Dahilayan Forest Park

The mountain air and forest scenery made our family outing at Dahilayan Forest Park a treat. We had plenty of activities to choose from, along with tasty food to enjoy between rides. It was a nice mix of relaxing and adventurous, and a great spot for spending time together. We’d be happy to visit again.

Breakfast was satisfying, and having reception available around the clock made booking by phone easy. The hotel was generally good, but the reception experience could be smoother. We arrived at about 1:20 PM, paid the security deposit, then waited roughly 45 minutes to get into our room at around 2:05. Someone had to escort us, even though the room was nearby. The room floor felt sticky, perhaps because of the fabric softener used when mopping, so I didn’t feel comfortable walking barefoot. There were no indoor slippers or hair dryer, either. When it rained, the guard didn’t have a decent umbrella to lend for the walk to the parking area outside. A power outage lasted about 15 minutes just before checkout. It ended quickly, but with no heater the water was cold, which could have been uncomfortable. I hope management takes these basic but noticeable guest needs into account.

There are places inside the forest park to buy snacks and meals. For activities, the luge is my top pick. The ATV and buggy rides are fun too, but you need a driver's license to drive them.

The hills can make walking around tiring if you're not in the best shape, and we had to put up with rain for quite a while. Still, this place is a cool hidden gem with something for everyone. I’d like to return on a dry day. There’s plenty of good food and drinks, plus a nostalgic old eatery at the bottom of the grounds. The old cars there, including Herbie the Lovebug, an old US Army military jeep, and a flower power VW Bus, reminded me of Back to the Future.