DAYTRIP FROM MANILA: MOUNT PURRO (A PLAYGROUND HEAVEN IN ANTIPOLO)

I’ve first seen this when a friend of mine (Hi, Lacey!) was promoting it on her Facebook account. I think they were just starting then. It’s always been on the list, but I wasn’t sure just how kid-friendly it was.

So anyway, one time, while we were planning the next #RIE session with P’s playmates, Teacher Tanya commented on how she enjoyed viewing our photos of our recent Baguio trip – where P went hiking, and then went on to suggest an outdoor trip in nearby Mount Purro Nature Reserve with our babies!

Everyone was game, and so yesterday, we made it happen.

Good thing I waited before visiting this, because their playground is a new attraction (I was told it’s just 3 months old as of writing), and I tell you, whether you are a Montessori, RIE, or a Waldorf parent, or none of the above, you will totally love their playground — just so many opportunities for all kinds of movement, play, and work! What I love though, is that even if it has so many elements, it’s also executed with so much beauty and purpose.

Basically, we paid PHP 675 (we got a 10% discount because Teacher Tanya is friends with the owner) each, but children under 3 are free. The rate for a daytour is PHP 750 per person which already comes with buffet lunch.

I’ll let the photos do the talking.

PS: Not sure if it’s okay with the parents of P’s playdates to have their children’s faces here in my blog, so I’ll just post the ones where their faces aren’t seen. 😛

The play area – two “floors”. Look at those ropes! And the baby-friendly swing!
Blackboards, Slides, Crawling Spaces, Climbing Spaces, Wall Climbing Spaces, Balance Beams – what more can I possibly ask for?
Look at how they made the hill a climbing and crawling opportunity!
Look at how they made the Little Tikes blend with the scene. It’s perfect for those who are just learning how to use the slide!
Look at the swings, and the balance beam using a sturdy branch from one of their trees! Great balancing workout right there.
Mud Kitchen! With a working faucet so they can really “cook” using what they find in their environment, and also for washing hands when they’re done playing. Also in this area but not seen in the photo is a shelf where you can find trucks and watering cans.
Music area! Love, love, love this!
I was just telling my husband to help me make a balancing scale with pails, but I think the plate idea is better – because the child can easily view the items on each plate. Also love how they made a climbing and balancing opportunity out of logs (right photo).
This area is brilliant, too! And just made out what they probably already had.
More crawling and climbing and balancing opportunities! Love their version of a Pikler Triangle!

Photos coming of my son and his playmates!

 

Mount Purro Nature Reserve is huge! There are a lot more activities you can do there. You can swim, hike, try their rope courses, get a massage, meet the Dumagats (the indigenous community local to the area), etc. You can check the activities HERE. When P’s playmates left, we decided to make the most of the day (as P still had energy to burn after his post-lunch nap), so we hiked to the first/easy “peak”, a 15 minute hike up the trail. Actually, we just wanted P to be able to hike, but learned that their hiking trail is not friendly to P’s age – the grounds are narrow, so toddlers can easily fall. We ended up carrying him all the way up and down, but stopped to nurse and enjoy the cooler climate.

If you just want to relax, there are several open cabanas all over the place, and its use is already included in their daytour rate – first come, first served basis. They also have cabanas for overnight stays – no air conditioner in any of them, but I think for this place, it’s more than okay not to use an a/c.

Their overnight cabanas have a lot of spaces like this, but this one was from their lunch area — really nice area, too!

Overall, we enjoyed our stay! Here are some thoughts:

  1. If you’re only going for the playground, the daytour rate can come out a little steep. But then again, it’s a beautifully-made playground. Take note though, that it’s new – I hope their get to maintain it. The playground is friendly to both toddlers (actually, infants who crawl can already enjoy it) and older children. Heck, even I wanted to try everything!
  2. That said, looking back, we should have come much earlier (we arrived around 10AM) so we could have explored more (or rested on the cabanas more). Better yet, we should consider sleeping overnight next time.
  3. The food was good. Not sure if they always cook vegetarian-friendly meals, but since we mentioned it to them ahead of time, they had squash in coconut milk and fried banana blossom in their buffet choices, which we really enjoyed. If you have food restrictions, please tell them ahead of time.
  4. If you can, go on a weekday like we did. We heard it gets really full on weekends (plus I think you can’t do walk-ins on weekends).
  5. It’s only 1.5 hours away from Manila (many of us came from Pasig/San Juan area, and one from Commonwealth, Quezon City). If you’re looking for some nature that also has structure and comfort (and near Manila), you may consider this.

For more information, just head to their website: MOUNT PURRO NATURE RESERVE, ANTIPOLO

PS: Just also want to do a shoutout to their management for a job well done! Their place is really clean. I noticed how there’s a trash can (that blends with the environment) every few meters, so I guess that motivates people to throw trash properly. Also, in their bathrooms, there’s a sign that says if their bathroom is not clean, lacks tissues and soap, etc, to tell their staff right away. This alone will make me give this place a 5 out of 5. Hope it stays this way forever!

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5 Comments

  1. Hi! Not sure if i just missed it but how much is the entrance fee for toddlers (3) and adults? How much to use the playground too? Thanks!

    1. Hi! Here you go. I am also planning to go there, thanks to Paula’s beautiful and detailed description of the place 🙂

      Hike, Eat, Swim
      (7:00AM – 6:00PM)
      Rates:
      Adults (8 yrs old and above): P750 / head
      Kids (3 yrs old to 7 yrs old): P550/ head
      Kids below 2 yrs old – FREE

      INCLUSIONS:
      Buffet Lunch
      Use of MPNR Facilities: Mess Hall, Swimming pool, Hiking trails, Outdoor Playground
      Asian lounge, Shower Facilities & Cabana

      Schedule of Free Hikes:
      AM Schedule: 5:30 | 8:00
      PM Schedule: 1:00 | 4:00

  2. Hi, thanks for this! My wife and I are planning to go here on our daughter’s 2nd birthday with a few of her friends and cousins. Does it get really hit in the afternoon that the kids will not enjoy anymore? Thanks.

    1. Hi. It really depends on the season, I guess. I suggest going first there yourselves so you can decide what kind of heat is acceptable for you and your guests. 🙂

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