52 Weekends of Family Fun: Part 9

October 5: Avilon Montalban Zoo

One of the most modern and well-maintained zoos in the country, Avilon is great for spending the day seeing tigers, alligators, orangutans and other exotic fauna.  

Why go there: The animals are well treated and Avilon is at par with zoos from abroad, in terms of beauty, variety, care and creativity.  The place looks like a theme park.  

Family-friendly factor: Avilon is clean for zoo standards and the place is ideal for spending the day in, even if it’s quite a drive from the city. Plus, your kids can feed some of the animals.

May cost you: the all-day entrance fee is P300 for adults, P200 for children

Fun factoid: Avilon also has a smaller zoo in Tiendesitas beside Fun Ranch, for people who don’t want to go all the way to Rizal.

Contact details:
Avilon Montalban Zoological Park
Open Mondays-Fridays from 8am–5pm, and Saturdays-Sundays from 8am–6pm
Address: San Isidro, Rodriguez
Landline: (02) 948-9866
Website: You can send emails through their website’s contact form at http://www.avilonzoo.ph

Image from solitarywanderer.com

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October 12: Corregidor Island

How often do you get to explore an island filled with relics from World War II?  Corregidor was an important fortification back then and much of its history is preserved in its environs.

Why go there: The tours are exceptional and the tour guides are entertaining and informative.  The Malinta Tunnel, the gun emplacements, the hospital, the museum and the shrine can’t be missed.

Family-friendly factor: The Corregidor Hotel has cozy, clean rooms and serves buffet meals.  There are also some cottages available for longer stays.   

May cost you: A three-day, two-night stay for a family of four costs P23,500, including ferry services, all meals, massages for the adults and guided tours.

Fun factoid: Aside from boating tours around the island, there are also some night tours where you explore the buildings with flashlights under their watchful eyes.  Sometimes, the tour guides will regale you with ghost stories that they (or a friend’s friend) have experienced on the island.

Contact details:
Corregidor Hotel, Cavite
Address: To get to the island, visit the Sun Cruises office, Fernando Ma. Guerrero corner Paseo Palisoc, CCP Complex, Roxas Blvd., Pasay City
Landline: (02) 834-6857 to 58, (02) 966-9391 to 92
Website: http://corregidorisland.com/, http://www.corregidorphilippines.com

Image by Richard White from flickr.com

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October 19: Vigan Plaza Hotel

Vigan’s quaint old-world Castellan appeal is a feast for travelers and history buffs alike.  That makes the Vigan Plaza Hotel a treat as it offers something for everyone.

Why go there: Aside from being at the center of Vigan town proper, the hotel offers cozy rooms styled in the look and feel of Colonial Spain with modern amenities.

Family-friendly factor: You get daily breakfasts and 21 inch cable TVs.  All the rooms have cable broadband access as well as a refrigerator and mini-bar.

May cost you: around P2,300 – P8,000 for an overnight stay

Fun factoid: The food is excellent and more than reasonably priced.  You can avail of local favorites such as bagnet and lato at the Bigaa Resto.

Contact details:
Vigan Plaza Hotel
Address: Mena Crisologo Street, Brgy 2, Vigan City, Ilocos Sur
Landline: (+6377) 7221527, (+6377) 6320317, (+632) 2461501, (+632) 2461501
Website: www.viganplazahotel.com

Image from tripadvisor.com.my

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October 26: Enchanted Kingdom

Enchanted Kingdom is a world-class theme park, the largest and most comprehensive of its kind in the country. Need we say more?

Why go there: With over twenty major rides and dozens of different attractions, it’s the closest thing you and the family will ever come to Disneyland inside the Philippines.  Unless you’re willing to fork over a trip to Hong Kong, Singapore or Japan, Enchanted Kingdom is where it’s at.

Family-friendly factor: Because this is the best theme park in the country, Enchanted Kingdom has a very good safety record.  There are lots of places for kids to eat and for nappies to get changed here.

May cost you: anywhere between P150 (carousel and park grounds) and P600 (whole day access to everything)

Fun factoid: Space Shuttle Max is one of the scariest roller coaster rides in the country (it’s a toss-up between that and Star City’s upside down Star Flyer).

Contact details:
Enchanted Kingdom
Address: San Lorenzo Road, Santa Rosa, Laguna
Landline: (+632) 830-3535, (+632) 584-3535, (+632) 584-4326 to 29, (+632) 584-4332
Website: Visit www.enchantedkingdom.ph

Image from globetourguide.com