Rizal Park one of best parks in Asia — survey

MANILA, Philippines - The newly rehabilitated Rizal Park was cited as one of the best parks in Asia, according to the latest survey made by Agoda Company PTE Ltd. (Agoda.com), one of Asia’s leading hotel booking sites.

In a statement, Agoda.com said Rizal Park, also known as Luneta Park, ranked eighth in a competitive regional list.

The output was based on customer feedback and analyzed booking information to present Asia’s highest rated parks and green spaces as selected by Agoda.com customers.

According to Agoda.com, travelers surveyed loved a wide range of green space options from lush expanses of jungle to manicured parklands.

The list includes huge national parks perfect for hiking or outdoor activities, marine parks for diving or kayaking, and green areas in the middle of a city that offer important historical context. All of the entries on the list have left a large enough impression on Agoda.com customers to warrant consistently high ratings.

In the middle of the sprawling Philippine capital, Rizal Park is both a beautiful escape from the traffic and noise and a potent symbol of the country’s tumultuous history.

The park takes its name from national hero Jose Rizal, author and Filipino nationalist who was executed in 1896 for promoting sweeping social reforms during the Spanish colonial era.

The 140-acre park is located next to the famous Intramuros walled city.

It is one of the most popular spots in Manila for locals to picnic, exercise and relax among gardens and greenery.

Adjacent to the park are the Museum of the Filipino People, Department of Tourism and the National Library. An impressive monument to Rizal stands on the western end.

Trivia note: all road distances in the Philippines are measured from Kilometer Zero, just across the street from the Rizal Monument.

In 2011, Rizal Park underwent a massive renovation by the National Parks Development Committee (NPDC) aimed at restoring significant elements of the park.

The plans included the rehabilitation of the old musical dancing fountain located on the 40 m x 100 m pool, which is the geographical center of the park. The renovation was handled by German-Filipino William Schaare, the same person who built the original fountain in the 1960s.

Restoration in the park also included the Flower Clock, which was set for the inauguration on the 113th Philippine Independence Day; the Noli me Tangere Garden and the Luzviminda Boardwalk.

Agoda.com has also provided some great hotel recommendations to round out a perfect trip to visit Rizal Park such as the Manila Hotel, Hotel H2O and Bayleaf Intramuros Hotel.

Other national parks in Asia that made it to Agoda.com’s list are Hallasan National Park Jeju-do, South Korea; Taroko National Park, Taiwan; Osaka Castle Park, Osaka, Japan; Halong Bay, Vietnam; Ang Thong National Marine Park, Ko Samui; Khao Yai National Park, Thailand; and Penang National Park, Malaysia.

Aside from being the leading online hotel reservations company, Agoda.com specializes in securing the lowest discount hotel prices.

Agoda.com includes more than 360,000 hotels worldwide. The multinational staff of more than 1,400 professionals, located throughout the world, provide a first-rate reservation service that uniquely combines local knowledge and local connections to provide the best hotel deals to both business and leisure travelers.