Unbeknownst to some, Bulacan has more to offer than fireworks, chicharon and miraculous fertility rituals.It is also home to a myriad of wave pool resorts that serve as a quick getaway for Manilenos.
Aztec-inspired pool
Of these resorts, the most notable perhaps is Eight Waves Waterpark along DRT Highway in San Rafael, Bulacan. The resort has been operational for about a decade now and in all the trips I’ve made to the resort since ’03, it has remained well-maintained and pleasant.
IMO, the P250 entrance fee (Adult rate from 9am to 6pm; kids 4ft below at P200) is pretty much a fair price for the quality and cleanliness of this resort.
Eight Waves is a comprehensive resort hotel and aqua park that boasts several safari pools with slides and other amenities such as mini golf, volleyball court and billiards. But the resort’s premier attraction is its 2,788-sqm wave pool which features eight kinds of waves (attributed to the owner’s eight children), including vertical waves, double rolling waves, inverted waves and diagonal waves.
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Eight Waves’ wave pool features 8 kinds of waves
and a makeshift shore similar to Splash Island’s
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Unlike Splash Island’s wave pool though, Eight Waves’ operates all throughout the day and is therefore, not as jampacked as the former’s.
There aren’t any free chairs and tables within the resort, so guests are required to avail the bamboo huts (P300 for 12 persons; P1,500 for 45 persons) or the long span cottages (P600 for a group of 13 and P800 for 18), which are gated cottages built with steel grills. I prefer these over the bamboo huts as they already come with sockets and a ceiling fan, and offer more security. Solos and couples can leave their stuff inside as long as they bring the keys.
Long span cottage at the back
A covered lap pool is located just a stone’s throw from the long span cottages.
Lap pool: Day and night shots
Adjacent to the lap pool are lovely hydro-jet bubble pools. The resort hotel rooms lie from across the pools for those who wish who stay overnight. Standard rooms for 2 start at P3,500, which already includes all-day access to all resort pools and attractions.
One of 3 hydro-jet bubble pools
The kiddie pool is pretty darn cool, too, and is uniquely embellished with water-spewing makeshift coconut trees and an ark, plus kiddie slides. Even adults like myself enjoyed this refreshing treat for tots.
As in most above average resorts, visitors are not allowed to bring food and drinks inside the resort. An in-house foodcourt, Neptune’s Diner, serves Filipino and American food choices, although it’s best to keep your expectations at a minimum. Prices are average, but I can’t say the same for the food.
Grotto
In retrospect, Eight Waves offer more decent shower rooms than Splash Island. Plus points for the extensive AND free parking area. If you’re looking for a Northern alternative to resorts in the south, I’d definitely recommend this resort.
Check out 8 Waves’ website at http://www.8waveswaterpark.com.ph/
How to get to Eight Waves Waterpark by car (from Manila):
Take the Northern Luzon Expressway (NLEX), and exit at Sta. Rita. Make a right immediately by the exit, and just go straight towards Plaridel and Pulilan. Ply the route going to DRT Highway, passing through Baliuag. Total travel time from the Manila is around 2.5 to 3 hours (traffic at Plaridel and Baliuag is usually terrible).
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