The Magat Dam Tourism Complex is a Philippine tourism site that centers on the reservoir lake formed by Magat Dam, a hydro-electric power plant in Aguinaldo, Ramon, Isabela. Situated in the Magat Forest Reserve, it is a pleasant location for picnicking, fishing, and engaging in various types of water sports. It is one of the most popular tourist destinations in the province of Isabela.
The tourism complex centers on the 4,450 hectare lake created by the dam. The waters are clean and there are facilities for fishing, boating, and various water sports like water-skiing. Close to the dam is Camp Vizcarra, a leisure resort that was constructed next to the river by the local government of Isabela. The site is accessible from Santiago City by means of jeepney and bus.
The Magat Dam was built in the early 1980s to fulfill the growing energy and irrigation needs of the area. The dam was the largest in Asia at the time of its construction, and could irrigate as much as 82,000 hectares.
With the dam came changes in the landscape and character of the provinces affected, which included Quirino and Ifugao, as well as Isabela. A lake about a hundred meters deep was created in a previously dry area ranging from Aguinaldo in Ramon, Isabela, Bagabag in Nueva Vizcaya, and Potia in Ifugao. With its clean, flowing waters, this lake was ideal for fish farming and became a major provider of a great variety of freshwater fish: tilapia, catfish ayungin, biya, and kurilao, among others.
In 1995, then-president Fidel Ramos visited the site of the dam and realized that it had excellent potential for tourism. He appointed the local government of Isabela to develop it into a tourist destination, together with the National Institute of Agriculture (NIA), National Power Corporation (NPC), the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH), and the Department of Tourism (DOT).
How to get there
By air:
From Manila to Isabela province take a plane to reach Cauayan Airport in Isabela. From Cauayan Airport, ride a bus to reach the town of Ramon, then take a tricycle to reach Magat Dam.
By land:
From Manila, there are buses to Isabela, then take public transportation to the town of Ramon. From there, take a tricycle to reach Magat Dam.