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Parks and recreation
Though travelers heading
farther north often consider
Tarlac a mere stopover, there’s
more to this landlocked
province thanmeets the eye. Its
vast plains and mountains are
places of history, culture and
adventure.
At
Tarlac Recreational
Park
(TRP), located in the
mountain ranges of San
Jose municipality, visitors
can indulge an appetite for
adventure thanks to the many
outdoor activities on offer.
Beyond the Olympic-sized pool,
track-and-field oval, football
fields, basketball courts and
other facilities that one would
expect of a sports complex, the
78ha property is also home to
ATV, dune buggy, motocross
and mountain bike trails.
I start off by kayaking in the
park’s serene lagoon as the sky
begins to change color in the
late afternoon, which makes for
a relaxing fewminutes. That is,
until I decide to shift gears and
jump into a dune buggy. On a
rocky trail, surrounded by trees
and overgrown cogon grass,
our buggy rumbles through
uphill climbs, turns and drops.
The ride is as bumpy as it is
exciting. But if getting tossed
around on a 3 or 4km stretch of
rough terrain in a dune buggy
or on an ATV is not your idea
Tarlac
A surfing lesson at Crystal Beach
Resort in Zambales. Inset, from top:
the 30ft Statue of the Risen Christ
at Monasterio de Tarlac; the writers’
tour group poised to begin their
adventure odyssey; go-kart racing at
KCT Kart City
