Trekking at Mt. Arayat


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Asia » Philippines » Pampanga
May 2nd 2005
Published: May 4th 2005
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We were just lazing around, enjoying the holiday (labor day), when suddenly, we've decided that we'll visit Mt Arayat National Park. I haven't visited the nat'l park/resort for quite some time, considering it's proximity to our area.

Located at Brgy San Juan Bano, Arayat, Pampanga, it is a dormant volcano with an area of 3, 715.28 hectares. On the foot of the mountain lies a park/resort with freshwater and natural falls directly originating from the mountain.

The place hasn't changed much. It still has the same amenities w/c i adored in my childhood. The park has 3 freshwater pools, with really cool, freezing water. Ahhh, what a nice refresher from a very hot, hot summer. Was still anxious to climb on the 100 steps. But this time, i've got some minor injuries, maybe due to lack of exercise, i had muscle cramps during our trek. We didn't manage to climb up to the Grotto of Virgin Mary, because, we were already tired climbing up the 100 steps, and climbing up the grotto would be much harder. We've just decided to soak in the pool, coz it was a really hot day. The water, is really refreshing, especially on the area near the natural falls. When we were all chilling-out from the ice-cold water, we've agreed to already dress-up and go to another area in the park which i've always enjoyed during my childhood - the playground in the front. I was saddened when i saw the playground. The seasaws and the swings which we untiringly played on then, were gone. But still, we managed to enjoy ourselves taking pictures on what we called us our jumping-photo-session. Hahaha.

Added attraction to the park was the Tree House. From the park, it would be a 2-km trek up the Tree House, which has facilities, huts, and houses which can be rented for conferences and meetings. The place had the best view of the mountain and the surrounding area. It has a countless variety of very enticing flowers. How relaxing it is to rest up the cool-shades of the tree-houses.

Hope they can maintain the park, coz it's the one place that Pampanga could be proud of.

Getting there:
From San Fernando, ride a jeep going to Arayat, Pampanga. Fare would be approx Php 20.00/person. From Arayat town proper, hire a tric going to the resort, fare is ony Php 40.00.

Expenses
Resort/Park Entrance Fee is Php 30.00 for adults, Php20.00 for children. The swimming pools have an entrance fee of Php10.00/pool. Cottages can be rented for as low as Php60.00.

Links : About Pampanga

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3rd February 2008

Mt. Arayat
My fiance and me went to the park yesterday. And was suprised to find they had 2 different admission`s fee.One the 30 peso for my fiance and then 110 for me.And they try to charge us 500 for tourist guide.I was telling my fiance that we would leave the place at once, but she is kinda stubborn and would never pay more than 2 times 30. Which we did... and no tourist guide too.In my mind the place was worn down and could benefit much more maintaining.we went for a walk in military camp and talk to one of the military guy...when we was talking ito one of the guy in the camp civilians away...and my fiance complain about what those civilians did to us.....that they was charging me a lot because i was foriegner and then those civilians stay away from us after we talked to the military guy and they did not charge me for the pay parking in mount arayat park..which we found out its free parking....my question is ...Is that the way of treating a foriegner to be charge a lot of pesos because those people reasons its a foriegner???
7th August 2008

to geir:mt.arayat
you doesn't sound foreigner to me anyway...and by the way, F-O-R-E-I-G-N-E-R spells this way. oki??
24th September 2008

run down
I went to this resort in August and indeed it is extremely run down and expensive to use. It has a couple of pools but not much else. You cannot see the mountain from here and they charge more for foreigners which is a complete rip off. The whole place had a feel of bygone days.The hundred steps lead up to some long grass and not much else.
26th September 2008

doesn't sound like one to me, too.
12th October 2008

Mt. Arayat
I drove to Mt. Arayat yesterday on my motor bike, had a really nice ride getting there with my girl. When we arrived at the park the advertized price for entrance was 30 peso, seemed fair so I drove on in. The actual entrance fee I was charged was 30 peso for my filipina friend and 100 peso for me, which was not posted and seemed a little suspicious to me but what the heck its only 100 peso. I wanted to climb the Mountain as high as we could safely using my GPS to assist us. I asked where the trail started and I was told I need a guide which will cost 1000 peso and was not allowed to climb unless I have a guide walk with us, which I refused because we are capable of climbing on our own and is more enjoyable without a guide, then they lowered the rate to 700 peso but it didnt matter because the excitement of climbing the mountain, is doing it on our own. So on we went to explore the area below where there were swimming pools to play in, videoke, very small waterfall and a run down playground for children. We relaxed poolside when a girl asked us to buy a chicken BBQ for the price of 500 peso if we liked, my girl didnt seem interested so we declined, after my girl had enough of the bug / ant bites we decided to leave. As we got on my motorcycle the girl that asked us about the food stopped us and said what about my tip for being my guide? I thought she must be joking since she did not guide us at anything and I said when we arrived I did not want a guide, but she was serious. So like a good sport I asked how much, she replied with the common "Up to you?" This went back and forth with her and my gal a couple of times when my girl got agravated and gave her 100 peso. The bottom line of this trip in my opinion is the employees at this park are doing this tourist site a diservice to tourism for the Philippines it is one of those sites that I was excited to go see but due to the experince we had from the time we entered the gate to the time of leaving we felt unwelcome due to the employees persistently trying to take full financial advantage of anyone not filipino. Eventually this attitude if not cleaned up will have an impact on tourism and they will suffer the loss it always comes full circle when gone unchecked. Its a shame but may tourist locations here in the Philippines are this way because there is no oversight or bad oversight by the department of tourism. Its terrible to make such pleasant places, so unpleasant that you never want to return, all due to a few bad apples hustling pesos and gouging prices for their own personal gain. Needless to say I will never climb Mt Aryat and will never visit there again. I like to visit a tourist attraction happy and excited and leave feeling the same way, but in Mt Arayats case I went there happy but left rather disappointed and sad the employees there have to suck every bit of fun out of the experience. Just my opinion
20th October 2008

hi
Hi,me and my family are planning to celebrate my birthday this coming november in arayat pampanga.We heard that there's a new resort there but we don't know it's name.Did somebody here give me some names of resorts/hotels pls? Thank you very much and more power...
21st October 2008

ah>>>
eow thats so beutiful will you give some picture in my friendster emo_destroyer18@yahoo.com or mikelloyd castro
20th June 2009

Mt Arayat Park 1977
The last time I visited Mt Arayat Park was in 1977. Myself, my girlfriend and two other couples had gone for a day excursion from the Clark Air Base/Angeles City, area. I remember a swimming pool, a small sari sari store and walking on one of the trails that led up the mountain. About the time we were getting ready to leave, there were a group of older Philippino men sitting and drinking at some tables and chairs near the store. As we walked by, one of them said to us, "One day we will drive you Americans out of our country". He was quite correct, that actually did happen in 1991. Mag beer muna tayo, pare!
28th August 2009

Mt. Arayat
To all the People Visited Arayat I ask an apology Our Town is a great town, I just by a chance you visited us again and have encountered the same situation just walk back and go straight to the Arayat Municipality and look for our Good mayor or even the secretary and tell them what happen and rest assure the problem will be handled straight away. and my message to all the people who take advantages that work in that National Park FUCK YOU ALL ...Take note of this...MAY KALALAGYAN KAYO.........instead of helping the Park to attract more tourist you all M___Fuckker are driving them away ... Ur lucky I don't live in that place or else...
28th August 2009

Resort in Arayat for Iveey
Hi Look for C&E resort in San Roque Bitas Arayat pampanga Its a great place the pool are filled up with fresh running water no chlorine so its fresh and safe people are nice . If you go there just tell them you knew the Lapuz family I my self been there and I met this Guy one of the Lapuz Clan nice guy help my family and we had a great time in that place, you might get a discount just remember the Family name Lapuz the C&E family is run via Espino family a close relative of the town mayor. Well just visit this place i bet You and your family will have great time....ciao Hello to the C&E From Louisiana USA
28th August 2009

Did the country/town abandon this park?
When I was a kid, an "excursion" meant going to Arayat. When I brought my family home to the Philippines last July, I was feeling sentimental so I decided to see it and show my children where my parents used to take us. The shelter that used to house the guards was empty. When we drove in, we were followed by a horde of people. We told them we wanted to check it out first but they told us we cannot go in until we pay. We did pay the entrance of 300 pesos (10 of us at 30 peso each - we took their word for it we did not see any signs) and asked for a receipt. We were told there was none. I was shocked to find that the national park seemed to have been taken over by civilians who actually live there. We did look around, saw a bunch of people who acted like this was their backyard -- boys playing basketball, restaurants with tvs and people sleeping in the back, clothesline full of clothes and pets roaming around. We asked about the waterfall and we were told since it was raining that the waterfall is dry. We looked over the pool and again we found kids who were familiarly swimming in the pool, one of them took off his shirt and was rinsing it in the pool. It was full of "carinderias" and some visitors actually stayed and ate. It was heartbreakingly run down. We told the guy we've come for the falls and since it was empty, we wanted to leave. We wanted to get our entrance fee back. From their conversation, it seems the money we just paid got divided already and one of the men told the woman to reimburse us and she replied, "with what?" In any case, they put together the 300 back and we left them 100 which we said was for their trouble. I was very sad to leave but it felt very uncomfortable to stay. How could the town/country abandon this beautiful park?
15th September 2009

hMMMM
i just wonder how much change did the park have since we moved from a place nearby.
21st January 2010

arangkada arayat
mayap a abak kekayo ngan aku metung kung talasuyo ning arayat. pagmaragul ku na keni ku dinagul keng bario ning san agustine norte.. ibintahan da kayung dalawan ye ing arayat.. dakal a masnting a lugar a puweding puntlan...
21st January 2010

be cool
Tony G is absolutely correct about these kind of behaviors negatively affecting Mt. Arayat (and other destinations). I certainly will not be visiting Arayat now after everything I've read, and I will warn others not to. Actually from a visitor standpoint, it has very little to do with the "actual" cost. If something is expensive - so be it. We know and we're prepared. The problem is that people don't want to feel as though they are being hustled. Be honest and the people will visit. And visit again. And recommend to friends.
9th March 2010

pinoy eh!
totoo yan! ang mga kababayan natin walang ibang alam gawin kung hindi dayain at huthutan ang mga dayuhan,at madalas pati ang kapwa pinoy! ayusin nyo muna ang serbisyo bago kayo humingi ng pera! pagmaynagkokmento kung gaano kapangit ang serbisyo nyo galit pa!
30th October 2010
Fresh Water Pool

ER3
mt; arayat
22nd November 2010
Mt. Arayat

arayat
hey
12th February 2011
Mt. Arayat

is there an original tittle of the land.thanks
i want to ask the 100 hectars near in san juan arayat if you can do title of it thank you...
31st March 2011

wala po ako comment,gusto ko po magtanong kung may sarili po kami sasakyan at galing kami manila saan po ang way namin papunta dyan?at mayroon po bang pwedeng pagstayan dyan 3days po kasi kami dyan.
26th April 2011

good day to all ,. i would like to visit your cozy place , together with our client numbering 100 person including children ,. please send us your contracted rates , day tour only , 100 pax , MAY 29, 2011 or would u mine to ring our Travel Dept,. 3656321 / 6344065 / or txt 09086016664 thanks and GOD BLESS,,. SUSAN
12th May 2011

mt. arayat
aha, after all kahit na na landslide ang mt. arayat nakikita parin yung kagandahan nito. sana ngayon alam natin na mahalaga sa atin ang kalikasan sana lalo pa natin pangalagaan ito!
28th March 2012

itatanong lang po namin kung open ang swimming pool nang mahal na araw huwebes santo ? pwede po ba mkahingi ng contact no. ?

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