Fun Ways to Spend a Day in Calamba City, Laguna on a Budget
When people think of fun things to do in Laguna, Calamba doesn’t top the list of the most tourist-worthy cities. But Calamba has a lot to offer for anyone looking for a place to bond with their families and friends, a cultural trip, and even food trip!
Check out this list of the most exciting things to do in Calamba, Laguna:
1. Enjoy a family picnic at “The Plaza”.
Calamba City has the world’s tallest Rizal statue (and rightfully so). Standing at 22 feet tall, the statue freaks me out a bit whenever I go here because it’s just so big! I often feel like Rizal is staring right into my soul. But kidding aside, The Plaza is the hub for anyone who wants a nice, quiet place to spend the afternoon for FREE.
It’s frequented by families that want to spend quality time together, friends that want to hang out and bond over music, pet owners looking to exercise their furry friends, and even students that need a big space to practice their dance number LOL.
You can also skate, jog, fly a kite, exercise, play football, or just quietly read a book – basically whatever fun activity you’d like to try.
A big plus is it’s right in front of Calamba City Hall, which is gorgeous, if I may say so. You can check it out if you’d like. It’s open Mondays to Fridays, from 8AM to 5PM.
How to go: If you’re riding a bus/jeepney from wherever, alight at the intersection in Halang. You would know that you’re in the right place when you can see Yellowcab beside 7-11, and the 7-11 is beside BonChon. You can also tell the bus conductor to tell you if you’re in Halang already. From there, you can actually walk to reach The Plaza, but if you’re not familiar in the area, just ask a tricycle driver to take you there. Special ride is Php40. Non-special ride is Php10.
If you have a car, use Waze!
NOTE: Cameras are allowed, but when we tried to fly a drone before to get a great shot of the city hall, the security guard stopped us “for security purposes”.
2. Take a trip back in time at the Rizal Shrine.
In the Calamba Town proper is the famous house of Jose Rizal. This was where he grew up. But what most people don’t know is that this is just a replica of his home because the original it was burned down, and was rebuilt in 1950.
The entrance is free, and cameras are allowed. But please don’t be too noisy, you’ll disturb the sleeping spirits of the dead hero and his mother.
There is a small museum here with various memorabilia including his last written poem, Mi Ultimo Adios, and his two books that every kid in the Philippines is required to read: the Noli Me Tangere and the El Filibusterismo. I’ve always been perplexed as to why our national hero’s books were written in Spanish when he fervently said that we should love our own tongue. There are many theories, but that’s another topic for another day.
For tourists, make sure not to go here on or days before December 30. That’s the Rizal Day, a national holiday, so the shrine will be closed. As far as I know, it’s open on Tuesdays to Saturdays, from 8:30AM to 12NN and 1PM until 4:30PM.
If you go here, tell me if you also get spooked by the old rooms with the old bed and the old paintings of dead people!
All four lovely photos of the Rizal Shrine are by Driftwood Journeys.
How to go: If you’re commuting, there are two ways to go here. First: Alight in Crossing, Calamba and rent a tricycle to take you here. Php40 usual price. Second: Alight in Crossing, Halang, or SM and ride a jeepney with the “HALANG” signage. Tell the manong driver to take you to Rizal Shrine.
If you have a car, again, Waze is your best friend.
ALSO: The St. John the Baptist Church and the famous Calambanga are literally right next to Rizal Shrine. Explore those landmarks as well!
3. Food trip at Greedy Guts Food Park at Brgy. Real, Calamba.
If you’re looking for a place with affordable and delicious food, you’ll love the Greedy Guts Food Park in Brgy. Real Calamba. As you can see in the photos, the park has a lot of food stalls offering a wide variety of food. There’s shawarma, burger, fries, tacos, Filipino meals like adobo, Japanese food like sushi, and more.
4. Chill at a public or private resort.
Any list of fun things to do in Calamba is incomplete without the resorts! Every summer, the traffic gets so bad in Pansol going to Los Baños because of the influx of Manileños that want to unwind in the hot springs of Pansol. That’s how famous Pansol is. Whether it’s a team building, barkada outing, or family occasions, Pansol is the place to go!
To make your hunt of the best resorts in Pansol 10X easier, visit LagunaResorts where you’ll see a list of resorts organized according to their price range. Each resort also has pictures and contact information.
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And those are the 4 things to do in Calamba, Laguna that you can enjoy even when you’re on a tight budget. If you found this article useful, don’t forget to share this article with your friends. And share your thoughts with us by commenting below!
