Wawa Dam

Background

Wawa Dam is a man-made dam and it’s one of the famous tourist attractions in the province of Rizal. It is exactly situated at the Wawa Gorge along the Sierra Madre mountain range between the two prominent mountains Mt. Pamitinan and Mt. Binacayan. Wawa Dam has a height of 13 meters or 43 feet. It has a length of 85 meters and it is surrounded by rock walls and marble boulders. Moreover, it comes out like a gateway to the sky and it is just a one-hour drive from Metro Manila.

According to its past history, Wawa Dam was constructed on top of the Marikina River to supply water to Metro Manila during the American colonial period in the Philippines in the year 1904. It was completely finished and began operating in the year 1909. Wawa Dam originated from the Dumagat word “wawa” which means entrance. As the years passed by, it is the only key source of water around Metro Manila. However, in 1968, Wawa Dam was deserted due to Angat Dam which was completely polished to supply water around Metro Manila.

Angat Dam is a hydroelectric dam and watershed system that is becoming the main source of water in Metro Manila and nearby provinces during the 1970s. In 2019, Wawa Dam was still recognized as an important cultural property of the National Museum. Fast forward to 2021, Wawa Bulk Water Supply Project has been ongoing, and once finished it will send adequate water supply to nearly 500,000 households in Metro Manila and Rizal part. In September 2022, the House Committee on Tourism and lawmakers declared Wawa Dam a tourist site. For this reason, it will help the local residents near the dam to have more opportunities and more income to add to their daily lives.

Presently, Wawa Dam is part of the Pamitinan Protected Landscape (PPL) and it’s always being controlled and monitored by the local officials. According to the local government unit of Rodriguez, almost 2000 tourists come to Wawa Dam every week to refresh and swim. So if you want to relax and take a break from the busy city life then visit Wawa Dam as soon as possible.

Name: Wawa Dam
Location: Barangay San Rafael, Rodriguez, Rizal, Philippines
Features: relaxing place and budget-friendly tourist destination

My trip to Wawa Dam

In the past few days, I was invited by Kevin one of my colleagues to visit Wawa Dam in Rizal province this coming holidays. But before I accepted the invite, I check my schedule if I’m permitted to travel that day and I research a lot about Wawa Dam since I don’t know the exact location and surroundings. Thankfully, it was Wednesday evening when I decided to accept the invite because I’m available on a holiday trip and I’m excited to go to places I’ve never been before.

It was Monday morning when I and Kevin started commuting going to Wawa Dam. The ride is smooth since it was a holiday and there are only a few cars on the road. We arrived at the registration area of Wawa Dam around 8 am in the morning and we paid the minimal entrance fee. After that, we walk towards the dam for eighteen minutes and we pass a wide footpath where we can see local residents selling their own fruit and vegetable.

A few moments while slowly walking I noticed the two big mountains that surround us so I asked Kevin what is the name of that mountain. He immediately replied to me that the two huge mountains I saw is the twin mountains known as Mt. Binacayan and Mt. Pamitinan. Then after several meters of walking uphill, we found ourselves trekking on the side of one of the mountains. I slowly feel the grasp of nature and it cultivates my soul and spirit. Honestly, I feel like I’m in a remote paradise setting with peace of mind and so much freedom.

A few minutes later, the continuous moderate ascending trail reward us with the spectacular scenery of the two adjacent mountains and the river below. We stop for a moment to take a snapshot of the remarkable view. A few seconds later we resumed our walking and we passed a short tunnel on the side of the mountain. As a result, I recall the glimpse history of this dam while walking along the trails.

After that, we passed an installed safe walkway with iron rails but at this time, we can see vandalism and garbage along the way. For this reason, we are so sad because it is a major tourist destination in Rizal however some people really don’t care about it. Anyway, as we are near the dam, we pass a steel bridge where we can see below the floating bamboo cottages and tourists enjoying the refreshingly cold-water massage at the base of Wawa Dam. I can see also some local tourists riding a small boat to have an up-close and full dramatic view of the huge dam.

In addition, we can see rock climbers practicing their rappelling skills at the side of the mountain. It was 8:20 am when we felt the relief to witness with our own two eyes the closeup remarkable man-made Wawa Dam.

Then I noticed that the place is good for picnics and family bonding because of the superb view of mountains, rock formations, trees, and running water and there are many food stalls available. We could also hear the old karaoke music song coming from the families within Wawa Dam even though the sound of the gushing water is blasting at that time. Then after we take several pictures of the dam and the environment, we decided to go to the watch tower.

At the watch tower, we could see the different activities from both sides of the dam. On the upper side, we noticed that the water is gentler and the environment is greener. As a result, we decided to swim and the swimming last for forty minutes. The water is too cold but we managed to enjoy our time.

After that, we rent a picnic table for one hour and we positioned ourselves near the riverbank to have a wonderful sightseeing of the awesome landscape. We eat our snacks inside our bags and we buy some fruit drinks at the small sari-sari store. Then we noticed that the locals here are so very friendly. We stayed at Wawa Dam for nearly three hours. Undoubtedly, Wawa Dam is a nice day tour trip.

At around 11 am before we leave the municipality of Rodriguez, we head to the tourism office where the two of us saw the optimistic development plan for this one-of-a-kind tourist spot. Then I saw many bikers and riders going in and out of this barangay. I told myself Wawa Dam is one of the favorite destinations in Rizal because of the low entrance fee, a delight for travel enthusiasts, and its closeness to Metro Manila.

Afterward, we decided to go to another nearest side trip in Rizal which is Avilon Zoo. It was 6:15 pm when we came home safely and sound. It was such a great travel experience for the two of us. On the whole, my trip to Wawa Dam sums up this excerpt “Good times and crazy friends make the best memories”.

Sample 1-Day itinerary to Wawa Dam

5AM – Depart from Makati City
7AM – Arrive at Wawa Dam, explore, bathe and take pictures
11:45AM – Lunchtime
2:30PM – Going on another side trip in Rizal province
5:45PM – Going back to Makati City
8PM – Arrive at Makati City, home sweet home

Note: you can adjust the above itinerary if you have other options or preferences.

Things to bring on your visit to Wawa Dam:

Toiletries
Pocket money
Camera and smartphone
Tripod or selfie stick
Two to three sets of clothes
Personal meals, food, or snacks (optional)
Facemask
Small bag

How to Go to Wawa Dam

By commute

1. From Pasay City, ride an MRT train or EDSA Carousel bus going to Cubao, Quezon City.
2. From Cubao, walk for several meters going to the UV Express van terminal in front of Farmers Plaza. Then ride a van bound for Rodriguez, Rizal. Tell the van driver to drop you off in front of San Rafael Puregold. 
3. Then at San Rafael Puregold hire a tricycle that will take you to Montalban Tourism Office. From there, Wawa Dam is only a ten-minute walk.

By private vehicle

1. From Quezon City, drive your car towards Commonwealth Avenue. 
2. Then proceed to Payatas Road until you reach M. H. Del Pilar Street in Barangay San Rafael in the municipality of Rodriguez. After you park your car at the designated parking lot walk your way toward Wawa Dam.
   
   
   
   

Reminders and Tips:

• The entrance fee or environmental fee going to Wawa Dam is 20 pesos per head. 

• There’s an available parking area for any type of vehicle. The motorcycle fee or bike fee is twenty pesos per person. On the other hand, the parking fee for a car is 30 pesos. So better bring enough coins with you because there are many fees.

• When you swim at Wawa Dam, make sure you have someone to go with you. The reason is that if someone sees that you are bathing alone, they just suddenly pull you underneath because they need to make money for the funeral home there. This is very essential for your own safety. Bring your friends or groups. I repeat make sure you are not alone.

• Sari-sari stores and food stalls can be found near Wawa Dam where you can buy fruits, cold drinks, and memorabilia. Please take note that the food there is a little bit expensive. So if your group has a tight budget then bring your own food and drinks to save money.

• During the summer season, cottages at the base of the dam can be seen. The bamboo cottage fee is 200 pesos and above.

• No need to bring a vaccination card but make sure to practice social distancing.

• There are many comfort rooms near Wawa Dam but it’s a little bit slippery. So be very careful at all times. For dressing up the fee is five pesos per head and for the rinse, the fee is 20 pesos per head.

• The boat ride is 350 pesos and it’s good for twenty minute round.

• Your group can DIY (do it yourself) a grill if you bring something to the grill.

• The bridge fee is five pesos per head.

• Swimming in the river is allowed but I do not recommend doing so because the river has an uneven deepness of up to sixteen feet or more. It is highly recommended to take precautionary measures at all times while swimming.

• Above all, the best time to visit Wawa Dam is during the morning from 7 am up to 10 am. In addition, it’s better to come to this place during weekdays to appreciate its natural setting and avoid large crowds.
  
  
  

There you have it, day tripper. Do not worry about anything. Instead, pray about everything with thanksgiving. Because praying means requesting and letting God do the work. Comprehensively, I wish this Wawa Dam blog has been excellent to you and uplifted you to visit this marvelous place. If you have any comments or inquiries just fill up the form below. Have a blessed day and stay safe everyone.