1. THE
AWE-INSPIRING GUMASA BEACH IN SARANGANI
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As I said on my previous post, the Gumasa beach is dubbed as the “Small Boracay of Mindanao”. As you walk along the shore, you will be greeted by the relaxing view of sparkling white sand, crystal clear water and you will be caressed by the cool breeze coming from the pristine and beautiful ocean. This is a perfect place for a vacation with family or friends because you won’t be surrounded by a very large crowd and a lot of urban developments to ruin the mood. This place is the destination for you if you’re looking for some quiet time and relaxation. Also, up early to gaze upon the beautiful sunrise when you’re at Gumasa beach!
You won’t have a hard time looking a place to stay in because there are lots of inns around the place. The place is also an hour’s drive from General Santos City.
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| ph.news.yahoo.com |
2. THE IMPRESSIVE MT. APO NATIONAL PARK,
KIDAPAWAN, NORTH COTABATO
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| www.mtapoadventures.com |
Mount Apo is
considered as the highest mountain in the Philippines and it is also known as
the “Grandfather of all mountains”. The local tribes or the Bagobos in the
place worship the mountain because they believe in the gods of Apo, and the
Bagobos call it Sandawa or “Mountain of Sulphur”. Mount Apo is an active
volcano and mountain climbers love to hike on this mountain because of the
beautiful attractions you would see as you climb the mountain, you would
experience a lot of adventures and see different creatures in the mountain. The
easiest way to reach the summit is through the Kidapawan Trail which is lined
with flowers. The path is where you would also discover unique bodies of water,
such as Lake Agco, where cold and hot springs collide, then the Marbel River,
then Lake Venado which is 2,194 meters above sea level. You would also meet a
lot of curopus and playful wild animals such as monkeys, and it is also home to
our very own Philippine eagle.
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| www.explorecotabato.blogspot.com |
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| www.southcotabato.org |
3. THE
MAJESTIC ASIK-ASIK FALLS IN ALAMADA, COTABATO
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| www.hikersitch.com |
Water falls lover? Well, this falls is a must-visit for you! Be
enthralled by this beautiful falls with your family and friends!
You could take a jeepney or a van
for 20-30 minutes from Midsayap to Alamada for only 50 pesos. You may also want
to ride a motorcycle or the “habal-habal” going to Sitio Dulao, Brgy. Dado and
feel the excitement of 1 hour and 20 minutes from the entry point down to the
falls. Be sure not to miss out on this unique experience!
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| www.ironwulf.com |
4. THE AMAZING PANGI RIVER IN SARANGANI
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| www.sarangani.gov.ph |
Have you
tried the Rio Grande Rapids in Enchanted Kingdom or the Jurassic Park Rapids
Adventure in Universal Studios? Well… we have our very own natural rapids
adventure in New La Union Maitum, Sarangani Province! This would be more
exhilarating than the rides because this river is natural! It would be a wild
1.6 kilometers ride over rocks and white water! Pangi River is a great
destination for water tubing because it’s the biggest water tubing location and
has a clean river system that guarantees you a very thrilling, heart pumping
yet fun adventure! Remember, Natural experience is more fun!
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| www.peopleedition.com |
5. THE TREMENDOUS TUKA MARINE PARK,
SARANGANI
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| www.yousaytoo.com |
Want to
avoid the pressure of urban life? Want to see something you would never see in
the city? Then visit the Tuka Marine
Park in Kiamba, Sarangani! It is a protected area where fishing is banned.
There are four coves in this place, and only the Tuka Cove 2 is open to the
public. The sparkling white sand and an overwhelming coral garden that is just
a few meters away from the coast is a must see, and snorkeling and diving is
perfect in this place! You would see big fish and colorful corals as you
snorkel or dive. For only a hundred pesos, you would be able to rent snorkeling
equipment. Plus, you wouldn’t see or hear cars and public transportation
vehicles, so this is place offer a tranquil hideaway from your hectic city
life.
To get here,
rent a boat for 1,500 which accommodates 15 people
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| www.southcotabato.org |
6. THE
REMARKABLE KUTAWATO CAVES
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Kutawato
caves is really one of a kind because it can only be found in the “Heart of
Mindanao- Cotabato City”. These caves were also the reason behind the present
name of the city, “kuta” means fort and “wato” means stone, as said on my
previous post.
The caves
have several entrances but only four are open to tourists. The gaping mouth entrance
offers a distinctive experience! This cave is historical because the Filipino
guerillas have used this as a garrison to fight against the Japanese invaders
during World War II. As you enter the Bagua cave entrance, you would see mud,
ponds and a large group of bats. It would really be astonishing when you
experience being inside a historical cave!
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7. THE
OVERWHELMING SEVEN FALLS IN LAKE SEBU, SOUTH COTABATO
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| www.kodakerdabawenya.com |
You will be
overwhelmed when you visit a place where you will enjoy nature in it’s full
splendor, full of surprises and awesomeness; a place where you could forget
about the stresses in life, and a place where nature-lovers unite.
South
Cotabato is a prime eco-tourism destination; and not surprisingly, Lake Sebu is
one of the destinations that nature-loving tourists visit.
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| www.pbase.com |
Lake Sebu is
described as the “Little Baguio” of Mindanao because of the cold air that will embrace
your body. Lake Sebu is home to the seven falls namely Hikong ali (paasage
falls), hikong bente (immeasurable, the tallest), hikong b’lebed (zigzag falls),
hikong lowig (booth), hikong k’fo-I (wild flower), hikong ukol (short falls),
and hikong tonok (soil).
You could
ride the zipline as said in my previous post, where you can view the falls from
the top! Also, get the chance to meet the T’bolis! I’m sure you would love to
have new friends that have a different culture from yours!
8. THE AWESOME
WORLD-CLASS LAGBASAN CAVE IN SULTAN KUDARAT
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| www.southcotabato.org |
You would be
surprised that one of the Philippines’ caves is considered as a world class
cave by the specialist Glen Malliet from the United States Speleological
Society. The Lagbasan cave is located at the municipality of Sen. Ninoy Aquino
in the province of Sultan Kudarat. It is located 20 km from the barangay hall, then
another 1km of trekking through the Lagpasan Pass. The opening hole is a 3 feet
wide and 6 feet length and getting into the chamber requires a 10 meter
descent.
The cave got
its name from a mountain pass that was used by the natives in Barangay Kuden in
Sen. Ninoy Aquino, to go to the town proper and back to their mountain
community.
The cave has
two huge cathedral-like chambers, filled with cave formations like dripstones
and cave crystals. According to some tourists, it is the most preserved cave
that they have been to.
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| www.twelveinchesbehind.com |
For me, it’s
a mystery why and how the cave has formed such thing like these stone
formations. The cave was first
discovered by Mr. Charito Santiago when a farmer reported that there were birds
coming out from a hole on the side of the mountain. The formation inside the
cave is very rare, and you wouldn’t see something like this in any other cave!
This is really one of a kind! Also, you are not allowed to touch anything white
inside the cave or else, you might kill the cave!
If you plan
to visit this cave, you must first coordinate with the provincial tourism
office. Also, be ready for some trekking! Visiting a place like this wouldn’t
be fun if there’s no adventure!
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| www.portaltotheplateau.com |
9. THE AMUSING
BAT SANCTUARY IN SARANGANI
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| ph.geoview.info |
You would be
amused if you knew that the “largest bat in the world” could be seen flying
every night in brgy. Pinol, Maitum Town in Sarangani! They are called Pteropus
vampyrus, or “Giant flying foxes”. These bats look like a dog or a fox when you
look at them up-close. But wait… they are not harmful, they are not the kind of
bat who suck your blood, but they are the ones who feed on nectars and fruits.
They are crowned as “The giant golden crowned flying fox bats” by the wildlife
experts!
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10. THE
EXQUISITE NOPOL HILLS IN GENERAL SANTOS CITY
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This highest
camping ground gives you a good view of Sarangani Bay and the neighboring
towns. Because of this stunning view, you would enjoy hiking and trekking with
your family and friends during the afternoon to capture the beautiful sunset in
Nopol Hills!
Sources:
www.ecoearth.info
www.hikersitch.com
www.langyaw.com
www.wayph.com
www.choosephilippines.com
www.philippinesmyphilippines.com
www.visitmyphilippines.com
www.cotabatoprov.gov.ph
www.traverseph.blogspot.com
www.m.roughguides.com
