 Samgyupsal Galbi, and finish your feast with a sweet dessert from Snow Bingsu or pastries from Jiin Bakery and Coffee or Mr. Parks Bread and Cake.
If you’re looking to have fun with friends, karaoke bars such as Goubugi Inc., 10 Pro Korean, and ASSA Family are the places to be. There are also Korean health stalls, spas, shopping marts, and hotels in the vicinity. Indeed, at Korean Town, you can take a tour through the best of Korea without booking a plane ride!
It’s one thing for a place to be so beautiful to make us visit for the first time, and another thing to make us return. Without a doubt, Clark in Pampanga will easily earn both!
This article was originally published in Yoorekka on March 29, 2019.
