Believe it or not, there’s still a chance for the kids (and kids-at-heart) to come face-to-face with huge dinosaurs – at least moving replicas of them that are a bit smaller than the real thing! Just a 2 to 3-hour drive from Manila, a place called Dinosaurs Island is waiting to be discovered inside Clark Land at the Clark Freeport Zone in Pampanga. Consider this as the ultimate #throwback to the prehistoric era that most of us are dying to experience after watching movies like Jurassic Park and Land Before Time.
We’ve first heard of Dinosaurs Island way back in 2012 but we’ve never had a chance to visit until April of 2019. Here, you’ll be following a dino trail which leads you to different types of dinosaurs from the Triassic to Mesozoic era. You’ll probably recognize most of them from the Jurassic period, thanks to movies that highlight dinosaurs like the Tyrannosaurus Rex (T-Rex), Velociraptor, and Triceratops. At the side of each fenced dino (they’re all surrounded by a “High Voltage” fence), you’ll find details about them. Almost all the dinosaurs in the park are moving, some will even move when you least expect them to!
Considering how long the interactive park has been open, the life-size dinosaurs that are moving through animatronics are still in ship-shape. They’re quite dusty, though! Well, that’s not surprising since the place really looks like a jungle, complete with sound effects that are a mix of animal sounds and dinosaur roars.
A personal favorite would be the “Feeding the Dino” part where you can fake-feed a T-Rex for P20. Make sure you have someone to document this moment to make the most out of your money, though.
At the end of the trail, you’ll be surprised by an entertaining dino show which includes dinosaurs that may or may not bite! Beware! We’re not going to tell you what they’ll do so as not to spoil the fun.
Just a few reminders based on our experience, don’t forget to apply insect repellant before your visit. There are mosquitoes in certain areas of the park! You can also take as much photos as you want, but official photographers will be taking your photos at the entrance and exit. You can print those photos for P150 each (yes, it’s quite pricey!) at the photo booth. Best to visit on a weekday so there won’t be a lot of people in the area.
SNEAK PEEK INSIDE
TICKET PRICE
A pass to Dinosaurs Island will cost you P350 for adults and P300 for kids, but if you’re lucky enough to find a good deal via MetroDeal, you’ll be able to get it for as low as P199. This also entitles you to additional discounts to the rest of the attractions within the area.
They’re also offering a bundle pass for both Dinosaurs Island and Insectlandia for P560 per head (both adult and kids) instead of the original P700 price. I’m not really a fan of insects so we didn’t get a pass for the latter!
OTHER ATTRACTIONS
Dinosaurs Island is the most popular and probably the biggest area in the place, but there are mini activities that you can try near it:
- Jurassic Jungle Safari (P100) – Explore the dino world while riding on a train.
- 7D Super Screen (P100) – A 3D video will be played while your seats are moving.
- Unearth Museum (P50) – A fossil museum to give you a glimpse at bone structures.
- Dino Ride (P50) – Where kids can ride on a small dino that moves in place.
- Wonders of the World (P100) – A glimpse at miniature versions of the wonders of the world.
Dinosaurs Island is open daily from 8AM to 6 PM. It’s located at the Clark Picnic Grounds, Clark Freeport Zone, Mabalacat, Pampanga.
We hope you’ll enjoy your visit as much as we did! Don’t forget to tag Manila Millennial on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram in your photos. We’d love to see your dinosaur poses, too!