This website uses cookies so that we can provide you with the best user experience possible. Cookie information is stored in your browser and performs functions such as recognising you when you return to our website and helping our team to understand which sections of the website you find most interesting and useful.
Traveling can be very addicting. Most of us who are obsessed about going to some place new whenever we have free time can relate to the common problem that frequent travelers have: financial constraints.
If you have to satisfy your itchy feet, where will you go if you only have a budget of P1,000? Will you be able to go out of Manila with only that much in your pocket?
Actually, you can. There’s a lot of cheap travel options to choose from, and one of them is Montalban, Rizal. It’s only 2 hours from Manila (add one more hour if there’s heavy traffic), and there are a number of things you can do there. Here are just two of them: visit the Avilon Zoo and have a relaxing time in Wawa Dam.
Welcome to Avilon Zoo!
Avilon Zoo, Montalban
I live in Montalban, and almost every single day, I see busloads of people going to Avilon. I saw the reason why when I finally had the chance to go there. Avilon is the biggest zoological institution in the Philippines in terms of land area!
It has 3,000 live specimens in its 7.5-hectare facility, with over 500 species of birds, mammals, reptiles, amphibians, and a variety of freshwater fish. No wonder a lot of local and even foreign visitors go all the way to Montalban to see it!
Frankly, I don’t like zoos. I much prefer to see the animals in the wild. However, I can appreciate the reasons why they exist, and seeing the animals in Avilon made me wish that all zoos in Metro Manila were as big and as well maintained as Avilon.
There are a lot of different-sized ponds in Avilon.
Graceful flamingos in Avilon Zoo.
The word Avilon means “land of birds,” and in fact, there are a lot of birds there, from parrots and cockatoos, to canaries, hornbills, and graceful flamingos.
There were birds of prey like hawks, eagles, and kites, and you can see the world’s largest pigeon here too, the Victoria Crown Pigeon, as well as some endangered species like the Cassowary and the Emu from Australia.
Some of the many kinds of birds inside the zoological park.
There are farm animals in the zoo, too, including carabaos, chickens, horses, and sheep. For those who like to be creeped out, you will certainly enjoy their exhibit of spiders and snakes!
I loved the primates exhibit. There were tarsiers, monkeys, and even a huge orangutan. Mostly though, I enjoyed the big cats. There were sunbears, tigers, and leopards. I wish they could be free though! They looked so cooped up in their cages.
There are white tigers and lots of crocodiles there!
There’s a tour hourly from 8am to 3pm, and I highly recommend taking it. Most of the cages don’t have name tags, so it will be quite difficult to identify the animals on your own.
Eating during the 2-hour tour is not allowed as there’s a separate area designated for picnics. Bring a lot of water and observe the no picture taking rules in some areas.
How to go to Avilon Zoo: From Cubao, Quezon City, take the FX vans bound for Eastwood parked in front of either Tropical Hut or in front of Jollibee, in Farmer’s along EDSA. One way costs P50 each. Once in Eastwood, take the orange tricycles to Avilon for P40.
Entrance: P400 for adults, P300 for children, free for infants
Opening hours: Monday-Friday: 8am-5pm, Weekends: 8am-6pm
For more info, call: +632 942.5960
Extreme Adventures in Montalban
Aside from Avilon Zoo, Montalban is also known for Wawa Dam, which used to be Manila’s primary water source until it was replaced by bigger and newer watershed systems.
Nowadays, Wawa serves mostly as a family vacation getaway—from Avilon, you can go swimming in the river (free), rafting (P100, the whole day), or just chilling in the numerous beach cottages there (P50-80 per day).
Cottages along the river in Wawa Dam.
Stalactites in the Bat Cave of Wawa Dam.
Those who are more into extreme sports adventures can also go rock climbing, mountain biking, or caving in Wawa Dam. The tourism office there has guides which can take you to some of the open cave systems that had been used as a hideaway by Filipino rebels in the 1900s.
There are numerous pool resorts too, and entrance can cost as low as P50 per head. Two of the cheapest ones (which means they can be very crowded during the summer season and on weekends!) are Dado’s Resort (+632 222-2781 and +632 389-8208) and Blue Water Resort (+63921-259-8154). They don’t have a website, so just call for details.
How to go to Wawa Dam, Montalban: Once you arrive in Eastwood Subdivision in Montalban, take the jeepney bound for Wawa or Yagit for only P7.
Aleah Taboclaon is a location independent writer, editor, and the travel blogger behind Solitary Wanderer. She's partial to slow travel, and prefers extreme adventures like hiking and caving over sightseeing. She likes running (completed one marathon, training for the next!), diving (PADI open water diver), and traveling with her Kindle. Follow her on Instagram and Pinterest!
Latest posts by Aleah Taboclaon (see all)
- Visiting the Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding - May 20, 2024
- Why Thailand Is a Great Destination for Solo Travelers - March 21, 2024
- 20 Absolutely Useful Tips For Backpacking Southeast Asia - July 30, 2023
28 Comments. Leave new
Sarap naman
Ask ko lang kung magkano ang expenses for swimming lang sa wawa and paano mag commute papunta from manila, intramuros. Salamat.
Hi Paolo. Wala namang entrance sa Wawa, unless makikita nila na may kasama kang foreigner 😀 Commute from Quiapo: P30 ata van pa Cubao. From Cubao, van pa Montalban Eastwood is P50. Then Wawa jeep ay P7. So P174 round trip.
@ Lejohn: Wawa Dam is of course open, but I’m not too sure about Avilon. Maybe call them and ask?
Hi,
Ask ko lang po f open kau this coming saturday (April 19) o sunday (april 20), plan sana naming pupunta?
Thank u.
@ Daisei Nogot: From Taft, take an FX to Cubao (P30-35). From Cubao, take the FX to Montalban Eastwood (P50) and then a jeep to Wawa (P8). Very affordable day trip eh? 🙂
Hi..i’ve never been there yet..ask ku lng po if kung mgkanu ang expenses from manila to wawa dam.
Im dying to see that place…thnx!
@ Klang: Thanks! 🙂
@ Klang: Thanks!
I love your blog! Thanks so much for all the very helpful info! More powers!!! 🙂
@ Gabriel: Sorry for the delayed response. Yes, there’s a guide fee. I think it’s P500, but feel free to haggle! Your budget depends on what you want to do there. If you just want to swim, the cost is 0.
@ Steph: We went night swimming there. Love it!
hello, may food stalls po ba sa loob ng avilon zoo? Thanks!
Hi Ana. They have a store, but I strongly recommend bringing your own baon. They didn’t have much in the store so we were glad we brought pancit and softdrinks. There is a picnic area there.
Hey, I’m from Montalban too. And then there is Noah’s Park Resort beside Avilon. You’ll love there too. 😀
ask q rin po magkano ang safe budget sa wawa kung in case
ask ko po if may bayad yung guide sa tourism office dun sa wawa yung maghahatid sa pamintinan cave ,.. or pwede optional na kahit walang guide?
@ JJ: Thanks for letting me know about your confusion. I have edited my post to clarify that it’s Eastwood Subdivision, not Libis 🙂 Maybe you can visit when you return to the Philippines!
Aleah,
Nice article about Avilon and Wawa Dam. Had I read your blog earlier, I would have visited those 2 places last month when I was still in the Phils.
Btw, I initially thought that you were referring to Eastwood Libis. Mapped it and I was thinking, that its gonna be one loooongg tricycle ride to Wawa. 🙂
@ Shari: Yes madaming mammals dun; they have lions and tigers. Avilon is much better maintained than the Manila Zoo since it’s privately owned. It’s really highly recommended, especially for kids. Don’t forget to bring food so you can spend a longer time there!
meron po ba silan mga lion,elephant and other mammals??kasi baka more on birds po sila??lahat po ba ng mga animals sa manila zoo,makikita sa avilon zoo??
@ Jan: Thanks, I like it too! ^_^
I love the new design of your website! so clean and crisp. perfection! ^_^
Jan Ashlee
@ Mhe-Anne: Wawa is really just for chilling out, but I’m sure your pamangkins would love Avilon Zoo! It’s so different from the public Manila Zoo.
@ Marisol: You’re exactly right. It doesn’t look like the regular zoos we’re familiar with. It’s more of a sanctuary!
Hi Aleah,
I’m with you, not into zoos either but Avilon looks more like a santuary than zoo-ey. Wawa looks interesting. I’ll put it on my list to check out next time my husband and I visit Manila.
another very informative post Aleah! i have been to Montalban a number of times but haven’t been to both Avilon and Wawa. I’m pumped to doing both soon. thanks for the detailed directions and ideas!
@ Cris: Yeah, love the food in F4! That’s my next project (among others): where to eat in Montalban haha
@ Mica: Sayang naman you haven’t been back. Mahal na ngayon, entrance fee is P400 na unlike dati hehe Haven’t watched that episode 🙁
Three years ago, pumunta kami dyan sa Avilon Zoo pero kakasarado lang pagdating namin lol. Dapat siguro kaming bumalik. Napanood ko ‘to sa Follow That Star episode ni Alessandra de Rossi kahapon 😀
Wee…I love Montalban. Marami kaming pinagdaanan ng lugar na yan, by all means hehehe. 🙂 Di ko napasok yung Avilon Zoo at Noah’s Park, pag badtrip sa work bigla kaming nagpupunta sa Wawa Dam.^_^ pati food trip masarap, sa F4 at Fordy’s Panciteria sa San Jose, pati yung tilapyaan at yung puto pao ng IvyChris nakakamiss.^_^