Pililla Wind Farm: Travel Guide and Experience

Have you seen the wind turbines of Bangui, Ilocos Norte and wish to see them up close? Well, you don’t have to travel more than 500 kilometers north just to see these giants. Only 2 hours away from Manila, you can now personally see the Pililla Windmills! I’ve been living in the province of Rizal for two decades now and it is exciting to know that there’s a wind farm near our home. We visited the Pililla Wind Farm and here’s our travel guide, experience and review! (Post Updated: November 2, 2020)

Pililla Wind Farm History

Renewable energy is becoming more popular in the Philippines. As an alternative source of power and electricity, wind energy produces no waste and it is beneficial both for the people and the environment. It was in 2008 when the Department of Energy granted permission to Alternergy in creating a wind farm in the mountain slopes of Pililla, Rizal. Its purpose is to serve the nearby towns and municipalities of Rizal and Laguna with clean source of energy.

The construction of the windmills began by 2013, and the project were finished three years after. The rise of Pililla Wind Farm provides not just electricity, but also a boost in tourism in the municipality. The place became viral across social media, and until today, many travelers visit this place to have a personal encounter with these gigantic wind turbines.

Pililla Wind Farm Facts

• This wind farm is located in Barangay Halayhayin in Pililla, Rizal. It is the first Luzon-based wind farm outside Ilocos Norte.
• There are 27 wind turbines in this wind farm. Each windmill can generate 2 megawatts of power, producing 54 megawatts of energy in all.
• An average home in Manila can consume around 200-300 kilowatt per hour monthly. Thus, the Pililla Wind Farm can provide adequate electricity to almost 66,000 households.
• The position of the wind turbines is oriented to capture Amihan winds from October to March.

How to go to Pililla Windmill?

Via Private Transportation

This is the method that we used. We brought our car going to Pililla, Rizal, and we used Google Maps in our mobile device for navigation. We took the Antipolo-Teresa-Morong Rizal route to prevent the traffic in Manila East Road along Binangonan, Rizal.

You have to take note that there are 2 entrances going to Pililla Wind Farm. After passing the welcome arch of Pililla, you should enter the first entrance going to the wind farm. The second entrance offers less view for the windmills unlike the first.

Via Public Transportation/Commute

From Cainta, Rizal. There’s a jeepney terminal in Robinsons Junction (people call this place, Big R Junction) bound to Siniloan, Laguna. Take a ride and inform the driver that you will alight in Pililla Wind Farm. Travel time is around 2 hours.

From Starmall in Shaw Blvd. Take a jeep or van(UV express) going to Tanay, Rizal. From Tanay, Rizal town proper, you can take a jeep bound to Siniloan and alight in Pililla Wind Farm; or, charter a tricycle going to Pililla Wind Farm. Based from other travelers who went to the place via tricycle from Tanay, the fare ranges from PHP 200 – PHP 300.

From Manila. You can take a bus from Raymond Terminal in Legarda bound to Infanta, Quezon and inform the conductor that you will alight in Pililla Wind Farm.

From Cubao, Quezon City. You can take a jeep from Cubao going to Tanay, Rizal. From Tanay, Rizal town proper, take a jeep bound to Siniloan or charter a tryke going to Pililla Wind Farm.

Another option is to ride the LRT from Cubao Station going to Santolan Station in Marikina. From there, you can take an FX/Van/Jeep going to Tanay, Rizal. From Tanay town proper, take a jeep bound to Siniloan or charter a tryke going to the wind farm in Pililla.

If there are no available jeeps bound to Tanay in Cubao, you can have two trips instead of one by riding a jeep going to Antipolo City. From the city proper, there are a lot of jeeps bound to Tanay in Shopwise Antipolo.

Pililla Windmill Entrance Fee

There are no entrance fee in visiting the Pililla Windmills. The place is open for the public and everyone can visit and experience the beauty of the wind farm.

Meeting the Gigantic Pililla Windmill

We arrived in Pililla Wind Farm at 4 in the afternoon, and there are no parking or entrance fee in this place. There are available stores around the area where you can buy snacks, drinks and souvenirs.

The first thing I immediately noticed are, obviously, the towering windmills. They are really huge and a marvelous sight to see. I had the same feeling the first time I saw a windmill up close in Ilocos Norte.

Going uphill from the parking lot, you’ll see a mini-museum where you can learn further details about the construction of Pililla Wind Farm, and the marvelous windmill number 14. There’s also a viewing deck overlooking the panorama of Laguna de Bay.

The Best Spot to View the Pililla Windmill

From the mini-museum, you will think that this is the only place where you can have a beautiful view of the wind turbines. If you want to have the best viewing experience, there’s a hill across the view deck and windmill #14.

It turns out this place is privately own since we saw a tarpaulin in the gate. The caretaker told us that visitors can rent the whole place for an overnight stay, giving you an immersive vacation with the windmills. After our conversation with the caretaker, we paid PHP 10 for the entrance fee and climbed on top of the hill.

As we reached the top, our jaws dropped and stood aghast from the astonishing sight of the whole Pililla Wind Farm. We saw more than 10 windmills in this vantage point, and all we can say is “beautiful!”. Seriously, you have to climb this hill for a better viewing experience.

During our stay, we took a lot of photographs, selfies and videos. Leo and I were so blessed that day, we even saw a double-rainbow covering a part of the wind farm. Dreamy isn’t it?

A Quick Side Trip

After dancing with the waves of Real, Quezon or chasing waterfalls in Laguna, you can visit Pililla Wind Farm in the afternoon for a quick side trip. You will surely enjoy this place by seeing these windmills.

Wanna try surfing? There’s a surfing spot only 3 hours away from Manila! Check our travel guide here.

Overnight Accommodation and Prenup Shoot

As I mentioned earlier, there’s a place in Pililla Wind Farm where you can stay overnight. If you want to have an immersive experience in this beautiful place, you can go to Altitude and Cool Winds located across the view deck and tower #14 in Mahabang Sapa, Pililla, Rizal. They also have the best location for a prenup shoot! Contact Arnel O. Cruzado at 0917-896-1717 / 0998-975-1379 / 02-664-2921 for more details or visit their Facebook Page here.

Closing Time and Traveling Back to Manila

Pililla Wind Farm closes everyday at 6:00 PM. We left the place at 5:30 PM, and drove our way back to Taytay, Rizal. If you’re commuting, you can wait for a jeepney bound to Tanay at the entrance, and take another jeep or van from Tanay going to Crossing/EDSA Shaw Blvd. Others chartered a tricycle for a round trip to and fro Tanay and Pililla.

Wrap Up

Overall, our short stay in Pililla Wind Farm is amazing. Rather than traveling up north to Ilocos Norte, just a two-hour drive from Manila will lead you in this beautiful wind farm. We recommend going here by afternoon, the golden hour of the sun amplifies the beauty of these turbines; it’s magical. Visit and discover Pililla, Rizal and see its wonders!

This post is part of our vlog on our Youtube Channel. Watch it here:

Have you seen a windmill before? What did you feel the first time you saw it? Leave your insights in the comment section below or e-mail us at admin@lostandwonder.com

This post is updated last November 2, 2020.