10 Things to Do in Antipolo

For those who live in the metro looking for a quick day-trip getaway relatively near Manila, Antipolo is a popular choice. The city of Antipolo is approximately just 16 miles east of Manila, making it accessible especially for those who live in the North. Antipolo sits on a plateau at a higher elevation and is best known for offering a scenic overlooking view of the rest of Metro Manila. But that’s not all it has to offer.

Though the city has become highly urbanized and the traffic going in and out of Antipolo can be a bit of a turn-off, for those who prefer natural attractions to city sights, you can still find beautiful scenic spots and hidden gems in and near Antipolo. It’s especially good for cyclists and riders who can avoid traffic while going around. Here are just a few of the things you can do there.

Appreciate nature and art at the Pinto Art Museum

If you have a day to spare in Manila and want to get a taste of both modern and traditional art, Pinto Art Museum is one of the best museums you can visit. The Pinto Art Museum displays contemporary Filipino paintings and sculptures in galleries spread apart among tropical gardens and whitewashed, Mediterranean-style villas.

The Museum of Indigenous Art, located in the lower gardens, showcases the richness of Filipino culture particularly Cordillera. It contains functional and ritual objects, textiles, jewelry and other beautiful indigenous artwork. The museum also has a chapel and in-house cafes where you can stop for refreshments.

• Address: Pinto Art Museum. 1 Sierra Madre St., Grand Heights, Antipolo, Rizal, Philippines.
• Hours: Open Tuesday through Sunday, 9:00 am to 6:00 pm. CLOSED on MONDAYS. 
• Entrance fees: P200 for adults, P180 for senior citizens and PWD with valid IDs, P100 for children and students with proper school IDs. Free for children below 3 years old.
• Contact info: (02) 6971015.

Visit one of the most accessible waterfalls near Manila

Hinulugang Taktak is one of the nearest and most accessible waterfalls you can visit from Manila that doesn’t require hiking to get to. This 12-meter high waterfall and its surrounding has been designated as a national park and is one of Antipolo’s most famous landmarks.

Visitors used to be able to swim in the basin of the falls, but because of the rapid urbanization and pollution, swimming here is no longer recommended for visitors. The park was renovated with a viewdeck, gazebos, and swimming pools for locals to enjoy. The whole area has been developed compared to the more beautiful and pristine waterfalls you can visit around the country, but if you’re in the area and haven’t been there before, you might as well stop by for a bit of sightseeing since it’s the town’s most famous landmark.

In February 2020, the Hinulugang Taktak Nature and Adventure Park was renovated and it now contains a few new attractions and activities including a spider web view deck, wall-climbing, hanging bridge, and rappelling area.

• Address: Hinulugang Taktak Falls, Taktak Road, 1870 Antipolo
• Hours: Open from 8:00 am to 5:00 pm Monday to Sunday
• Entrance fees: P30 for adults, P15 for students, P100 for foreigners. Seior citizens, PWDS, children below 7 y.o.: Free.
• Picnic tables P50 per hour. Cottages: P500 per day. Swimming pool: P50 per head. Quadrangle: P5,000.00 (maximum of 100 pax)
• Filming permit fee: P5,000.00 (exclusive of entrance fee)
• Prenuptial shoot: P2,000.00 (whole day)
• Photoshoot: P500.00
• Photoshoot (Commercial): P2,000.00

Enjoy the panoramic view at Cloud 9

Cloud 9 is a hotel and resort constructed in 1995 with rooms that offer 360-degree views of the city. A popular activity for day trip visitors is crossing the hanging bridge to get to the 360 View Deck.  

The bridge and view deck offers unobstructed views of the Sierra Madre Mountains and Metro Manila skyline. The 7th Heaven exit bridge going back is another hanging garden walkway covered with a trellis of plants and flowers.

• Address: Cloud 9 Sports and Leisure Club, Brgy. Sta. Cruz, Sumulong Highway, Antipolo
• Rates: Walk-in entrance for hanging bridge: P60 per person. Kids below 5 years old are free. Note: Hotel guests and diners at the restaurant get free entrance to the hanging bridge, but they need to present their receipt or room key to the guard on duty. Parking for cars and motorcycles is free.
• 30 minutes viewing only

Dine-in at artistic garden cafes

Antipolo is home to many hidden gems and garden cafes ideal for family-friendly getaways and romantic dates. The most popular and well-loved restaurants that have been around for a while are Crescent Moon Cafe & Studio Pottery, Yellow Lantern Cafe, Vieux Chalet Swiss Restaurant and
Eggs for Breakfast Cafe, to name a few.

One of the newer nature-inspired restaurants you can check out is
The Burrow’s Café at Antipolo Beehouse. This hidden haven is literally located underground carved beneath sloping terrain. The lush space has large airy windows giving diners a view of the surrounding forest.

The Burrow Café serves regular breakfast and lunch menu and set hours and hosts bi-monthly dinners (by reservation) for occasions. Great destination for pictorials and pre-nup shoots.

• Address: 113 Beverly Hills Ave., Beverly Hills Subdivision, Antipolo, 1920 Rizal
• Hours: Open from Wed-Thurs 8:00 am to 4:00 pm / Fri-Sun 7:00 am -4:00 om / select holidays. Closed on Mon-Tues. Walk-ins are welcome, but entry is not guaranteed when full. Reservations recommended.
• How to get there: Directions & map

Crescent Moon Cafe serves delicious Southeast Asian cuisine and doubles as a pottery store and art space where you can unleash your creative side or just buy pottery products.

They have a great selection of potted products for sale including plates, bowls, mugs, containers, bathroom items and other decorative items. They also regularly host creative workshops.

The Glass Bar at Crescent Moon serves as a watering hole and creative events space. Launched in August 2016, this space is a venue for guests to try their hand in various arts and crafts. The bar seats 10-20 people and is available for booking as a venue for meetings, private events, and workshops.

• Address: The Crescent Moon Cafe and Studio Pottery. Sapang Buho Rd. Brgy. Dalig, Antipolo City
• Hours: Open Wednesday to Sunday 9:00 am to 5:00 pm. Closed Mondays and Tuesdays.

You can also enjoy the view in restaurants overlooking the city like Cloud 9, Padi’s Point or Cafe Lupe around sunset and at night.

Visit historic churches

Antipolo is known primarily as a pilgrimage city and first-time visitors usually make it a point to visit the churches in the area. The “Virgin of Antipolo” (also known as Our Lady of Peace and Good Voyage) is believed to give blessings to keep people safe in any voyage, any journey, any pilgrimage or trip. During Holy Week, thousands of devotees from Metro Manila customarily perform the Alay Lakad, where they spend the night travelling on foot to Antipolo.

Another historic church you can visit in Antipolo is the Boso-Boso Church. Only the small chapel is used today for worship, but the church was built back in 1578, which makes it the oldest church in this area of the country. In fact, the original stonework on the structure remains part of the building today.

Ride around Mt. Maarat

Mt. Maarat in San Mateo, Rizal is a regular training ground for trail runners, mountaineers, and mountain bikers. Bikers coming from the metro usually pass through Marikina and San Mateo, Rizal and ascend through The Wall to access the main entrance of Timberland Heights, one of the top biking destinations near the metro. But bikers can also pass the back route coming from Antipolo through Marcos Highway going to Pintong Bukawe along Sapinit Road which is geographically still part of Antipolo (according to Googlemaps.)

From here, you can bike around off-road trails around Mt. Maarat, Timberland’s Basic Trail and Roxas Loop and places like Philip’s Sanctuary (Pestano’s Farm) and Basekamp Biker’s Pit Stop, which have their own classic cross-country trails and challenging downhill and free-ride trails, established mountain bike courses as well as camping grounds and team-building facilities.

For riders looking to level up their skills, there’s also the Mitas-KRB Offroad Track, a 36-hectare natural park in Antipolo that offers a technical course and controlled environment for training for mountain bikers and motocross riders. The park also has a separate track and enduro park for ATVs and 4x4s.

Explore off-road trails by ATV

Another option for weekend warriors who don’t know how to bike or ride a motorcycle but still want to experience the thrill of off-road trails, is to ride an ATV or all-terrain vehicle.

ATV Adventures Rizal offers ATV tours in the area giving guests a chance to ride through forest and river trails in the mountains. The headquarters and jump-off point of ATV Adventures Rizal is located along Sapinit Road,  just 50 metres from Bikers’ Camp, Antipolo.

• Address: ATV Adventures Rizal. Sapinit Road in Antipolo, Rizal, just 50 meters from Bikers’ Camp, Antipolo.
• Rates: Forest trail: P2,500 per person, River trail: P3,500 per person.
• All tours are inclusive of ATV rental & gas, tour guide(s) and rental of safety equipment and gear.

Enjoy a staycation at unique mountain resorts

Though Antipolo is really near Manila, the travel time because of the traffic just getting in and out can make it seem far. For those who want to maximize their stay and have more time to go around, staying overnight in Antipolo is a good option. There are a lot of hotels, rest-houses and private resorts with their own swimming pools and facilities in Antipolo to choose from depending on your budget.

For those who prefer to just chill out with a good view, Luljetta’s Hanging Gardens and Spa is one of the top getaways in Antipolo. This famous mountain resort is said to be the first and only hanging garden and spa in the Philippines. The unique Asian-inspired getaway provides a scenic view of Laguna De Bay and Metro Manila. Guests can take a dip at one of their three infinity pools, enjoy a massage at one of their Filipino inspired massage cabins or enjoy gastronomic delights overlooking Metro Manila at Luljetta’s Cafe.

One of the more charming places to stay in Antipolo that I’ve come across is The Grounds Resort, with its rustic Hobbit-inspired lodge. Located in Herbal Park, The Grounds Resort is a cozy space for those who want to escape the crowded city life. The space also caters to events like weddings, maternity shoots, pre-nuptials shoots and birthdays. They can accommodate up to 30 guests.

Get into the Christmas spirit any time of the year

If you really love Christmas, you can enjoy it all-year around at Casa Santa, a museum that contains a vast collection of Santa Claus memorabilia, ranging from life-sized, singing Santas to Santa themed plates and mugs, candles, plush toys, dolls, and figurines. Casa Santa is located in the grounds of events venue Jardin de Miramar.

Take home unique eats and local specialties

Antipolo has its share of local delicacies including roasted cashew nuts or kasuy, which comes in “binusa” (dry roasted), “inadobo” (deep fried with garlic) and suman sa ibus. For an affordable and unique treat, look out for Domalaon Bakery, an unassuming roadside sari-sari store which sells these cute animal-shaped bread, which comes in shapes like lechon, crocodiles, turtles and more.

Some restaurants in the area (including The Burrow Cafe and Crescent Moon Cafe) also serve craft beer from Antipolo-based Santiago Brewery & Malthouse, the country’s first commercial grain malting company. Their flagship lineup includes Habagat Amber Ale, Buhawi Chocolate Cream Stout, Amihan Pale Ale and Ipu-Ipo Indian Pale Ale.

Antipolo is often overlooked by those based in the metro because it just seems too near or people feel like they’ve been there before and there’s nothing new to see. But this town in Rizal has surprisingly a lot of interesting and unique things to offer. Tara na sa Antipolo!