There’s an old joke which says, “Father’s Day is very similar to Mother’s Day. Only, it is just cheaper to celebrate.”
But with more options emerging and the growing sophistication of today’s active dads, this adage may soon no longer be true and a fancy meal will be a boring proposition. Dads or males in general, shun fanfare and drama, and would just love to go about his recreational routine, but this time with the family which makes the day special.
Below are some adventure ideas which will be a family treat, which can fill us with loads of fun moments and memories, and tons of photos for social media.
Motocamping. A variant of the good old camping, this is gaining traction among outdoor lovers and road trippers as it makes use of your family vehicle as supply or logistics center for your camp. It can also morph into glamping or glamor camping if you put in lots of amenities and comforts into your camp.
Popular motocamping sites near Manila are Laguna, Rizal and Zambales, with the latter as a favorite because of the challenging drive, diverse natural features, and proximity to powdery beaches. A sought-after venue is Lake Mapanuepe, which is tucked in the interior of San Marcelino town, regarded as the “Singkamas Capital” of Zambales.
Created by the Mount Pinatubo eruption in 1991, the 6.5-sq km lake is 129 meters above sea level, and has a 33-km shore length, which means cool weather and lots of open spaces to pitch tent. Accessible from the national road, it is advisable to bring an SUV, MPV or pickup because of the shallow river crossings.
As a bonus after the camping, you can drive to the nearby surfing areas of San Felipe, island hop around San Antonio, go mango picking around the orchards, swing by old churches and the Ramon Magsaysay Museum in Castillejos. You can also grab a snack in the quaint roadside cafes which sprouted during the pandemic.
Kayaking. Our family watersport since the 1990s, paddling is a safe and fun recreation which develops your confidence in the water. Paddling also tones the upper torso and helps you appreciate the value of clean bodies of water.
Newbies can get their feet wet, quite literally, on lakes because of the placid water, and absence of waves or currents. The nearest spot is Lumot Mahipon Lake in upland Cavinti, Laguna which is connected to the popular Lake Caliraya a few minutes away.
A family-friendly lodging in the area is Sierra Lake House, situated on a man-made islet within the reservoir lake, where you can learn the basics of kayaking, stand-up paddleboarding, largemouth bass fishing, and diving from a bamboo raft platform.
With the calm water, you will surely get into the groove and learn to paddle in no time and navigate the lake. Once you’ve gained confidence, you can kayak in the bigger Caliraya nearby.
Its cozy bahay kubo-themed lodging and tasty home-style food takes you to the no-frills joys of countryside living and family during the pre-Internet age. The spacious premises are also ideal for barbecue, yoga, Zumba, board games, and traditional palarong Pinoy you may want to revive.
The area is also teeming with pasalubong food and native crafts, most notably handwoven barong cloth of Lumban town.
On the way home, you can drive around the Laguna Lake Loop via Rizal province which has scenic pit stops, challenging bends, and a whole new world of unexpected finds.
Scuba Diving. This aqua sport is arguably the most memorable activity you can gift to the family because of the life-saving skills you gain and the opportunity to marvel at the archipelago’s world-famous underwater kingdom. Mabini, Batangas, or popularly known as Anilao, is the handsdown choice for scuba diving 101 because of the plethora of resorts and dive sites.
A new family-oriented watering hole is Amor Laut Resort, a reincarnation of the former Vistamar into a more high-end and garden-themed staycation hub. Guests will be taught basic skills in the discover scuba diving (DSD) orientation in the pool, and afterwards taken out to the nearby shallow dive sites a few meters away from the shore which is teeming with lush marine life.
Once you’ve mustered the guts, you can do the more exciting and deeper dives from a pump boat. You can also feast on the resort’s local and international flavors, or laze at the pool, the well-appointed rooms or gaze into the seascape at the al fresco restaurant.
The birthplace of the country’s scuba diving industry, Anilao is also perfect for windsurfing, paddling, island-hopping, mountain trekking, food trips of local delicacies such as lomi, goto, kalamay, and kapeng barako.
