Summer at Jungle Joe's World

TIRED of the usual resorts and horrendous process that would leave you broke? Perhaps Jungle Joe's World in the Subic Freeport Zone could give you and your children with what you need, especially this summertime.

Dubbed one of the "uniquely-different and fun-filled amusement parks," the theme park is the brainchild of businesswoman Yvette Ocampo-Desiongco.

Following her various trips abroad, she began to conceptualize of a unique theme park were families, young and old, could surely find enough reasons to enjoy.

Jungle Joe's World rests on a 60-hectare estate, six hectares of which was developed for the theme park.

The forest and green ambiance of Subic Bay provides the perfect backdrop for this "Exciting Family Adventure" destination and is a few minutes away from the main Subic Freeport Zone. And to top it all it was built with the US amusement park standards in mind, Jungle Joe's is every summer adventurers dream.

From War Bunkers to Bunkers of Fun former US Military ammunition bunkers were re-designed with extreme details for the ultimate entertainment of visitors.

Some of the activities you will find in these bunkers include: interactive kiddy rides, novelty shops, discotheque, and a comfortable beanbag seated theater and other uniquely-themed, interestingly exhilarating attractions.

Themed Bunkers

Kiddie Playzone -- This is an air-conditioned playground for kids, primarily from the ages of two to five years old.

Inside, you will enjoy slides, thousands of colorful plastic balls, trampolines and other unique, child-oriented fun equipment.

The outside play-area incorporates numerous high-quality slides, mazes, and jungle merry-go-rounds.

Indy 500 Racer -- themed after the Indianapolis 500 in the US, this attraction features a racetrack built for small roller racer cars. These are great fun and exercise for both kids and adults.

Whiz-around the cool track under human-power while you see if you have the strength and ability to keep-up with your kids.

A multitude of toys and novelties are also available inside. The outdoors sports a great playground with a large selection of equipment for the bigger kids.

Jungle Joe's Playhouse Theater -- this attraction is designed as a kind of 1950's high tech cinema house.

Inside you will find very comfortable and relaxing beanbag couches complete with foot stools made specifically for this unique theater's viewing experience.

You can watch movies, conduct plays and even have a dinner concert. Fresh caramel popcorn and drinks are available. Cinema novelties and toys are also available at reasonable prices.

Winter Wonderland -- this is the place to see Santa Claus even if it's not Christmas time.

Watch the elves build toys and perform their work-duties for the upcoming Christmas rush.

You will essentially be able to view the workings of the North Pole right here in the Philippines.

Why not buy a few gifts for your children or special someone and let Santa Clause hand them to them? Also have you family picture taken with Santa and have it developed instantly to take home for lasting-memories of a Philippine white Christmas.

Other Amenities: Paintball Course Like No Other -- Jungle Joe's has done it right with a state-of-the-art paintball course that is huge in scope with sniper towers, foxholes and a multitude of obstacles and barricades.

The course encompasses a full two hectares of deeply forested land. Bring your family and friends for an experience that replicates real-life combat in a way you've never experienced before.

The paintball guns are all US made, of the finest quality, the paintballs are biodegradable and you can even eat the paint without worrying about hazardous consequences.

The Jurassic Trail -- Walk along one of the three trials and find yourself among life-life and full-sized ancient prehistoric animals deep inside a lush rainforest.

Aeta-guided tours, highlighting various flora and fauna are also available to further enhance and educate your Jurassic Park experience.

Ride a Train Through Animal Park -- The Jungle Joe's Zoo Ride adventure is a trek through the jungle that will introduce you and your children to giant animal species from around the world.

Sit-back and relax as the train meanders thought the reserve, exposing you to some very impressive creations.

Rent an All-Terrain Vehicle -- Explore the back-trails and remote territory of the park by renting a quad runner all-terrain vehicle.

Get around in style and with the ability to climb steep hills and otherwise inaccessible areas.

Anaba Beach -- This one takes a little hiking along deeply forested trails.

Locate this lost and difficult to locate beach with the help of your own Aeta guide.

This is but one of the three untouched beach coves within the 60 hectare-complex of Jungle Joe's World.

Soon to sport a classy spa and unique floating restaurant you won't be disappointed in this little piece of heaven.

Here you can bask in the sun while enjoying a pristine seashell and white-sand beach with gorgeous views of crystal-clear ocean waters.

Only 50 meters away, you'll find two live coral reefs that are perfect for an unforgettable snorkeling experience.

New ‘jungle’ rises in Subic

The theme park is located in the naval magazine area of the Subic Bay Freeport

By Anthony Bayarong, Correspondent

SUBIC BAY Freeport: Visitors to this free pormay already be familiar with the mischievous macaque monkeys that often wander into the roadside, willing to be photographed for some scrap of food. But now, a giant monkey beckons public attention. His name is Jungle Joe and the 50-hectare wonderland under his domain is called… well, Jungle Joe’s World.

Jungle Joe’s World, a project of the Subic Family Land Co., is the latest entry to the growing theme park industry here, and the biggest tourism destination inside the Subic Bay Freeport Zone today in terms of occupied area.

Located in the Naval Magazine area, which previously housed the US Navy ammunition depot when Subic was still a naval base, the multimillion development project makes use of camouflaged bunkers converted into air-conditioned amusement centers, with jungle trails amidst gargantuan trees.

The park, which will formally open next year, will join other popular Subic theme parks like Ocean Adventure, which boasts of dolphins and other marine attractions, and Zoobic Safari, which has a wide collection of exotic wild animals.

In a “sneak peek” organized over the weekend by Jungle Joe CEO Yvette Desiongco during the park’s soft opening, the theme park management toured members of local media and employees of the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA), who were awed by the work in progress.

“If you had seen this place six months ago, you would appreciate even better how much progress has been done in such a short time,” remarked SBMA Administrator Armand Arreza.

“To be honest, I am just as excited as my kids are to be visiting the park today,” added Arreza, who playfully took photos of his children at Jungle Joe’s colorful playground.

At least five bunkers in the huge theme park have already been converted into air-conditioned themed amusement centers: Indy 500, where children can drive mini-race cars around a mini-race track; Winter Wonderland, which is filled with a collection of Christmas symbols like Santa Claus and his reindeers; Playhouse Theater, which provides video entertainment in a playhouse setting; Voodoo Combo, which has scary stuff with a Halloween theme; and Jungle Fever Discotheque, which offers a different kind of dancing experience.

Besides the amusement bunkers, Jungle Joe’s World also has the Jurassic Trail, which is filled with giant fiberglass animals carved by artisans from Angono, Rizal—the same supplier of props and displays to Enchanted Kingdom, Disneyland, and Universal Studios.

Jungle Joe is also tapping engineers from the University of the Philippines to do the animatronics system for the theme park, said Desiongco.

More attractions, she said, will be developed before the park opens next year. Among the planned features are Jungle Joe’s Survival Trail, Adventure Maze, and the Caanaba Beach.

The park would also have a gift shop, a central food court, a bike trail, and a mini-railway system that would transport visitors around the sprawling grounds.

“We are also planning to construct a lift like that in Aspen [Colorado], where skiers ride to the top of the slope,” Desiongco revealed. “This would allow visitors to Jungle Joe’s world to see the whole theme park from top view,” she said.

Desiongco also said her company would provide lodgings for visitors who would like to stay overnight.

“But instead of constructing a hotel, we would build tree houses to give our visitors a distinct jungle experience,” she added.

Jungle Joe’s World will formally open in March next year.