Rizal is a province in the Philippines situated in CALABARZON Region in Luzon dotted with beautiful man-made and natural tourist spots. Rich in history and culture, it is famous for its museums and heritage churches. Being a mountainous province, its waterfalls, caves, and resorts are favorite destinations among locals and tourists.
Rizal is just around 16 kilometers away from the busy streets of Metro Manila that’s why it is one of its quick weekend getaway destinations. It is bordered by Bulacan (north), Quezon (east), Laguna (southeast), Metro Manila (west) and Laguna de Bay (south). 99% of the residents in the province speak Tagalog language.
Many suggested that if you can travel with your car or motorbike, it’s much better than public transportation to enjoy the views and interesting stopover sites along the roads. There are plenty of places to visit in the province but listed below are the most visited tourist spots in Rizal you may want to include in your list.
Top 10 Tourist Spots in Rizal
1. Pinto Art Museum
Pinto Art Museum by pinto.art
Pinto Art Museum is one of the most visited tourist spots in Rizal, a beautiful museum with amazing Mediterranean-inspired architectural designs and landscapes. It boats its six art galleries of well-curated sculptures, paintings and art installations spread into six different buildings. The museum is full of modern and contemporary arts by the Filipino artists that almost everyone can appreciate, whether you are Filipino art lover or not. What many people also admire is that the artworks are not placed inside glasses so you can really take a closer look to the art’s details and taking pictures are allowed unlike other museums.
Pinto Art Museum is located in 1 Sierra Madre Street, Grand Heights, Antipolo, Rizal.
2. Avilon Zoo
White Tiger in Avilon Zoo Rizal by Bobet Alpuerto Luza
Avilon Zoo is one of the best places to visit in Rizal of all ages, the largest zoological institute in the Philippines of both in land area and collection of animals. There are around 3,000 species of exotic wild animals inside the 7.5 hectare facility. Vast diversity of mammals, birds, reptiles, amphibians, fishes and invertebrates can be found here. The animals are healthy and mostly friendly which is a wonderful thing. It is also a very interactive zoo since guests are encouraged to experience feeding the animals. Avilon Zoo’s goal is to be one of the Southeast Asia’s premiere wildlife facilities. The zoo is opens at 8:00 AM – 5:00 PM on weekdays and 8:00 AM – 6:00 PM on weekends.
Avilon Zoo is located in Barrio San Isidro, Rodriguez, Rizal.
3. Casa Santa Museum
Casa Santa Museum from Jardin de Miramar
Casa Santa Museum is one of the famous tourist spots in Rizal featured in local television shows and publications even in international media. It houses around 3,700+ collections of Santa Claus themes and motifs from different countries and considered as one of the most extensive private collection of Santa Claus items in the world. Experience 365 days of Christmas at this museum where small figurines to life-sized Santas are everywhere to be found. Visitors are free to inspect the items and a few can be played with. Kids will surely love it here since in addition to thousand Santas, they also have a playground for them. Reservations are requested prior to visit.
Casa Santa Museum is located in 276 San Jose Extension, Brgy. San Isidro, Antipolo, Rizal.
4. Pililla Wind Farm
Pililla Wind Farm is a one of the best sight-seeing destinations in Rizal. It is a multi-million dollar project by Alternergy Philippine Holdings Corporation. There are 27 astounding wind turbines scatted around the area of 4,515 hectares that could power up to 66,000+ households. It offers a beautiful scenery of the huge windmills situated on top of the hills overlooking the plains of Rizal and Laguna de Bay where the cool wind breeze from the mountains that touches your skin is surely refreshing. Most people visit here with their motorcycles or cars to relax and have a few snacks and drinks. Souvenirs are also available, make sure to buy one of the cute turbines.
Pililla Wind Farm is located in Pililla, Rizal.
5. Daranak Falls
Daranak Falls by Randi Tecson
Daranak Falls is one of the popular tourist spots in Rizal tucked in the mountainous side of the province but not remote. It has a beautiful cascading waters that drops from 14-meters high to the deep, cold and turquoise basin. It is surrounded with lush of green vegetation and rock formations. Fascinating rock balancing arts can also be sighted along its banks since visitors love to play with it aside from cliff jumping and swimming. It is being managed by the local government and a small amount of entrance fee is collected per person. Cottages and picnic tables are also available. Daranak Falls is a weekend getaway destination among the locals and day trippers so during weekend, this place could be real crowded.
Daranak Falls is located in Tanay, Rizal.
6. Mount Daraitan
Mount Daraitan by Julius T. Guardialao
Mount Daraitan is one of the popular hiking destinations in Rizal. If you are up to some serious physical challenge in the province, then this is for you. A serious and rough hiking and climbing awaits every daring group of visitors who wants to reach the top of Mount Daraitan. The summit offers a breath-taking view of the Sierra Madre mountain range and the Daraitan River. On the way back, a traverse going down to Tinapak River might be worse than reaching the peak. Tinapak River is one of the camping grounds and has turquoise cold waters and interesting limestone rocks. Most travelers stay here for a while to swim and explore also the Tinapak Cave. A group of hikers should register in the registration area and secure a guide.
Mount Daraitan is located in Tanay, Rizal.
7. Palo-Alto Falls
Palo Alto Falls by heyitshaela
Palo-Alto Falls is becoming one of the known tourist spots in Rizal. It was once a secret gem located within a 200-hectare commercial and residential estate named Palo Alto Leisure and Residential Estates developed by Sta. Lucia Land, Inc. until it was open for public few years back. There is an established trail going to the falls from the entrance which includes 249 concrete steps. The falls drops around 60 meters down to the concrete pool with turquoise cold waters from the mountains surrounded with lots of trees and foliage. It is a well-maintained falls where cottages, picnic tables, grilling areas and more were made for the comfort of general public. Read Palo-Alto Falls Budget Guide.
Palo-Alto Falls is located in Baras, Rizal.
8. Wawa Dam
Wawa Dam by Jm Calagos
Wawa Dam is a favorite place among mountain bikers and day trippers in Rizal. It is one of the oldest dams in the Philippines and the only source of water for Manila until Angat Dam was built, it’s now an abandoned one. Today, it is one of the famous destination for locals and tourists to relax in the cottages below and above the dam. Some would love to go chilling below the cascading waters of the dam giving a back massage or go swimming above it and riding a bamboo raft. Huge boulders are also scattered in the river one can explore including the man-made falls. Other things to do is to go spelunking in Pamitinan Cave or go mountain climbing in Mount Pamilitan.
Wawa Dam is located in Rodriguez, Rizal.
9. Thunderbird Resorts – Rizal
Thunderbird Resort Rizal
Thunderbird Resorts – Rizal is your best destination in the province if you are a traveler seeking charm, comfort and convenience. A first-class luxury hotel and resort perched on a valley along Sierra Madre mountain range. It is surrounded with lush greenery and offers a panoramic view to Laguna de Bay and Manila skyline. It has an infinity pool, recreational facilities and internet. The resort also have elegant specious rooms equipped with sofa seating area, private bathroom and flat screen cable TV. It is a perfect place to separate yourselves for a while in the busy life and relax. Nearby tourist destination is the Angono Petroglyphs, a wall engraved with figures of humans and animal thousand years ago probably in New Stone Age. CHECK ROOM RATES HERE
Thunderbird Resorts – Rizal is located in Binangonan, Rizal.
10. Masungi Georeserve
Masungi Georeserve by Solyle
Masungi Georeserve is one of the best places to visit in Rizal, a conservation area tucked in the rainforests of the province. A discovery trail allows visitors to explore the conservation area up close with karst terrain while enjoying the panoramic views of Sierra Madre mountain range and Laguna de Bay. A trail would lead to rope courses like a rope net used to climb a rock wall, a giant rope hammock, a giant spider web made of metals and wooden steps designed above the rock formations, hanging bridges, rock peaks and more which would be a pleasant adventure for its guests. This is probably the most photographed tourist destination in Rizal. Due to a very high demand, requests to visit the georeserve must be done a month or two (or more) in advance.
Masungi Georeserve is located in Kilometer 47, Marcos Highway, Baras, Rizal.
