Hundred Islands park logs more than 2K weekend visitors

MALASIQUI, Pangasinan – The Hundred Islands National Park (HINP) in Alaminos City, Pangasinan has recorded more than 1,000 daily tourist arrivals on weekdays and more than 2,000 on weekends since the start of June.  

City Tourism and Cultural Affairs Office assistant head Rose Aruelo, in an interview Friday, attributed the volume of visitors to the end of classes, as well as the absence of weather disturbances despite the start of the rainy season. 

“Nakahanda kami sa more than 1,000 (visitors) daily. Normal pa din (We are prepared to welcome more than 1,000 visitors daily. That’s still within our normal range),” she said.

The number of daily visitors since the start of June has exceeded by about 200 to 300 on weekdays and 500 to 1,000 on weekends compared to a year ago, she said. 

The HINP recorded 21,192 tourist arrivals from June 1 to 14, and about 206,296 tourists from January 1 to May 31.

Aruelo said water sports activities recently introduced at the HINP became an added attraction with competitive pricing. 

Water bikes, trikes, hurricane boat rides, and crystal kayaking are available for PHP300 to PHP1,000. 

These are on top of the banana boat ride, the 120-meter zipline at Quezon Island, and the 546-meter zipline from Governor’s Island to Virgin Island, as well as cliff jumping, diving, swimming, fish feeding, snorkeling, and spelunking. 

Pilgrimage Island, where a 56-foot Christ the Savior statue and the Stations of the Cross are located, is the most visited island.

The national park has 17 islands that are open to the public. (PNA)