Biking Destinations in and around Manila

Compared to many other cities around the world, Metro Manila is not a bike-friendly destination. The city itself, with the urban sprawl, horrible traffic, and lack of safe and secure bicycle lanes, makes it pretty scary to explore on two wheels. Sure, you can find many areas for urban biking in the city but chances are, these spots are difficult to get to or you’ll be exposed to the polluted city most of the time.

For those who want to bike safely somewhere with a refreshing view of nature, there are only a handful of places in and near the metro that have scenic trails and parks ideal for cycling. These are just a few of the best that I can personally recommend.

NOTE: This was originally written during the pandemic in 2020. Some areas around Metro Manila have developed better bike lanes, while others have been paved over or privatized for commercial developments.

UP Diliman Campus, Quezon City

The 493-hectare campus of the University of the Philippines is a haven for joggers and cyclists. The State University is known for its 2.2 kilometer long tree-lined Academic Oval with a designated bikers’ and runners’ lane, one of the best places to do rounds in the city on any type of bike.

On Sundays, the entire area is closed off to motorized vehicles so it’s a top destination for runners, bikers, longboard skaters and families who just want to enjoy the shade of the trees.

Aside from circling the oval, you can also find a lot of wide grassy areas and hidden trails around the campus including behind The Science Complex, Heartbreak Hill, University Avenue Pump Track and Lagoon area.

Points of interest in UP include the Oblation statue, UP Vargas Museum, public art installations, street food and street art. Seasonal sights include the fire trees (summer), sunflowers planted along the University Avenue during graduation season and the Lantern Parade (Christmas). Sadly, the UP Bike Trails, the two short XC tracks near the College of Human Kinetics (CHK) which used to serve as a venue of various races and bike events, has been turned into a baseball field.

TIPS & USEFUL INFO:

• Entrance fee: None
• Bikes for rent: None. Bring your own. The campus has a Bikeshare system for their vintage commuter bikes where you can sign up for free (but I think this is only for students).
• Hours: The UP Diliman campus is open every day 24/7. The academic oval is closed to motorized traffic on Sundays.
• What makes it great for bikers: Beautiful scenery and natural surroundings, dedicated bike lanes, bike parking, lots of bike-friendly spots to eat

• Where to eat: There are several places for bikers to eat or buy food inside the UP Diliman campus including Gyud Food Hub and Mang Larry’s Isawan near the College of Fine Arts; Art Circle Cafe and ROC within Bahay ng Alumni; Nomu Cafe, Rodic’s Diner, and Snack Shack across the Bahay ng Alumni; University Hotel which has a coffee shop, bar and resto; plus the whole of JP Rizal Street, which is lined with budget-friendly eateries. You can also find few food parks and lots of restos in the nearby Maginhawa area where you can bring your bikes.

Quezon Memorial Circle

The Quezon Memorial Circle or QMC is a national park located inside a large traffic circle known as the Elliptical Road in Quezon City. QMC is known mainly for the 66-meter tall mausoleum containing the remains of Manuel L. Quezon, the second official President of the Philippines, which is the main landmark of the city.

The QMC serves as the main park of the city, housing a shrine, museums, playgrounds, picnic cottages, and open spaces for rest and recreation. The urban park features several smaller gardens within its grounds including a flower garden, a tropical garden, and a demo urban farm.

Aside from being a refreshing place to jog, walk and go biking and have picnics, QMC is also a great place to buy plants including potted herbs, ornamental plants, succulents, and other home gardening essentials. A new Elevated Landscape Promenade is currently being built to connect Quezon Memorial Shrine to Ninoy Aquino Parks and Wildlife Center, which is something to look forward to.

TIPS & USEFUL INFO:

• Entrance fee: None
• Bikes for rent: Bikes are available for rent at the QMC bicycle station.
• Hours: Open from 5:00 am to 8:00 p,
• What makes it great for bikers: Relaxing natural scenery and surroundings. Bike ramps on stairs. To safely cross the road by bike, use the underpass from Quezon City Hall which now has bike ramps. Lots of benches and picnic tables to rest. Some bike-friendly restos.

• Where to eat: There are lots of food stalls inside QC Circle including CocoBistro (a resto that serves Coconut-based dishes and helps coconut farmers) and Just Coffee, a new al fresco coffee shop. You can also find a few restaurants including Max’s, Aristocrat, Kamameshi House, and Tropical Hut.

Marikina River Park

The Marikina River Park is a system of parks, trails & open spaces along an 11-kilometer (6.8 mi) stretch of the Marikina River in the eastern part of Metro Manila.

This urban riverside park covers an area of 220 hectares (540 acres) running through several villages. Since the main walkways are closed off to motorized vehicles, this offers a safe and refreshing area to get some exercise and fresh air.

You can find a short tree-shaded bike trail here with statues of different animals and recreations of iconic landmarks from around the country. A nice addition to the area (put up during Christmas 2019) is a set of 16 Mosaic Art displays of nature scenes made from materials like glass tiles, bottle caps, stones, plastic bottles, foam bits, slippers, plastic clothespins & more.

However, as of April 2024, some sections of the Marikina Riverbanks were damaged by a typhoon while others are no longer accessible due to river dredging.

TIPS & USEFUL INFO:

• Entrance fee: None
• Bikes for rent: Bikes are available for rent at the Marikina Riverbanks area
• Hours: Open daily
• What makes it great for bikers: Scenic riverside routes, bike lanes, lots of bike-friendly cafes, public bike parking spots, pocket parks to rest

• Where to eat: There are a few picnic tables and cottages along the river banks and goto-type stalls along the river banks catering to bikers. Some notable restaurants nearby include Mama Chit’s, Sundays and Rustic Mornings near the Marikina Footwear Museum. Other bike-friendly spots include Greg & Sally’s Tree Cafe and numerous bike-friendly cafes around the side streets.

The Bike Playground at Circulo Verde

Hidden right in the city accessible by C-5 near Eastwood and Libis is The Bike Playground in Circulo Verde. This is the country’s first internationally-designed indoor bike park, which has a world-class pump track, a 1-km long outdoor trail and a kid’s trail.

The highlight here is the internationally designed pump track, built by Velosolutions headed by Swiss mountain biker Claudio Caluori. Unlike other pump tracks, this one has a roof which makes it a good biking destination even in the rainy season. The pump track is made of asphalt, giving tires more traction.

The outdoor trail is very short, but well-designed and offers a few twists, ramps and jumps for a quick trail biking fix. Bikers can bring their own mountain bikes suitable for the trail and pump track, but they also have bikes for rent. There’s a shower room and lounge for bikers and lots of bike parking spaces near the restaurants. Since the area is secluded, not a lot of cars pass here, making it safe for kids to bike on the road.

TIPS & USEFUL INFO:

• Entrance fee: P100 per hour
• Bikes for rent: YES. Mountain bikes and pump track bikes are available for rent at P500 for 2 hours, while kiddie bikes cost P350 for 2 hours.
• Operating hours: The Bike Playground is open from 7:00 AM to 8:00 PM Monday to Sunday.
• What makes it great for bikers: Availability of bike rental, shower room, lounge for bikers, bike parking near restaurants

• Where to eat: There are several places for bikers to eat in Calle Industria within the same complex including McDonald’s, Chef & Brewer, Kambal Pandesal and Chill Top Bar. Eastwood, Libis and the newly developed Bridgetown and Parklinks areas (which I have yet to explore) are also very near.

Intramuros, Manila

Intramuros is the oldest district and historic core in Manila, Philippines. It’s the only district of Manila where you can see old Spanish-era architecture.

It’s also one of the few places in the metro where you can actually rent bicycles and go on bike tours. Plus, you get to use Bamboo Bicycles crafted by a social enterprise.

For first-timer foreign visitors who want a quick tour of the historic sights in the city, this is a good option. The route is mostly paved, but you will be biking through cobblestone streets and some scenic areas like Fort Santiago, a well-maintained park, the Baroque San Agustin Church and Manila Cathedral. As of 2024, better bike lanes within the area are being developed.

There’s a network of bike lanes and pedestrian walkways being built as part of the Pasig River Esplanade, with scenic areas behind the Manila Central Post Office and good lanes crossing Jones Bridge and the Binondo-Intramuros Bridge.

TIP: Bambike also offers Bamboo Bike Tours in different parts of the city like Poblacion, BGC and offers bike rentals in other places (Corregidor, Iloilo, Bohol, Baler, etc.)

TRAVEL TIPS & USEFUL INFO:

• Bikes for rent: YES. P100 per Bambike per hour (no guide)
• Bike Tours: Intramuros Experience, a 2.5 hour long tour to visit 10 key sites (P1,200 per person). The price is inclusive of bike & helmet rental, bottled water and entrance fees. The Express Tour is a 1 hour tour where you can choose your own adventure for P600 per person per hour
• Tour schedule: 10:00 am – 12:30 pm and 3:00 pm – 5:30 pm.
• What makes it great for bikers: Availability of bike rentals, bike lanes, parks, beautiful historic buildings serving as great photo backdrops, bridges, bike parking, bike accessories for sale at the Bambike HQ, some bike-friendly cafes

• Where to eat: There are several bike-friendly places to eat in Intramuros including Barbara’s, Cafe Intramuros and Batala Bar within the Plaza San Luis Complex near the headquarters of Bambike. Other recommendations where you can park bikes safely include Ilustrado Restaurant, Belfry Cafe and Papa Kape inside Fort Santiago.

La Mesa Nature Reserve, Quezon City

La Mesa Watershed Nature Reserve is a forest reserve with multi-use trails located northeast of Quezon City near SM City Fairview. It surrounds the La Mesa Reservoir, which is the source of most of the drinking water of Manila. Take note that this is different from La Mesa Eco Park.

NOTE: La Mesa Nature Reserve and Laa Mesa Eco Park are currently closed, but they are set to reopen in June 2024 under the management of MWSS.

Often referred to as the last remaining rainforest in Metro Manila, La Mesa Watershed Nature Reserve offers 52 kilometers of amazing mountain single tracks, dirt roads and firetracks all within a dense forest.  La Mesa offers great trails for both beginners and advanced riders. It’s a popular venue for bike races and duathlons. Bring a hydration pack with trail food enough to last you for half a day if you plan to bike here..

TIPS & USEFUL INFO:

• Entrance Fee: P200 per person for a minimum group of 5 (or P1000 per group) plus P200 per additional rider. If your group has fewer than 5 riders, you still have to pay P1000. Reservations are required to bike here.
• Bikes for rent: None. Bring your own.
• Facilities: Toilet, rescue vehicles, bike wash (P50.00)
• Hours: Open 6:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. every day except for Christmas and New Year. They also close the place during events so call them first before making any plans.
• What makes it great for bikers: Beautiful natural scenery and relaxing surroundings, safe place to bike away from traffic
• Where to eat: There is no place to eat within La Mesa Nature Reserve, so bring your own packed food/snacks and drinks. Sometimes, roving vendors inside sell light snacks & drinks at the Kawayanan area.
• For inquiries, call Bantay Kalikasan at:(02)410.9670 (02)415.2272 loc 4551 (Bantay Kalikasan Head Office) or inquire directly with Mr. Mar Zeri Ramirez at 0926.6700320 or 0908.493 8239. For more info, visit: the Bantay Kalikasan website.

Heroes Bike Trail, Taguig

Nestled right smack between C-5 and BGC is Heroes Trail, a short cross country track located inside a military camp. It’s actually located inside the Libingan ng mga Bayani compound, a cemetery. According to bikers who frequent the area, it’s pretty well-maintained, cheap and relatively easy to get to for those who live in the area.

The Heroes Trail can be ridden by riders of all skill levels – from Downhill riders to newbies. It’s a good training ground for those who live in the area and is used as a venue for biking events like Bike Demo Day.

TIPS & USEFUL INFO:

• Entrance fee: P50 pesos (you can ride all day)
• Bikes for rent: None. Bring your own.
• Facilities: Restroom, bike parking, sometimes drinks and bike accessories are sold by vendors
• Hours: Open from 5:30 am 5:00 pm daily
• Where to eat: Sometimes vendors set up food stalls during bike events, but it’s best to bring your own snacks or drinks.

C-6 Bike Lane, Taguig

The C-6 or Circumferential Road-6 Bike Lane is part of the Laguna Lake Highway, a thoroughfare connecting Paranaque to the City of Taguig, Pasig, and the municipality of Taytay in Rizal. While the main highway is still under construction, there are some portions that are already open to cyclists and runners including a 3-meter wide bike lane and a 1.5 meter wide sidewalk.

It may be a couple of years before the whole route becomes fully operational, but this lakeside route looks like a promising biking destination and shortcut to the areas in the South like Alabang, Paranaque and Muntinlupa.

TIPS & USEFUL INFO:

• Entrance fee: None
• Bikes for rent: None. Bring your own.
• Facilities: Bike lane

Timberland Mountain Bike Park, Rizal

Mt. Maarat in Timberland Heights is often referred to as the mountain biking capital of the country, offering a variety of purpose-built mountain biking trails. Technically, it’s no longer in Manila, but it’s near enough for a day ride. The park reopened in 2024, launching 12 trails with varying degrees of difficulty—featuring single-track, drops, rollers, and berms.

This area in San Mateo, Rizal just on the outskirts of the city used to be a regular training ground for trail runners, mountaineers, and mountain bikers. Bikers coming from the metro usually passed through Marikina to access the main entrance of Timberland Heights.

Bikers who want to test their endurance uphill can scale “The Wall”, a 2 kilometer-long paved road ascending up to the gates of Timberland. There’s also “Shotgun”, an even tougher and longer climb that you can bike to for free. But you could skip that and go directly to the technical trails (which has a separate entrance fee) by bringing your mountain bikes up by car.

Sample the trails full of fire roads and singletracks at the Green Zone, Blue Zone and Black Diamond. Other points of interest here include the pine tree-lined avenue of the Roxas Basic Trail, the Ten Commandments Statue in Mt. Sinai and the Sandugo BaseKamp Trail and Pump Track.

TIPS & USEFUL INFO:

• Entrance fee: None. No reservations required to bike at Timberland Heights. Just leave your ID at the guardhouse. Starting February 10, 2024, a day pass now costs P550 per rider
• Parking fee: P30.00 near the Timberland Sports and Nature Club. Free if you park your vehicles before heading up The Wall.
• Hours: Tuesday to Sunday from 7am to 4pm, with the last entry at 1pm.
• Bikes for rent: YES. Bike rental is available at the Adventure Farm in Timberland Heights for P100/head per hour inclusive of safety gear, with an additional P50 for succeeding hours. I also was able to borrow a Sandugo Brusko unit at BaseKamp Biker’s Pit Stop one time but most bikers bring their own bikes.
• What makes it great for riders: Wonderful nature trails, scenery, presence of bike shops and bike-friendly cafes. Bike accessories are sometimes sold along the road during weekends

• Where to eat: Aling Tina’s, All Terra Cycling Shop and Cafe, Marc’s Store, Bikers Cafe, Ka Vergel, Giant Store, Camp Sandugo, Phillip’s Sanctuary, Pestano Farm and other smaller eateries.

Eastridge, Rizal

Previously, Antenna Hill was another biking destination in a town on the outskirts of the city near enough for a day trip. Located in Tayuman, Binangonan, Rizal, getting up the hill involved a very challenging ascent, but once you get to the top, you could enjoy steep tracks and drops which are popular with downhill riders.

Aside from the downhill bike trails, this biking destination had a lot of bonus areas you could explore including a Thunder Trail.

While I’m not certain if these trails are still accessible as of 2024, you can still visit the historic Angono-Binangonan Petroglyphs and take a tour of the art galleries and restaurants in Angono.

TIPS & USEFUL INFO:

• Entrance Fee: None.
• Bikes for rent: None. Bring your own.
• NOTE: Since this is a private subdivision, you’ll need to leave an ID at the gate to get in.

• Where to eat: A lot of new cafes have popped up in the area including ArtSector Gallery and Cafe, Coffee Rush and Cafe Giya. Other options include Nemiranda Art House and Balaw-Balaw Exotic Restaraunt in Angono (before heading up to Eastridge)

Rodriguez, Rizal

Though Tanay in Rizal offers more scenic and beautiful biking destinations, it can take a while to bike all the way there.

For those who have limited time or want something nearer (for a half-day biking trip), there’s Rodriguez (formerly known as Montalban), the northernmost town of the neighboring province of Rizal. It’s relatively near the city, but brings you close to a surprisingly scenic view of mountains.

One of the popular tourist spots you can bike to is Wawa Dam, a gravity dam constructed over the Marikina River situated in the 360-meter high Montalban Gorge or Wawa Gorge, a water gap in the Sierra Madre Mountains, just east of Manila. The rocky river dam is a popular destination for swimming, mountain biking and hiking.

TIPS & USEFUL INFO:

• Entrance Fee: None
• Bikes for rent: None. Bring your own.
• Hours: Open 24 hours

• Where to eat: There are lots of small eateries nearby, but don’t expect anything fancy. Wawa is a popular spot for picnics among locals who usually bring their own food.

Nuvali, Laguna

Nuvali is a 2,290 hectare master-planned residential, commercial and recreational development complex located in Sta. Rosa, Calamba, Laguna. Nuvali has a good network of paved roads and designated bike paths that offer a lot of opportunities for leisurely road biking.

Previously, it offered an extensive bike tracks and a trail system, which included approximately 50 km of off-road biking and running trails. Unfortunately, as of April 2024, some of the mountain bike trails are no longer accessible due to new developments in the area.

Nuvali used to be the venue for Nuvali Dirt Weekend, one of the biggest and most anticipated mountain biking events in the country. On regular days, bikers who bring their own mountain bikes can enjoy going around the flowy singletrack and scenic cross-country riding with fresh air and great views.

TIPS & USEFUL INFO:

• Entrance Fee: Free for those who bring their own bikes.
• Bikes for rent: Road bikes are available for rent for P60/hour. You need to present a valid ID and sign a waiver before renting road bikes in Nuvali. Bikers need to wear helmets (provided) at all times. Wear proper closed shoes (sandals and slippers aren’t allowed).
• Facilities: Bike parking, bike trails, pump track (special events only)
• Hours: Open daily from Monday to Sunday 8:00 am to 5:00 pm

• Where to eat: There are lots of places to eat in Nuvali from fast food joints to fine dining restos.

Other Bike Trails / Destinations in and near Manila

• Camp Aguinaldo Bike Trail – closed
• Bathala Bike Park – closed
• Fort Bonifacio Army MTB Trail
• Filinvest Bike Trail in Alabang, Muntinlupa
• Vermosa Skills Bike Park, Daang Hari, Cavite
• Twin Lakes Mountain Bike Trail, Tagaytay

NOTE: Additional photos from Outside Slacker. Check out his page for more biking resources.