SLT Homestay, Lake Sebu

School of Living Tradition (SLT) also offers homestay for travellers in Lake Sebu, South Cotabato. I always wanted a unique experience, so I stayed here, just 5 minutes from the terminal. Its structure is based on the cultural wooden houses in the area; has a spacious interior, made of local and handcrafted products and musical instruments. Anything inside the house is unique. Maybe it's the reason why it was chosen as the place where Catriona Gray had her video shoot for Miss Universe.

Lang Dulay, a Filipino weaver from Lake Sebu

In the picture is Sebulan Dulay, the successor, with portraits of Lang Dulay.

A special visit to the house of Lang Dulay in Lake Sebu was epic. She's a former National Living Treasure awardee for the T'nalak weaving which the designs were based on her dream - the reason why she was called the "Dreamweaver." By the way, T'nalak is a traditional hand-woven fabric made from refined abaca fiber. This type of fabric got attention worldwide because it is done through a manual process but the finished product has amazing and unique patterns.

T'Boli Museum

The architecture of this museum is based on traditional houses in Lake Sebu. What's inside are the gongs used for different occasions, outfits made of T'nalak (a hand-woven fabric), accessories and many other antiques that were used by the locals for agriculture. During our visit, the T'Boli Museum was still closed, but Jorie had it opened for us; he knows the caretaker. 

Lotus Farm, Lake Sebu

The Lotus Farm is one of the top tourist destinations in Lake Sebu, South Cotabato. It was early in the morning, around 6, when I was brought to this paradise to witness the blooming of the Pink Lotus flowers floating on the waters of the lake. According to my guide, initially, there were 3 types of this aquatic flower farmed but only the pink ones survived. By the way, a manual canoe is used to go to the spot of the flowers.

Top 6 Best Tourist Spots in Lake Sebu, South Cotabato: 2024 Itinerary

The hidden beauty and charm of Lake Sebu, in South Cotabato, are hard to resist. For sure, it is one of the "traveler's bucket lists." Also, their culture and traditions are not just being preserved, these are still intact and still being practiced. With the natural wonders, culture and traditions combined, this paradise was recognized by UNESCO as a cultural landscape.

9 DAYS SOLO-BACKPACKING: Sarangani, South Cotabato, Sultan Kudarat, Maguidanao, North Cotabato, Surigao del Norte, Dinagat Islands, Agusan del Sur

MY MINDANAO ACTUAL TRAVEL GUIDE AND ITINERARY:

COVERED 8 PROVINCES: SARANGANI, SOUTH COTABATO, SULTAN KUDARAT, MAGUINDANAO, NORTH COTABATO, SURIGAO DEL NORTE, DINAGAT ISLANDS, AGUSAN DEL SUR

EXPENSES WITHOUT AIRFARE: 18,486 Pesos
AIRFARE: 2,235 Pesos Back and Forth

TOTAL EXPENSES: 20,721 Pesos