A new outdoor adventure: Ilocos Norte's first ever zipline!

Banna is a town in Ilocos Norte that is about 30-40 minutes from Laoag City

A 180-meter zipline has given the relatively quiet town of Banna in Ilocos Norte a tourism attraction unlike any of its neighboring towns in the province North of Manila.

The "Banna Zipline Adventure" is the first of its kind in the province of Ilocos Norte. A 30-40 minute-drive from Laoag City, the new attraction is part of the 100 hectare of forested area in Barangay Caribquib loaned by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources to the administration of the town to develop.

It takes about 30 seconds to reach the opposite side of the zipline

"This is just the first phase. We'll turn this eco-park into something that would attract people and bring them closer to nature. We'll develop it one phase at a time," said Vice Mayor Carlito Abadilla in an interview.

Suspended by some 50 feet from the ground, with a 30-degree slope, just about everyone can try the new attraction. The local official assured there has been no accidents since they opened mid of 2010.

Vice Mayor Carlito Abadilla and Franzen, host of ABS-CBN show "Trip na Trip"

According to Abadilla, a longer zipline will be constructed soon (300 meters long), as well as facilities for rappeling and other exciting outdoor adventures including nature trails for trekking, bike trails, and botanical gardens.

"Of all towns in Ilocos Norte, we're the only ones that doesn't have old churches so we have to create our own tourist attractions," the vice mayor said. The local government expects to develop the eco-park within 5 years.

Vice Mayor Abadilla puts on his harness as he prepares to try the zipline himself

Because the project is not at all profit-oriented, one go at the zipline only cost P50, unlike other ones that cost as high as P350 per try. Abadilla said there are about 50 to 70 people that visit on a daily visit, but that number could swell to up to 100 during holidays.

With a population of 18,000, Abadilla hopes the eco-park will spur economic activity in the municipality.

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