All About Balance – Wakeboarding at Pradera Verde, Pampanga
If you’re into wakeboarding, the Pradera Verde in Pampanga is the place to be!
Speaking of summer, are you still looking for something new to do this season? If still not content with the white sand beaches and you have this great affinity with water sports, then why not try to tick off wakeboarding from your bucket lists?
Wake, What?
From the gate, the security guards called off a golf cart to bring me to the the wake park lobby. I availed the one (1) hour beginner session just to try the sport itself for 250php.
The lobby is where “The Viewdeck” restaurant is located. It faces the big oval shaped, lake where obstacles and ramps above the water surface are laid around the area. This is one of the biggest wakeboarding systems in Asia, where it has a five (5) tower cable reel system that can tow up to nine (9) riders at any given time.
Wakeboarding is a surface water sport, it uses a wakeboard (a shorter version of the surfboard with mounted footholds) where a rider will stand on it as he maneuvers the lake while being pulled by a suspended cable reel above mimicking that of a speedboat.
From here, the golf cart again brought me to the smaller lakes catering to the neophytes who will try to wakeboard for the first time. Established in 2015, this new destination is becoming a hit go-to place for semi-staycation endeavors, from spacious villas, wave pools, golf courses, restaurant, music and hot air balloon festivals. Pradera Verde is quite the one-stop recreational facility at the heart of Central Luzon.
Arriving at the beginner lake, they asked me to wear the proper gears before proceeding, a life vest and a helmet.
Expectations Versus Reality
For beginners, they asked me to do the water start (Advanced: jump start) , wherein, one is seated at the side of the dock with the board ready for action. The heel must be where most of your weight is placed while the toes are slightly inclined upward so the board will go against the surface once you are pulled.
“Do not pull (the cable) just let it drag you while on crouching position, stand and just enjoy!” the instructor said.
Unlike surfing, I thought this is not going to be too hard. I told myself that will be able to stand in a jiffy.
But I was wrong, just after the cable towed me into the lake, I can’t even barely stand on the board and I fell immediately just a few meters away from the dock! (Don’t judge).
It is all about how to balance your feet while being pulled, it is way harder than I expected.
Splash, Splash
I really did fairly well, when I swam with the local fishes underneath and not with the wakeboard. Writing about how to properly do this is hard to explain, also for me who had not been able to do a full course.
It took me quite while before figuring out how to stand properly on the board. But I still failed in managing to complete a circuit or even just reaching the end. It was quite disappointing. Reality really bites.
Back in the queue line, I made friends with an awesome family where even the parents tried wakeboarding. Since just like me, they are also having several futile attempts in standing on the board.
“Hindi ko naman hinila!” (I did not even pulled!) was our initial reaction after our third failed attempt, this is where I did this flying thing before diving back into the water.
On my fourth and last attempt, since the park is about to close, I did managed to stand but only made it around 70% of the circuit!
From the other side, the family I met was giving me a heads up for finally being able to even stand for a while.
After that I went back to the lobby area to tidy up. Shower facilities is located just outside the restaurant, and one can freshen up before leaving.
Pradera Wake Park with their affordable wakeboarding rates, should be one of the activities you and your barkada should try this summer. With its close proximity from Manila, your plans will never be just plans anymore (Kulayan ang drawing!)
How To Get There
- From Manila, take any bus bound for Bataan or Zambales, buses serving these routes are Bataan Transit, Genesis Bus, Victory Liner etc. Fare starts at 120php, travel time is 1.5hrs to 2.5hrs depending on traffic conditions. Tell the bus conductor to drop you off at Pradera Verde
- Alight at Pradera Verde, located in Prado Siongco, Lubao, Pampanga and tell the security guards that you are going to the Pradera Wakepark so they can call Golf Carts to fetch you from the main gate
- If via private transportation, take the North Luzon Expressway (NLEX) and exit at San Fernando, Pampanga (169php, Class 1 Vehicle, 50mins to 1hr travel time). From the exit, turn left at Jose Abad Santos Avenue and head for Prado Siongco in Lubao, Pampanga and you’ll find Pradera Verde at the right side. (83kms, 1.5hrs travel time)
- Operating hours are from: Monday – Thursday (8:30am – 5:30pm), Friday – Sunday (7:30am – 5:30pm)
- Contact them: Pradera Verde
Travel Tips
- Rates for the wakeboarding experience is on a per hour basis in Pradera Verde Wakepark, and is as follows:
- 1 Hour – Php 250
- 2 Hours – Php 475
- 4 Hours – Php595
- 8 hours – Php 1000
- Rate is inclusive of free use of life vest, helmet, slip-on board and a wakeboard instructor at each dock
- Visit during weekdays, since you have to queue up after each attempt
- Do not panic, specially after a fall from the board, the lifevest will do its duty and you only have to swim or paddle up to the side of the lake with your board, and carry it back at the queue area
- It might get frustrating at first, but as the popular adage says, “Try and try until you (die) succeed!”
- If you’re going solo, you can ask the friendly instructors to take pictures of you during the tow and post wakeboard launches
How was your first wakeboard experience? Share with us through the comment section below!
Updated as of April 25, 2018
