Imagine yourself back in the 1600s with Ferdinand Magellan. Riding the ship christened the La Palooza, you carry a team of hardened soldiers whose sole purpose is to protect the flotilla ahead of you.
[This portion will be a long story so you might want to skip to the Location Section if you don’t have time.]
Unfortunately, before Magellan reaches Cebu on March 16 1521, your ship is swept off course by Typhoon Matutina, the great-great-great-great-great-great-grandmother of super storms.
Dinosaur
[It is said that just the sound of this typhoon was strong enough to shatter eardrums.]
Smashing the La Palooza against jagged rocks, you order the crew to abandon ship before it sinks to the bottom of the Philippine Sea. The only things your crew is able to crew bring with them were the shirts on their backs, a collection of knives, a few swords, and the Captain’s Log.
Fortunately, a scouting party reports that the island is deserted but full of natural resources. You order your crew to set up camp and begin planning a route towards the general direction of Cebu, Magellan’s next stop.
Seven days later, the team is ready to head out. But there is a problem; the advanced party you sent out five days earlier has not returned. And the second group you dispatched, has gone missing as well. Not wanting to stay any longer, you give the order to break camp.
Dinosaur
After three days of walking, you discover the second party; or at least their empty camp. Two days after that, you find traces of the first party. Little of what is left leads you to one conclusion – this island is not deserted.
Something is out there, hunting down your men. Leaving nothing but grisly remains and the footprints of something that parents used to scare children with at night – dragons.
With everyone on edge, you order succeeding campsites set up on high ground. Sticking to this strategy, the next few days go without incident and tensions abate.
Dinosaur
It is only in the third week that you finally come face to face with what the island is hiding. It starts with the scream of a sentry. On his way to relieve the night shift, he stumbles upon the dismembered portions of his brother soldiers. And as more men respond to the alarm, the attack begins.
It starts off with a lighting fast Allosaurus and ends with the pinpoint coordination of three Velociraptors. In just a span of a few minutes, half your crew is decimated. Rallying the survivors, you lead them through the thick foliage. But one by one, they fall to snapping teeth and slashing claws.
And just as the three Velociraptors have you cornered at the edge of a cliff, you decide to take your chances by jumping.
Velociraptors
As you fall, the last sight you have are two rows of teeth where your head was supposed to be. Then you hear the frustrated roars of the three predators before hitting the water, hard.
You lose consciousness momentarily but are awakened by violent movement. And just when you thought it was safer to get in the water, a huge pair of jaws opens before you. But before they snap shut, they are swept away with a violent rush of water.
A few moments later, you are washed on the banks of the river and you see what saved you – an even bigger animal eating the one that was supposed to eat you.
Dinosaur
The next few days are a blur as you try to make sense of it all. Initially driven by fear, your military training takes over. You learn how to evade the creatures as you continually push towards Cebu.
Throughout your journey, you make sure to contribute entries to the Captain’s Log. Everything from the sizes, to habits, to the names of the creatures are recorded.
And right before your final showdown with a Tyranosaurus Rex, which has been doggedly hunting you down for the past six weeks, you decide it is time to make one final stand. Before going head-to-head with the king of beasts, you bury the Captain’s Log in a safe place. This way, if you don’t survive, others who are shipwrecked can make use of it.
Dinosaur
Fortunately for many, the island is lost and its creatures never escape. People of neighboring areas, known as Aetas, have learned to avoid the island because of its dangers. Being a nomadic tribe meant knowledge of the island has been kept from the rest of the world.
Almost four hundred years after Magellan set foot on Cebu, the United States of America acquires the Philippines from Spain. Two of the bases it sets up in the country include Subic Naval Base and Clark Air Base.
When Mount Pinatubo erupts in 1991, it creates an anomaly that bridges the past and the present. This enables the same type of creatures that hunted down the crew of the La Palooza to cross into the 20th century. The sudden appearance and ferocity of these creatures are responsible for the termination of hundreds of personnel in the first three days alone.
Dinosaur
Numerous attempts to push back the creatures and close the portal fail. And this has the effect of forcing the United States to permanently abandon Clark Air Base.
Thanks to the knowledge passed down from one generation to another, the Aeta tribes were able to succeed where the United States failed. Without the use of modern technology and warfare, they are able to get all the creatures under control. And to prevent the past from colliding with the future, they build doors to seal the portal.
Hatchling
In the first quarter of the 21th century, a Philippine geological team stumbles upon the entrance and walks into the past to uncover the Captain’s Log of the La Palooza. Knowing the danger, yet driven by an insatiable curiosity, they make the decision to keep the doors open this time around.
Armed with today’s technology, they upgraded the doorway and went about cataloging the animals living behind it. Based on the entries found in the Captain’s Log, the geologists name the place Dinosaurs Island.
And this is where my family went last Sunday. Walking through the huge doors, we were transported to another time and place to view the different dinosaur species found on the island.
I never really considered the risks because, the Aeta did a wonderful job of taming and containing the dinosaurs. Besides that, this is the 21st century and we have the technology and firepower to keep them at bay, right?
Well, as visitors will discover, not everything can be tamed or contained…
Table of Contents
The Location
Dinosaurs Island Sign
Travelers coming from Metropolitan Manila need to take the following route:
- Get on the North Luzon Expressway, or NLEX, and take it all the way to the end.
- Drive on to the Subic-Clark-Tarlac Expressway, or SCTex, and get out at the Clark North Exit.
- After taking the Clark North Exit, all you need to do is follow the main two-lane road you are on.
- The first landmark will be a long bridge heading to CSEZ on the right. Do not take this bridge as it goes to Zoocobia.
- Keep going straight until you get to a checkpoint a few meters ahead.
- You will then need to turn left after the guardhouse. To make sure you’re on the right track, I suggest asking the security guard for directions.
- Keep going until you reach the rotunda.
- You will need to go around it and emerge at the opposite end. This means taking the second street on the right while inside the rotunda.
- Keep going straight and you will pass the Clark Race Track on the left.
- You will then approach the Nayong Pilipino in front of you.
- Turn left on the street that is in front of the Nayong Pilipino entrance.
- Turn left at the intersection with the 7-11 store on the left side.
- Keep an eye out for a cluster of trees and the Picnic Grounds sign.
- Turn left on the dirt road to the right of the Picnic Grounds.
- Dinosaurs Island will be at the end of this dirt road.
- Keep going until to see the Clark Land sign.
- Turn left to enter the parking lot and look for an available slot.
- You have arrived at Dinosaurs Island.
Factoring in my asking questions, it took us about two and a half hours to get to the parking lot from Metropolitan Manila. If you are familiar with the place, you can probably shave off another half hour or so.
The Parking Area
Don’t worry about the dirt road, as it is exactly what its names suggests – just dirt and no rocks. Actually, it’s more dust than dirt so any vehicle, except for the really low ones, can use it.
Parking consists of an empty lot in front of the entrance. Just like the dirt road, it is filled with really fine dust. Having the feel of powder, it is probably a remnant from the Mount Pinatubo eruption.
Clark Land Sign
[As one can imagine, the dust will be all over the place.]
With so much dust around, any movement, whether it is from a vehicle’s tires or a person’s shoes, can kick up a cloud. Being the case, it may be better to avoid wearing open-toed shoes as your feet will end up with layers of it.
Parking attendants are always present to point out available slots. They also walk around regularly, making sure vehicles are as safe as possible.
Parking is totally free, so it would be a nice gesture to give the attendant a tip before leaving. Something in at least the range of PhP 20 would be nice, more would be better.
Now before you rush your family through the entrance, take a moment to quiet every one down for a few seconds. If you are lucky, you will be hearing the roars of the dinosaurs from the island!
[This scared the living heck out of my nephew as it was his first time.]
The Dining Area
After going through the entrance, visitors will be presented with a dining area. Tables and benches, both covered and open, can be used free of charge.
Tereken Mascot
Even better news is that people can bring food in without being charged corkage. So if you prefer your very own brand of artery-clogging food, by all means, pack that picnic basket.
For those who don’t want the hassle of preparing anything, you are in luck. There is a small food stall called the Tereken. They specialize in mutated dinosaur chickens, as exhibited by the mascot in front of the stall.
[They are most likely products of merging timelines.]
Kidding aside, it is the only restaurant in the park and they serve normal chicken dishes. And since it is summer, those of you looking for that ice-cold soft drinks have a place to get it from before getting eaten yourselves.
[Hey, those dinosaurs have to eat, right?]
The Door Through Time
The double doors guarding the entrance are quite huge, easily a couple of stories high. Equally high is the Dinosaurs Island sign to its right.
Door of Time
While the doors are somewhat massive, it was the sign that continued to draw the attention of guests. Apart from its sheer size, there are quite a number to tree stumps to stand on in front of the sign.
[Those stumps add character to place.]
A short row of windows comprising ticket booths can be found on the right side. Incidentally, the price of admission is PhP 350 per person.
[It may sound steep, but it is worth it, at least to me.]
After paying, you can now go through the big doors that will transport you to Dinosaurs Island. But before going through, one of the staff may stamp your hand with ink. This will serve as your unlimited day pass. So if you want to go back and take more pictures when the line is short, you don’t have to pay again.
The Dinosaurs Island
Okay, okay, so I made up the entire story about Dinosaurs Island. I was in a particularly imaginative mood and decided to write my own back story. Long as it was, it actually added more mystery to the place, at least as far as my nephew was concerned.
After entering the double doors, visitors follow a well-worn path around the park to see the different dinosaurs spread throughout the area.
The Environment
One of the things that sets this place apart is the environment. Unlike the manicured and overly clean dinosaur parks I have come across, this one is basically a jungle.
There are trees and other plants growing haphazardly all over the place which provides a deeper sense of realism. Fallen trees act as arches, while tree stumps act as seats.
Dinosaur
Incidentally, while the back story may be purely fiction, the eruption of Mount Pinatubo was very real. Thanks to all that ash, the path is just as dusty as the parking lot.
[The staff sprays water every now and then to keep the dust from flying, though.]
I would like to say that all that dust is not a bad thing. On the contrary, I kind of like it because it also adds character to the exhibit. The last thing I’d want to see is a cemented path because it would look totally out of place here.
To prevent people from getting too close to the dinosaurs, the island makes use of huge branches to act as barricades; further additions to its natural look.
So with the exception of the yellow plastic chain found by the huge entrance, there is hardly anything inside that will remind you of the present.
The Dinosaurs
The dinosaurs come to life when visitors cross a sensor that is about knee-high in front of each dinosaur. When triggered, movements include the heads, jaws, tails, limbs, and eyelids.
[It will vary from one dinosaur to another.]
Dinosaur
Now, I would like to set expectations as the articulation is not something you will see in today’s Computer Generated Graphics movies. Being basically robots covered in colorful rubberized skin, these dinosaurs do not run. They merely move around in place.
And while I have seen the animatronic displays in other countries, I must admit that these are some of the best I have come across so far.
Then of course there are the wonderful sounds. Heard from the parking lot, they are also triggered when visitors pass in front of the sensor.
Perfectionists may point out that the sounds aren’t always synchronized with the mouth movements. Then again, when you are faced with something two or three stories high, this minor quibble can be forgiven.
[I was just too busy enjoying myself to care.]
The Proximity
When I rode the Jurassic Park Rapids Adventure in Singapore, I was strapped into something that resembled an inflated raft. As the water carried us through the park, we were treated to the sights of different dinosaurs.
Triceratops
While this was a wonderful experience, I could not take pictures as there was water splashing all over the place. Also, I could not get a good look at the dinosaurs because they were too far.
[Besides that, I was too busy being thrown about in the raft.]
Dinosaurs Island takes a different approach. Instead of putting dinosaurs atop a high cliff or across a wide moat, they are at ground level and right in front of you. The absence of water and presence of stable ground means you get to enjoy all the dinosaurs up close and personal.
Being at ground level means you can compare your height to theirs. And being close to them means you can marvel at the details, such as their colorful hides, sharp teeth, long claws, huge feet, and muscular tails.
The Tyranosaurus Rex Feeding Opportunity
Tyranasaurus Rex Feeding
Oh, did I mention you can feed the Tyranosaurus Rex? Yes, you got that right, you can feed the king of dinosaurs.
For a paltry PhP 20, you get to climb up a two-story platform and feed a full-sized bull with the largest chicken leg I have ever seen. To put things in perspective, that chicken leg was longer than my nephew was tall.
[It probably belonged to one of the mutant chickens outside; then again it might have been a customer.]
And just like all the other dinosaurs on the island, the Tyranosaurus Rex moves!
My only regret was that I didn’t feed it myself because I was too busy taking pictures!
[Argh!]
Final Thoughts
I was terribly bored last Saturday night and asked my wife if she wanted to check out a Butterfly Sanctuary the next day. But she showed me the website of something in Clark Air Base, I noticed the link to Dinosaurs Island. And after checking out a few pictures, I knew those butterflies would wait.
Run Dinner, Run!
PhP 350 may sound a bit much but it is worth it, considering these animatronic creatures aren’t exactly cheap. Speaking of which, the dinosaurs here are comparable to the ones I have seen in other countries. However, what makes Dinosaurs Island more compelling are the environment and approach taken here. With all the dinosaurs being at ground level and at close proximity, visitors get to appreciate them.
As far as the staff is concerned, they are very nice and accommodating. The lady accepting payments for the Tyranosaurus Rex feeding program offered us the opportunity but wasn’t pushy about it.
[I guess she didn’t need to be as no one could resist!]
Eaten Alive!
Incidentally, if this is the first time you have heard of Dinosaurs Island, it is actually a second site. I understand the first one is located along rolling hills near Baguio and is bigger and cooler, temperature-wise.
Finally, the Captain’s Log was found but have you ever wondered what happened to captain of the La Palooza?
[Me too.]
For all we know, he made it to Cebu. Then again, he could still be inside Dinosaurs Island, fighting the Tyranosaurus Rex hell-bent on turning him into lunch. And maybe, just maybe, the next group of visitors will come across him and get the rest of the story.
[Stranger things have happened in the past…]
Do’s
- Bring a camera with you
- Wear closed footwear as the place is rather dusty.
- Keep your noise down to allow others to enjoy the dinosaur sounds.
Don’ts
- Do not touch the dinosaurs as their rubber skin is fragile and expensive to replace.
- Avoid wearing open-toed footwear as the area is dusty.
- No need to bring an ultra-wide lens, a zoom lens covering 18mm will do.
- Do not litter.
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