Nueva Ecija is considered the main rice growing province in the country and often referred as the “Rice Bowl of the Philippines. Aside from the rice fields, the province has a new tourist destination that features pristine water, rock formations, cave and some amazing natural attractions. It's called Minalungao National Park.
The park is a protected area of the Philippines located in the municipality of General Tinio, Nueva Ecija which covers an area of 2,018 hectares centered along the scenic Peñaranda River bordered on both sides by the amazing limestone walls in the foothills of the Sierra Madre mountain range.
We arrived in Gapan around 10 in the morning. It's really hot that time and the sun's light made my eyes teary. We hired a tricycle from Gapan Nueava Ecija going directly to Minalungao National Park. The fare was P700. Usually travelers take tricycle from Gapan to Papaya which is the old name of General Tinio. Fare cost was Php150. From Papaya, you can take another tricycle going to the park which cost around Php 300-400. Use the power of negotiation to get discount on your fare. Travel time from Gapan to the Park is more than an hour.
On the way the park, we noticed most of the roads are newly concreted which I did not not expect. There're lots of open area which hopefully locals use these spaces another rice fields. A few houses can be seen along the way.
Minalungao National Park is an ecotourism destination offering breath-taking scenery of pristine river, exploring cave and unique rock formations. Inside the park, there a lot things to do. You can take dip into the cold water of the river, cave spelunking, rock climbing and zipline.
It's advisable to go the park during summer. The water is very, clean, clear and and there's an effect of turquoise color. The water is really amazing.. It's so sad we're not able to see the clear water due to the heavy rains the other night. If it's raining, the water looks muddy. There's also a floating bamboo rafts that you can rent to explore the beautiful river.
How to get to Minalungao National Park
1. From Cubao, take a Five Star bus going to Gapan Nueva Ecija. Travel time is around 2 hours. Fare is less then Php200.
2. From Gapan, take a tricycle going to Papaya. Travel Time is 45 minutes. Fare is Php 150
3. From Papaya (General Tinio), take a tricycle going to the park. Travel time is 45 minutes. Fare is around Php300-Php400. You can also hire tricycle from Gapan directly to the park. Fare is from Php500-Php700. Use your negotiation power.
Travel Tips
1. Go to the park during summer or sunny season
2. Don't forget to bring sunblock and off lotion
3. Bring waterproof bag or any covers that will protect your gadgets
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