Little Thrills: Tree Top Adventure

I was in Subic last Labor Day Weekend. Witness what she was up to! This is the 1st of 3 parts.

Curls during our failed attempt

It’s actually my second time at Tree Top Adventure in Subic. My first visit was with Curls together with our good friend Lolo, back in the day. We unfortunately were deprived of a real experience having arrived 5 minutes late of their cut-off time (4 p.m.). Yes, we were that lucky!

Early Sunday Calm

So after a couple of years, I’m back, more determined than ever to have my Tree Top Adventure. I was with my family this time and we reached Tree Top at 9:30 am. It was an ideal time to show up since lines were nonexistent unlike my last visit.

Tree Top Adventure offers different jungle encounters and it’s best to choose from a variety of packages available in order to fully maximize the experience. Three of us chose PACKAGE E (620php per person) which included the Canopy Ride, Tree Drop Adventure, and the Superman Ride. Another, who shall not be named, skipped the Tree Drop because of his fear of heights. His package cost 500php.

Uh Oh: Canopy Ride

Holding On For Dear Life

Slippers Not Advisable

We started with the Canopy Ride because we thought that it would be relaxing. The Canopy Ride basically lets one explore the rainforest while being suspended in air. It’s where a nature lover could appreciate and be one with the environment. We were split into two groups because the chair lift can only accommodate three people at a time. After being securely fastened by the friendly staff of Tree Top, my sister and I found ourselves hanging 100 feet from the ground. Though the ride was slow and smooth-sailing, both of us had an uneasy feeling the entire time. This probably comes from the fact that we were out in the open with no real chance of survival in case the cable snapped. Paranoid thoughts I know, but it couldn’t be help at that height.

STOP!

The trail thankfully only had 4 stops! Not only were we edgy about falling but also got tired of switching chair lifts. Every stop had a different set of seats that will transport you to the other sections of the rainforest and the swaps got tedious as it was done repetitively. It actually took more time to make the actual transfers than the tour of the rainforest itself.

View From the Top

For someone who doesn’t appreciate plants and trees, it was no surprise that I failed to marvel at the view offered 100 feet up. It was just tree after tree after tree for me. I don’t regret the experience though since it was a good warm-up to the next exploits to follow.

Fly: Superman Ride
 

Short But Sweet

The Superman Ride proved more exciting as it swung me and my sister from one tree to another. Though the harness proved uncomfortable, putting a lot of pressure on my stomach, the experience of being able to fly was worth it. Do remember to enjoy every flying moment as the ride only lasts 30 seconds.

Just Do It: Tree Drop

Taking the Plunge

The Tree Drop was our last stunt for the day. We were most nervous about this since we had to rappel from a 60 foot tree. After making sure that all the harnesses were in place, a Tree Top attendant guided me to stand on the foot of the platform. I was then asked to move out of the platform in a sitting position with the attendant guiding my every step. This is the point where one just has to let go and trust that a disaster will not happen.

No Good: Knees Should Be Straight

When I was finally on a lying position rappelling from the tree, I was more amazed than scared that I was able to do it. It wasn’t frightening at all since the long way down was slow and steady. Before I knew it, I was back on safe ground with my heart still pumping at a normal rate. While the Tree Drop didn’t provide the excitement I was anticipating, it was a good experience nonetheless since it’s not every day that I could claim to have rappelled from a tree.

Tree Top Adventure is for people who are looking for a different type of adventure. Though it fails to give real heart-pumping action, it’s a place where little thrills are realized. I would recommend this to anyone who wants to try a few “firsts” in life.

Tree Top Adventure is located at Jest Area Upper Mau Cubi Point Subic Bay Freeport Zone. For more information, visit http://www.treetopadventuresubic.com/.