Are you traveling around the Philippines? Here's a collection of stunning photos, travel itineraries, backpacking ideas, & hiking guides.
The province of Maguindanao and the independent city of Cotabato hold the gigantic and the stunning mosques in the Philippines. These structures were built as place of worship but its breathtaking beauty and spectacular architectural design captured the eyes of the travelers, regardless of religion. With that in mind, these two mosques are on top of the list of the tourist destinations in the province.
Travelling to Mimbalot Falls is easy as it is the most accessible waterfall in Iligan City. It is not grand compared to Tinago Falls but its landscape is also picture-perfect. The area is surrounded by greens and the wind blowing is cool and fresh. In addition to the picture is the rock formation that adds more drama to the frame. Anyways, the water is cool and fresh plus the current is very strong. Rainbows are formed when the sunshine reflects on the droplets of water. The sound of the waterfalls is relaxing and can make your day a "lazy day." Beside Mimbalot is a private resort with a pool and beautiful landscape, perfect for family gatherings.
Tinago Falls is the top tourist attraction in Iligan City, Lanao del Norte. Its name literally translates to "hidden" in English,. This majestic waterfall captured the attention of travelers worldwide because of its grandeur. The crystal clear and cool water falling by the walls of the artistic rock formation creates a world-class picturesque - such picture-perfect landscape. On the other hand, the area is surrounded by greens that help in preserving the tranquility and relaxing atmosphere.
Davao City is the center of Mindanao, so it serves as the gateway to the different provinces in the region. With that in mind, culturally speaking, the city showcases the mixture of the different cultures and traditions of Christians, Muslims and other minorities. Regardless of what they believe, the people unite, create and nourish the city as their home. Though it is highly urbanized, behind the structures and commercial establishments are hidden tourist spots and destinations waiting to be uncovered. Let us discover some of the must-visit.
Upon research, I discovered that the province of Compostela Valley (Davao de Oro) became the second richest province in the Philippines in 2017 according to the Commission on Audit. Why not, aside from the local business establishments, they are the largest producers of gold (Oro) in the country, they have a lot of silver mines and banana plantations. Aside from these, they also hide something very precious - the majestic Awao Falls.
Talikud Island is located in Samal, Davao del Norte. This is a paradise in the region that bears fine white sand beaches and is surrounded by emerald and crystal clear water. On the other hand, the underwater has a sanctuary of colorful flora and fauna. The shoreline is landscaped with trees and quaint cottages. The ambiance was made perfect because of the cool wind blowing. We didn't do anything for a couple of hours, just staring at its beauty and golden sunset.
For the locals, it's a prominent place to relax and enjoy the beauty of nature but a few travelers and backpackers know about its hidden beauty. This place is definitely a natural cold spring with cool and crystal clear waters that can quench your body heat. Not only that, this resort in Malaybalay City is surrounded by trees, plants and flowers which preserves nature's tranquillity and creates a relaxing ambience. To combine all, the landscape of this spring resort is picture-perfect and can be considered as one of the must-visit attractions in Bukidnon.
The thrilling white water rafting is the main attraction and destination in Cagayan de Oro City. But, did you know that they are also known as the "City of the Golden Friendship?" Though there's a language barrier, I totally agree that they are the city of friendship because I was able to experience such hospitality from the jeepney driver and the taho vendor I met. By the way, nothing special happened during my stay here. Since it's the center of Northern Mindanao, transportation to my next destination (Bukidnon) is not a problem. It is also the gateway to the province of Camiguin, Bukidnon, Agusan and the city of Davao.
I met Jan Jan, a habal driver/tour guide. Got his contact number on facebook. Our first destination was the famous Tinago Falls. Getting here via habal is simple because the roads are paved but tourists need to walk on the concrete staircase down to the waterfalls area - hhhmm, maybe it's more than 200 steep steps. Anyways, the picturesque surrounding Tinago Falls is breathtaking and the flow of the waters are spectacular. Though, there are tourists during my visit, the ambiance in the area is remains calm and the sound of the rushing water is very relaxing. There are greens in every corner, so the breeze is cool and fresh. How about experiencing the thrill by riding on the water raft to the base of the waterfalls? It is possible, bamboo rafts can be rented from the locals. By the way, "Tinago" literally translates to "hidden" in English.