Summertime in the Philippines is always fun! Whether you are a student enjoying your summer vacation or a working professional taking time off, getting to plan for your summer escapades with your friends and family can always be a memorable experience. That said, while many of you are planning to go out of town during the summer, there are still many tourist attractions located in the heart of Metro Manila. And with the region becoming more bike-friendly, you could just skip the long car travels and traffic jams, and just roll out on your bicycle; spend quality time going to these must-see destinations, and enjoy your heart out with all the fun activities and leisurely sites that you can experience first-hand. And hey, you could even whip out your camera and snap memorable pics that you can share to your friends via social media!
- La Mesa Eco Park, Quezon City
Located just up north near the Novaliches area, the La Mesa Watershed Eco Park pretty much shows that nature is still very much present in the ubran NCR. Aside from taking leisurely walks and the biking around the 33-hectare eco park, La Mesa also has several fun activities in store for you. You can go swimming at the designated swimming pools within the park. Go boating and fishing at the lakes near the watershed, do extreme sports like wall-climbing, zip-lining, and bungee jumping, and even play paintball with your friends at designated locations. Being one with nature is a great feeling overall during the summer time, and the La Mesa Eco Park pretty much lets you experience nature at the heart of Metro Manila.
2. Intramuros & Luneta, Manila
The Manila capital may be considered one of the more urbanized areas in NCR, but more than its modern infrastructures and public roadworks, it is still considered a city rich in the arts and history, in no small part of the walled city of Intramuros. Biking around this historical geography can be a great experience, especially if you want to go sight-seeing at some of the historical locations in the area. From the national tourist location Rizal Park in Luneta, to Fort Santiago inside Intramuros, to the historic churches and cathedrals that were built during the Spanish era, you can snap photos and explore these sites while also learning about our country and our national hero. And the fact that you can go into both these locations in one bike ride is an added bonus!
3. Bonifacio Global City, Taguig
Now, most of you are probably asking why BGC is included as a summer attraction, it being a Central Business District and all. But, if you do get a chance to visit at your off-hours, during your leave, or on the weekends, you can actually appreciate the beautiful modernization of this business hub. Home to probably some of the best shops, restaurants, and leisurely areas, riding your bike around Global City can be a very pleasing experience. Several malls and stores are there to cater to your needs, and the numerous parks are filled with people doing their leisure activities. Of course, BGC at night is never one to be missed, especially if you are one with the party life.
4. LPPCHEA, Las Piñas-Parañaque
From the north of Metro Manila all the way to the south, the Las Piñas-Parañaque Critical Habitat and Ecotourism Area or LPPCHEA is another ecotourism location that you can visit by bike. This eco park and preservative is a great area for bird-watching, due to the numerous amounts of migratory birds that nest and are protected in the reserve. Walking around the area is also a fun experience since you are also walking within nature, learning about the forest area with exotic trees and birds, as well as looking over a new site of the Manila Bay by Paranaque. If you are a nature buff, you may also do your part by volunteering and helping with the coastal cleanup, collecting trash that get washed up at the reserve, as well as do tree-planting.
