The Philippines boasts several tourist destinations. It’s like a big world out thereβ€”so big that it can be daunting to plan which to visit. From natural to man-made masterpieces, wildlife to city-scapes, the choices are endless. Can’t decide? Here’s a tip: if you’re interested in theme parks, SUBIC must be the ideal place for you.

Roberto Garcia, Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority Chairman says Subic should be popularized as the theme park capital of the Philippines.

Why? Subic houses the five major theme parks in the country, namely: Ocean Adventure, Zoobic Safari, Tree Top Adventure, Holy Land and the Jungle Environment Survival Training (JEST) Camp. In this post, let me share with you about our recent trip to JEST Camp.

Top 3 Activities We Did in Magaul Bird Park

1. Winged Wonders Bird Show

This was primarily the highlight of our trip to Magaul Bird Park at JEST Camp since it was officially launched last Saturday, May 3, 2014. The event was warmly graced by CEO Joselito Lacap and his family who manages the bird park and the operations team who takes care of their collection of birds in the park. Adventura, the Marketing Arm of Magaul Bird Park, partners andΒ Canon PIXMA Printers (sponsor) were also present.

We had a sneak preview of their birds at the outdoor amphitheater. Before that, a group of dancers performed and successfully took everyone’s attention.

Later we learned through Operations Manager Katrina Lacap that the dance number was not carried out only to display talents and entertain guests.

Rather, it was used to signify an important story in the most creative and compelling way. This story is about the birth of Magaul Bird Park and why it was named “Magaul.” Apparently, Magaul is the Sarimanok, a Philippine mythical bird, who pecked the bamboo where Malakas and Maganda came from (the Philippine version of Adam and Eve).

All the birds look interesting and equally charming species! They are human-friendly and well-trained. With that, I bet that this amusing open-air bird show in JEST Camp will be a huge hit among tourists. It will be held daily at 11AM and 3AM if weather permits.

2. Giant Swing: Goliath’s Swing

Perched on the edge of JEST camp’s ground, this giant swing is a self-releasing swing over a cliff where you get to see Subic’s best view. At PHp 200/pax, you get to experience the coolest ride in the camp. Imagine being hoisted 30 meters in the air with the staff pulling the rip cord behind for exhilarating drop and swing!

3. Bird Watching

JEST Camp’s Magaul Bird Park features different types of birds you can watch and feed. Labels and descriptions of the birds are placed outside their respective cages. Additionally, staffs of the camp offer help in providing more explanations. Hence, I guarantee that you will go out of the bird park with new-found knowledge.

Wrap Up

We all need an escape from our daily lives from time to time, yes? If you’ve run out of places to go to in the city, Magaul Bird Park at JEST Camp may come to the rescue. Give yourself a break and enter its wondrous world.

There are much more fun and exhilarating activities (Jungle Survival, Maze Quest, etc.) we didn’t try, given the limited hours ofΒ our stay. For those who intend to go ahead and tour around Subic, I suggest you visit Magaul Bird Park at JEST Camp.Β Pick one activity or pick them allβ€”you can’t go wrong! πŸ˜›

The daytour (PHp 200/head) can be completed in two hours, excluding the shows.

Upper Mau, Cubi-Triboa, Subic Bay Freeport Zone, Zambales, Olongapo 2200
For inquiries, call phone number: (047) 252 1489 or Manila Office of Jest Camp: (02) 2189023 or 09179048777
Date Published: 05/05/2014

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Health and technology freak. Food and lifestyle blogger with a large appetite for food and travel.

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104 Responses

    • Rochkirstin Santos

      The birds have incredible talents. πŸ™‚ As for the Goliath’s Swing, participants are hauled to the highest point, with the safety harness attached, as they feel necessary.

      Take note of the requirements: minimum age of the participant is 7 years old; minimum height is 4 feet; and maximum weight is 10 tons.

      Reply
  1. Jason Panuelos

    We need more places like this in the Philippines. If Subic wasn’t so far away, I’d visit here in a heartbeat! Haha! πŸ™‚

    Reply
    • Rochkirstin Santos

      It’s 3-4 hours drive from Manila. If you’re traveling, bring a good company of friends so you can chat without getting bored on the way. πŸ˜€

      Reply
    • Rochkirstin Santos

      Yes! I still haven’t gone to the Treetop Adventure and Holy Land. Anyway, we got other time to conquer them all. :mrgreen: Thanks for the invite!

      Reply
    • Rochkirstin Santos

      Haha nope. My blogger friends did and I just took the pictures. Yes, there’s the zipline but we didn’t see them on that day. With so many activities one can do here, it’s best to arrive with comfortable clothes and forget about glamor. πŸ˜›

      Reply
      • Franc Ramon

        Yes, I agree. Comfortable clothes is better than glamor when it comes to going around subic.

      • Rochkirstin Santos

        Another option is to bring extra clothes. There are clean rest rooms around the park so you can change clothes before or after the activities. πŸ™‚

  2. Rebecca M

    We have many zoos and animal parks like this in London, its great to go especially when its the holidays nice way to spend the day! Hope you had fun!

    Reply
    • Rochkirstin Santos

      Yes, we did! Oh wow, I suddenly become excited to visit London’s zoos and animal parks because they are mostly unheard of – well, not as much as the British Museum, Tower of London, London Eye and other famous sites. πŸ™‚

      Reply
    • Rochkirstin Santos

      Yup, it’s fun when you can not only watch but also feed them. πŸ™‚ I think you’re more adventurous than me and so you’d be able to go through all these in one go: Jungle Survival Demo, Bird Exhibits, Magaul Maze Quest and 4 Walk-in Aviaries Enchanted Birds.

      Reply
  3. lovemindanao

    ohh my birth place… id been to JEST i guess a decade ago . and i missed it dearly . wish to come back and take a peek on the developments they made in the area. I wish to see the bats on trees,

    Reply
    • Rochkirstin Santos

      This place has really been developed to attract tourists. I also see JEST Camp as a center for conservation education. Tours here can be marketed as supplementary activities to science subjects, suited for students from elementary to college to consider for outbound education.

      Reply
  4. Prince

    Wow! The swing looks sooo thrilling! And they have cute, witty little parrots of different colors! I bet you had sooo much fun! Thanks for sharing! πŸ™‚

    Reply
    • Rochkirstin Santos

      Hehe I wanted to try and be a camp survivor but because of lack of time, we weren’t able to pursue the activity. Instead, we took delight in bird watching and taking pictures of the “playgrounds.” πŸ˜€

      Reply
    • Rochkirstin Santos

      Yay! When you do go back, get ready for JEST Camp’s Jungle Environment Survival Training as you will certainly be in for a spin. πŸ˜‰ Here, you will be put to scenarios where you’ll be tested out of your comfort zone (living through basic means just like how indigenous people have done for hundreds of thousands of years).

      Reply
    • Rochkirstin Santos

      Yup. They’ll get there. Now I think the focus is on developing and maximizing the lands that are available plus targeting more tourists to come visit.

      Reply
  5. Mai Flores

    Hey Roch! Would you know if Magaul Bird Park is easy to get to if you’re commuting (if not taking a private vehicle)? It’s usually a problem for me when planning to go to Subic (or around it). I haven’t been able to see any of the theme parks there due to our commute situation.

    Reply
    • Rochkirstin Santos

      Hi Mai, thank you for your wonderful question! πŸ˜€ My mom and I tried to commute before via bus to Olongapo (go to any Victory Liner Bus Terminal). Once you’re in Magsaysay, ride a taxicab. If you’re saving money though, you can take a bus and just tell the driver drop you off at JEST Camp near CUBI/Airport.

      Reply
    • Rochkirstin Santos

      I’m also not a bird person, but touring in bird parks once in a while is also a fun and enriching experience. Yeah, adventures inside the camp look quite intense! Expect to get perspired and tired at the end of the day. πŸ˜€

      Reply
    • Rochkirstin Santos

      No hehe I thought it’s suitable only for children. At least to my view, once I’ve already experienced the more thrilling rides, I would not anymore want to settle for the lower-rate. (I’ve tried G-MAX and the Battlestar Galactica in Singapore.)

      Reply
  6. Amanda

    What a fun place!! I would absolutely love to do the giant swing :)!! And I’m a big fan of birds.

    Reply
    • Rochkirstin Santos

      Those two are enough reasons for you to visit Magaul Bird Park at JEST Camp. I’m sure they will be worth the trip! Be in good physical shape so you can attempt to perform all activities on a clear day. πŸ˜€ Your reward? Bragging rights, seeing breathtaking views, meeting birds and if you survive the camp, probably a certificate of the training.

      Reply
  7. RUSS

    I’ve been to Ocean Adventure, Zoobic Safari, and Tree Top Adventure. Obviously, Holy Land and JEST Camp are new to me. You just gave me two new reasons to visit Subic again. It’s been close to three years since I last went to Subic. It’s one of the places in PH that I really love.

    Reply
  8. ann dela cruz

    I’d like to try that giant swing. I also like the dance part where they told a story. That’s an interesting way of telling a story that’s not boring. Would like to see this.

    Reply
    • Rochkirstin Santos

      It’s like interpretative dance on a fast beat. The dance number was so captivating and it gave a different view to how presenters typically tell a story.

      Reply
  9. jane

    the swing looks so cool to me! i love swing! prng singapore zoon lng ang peg ng place na to! hope to come back in philippines and visit this

    Reply
    • Rochkirstin Santos

      Haha. Believe it or not, I have not been to Singapore Zoo. I had tried to go there three times before but it was just far from our place and I didn’t want to go alone. Yeah, bring your family here!

      Reply
  10. andrew

    reminds me of my two african lovebirds! such a nice and really entertaining place to go with!!

    Reply
  11. Andreea Leau

    Wow! I think you had a lot of fun. I would like to see the birds show and to swing in the Goliath swing. I think it’s awesome that swing.

    Reply
    • Rochkirstin Santos

      I used to think that only dogs can be trained that well. Through the demo presentation, we have learned that birds are talented animals, too. πŸ™‚ The swing – yeah, you should try it!

      Reply
  12. Haydn Symons

    Hey Roch,

    A great blog post with fantastic photos, I’ll love to visit the Philippines some day.

    That swing ride looks absolutely ace! How big is the cliff below?

    The ride sort of reminds me of Grand Canyon Swing Ride – which also looks ace but terrifying! Do you know of it?

    Thanks!

    Reply
    • Rochkirstin Santos

      Hi Haydn, thanks for dropping by! On the website, it says 30 meters. I found another resource saying it’s 40 meters. In any case, that’s really high – well, high enough to get someone dead from falling down wahaha. Hmmm Grand Canyon Swing Ride? First time to hear about it from you. I’ll check it out. πŸ˜€

      Reply
    • Rochkirstin Santos

      Yeah, it would have been more fun if I was with my family. I know they would love to watch the show, too.

      Before the show, precautions mentioned were that nobody should stand, raise his/her hand, and bring out food and drinks during the show as these might cause interruption. Thankfully, everyone was cooperative that day. πŸ™‚

      Reply
    • Rochkirstin Santos

      I don’t know about the names haha. Obviously, I still need to read and research about the different types of birds and their families.

      Reply
  13. Janine

    i love to try zoobic safari! but anyways, the giant swing is frightening.. and the dance number was like an interpretative one?

    Reply
    • Rochkirstin Santos

      We’ve been to Zoobic Safari two years ago and I advise you to reserve a whole day for the tour. You will learn more about the animals and you can even interact and touch some of them. πŸ™‚ It’s much bigger than the bird park.

      Yup, the dance was like a mix of interpretative and jazz.

      Reply
  14. papaleng

    For just 200 pesos, I can mingle with those lovely species of birds, Hindi na masama. I’ll add this sa wishlist ko.

    Reply
  15. Cristina C.

    Your blog is so neat and pretty. Love the header design. As for the topic, I’ve yet to visit Subic for summer. I was told that place is the closest thing to any American state due its cleanliness.

    Reply
    • Rochkirstin Santos

      Thanks, Cristina. Yes, everywhere in Subic is orderly and neat. πŸ˜€ There are lots of places to go and activities to do ideally for a group.

      Reply
  16. lisa jones

    Looks Like You All Had A Great Time Lots To Do & See Would Love To Go!!

    Reply
  17. michele d

    looks like a super fun place to visit. Those birds looks amazing! I bet you had a blast!

    Reply
  18. Rebecca Swenor

    Looks like great places to go. Would love to go some day.

    Reply
  19. Chasity Boatman

    The Winged Wonders looks wonderful. You look like you had so much fun!

    Reply
    • Rochkirstin Santos

      Yes, we had fun watching the birds but it was only a sneak preview. The actual show would run longer and for sure it would be better. My only complain is that it’s too hot as we were under the sun without shade.

      Reply
    • Rochkirstin Santos

      That I’m not sure. I think the bird show will be enjoyable even without the dance number, but it must be shown so that guests would understand how the bird park was named “Magaul.” πŸ™‚

      Reply
  20. Nikki

    This looks very cool! The bird show looks like one I went to at the San Diego Wild Animal Park! I think I’d wet my pants on that swing lol

    Reply
    • Rochkirstin Santos

      Thanks, Becka. While some of the birds unfortunately did not look happy caged up, others seem to have enough space flying around. There is so much to see there in Magaul Bird Park! A visit to the park can easily take half a day.

      Reply
  21. Fred

    Just in time to see this before our planned Subic trip later this month. Now we have another place to look forward to. I wonder if the swing here is the same as the swing in Porac?

    Reply
    • Rochkirstin Santos

      Oh nice. They are quite similar but this one in JEST Camp is above the cliff. I don’t know if you figure it as more exciting. πŸ™‚

      Reply
    • Rochkirstin Santos

      Yes, I’ve heard that before, it would take hours before guests can reach the center of the park and there is not clean trail. Grounds were all slippery and there were no attractions designed for tours. Now with the development, they have made Magaul Bird Park in JEST Camp more fun. πŸ˜€

      Reply
  22. Kath Rivera

    I think my son will enjoy here πŸ™‚ The only thing I wanted to see is the giant swing. I want to ride there!

    Reply
    • Rochkirstin Santos

      Thanks, Joanna! Yes, he will. If possible, try asking his school to have a field trip here. You will have discounts on the entrance fee.

      Reply
    • Rochkirstin Santos

      Hehe at first you’d think that especially when you’re afraid of heights. But once you get to see many people trying it and nothing dramatic happens, you will realize that it’s nothing whaha. OK lah, unique experience! Go for it. πŸ˜€

      Reply
  23. Sam

    Wow. I usually get bored around bird parks and aviaries, but this one is good because they put in a lot of possible activities other than just watching caged birds πŸ™‚

    Reply
    • Rochkirstin Santos

      I’m the same as you. I don’t normally appreciate birds by just looking at them in cages. That’s just too boring. With this park, you can have more interaction with birds. Take pictures as many as you want and leave remembrance. πŸ˜€

      Reply
  24. jared's mum

    this sure looks like a very interesting place to visit with the kids. I am sure my little man will love those birds. hopefully i can visit this place with my boys soon!

    Reply
    • Rochkirstin Santos

      Yup. The current generation of kids is more fortunate for having these parks that are both educational and fun. πŸ˜€ This paves the way for another chance to have boundless learning (outside the four walls of the classroom).

      Reply

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