Enchanted River and Tinuy-an Falls

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Enchanted River

Location: Talisay, Hinatuan, Surigao del sur

The crystal blue water of Enchanted River at sunrise, touted to be 30 meters deep.

The river turns aquamarine green when meet by the aggressive day light (especially at noon)

Yes!Finally, I was able to visit the other side of Surigao del sur! It's been (or more than)20 years since my last travel to Bislig, so our trip last October 16, 2011, Sunday (coincided with my mother's 64th birthday), felt like a refreshing experience of traveling to the northern part of my home province. A very special thanks to Ms. Maribeth Galindo, coordinator of the social science division of UIC,  for inviting me, and thanks also to the social science faculty for a wonderful accommodation. It was truly a fantastic weekend!

Preparing my first dive..hehe!

Swimming at the clear blue water 

We left Davao at 1:30 in the morning and arrived at Barangay Talisay at 5:30 am.

Enchanted River opens at 6:00 and the entrance fee is only P10.00 because it is operated by the local government. Visitors are allowed to bring foods and drinks but if you want to eat fresh sea foods, there are several fish vendors along the resort, you can also request them to grill the fish, price is very affordable. Inside the area, there are several cottages ready for rent.

Hinatuan is one of the two municipalities in Surigao del sur, aside from San Miguel, that situated in the most secluded part of the province, almost located in the middle of the rainforest of Surigao del sur. Aside from its location, the road leading to Enchanted River is very rough and not yet develop. But the weariness is worthy as soon as you reach the hidden treasure of Enchanted River.What a stunning blue lagoon!

Yes! It was truly fascinating, the place is endowed with rich natural resources, the river is shrouded with thick vegetation with a narrow passage connecting to the sea. The river forms a long deep water, somewhat a fjord flowing from below the ground, it is touted to be 30 meters deep and the first time I saw it, because it was morning and the blue water is very clear, I was afraid to take a plunge.

Early morning at Enchanted River

Calm environment of Hinatuan river while having our boat ride

We took a boat ride at 7:00 after breakfast (P160.00 per hour with a capacity of 5 persons per boat, so you have to divide the P160.00 each) around Hinatuan sea for two hours:

First stop: Sibadan Fish cage and Pawikan cage. Entrance fee P5.00

Second stop: Pangasinan White sand (yet to be developed) Entrance fee P5.00

Third stop: The Ponta Cave (you cannot go down to the cave unless you request a tour guide--available in the area). Entrance fee P5.00

Part of the boat ride destination, Pangasinan White Sand on the opposite side of the river

Hinatuan sea is not really ruthless as it never produced gigantic waves like in my hometown, infact the sea along Enchanted River looks like a lake. For people who are not used to travelling in a rough, bumpy and punishing road, going to Hinatuan might bring some discomfort as the road seems endless with so many signboard pointing to "enchanted river". But I am used to this kind of travel because in the past the road going to my hometown is similar to this, so the experience was not annoying anymore.

Due to the danger of swimming in a deep river, travellers like me who are not good in swimming, should wear a life vest which can be rented for one hour at P15.00. The experience of swimming in a long deep narrow river provides a different joy and relaxation.

After a few swim with a life vest, I immediately pulled out from the water because it felt like the current gradually became aggressive, slowly pulling us in different direction. Surprisingly, this river has a salty water because of its connection to the sea.

We took lunch at 11:30 then left Enchanted at 12:30 for Bislig.

Tinuy-an Falls

Location: Borboanan, Bislig City

The majestic water curtain of the Tinuy-an falls. This is the highest level of the multi- tiered water falls

The fourth level of Tinuy-an falls

Our next stop was at the Tinuy-an Falls!

We arrived there at 2:00 pm on the same day (October 16). Such a magnificent view of the mountain and my God, the clusters of falls were fantastic! What a stunning gift of nature! Entrance fee is P50.00 per head, there's additional fee for cottages. In our case we did not rent a cottage, we just gathered in one area (fronting the waterfalls) with big rocks under the trees when we took our mid-afternoon meal.

Tinuy-an falls form in clusters of water falls beautifully cascading from the mountain, its white curtain water have five levels, but the highest level, on the second layer, was the strongest of all where you cannot use your camera for picture taking at close range because the splashing of the water will make it hard to capture the subject.

Dubbed as the Niagara Falls of the Philippines, Tinuy-an so far is the best waterfalls in the country because of its majestic, natural formation at the foot of the hills, beautifully covered with rainforest and tropical trees.

At the top most part of the falls where you can enjoy the cascading water

Going to the upper part of the falls with a picture-perfect view of the relaxing environment 

It is located in the rainforest of Borboanan, Bislig City. The second layer of the waterfalls is the most exciting because of its strong current, you need to ride in a "balsa" to get closer to the falls and feel the relaxing experience of being "massage"  by the water!

This layer, according to geography, plunges 180 feet high from the top of the multi-tiered cascading waterfalls and 95 meters wide. 

The water falls look like drops of Snow

For people who want to visit these natural wonders of the earth, you may hire a van from Davao city all the way to Hinatuan. Travelling time is between five to six hours, you will pass Agusan del sur province first before going to Surigao del sur. Hinatuan to Borboanan, Bislig is only an hour drive. From Bislig, you may follow the route from Mangagoy to Cuevas near Trento, Agusan del sur, for a shorter trip going back to Davao.

Such a beautiful feeling of being "at home" once again because it was my home province, everything seems very familiar. The scenic view of the environment, the serenity of the surrounding, rainforest, the soothing scent of wild plants, everything reminded me of my home town and I just can't wait to return home this holiday season! 

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Surigao del Sur!

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Philippines is truly a country of beauty and undiscovered paradise and its secluded provinces are home to several resorts and spectacular beaches. One of these secluded provinces is my home province--Surigao del sur.

Endowed with natural wonders of exotic and pristine beaches, untouched shorelines, thick vegetation, lush forests, streams, valleys, rivers and waterfalls, Surigao del Sur is an exciting destination for people who love to indulge in an extravagant nature excursion.

Earning a monicker of being the Shangri-La of Southern Philippines, Surigao del sur provides a unique haven of relaxation, artists will surely love its picturesque surroundings and tranquil sceneries.

I practically grew up in a quiet village nestled by mountains and beaches. Back then, my favourite afternoon ritual was to go to the beach when low tide and stroll around the area with my youngest brother and picked seashells or built a sand castle, then running off with waves with my friends at high tide.

Sea turned harsh during stormy weather but we loved it because we enjoyed watching the gigantic waves wobbling along and reaching up to eight feet high. At Christmastime back in my grade school years, after carolling in the neighbourhood on the early morning of December 25, we would sit in the beach eating the "kakanin" we received from carolling, watching the calm sea while waiting for the sunrise to greet the earth.

Strategically located in the outskirt of Mindanao peninsula, Surigao del sur, which is composed only of 19 municipalities, is facing the Pacific Ocean, thus gifted with lovely beaches and romantic coastlines. The cool afternoon breeze and the fascinating surroundings at sunrise offer a magnificent feeling of being so relax. The tourism of Surigao del sur is still waiting to be developed so most of its mountain and beach resorts are located in rough and bumpy areas.

The crystal water and sugary shorelines of Cagwait White Beach Resort. Often compared to Waikiki Beach in Hawaii, USA. It is located in the province of Surigao del sur, just a 35 minute drive from my home town, Marihatag.

But despite its less-developed tourist destinations, the province offers several terrific spots to visit. The Tinuy-an Falls in Bislig, Enchanted River in Hinatuan, White Beach in Cagwait, Blue Lagoon in Cantilan are just some of the magnificent tourist spots waiting to be explored. I lived in a town almost covered with seaside and mountains so I know how beautiful it is to live in a quiet and laid-back environment. 

The gorgeous white sand with lined coconut trees at Cagwait White Beach

...Crystal green water with Talisay trees

Though I lived near the shoreline of Marihatag, my favourite beach however is the Cagwait White Beach Resort, just 35 minutes from our place. When I was still in high school, I often heard people comparing it to Waikiki Beach resort in Hawaii, USA with reasons I could not understand since I grew up around the beach so I couldn't spot a difference or the grandeur they were talking about.

Tinuy-an Falls in Bislig

One calm afternoon last December 2009 while visiting my home town. The sea was not quite harsh at that time so it did not produce giant waves. Beaches in our place offer a wonderful experience for surfers, but I am not into this sport because the Pacific Ocean might eat me up hehehe. The only thing I did with wobbling waves back then was to tie up my self in a bamboo cane and glided with the rushing waves :-D

Cagwait Beach resort is where the "Kaliguan Festival" of Surigao del sur is held every June. It is truly a fascinating beach, well I just appreciated its beauty when I lived in the city hehehe because I rarely go to the beach.

Beautifully surrounded by Talisay and coconut trees, this resort has a long coast line which provides enough time for travellers to roam around the seaside and explore the beauty of nature. The resort is just a 10 minute ride from the national road of Cagwait. 

For people who may want to visit this resort, you can catch up a bus ride for Tandag and just drop by at the municipality of Cagwait and from there you can take a pedicab ride all the way to the resort. Cottages are very affordable. Travelling to Surigao del sur is a bit tiring because of a long hour drive (about 8 hours from Davao) but because the area is shrouded with thick vegetations, coconut trees, green sceneries and rivers, the journey is a thrilling adventure and if you are into photography, my home province is surely a perfect choice for your creativity.

More pictures of Surigao landscapes and beaches when I return home this Christmas holiday.

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