Exploring Davao Oriental, Philippines Travel Guide

Davao Oriental: Mati and Governor Generoso (Tourist Spots, Attractions and Itinerary)

Davao Oriental is quickly becoming one of the most sought after locations to visit and it’s no wonder why. From endless beaches to majestic waterfalls and all the things in between, the only problem you’ll have is figuring out where to start. 

Mati, to begin with, is home to the famous Dahican Beach where surfers flock to for the never –ending waves it produces. Although it may seem like Dahican Beach is the only attraction worthy of being visited in the city of Mati, right before you reach the town you will pass by the Sleeping Dino. 

Mati: Tourist Spots and Attractions

1. The Sleeping Dino Island

 The Sleeping Dino is an island shaped like exactly as it is named. You can stop by at the Sleeping Dino view deck to witness its beauty from afar.You can also observe and experience its real beauty up close by taking a short trek. 

3. I Love Mati Baywalk

Upon reaching the city, you might want to rest before exploring and Baywalk may just be the place to relax – sit on a bench and watch as the waves roll softly.  Baywalk is one of the busiest tourist spots in Mati, perhaps even busier than the infamous Sleeping Dino. With the large “I love Mati” display welcoming guests from different places it’s the perfect place to spend time. Just outside the park are numerous stalls where you can buy food and beverages to be enjoyed inside, as well as souvenirs you can take home for yourself, your loved ones, and your friends.

Governor Generoso: Tourist Spots and Attractions

1. Cape San Agustin

Just a little farther from Mati is Governor Generoso. Although it’s a small town, it’s filled with breathtaking sites for you to visit. One of the most popular spots of GovGen is Cape San Agustin. There sits three lighthouses of which the locals call “Tatlong Maria”. 

Fun fact: you can climb up on two of three light houses giving you an even better view of the Cape where the Celebes Sea and the Davao Gulf meet. However, the lighthouses are only one of the exciting aspects of Cape San Agustin. 

2. Pink Sand Beach

On one side of it is the Pink Sand Beach, so called because the sand has been mixed with particles of red organ pipe corals thus giving off its pink color. 

3. The Altar

As you walk to the far end of the beach, you’ll stumble upon a massive rock.  This particular rock is where the Spanish missionary Saint Francis Xavier first held mass giving it the name “The Altar”.

4. Centennial Old Dau Tree

In another part of Governor Generoso is the Centennial Old Dau Tree which can be found along the highway of Baranggay Magdug. It currently stands at 260 ft - enormous enough for one to walk through - and estimated to be at least 300 years old.  

5. Mt. Hamiguitan World Heritage Park

Also In GovGen is Mt. Hamiguitan World Heritage Park. Inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, it boasts of wide areas filled with about 1,380 species of flora and fauna for you to explore. The mountain itself is elevated up to 5,310 feet which is home to the rare Philippine eagles. This is the best place for you to quench your thirst for knowledge and rekindle your love of nature. 

Itinerary

01:00am Travel
07:00am Cape San Agustin, Pink sand beach, The Altar
09:00am Centennial Tree 
12:00nn  Lunch at San Isidro
01:00pm Mt. Hamiguitan Sunctuary
03:30pm SLeeping Dino Island
04:00pm Sleeping dino view deck /I Love Mati Baywalk
05:00pm ETD Mati-Davao
09:00pm Home sweet Home

All this is only a fraction of the wonders of Davao Oriental because there is definitely more for you to explore. So are you ready for your adventure? The wanderluster in you certainly is. 

Work hard, travel harder.

Surigao del Norte: Sohoton Cove and Bucas Grande Island (Tourist Spot and Attractions)

Surigao City is known as "The City of Island Adventure" because of its amazing beaches, caves, falls and islands that it offers. In the province of Surigao del Norte is where you can find the famous Sohoton Cove and Bucas Grande Island.  Here are the list of best attractions:

1.    Sohoton Cave

If you find your life like a maze, don't despair. In maze, there is wonder. This 70-hectare maze of entwined clear water surrounded with forest-covered limestone islet was located in the southwestern part of Bucas Grande Island, Surigao del Norte. Its name comes from Cebuano term so-oton which means passing through a small opening. You might be lost here as it is hard to guess where the entrance and exit are.

Photo Courtesy: Home Schooling Adventure

2. Horse Foot

 Paddling a boat, you may forget to breath as you slowly pass through the small passage to enter the realm of this mysterious cave. It looks like a place for nymphs and mermaids for its enchanting environment. But waiting is part of the trip as you are only able to witness the wide but low-ceiling cave when low tide. Landmarks like Ti-il sa kabayo (horse foot), which has really the resemblance of horse foot, and the petrified branches of trees hardened as stone as well as the moss-covered stalactites are plus.

Photo Courtesy: Kalinaw Resort

3. Hagukan Cave

Literally means, in English term, "snoring cave". The waves of subsiding tide hitting the cavern's roof with the air rushing out from the large cave synchronizes with these waves create an ominous snoring sound like that of snoring sleeping giant. The snoring sound of the cave can only be heard during specific recession period of tides. You might enter the cave through swimming in it with the cavern's light glowing eerily. 

Photo Courtesy: Wander B

4. Jellyfish Sanctuary

Long before, the sanctuary was known as Tujoman. It was inhabited with sea urchins locally known as "tujom" which it was named after. But for unknown reason, the sea urchins disappeared and nothing was left. Sooner, the smack of jellyfish started to live on the place and continues to multiply. These smack of non-stinging and friendly jellyfish dwells on this place permanently causing the Tujoman be called Jellyfish sanctuary.

The place will be reached through small paddle boats for 2-3 passengers. You can have close encounter with the jellyfish and even hold them out of the water for 10 seconds at most. Jellyfish can only survive out of water for 10 sec max. They full bloom in July and August. Extreme preservation and protection are observed as it was opened to tourists. 

Photo Courtesy: Sohoton Adventure

5. Tiktikan Lake

This lake is connected to the open sea in underground channels making it not advisable for people to swim and note the endangered salt water crocodile is said to be guarding the water. It has even tale that submarine was located underneath the lake. Despite the stories and tales about the lake, it is still the place where largest milkfish (bangus) can be found. It is the home for tons of fish. The lake is one of the three accessible waters among the 13 lakes found in the town of Soccorro, Surigao. The towering and forest-covered limestone surrounding the lake is refreshing to look at from up the trail. 

Photo Courtesy: Choose Philippines

6. Crystal Cave and Bolitas Cave

Cave is one of the nature's most exciting places to explore. Here you got to see spectacular stalactites, stalagmites, and flowstones in different sizes and shapes. Above, you can also see chandelier which is a complex cluster of stalactites. Below, there are scallop-like hollows formation seen called speleogens which are formed from removal of bedrock. Present also in the Crystal Cave are the columns formed when stalactite and stalagmite meet or when stalactite reached the ground and stalagmite reached the cavern's roof. Its Crystal name was derived from the fact that most of all the formation inside the cavern were embedded with quartz crystal shining and glittering when lights strike them. At the end of the cave you can find a deep, dark hole with its bottom reachable with right skills and equipment.

Photo Courtesy: meanttogo.com

7. Bolitas Cave

This particular cave got its name from the word ‘bolitas’ which are small metal balls used in ball bearings and freewheel mechanisms. Why bolitas? The stalactites on the ground of Boltas Cave resemble just the material that they are named after, small spheres. Although it won’t be easy looking getting inside this cave, all the effort will be truly worth it.

Photo Courtesy: thiskneeland.wordpress.com

8. Marka-a Island

Marka-a Island is the perfect white-sanded beach to explore. The white sand beach isn’t the only thing that attracts but also the rock formations all around. The water is  so clear that you’ll find yourself wanting to explore what’s beneath. The waters of Marka-a Island is teeming with different kinds and colors of corals. 

Photo Courtesy: Tavelogue

9. Bubon Island

                

Bubon Island is home to eight small islands gathered together as if they were purposely placed there. For what? We don’t know but what we do know is that it is quite a site to see because there are not many places that one would see multiple islets gathered in one place . Althought Bubon Island is famous for the eight islets, it is also one of the places in Surigao where you can find white sand. Just as Mark-a Island is perfect to rest on, so is Bubon Island. With the white sand beach and the beautiful view of the islets, you’ll feel peace here like no other. 

Photo Courtesy: Travel Teller

10. Kanlunes Resort

          
If you want to spend a night or more at Sohoton, there is a resort available to you at any time. They offer ten cabanas so you can enjoy the peace that nature has to offer. But if you’d rather stay in an air-conditioned room, they have it as well.  Kanlunes Resort is an affordable place to stay when you aren’t finished exploring the wonders of Sohoton.

Photo Courtesy: Choose Philippines

11. Club Tara Resort

               

If Kanlunes Resort doesn’t suit your liking, Club Tara Resort is another place you can rest.  Their cottages are perched on the water so you can hear the waves rolling under you as if you were sleeping on water. While you’re asleep, you might even dream of living under water and be one with the merpeople.  This resort costs a little more than Kanlunes Resort, but if you don’t mind the extra expenses, it’s a grand place to rest your head from a day’s worth of exploring. 

All of this beautiful scenery and amazing attractions were unforgettable but when I remember the back ground of this awesome experience - the effect of mining activity in Surigao, it saddens me. Although, there have been mining laws signed by authorities to protect and conserve our environment, but I can’t blame how can we balance the idea of protecting our environment and offer a source of income to the locals. My hope and prayer is that people will realize their doings and how one action can affect another.

On the brighter side, let me end this article by sharing a video of my solo journey in the paradise of Sohoton Cove and Bucas Grande Island.

Work hard, travel harder! 

List of Holidays in the Philippines 2018

Are you working 8-10 hours a day and suffering from office blues? Well, I have a good news for you! Malacañang Palace just released the list of National Regular and Special (Non-working) days for 2018 (Proclamation No. 269).

 Here is the complete list of holidays in the Philippines (Proclamation No. 269)

Courtesy of officeholidays.com

9 Long-weekends in the Philippines 2018

December 30, 2018  -    January 1, 2018         New Year                      (Saturday to Monday) 3 days
February 16, 2018    -    February 18, 2018     Chinese New Year        (Saturday to Monday) 3 days
March 29, 2018        -    April 1, 2018             Holy Week                    (Thursday to Sunday) 4 days
April 7, 2018            -    April 9, 2018             The Day of Valor          (Saturday to Monday) 3 days
August 25, 2018       -   August 27, 2018        National Heroes            (Saturday to Monday) 3 days
November 1, 2018   -   November 4, 2018      All Saint's Day              (Thursday to Sunday) 4 days
November 30, 2018 -   December 2, 2018      Bonifacio Day               (Friday to Sunday)      3 days
December 22, 2018 -   December 25, 2018    Christmas Day               (Saturday to Tuesday) 4 days
December 29, 2018 -  December 31, 2018     Rizal + New Year's Eve (Saturday to Monday) 3 days

That's it! Now, you have more time to enjoy the holidays with that long weekends. So get ready and plan your travel itinerary! Work hard. Travel harder.