Last weekend, me and my officemates went on a backpacking trip to Bislig and Hinatuan, Surigao del Sur to visit some of Philippines’ most talked-about wonders: the majestic Tinuy-an Falls and the mystical Hinatuan Enchanted River.
Touchdown Butuan City, drive to Bislig City
After a 45-minute flight from Cebu, we arrived at Bancasi Airport, Butuan City, Agusan del Norte. From there, we went to Butuan Integrated Bus Terminal and rode a bus going to Mangagoy, Bislig City, Surigao del Sur.
Bus Rate: Php 245 Butuan City to Mangagoy, non-Aircon
We expected a 6-hour ride but our driver was one hyper-crazy bastard! He drove the lonely highway of the province like it was his bitch. The bus was literally drifting and tilting 30 degrees on sharp curves; and going downhill, we felt like we were riding a rollercoaster.
(photo by Ayn Belonio, 😀 it’s like riding a rollercoaster)
I actually slept for the first hour of the trip but after that, I was holding on my seat while the bus was running like one of those Nascar race cars. 🙂 After 4 hours and 30 minutes (earlier than expected), we arrived safely (thank god) at the bus’ last stop –Mangagoy, Bislig City.
St. Francis Pension House
Where we stayed. 🙂
Room Rates
Chilling out
If your a group of 5 up, it’s best to have the family room, extra person is Php 150/head only.
The Grandest Waterfall I Have Ever Seen
Since we’re a group, we hired a multicab and paid 1350 for the whole ride back and forth to the falls.
Tinuy-an Falls Rate: Php 50/head entrance fee, Php 300 cottage rental
When we arrived at the site, the first of the three-tiered cascading water falls greeted us. I thought that was it because its also quite huge and wide.
(the mini waterfall)
Moving farther ahead, we were super amazed by the sheer size of the second cascade! It’s like the Niagara Falls. It was really big, and wide, and really really breathtaking. I must say this is the largest, grandest waterfall I have ever seen in my life.
Approximately 95 meters wide and 55 metres (180 ft) high, it is one of the biggest waterfalls in the Philippines. (Wikipedia)
(Picture picture! :] )
Hinatuan Enchanted River
On our second day, we checked out St. Francis Pension House, and drove to Hinatuan Enchanted River, just a town next to Bislig.
Hinatuan Enchanted River Rate: Php 10/head entrance fee, Php 100 cottage rental
(photo by Ayn Belonio)
When we arrived at Hinatuan, I wasn’t expecting the place to be super developed (I thought we had to trek to some forest then reach the said enchanting river); but it was still okay because the river seemed to be untouched. The water was super clear and I think it’s indeed one of the most beautiful places I’ve ever set foot on.
…and you know why the water is blue? because it’s also super deep! (according to sources, it’s approx. 80-ft deep!). There’s a lot (like hundreds) of fishes beneath it; and they’re not those small fishes you see in an aquarium. These creatures are big! Bigger than a milkfish! It’s really cool and I thank god i brought my underwater cam and snorkeling gear with me.
(photos by Ayn Belonio)
The resort observes feeding time for the fishes (which happens every 12 noon), where they play some weird music and all the people gather the to the river to watch these fishes jump for the food.
In the resort, there are locals selling food (including fresh seafoods) nearby so you don’t have to worry about getting famished after swimming. They also observe cleanliness in the area because they are not allowed to bring any cellophane materials in their stalls, which is really nice. 🙂
Back to Butuan and Cebu 🙁
Our ride back to Butuan City was TOTALLY the opposite from our bus ride to Bislig. IT WAS FRIGGIN SLOW! When stopping at the terminals, it took us at least 10-15 minutes to move on to the next stop. It was really frustrating, especially on the first hour because the bus was full so we had to stand. It took us almost 6 hours ’til we arrived at Butuan City.
We stayed the night there, and early in the morning, we headed to the airport for our flight back to Cebu.
Although our weekend getaway only took 2 days, it was still fun and memorable. The places we visited was really really nice, and I could not ask for anything more on those 2 days we spent in Surigao del Sur.
To my travel buddies Odina, Jean, Paolo, Poy, Shiela, Lorena and Ayn, that trip was awesome and hopefully we’ll have another trip to explore new places 🙂
Thank you for our company, Caresharing, for the sponsorship this trip. Hopefully there are more to come! 🙂
Some photos of the trip (by Ayn and me):
