Tucked away in Malabon, the Dampalit Mega Dike Trail offers sunrise views, riverside paths, and a surprising sense of calm just a few steps away from the city noise.
Things start to get hectic a week after graduation, when enrollment at our school begins. On the first week alone, the number of incoming Grade 11 students have surpassed the number of Grade 12 students who graduated. And it’s only the beginning.
In the middle of all that, Kuya Joel from Maintenance and Sir Elmar, a Grade 11 adviser, casually talk about going on a walk to Dampalit in Malabon. I happen to walk by right when they’re talking about it. They invite me as well. So, being the usual kaladkarin, I just go ahead and say yes, since I’m not doing anything that morning. Besides, a couple of weeks after a photoshoot in Wawa Dam, I’m craving for another dose of nature stroll.
We agree to meet at 4:00 a.m., right in front of the Shakey’s beside SM Valenzuela. From there, we hop on a jeep bound for the stoplight in Malinta. Coincidentally, three of our recent graduates are on the same jeep, coming from work, they say. It’s really become a small world for me, ever since becoming more involved with the school.
From Malinta, we begin the actual walk to Dampalit. The streets are still dark, but surprisingly, it doesn’t feel unsafe. It’s really interesting how different this part of Malabon feels without sunlight and traffic. I’ve passed through here before, back when we used to bike around during the pandemic, but now, on foot and in the quiet of dawn, it almost feels like I’m seeing a place for the first time.
We arrive at the entrance of the Dampalit Mega Dike Trail just as the sky begins to lighten. There’s a soft glow now, enough to see the cluster of houses at the start of the trail. We walk on until we find a small stall selling sachets of instant coffee. We stop, sit at the side of the dike, and sip our coffee quietly. The river beside us starts catching golden light, which slowly but surely washes over everything.
The dawn reminds you how context changes everything—how light and intention can shift your perception of space. How a place you think you know can still surprise you when you just slow down enough to let it.
People start to appear. Bikers, joggers, couples walking hand in hand. A little farther down, a group of women is doing Zumba by the riverside.
The Dampalit Mega Dike acts like a lifeline for Malabon, which has been dealing with water issues for ages as it sometimes sits below sea level. It was built to keep the community safe from tidal floods and river overflow. But it has also evolved into a spot where people can stroll, jog, or just hang out and enjoy the view of the water.
When we’re done with our coffee, we continue walking. The trail is long, and the sun is starting to heat up the pavement. We pass by vendors selling fresh seafood—fish, shrimp, crabs. That’s when it really sinks in: oh right, this is a coastal part of Malabon. You don’t always associate it with the sea, but here it is, existing as if a separate entity from the bustling character of the city.
It’s got this raw and contrasting beauty to it: the smell of brackish air, the comforting blues of the waters and the sky, the vague outline of skyscrapers of the metro in the distance. Here, life feels balanced on the edge, and you’re reminded that the map we live on isn’t static. It shifts with every rain and every tide, every generation. In a bustling megacity known for its chaos, the Dampalit Dike gives you a quiet spot to catch a breather—a place where you can literally stroll the thin line between land and sea.
I miss mornings like this, when you do something a little out of routine and discover pieces of your own neighborhood that you might otherwise overlook. In between the hectic schedules and daily concerns, it’s amazing how we can find time for a sunrise walk, a cup of instant coffee by a river, and the realization that yes, wherever we live, there are places worth rediscovering.
Dampalit Sunrise Walk Travel Basics
Timing
- The best time to do the Dampalit walk is at dawn, especially if you’re after the soft glow of sunrise over the river. Sunsets are also a great time, but you’ll be ending your walk in the dark.
- Weekdays are best if you want a quieter vibe, with only a handful of joggers and bikers sharing the trail.
- The dry season (November to May) guarantees safer, non-muddy paths, but even during the rainy months, the trail remains passable—just wear rubber sandals or Crocs.
Access
- The most efficient way to get to Dampalit is via public transport as roads can be very narrow, and there’s no nearby parking area. Your jump-off point can be SM Valenzuela. From there, take a jeepney heading to Malinta and get off near the stoplight area (locals will know where that is). If you’re not up for a walk, you can take a tricycle to Tatawid Market (PHP 10 per person; up to 3 persons per tricycle). From the market, you can take another tricycle to Dampalit. (The driver might say it’s up to you how much you want to pay, but count on around PHP 100 per trip to make sure he’s not frowning as you leave).
- You can also get to Dampalit from Monumento. At the back of SM Hypermarket Monumento (beside Astrotel), take a jeepney bound for Hulo (PHP 15). Once in Hulo, tricycles can take you to the gate where the Dampalit Dike trail starts.
Admission
- There is no entrance fee to walk the Dampalit trail. It’s a local public space used daily by residents for exercise, coffee breaks, and casual strolls.
- That said, supporting local vendors, whether by buying coffee, light meals, or fresh seafood, is a great way to give back to the community. Be sure to bring cash in small bills and coins.
Food
- Don’t expect cafés or restaurants, but small sari-sari stalls offer sachet coffee, biscuits, and sometimes even rice meals. The experience of drinking instant coffee by the dike is low-key but charming. For heartier meals, you can take a tricycle back to Tatawid or Hulong Duhat after your walk. There’s plenty to eat there, including fast food restaurants.
The Tourist Gaze 