Cool off at the refreshing pools of Pyramid of Asia Resort in Manaoag - Pangasinan

It’s sweltering hot in Manaoag.  In fact, the weather is hot in Pangasinan this month of May.  I was thinking of going to the beach but it would be a long distance trip either to the beach town of San Fabian or Bonuan.  I don’t really want to go far so I decided to look for a resort nearby with swimming pools.  The nearest would be the Oasis By The River which is only about 1.5kms from the Shrine of Our Lady of Manaoag but we ended up going to the farther Pyramid of Asia Healing Center which has a bigger facility.

We took a tricycle from the town center, fare is P100, and the 3-wheeled vehicle can take up to 4 people.  It’s a breezy short 15 – 20 minutes trip along well-paved cemented road, rice fields along the way.  It was a good time coming to the resort during a Monday morning as there were only 2 groups having the whole place – a family and us.

There is a pyramid structure, the size of a house, on the sprawling grassy lawn on the left side of the main entrance.  I walked near it and while taking some photos, a group of foreign tourists, young and old,  emerged from the small door of the pyramid, all wearing white garments.  I’ve discovered that the place is frequented by foreign tourists seeking alternative therapy.  The pyramid structure was designed by a German architect and said (from the resort website) to be capturing “cosmic energy flow” resulting in generation of good energies and healing ability.  “Rev. Orbito advises to meditate inside the Pyramid ideally at sunrise or sunset for the balancing of energies and to subsequently drink from the energized water inside.” (http://www.pyramidofasia.org).  The resort is actually a healing center owned by Alex L. Orbito, a prominent psychic healer in the Philippines.

I’m not an advocate (nor an opponent) of anything psychic but in case you’re interested, you may want to try it.  I came here to cool off at their beautiful swimming pools.  There are two big pools, one for children with water only up to my knee deep, and the other bigger one with two slides for grown-ups and adults.  Both have water fountains working one at a time.  The place is big and probably difficult to maintain as evidenced by deteriorations around.  The bathrooms are closed, not in operation, and I have to use the toilet at one of the halls (Cleopatra, I think?), and even that has dirty toilets.  There’s a restaurant pavilion in the far right end of the pools.  Good thing is, you can bring in your own food and drinks, no corkage fees.

TIPS: 

The resort has bungalow accommodations for people who want to stay a night or two.  Rates are reasonable at P900 and P1,600.   It’s only a few minutes to the “Our Lady of Manaoag” church and for people or devotees of the miraculous Marian image, it’s a practical alternative to the more expensive hotels around the church.  You get a bungalow room, a large nice relaxing garden, and swimming pools, great relief after a hot sunny visit to the church ofManaoag.

For day trippers, entry to the resort is P70 per adult, children are free of charge.  Around the two large swimming pools are shaded tables and benches, rental fee is P100, bigger ones at P300.  All shades have electrical socket to charge your mobile phones, tablets or even your laptops.  I brought mine to write this post. J

Getting to Manaoag from Manila, there are direct buses from Manila to Manaoag. Dagupan Bus (phone (02) 727-2330) from their terminal in New York Street, Cubao has several trips a day (24/7).  Victory Liner (phone (02) 727-4688) is running direct to Manaoag.  Fare is P360.  Travel time is about 4 hours.

From Manaoag town to Pyramid of Asia Healing Center:  If oyu don’t have your own vehicle, take a tricycle from the town center, there are several parked beside the gasoline station near 711, pay P100 for the whole tricycle rental, it can take up to 4 passengers, asked to be dropped at Pyramid of Asia Resort.  You may find it difficult to find a tricycle back to Manaoag town center, so contract the tricycle to return to pick you up at designated time you wish to go back to town, same fare of P100 per tricycle.

Address: Pyramid of Asia Resort, Cabanbanan, Manaoag, Pangasinan, Philippines

Tel: +63 75 519 4365 or 4385

Email: pyramidofasia7@yahoo.com

Google Map Direction: Pyramid of Asia, Manaoag, Pangasinan