La Mesa Watershed and Eco-Park

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An eco-friendly playground in Quezon City, La Mesa Watershed and Eco-Park has one of the last forests inside Manila. Owned by the government, the 2700-hectare park is built around the La Mesa Dam, the drinking water reservoir of the whole metropolis. It is thus created to preserve the city’s most precious water tank. Because it is also a rich source of clean air, the park has been tagged “the lungs of Manila.”

The park’s boating lagoon (Photo by moretoba)

Attractions

The park’s attractions include five hectares of picnic groves containing various species of trees. A fitness trail has 17 exercising stations, while a 1.2-km. mountain bike trail passes through two hectares of flower terraces, a fishing wharf, and the country’s only salt water swimming pool.

The park’s butterfly trail and hatchery is nearby various pavilions for private functions. There is also an Ecomuseum for biodiversity conservation and environmental education, as well as a lagoon for a leisurely paddle boating.

Native huts overlooking the reservoir (Photo by moretoba)

Since it is created to promote outdoor recreation, the park has its own adventure zone that includes a paintball field and facilities for wall climbing, zip lining and rappelling. The park also accommodates overnight campers and will soon have its own and mini golf course. Among the park’s other services are providing guided walking tours and packaged group lectures on gardening and arts and crafts.

Fees and opening hours

A butterfly inside the park (Photo by moretoba)

The park is open from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily. Admission to the park is P50 (for those above three feet) and free for three feet and below. With valid I.D., residents of Quezon City will be charged P40 for the entrance fee, students will pay P20, while seniors are free of charge.

For the pool (9 a.m. to 4 p.m., daily), the entrance fee is P80 for those above three feet and P40 for those below three feet. Visitors should be in proper swimming attire (no buttons, zippers and cotton-made fabrics).

Horseback riding: P150/100/50/ride, Butterfly trail and hatchery entrance: P30/head, boat rental: P100/boat/30 minutes, paintball rental: P350/head (gear + 50 bullets) or P500/head (gear + 100 bullets) or P750/head (gear + 220 bullets), wall climbing: P50, zip lining: P100, rappelling: P50, bike rental: P50 – P80/hour, fishing: P80/kilo, fishing rod rental: P20/day.

In addition, a P500 fine will be charged for littering. Loud music, karaoke, liquor, and illegal drugs are strictly prohibited. Overnight camping can be arranged through http://lamesaecopark.com/, and tel. nos. (02) 410-9670 and (02) 415-2227.

How to get there

Visitors enjoying a leisurely bike ride

La Mesa Watershed and Eco-Park is in East Fairview. The only way to get there is through a taxi or a private vehicle. From Quezon Circle, take Commonwealth Avenue, turn at Pearl Street, turn left then straight to Dunhill Street, where the park is located.