Saturday, April 04, 2009

Around Clark: El Kabayo & Puning Hot Spring

Who said Clark Freeport was all about leisure estates, duty free shopping and golf? Well, aside from eating, and eating, and eating, there's more to Clark than most people know. Today I got to try two recreational activities one can do while in Clark. And Andy Smith and Andi Manzano of Qtube were there to join me as I explored Clark.

One of those activities is horseback riding at El Kabayo Riding Stables. While you can take the horse around the area, if you are adventurous and up to the task, why not go for a ride down to the Sacobia River and enjoy the lahar canyons created by the Mt. Pinatubo eruption?

The trek can last for hours. But for those who love the outdoors, it's worth it. Well, we got to ride on the horses around Clark. But since we didn't have much time, we decided to save the Sacobia River for another day. I'm definitely coming back!

For the second activity, we moved to another side of Clark to board 4x4 vehicles that would take us to the Puning Hot Spring. It's in the ancestral domain of the Aetas so you'll get to meet a lot of them as you make your way to the hot spring. In fact, the employees of the Puning Hot Spring are mostly indigenous Aetas.

The ride is an attraction in itself, passing through lahar canyons and small streams in Sapang Bato. In fact, some canyons were so narrow, we were driving on the water. The ride from Station 1 to 3 was about 30 minutes, bumpy but exciting!

Station 1 is the Base Camp and has a garden restaurant. Station 2 is the spa and massage area. While Station 3 is the hot spring itself. As we neared Puning Hot Spring, we could feel the water of the stream warming up as we splashed our way through.

At the Puning Hot Spring, we got to go near the source which was a steaming hot waterfall. The water in the stream was close to 90 degrees Celsius. They divert some of the water into various pools with different temperatures ranging from 40 to 70 degrees Celsius. There are eight hot pools and one cold pool. So if one pool is too hot for you, you can take a dip in the next one.

The Puning package costs PHP3,000. And that includes buffet meals, the 4x4 ride from Garden Restaurant to the hot spring and back, entrance fees to the hot spring and use of the facilities, sand steam (that's where they bury you up to the neck under volcanic sand), body mud pack, and a foot massage.

Next up is eating, eating, and eating at C' Italian Dining and Azur.

El Kabayo Riding Stables
Gil Puyat Avenue cor. Panday Pira, Clark Freeport Zone
(045) 4990920, (02) 8523117

Puning Hot Spring
Sitio Target, Sapang Bato, Angeles City
(045) 4990629, (0920) 8664246 & (0919) 3392795
(0917) 5360618 - Korean

Part 2: Around Clark: C' Italian Dining and Azur Bistro & Bar

6 comments:

  1. I just watched this episode on QTube, and also, I'm from Sapangbato and saw you guys riding the 4X4, I'm glad you visited our place!

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  2. Anonymous24.4.09

    saw this site from Q11 Qtube! nice site... Marco Paulo.... how can I go to Sapangbato if im coming from Manila? (by public transpo)

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  3. you need to take a bus from Manila that will drop you at Dau Terminal, from there, take a tricycle and ask them to bring you to Bayanihan Park Terminal, from there take a Route 1 jeepney going inside clark that will drop you to Sapangbato gate.

    Well if you are planning to go to Puning Resort, you need to inform the 4x4 Drivers so they can pick you up on Sapangbato Gate, I'll post a contact number here once I got one.

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  4. Puning has its own 4x4s and the ride is already part of the package. Just call Puning.

    ReplyDelete
  5. Anonymous15.9.11

    Is the P3000 for the group already?like ur with ur and just wants to experience the indulgence they are offering :)

    ReplyDelete
  6. Anonymous20.7.12

    Such a great adventure. Nice blog and more power to you!

    ReplyDelete

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