TRAVEL GUIDE: AWAO FALLS, Compostela Valley

Awao Falls hides on the mountainous farming village in Brgy. Awao, Municiplality of Monkayo. In terms of Eco-tourism, Awao is the top destinations in the province of Compostela Valley, now Davao de Oro. There is no direct transportation to this majestic waterfalls, so having an hour bumpy habal-habal ride, with river crossing, is necessary to see its hidden beauty. Getting here will certainly be challenging but you will be rewarded with a pristine and breathtaking waterfalls. The picturesque is perfect, the ambiance is relaxing, the water is cool, and the air is fresh.

Kaamulan Park and Zoo

Kaamulan Park and Zoo is definitely the most relaxing part of my travel in Malaybalay City, Bukidnon. This government owned park offers an outstanding and remarkable experience to all visitors. Why not? Inside Kaamulan, the wind is fresh, the temperature is cool, and the ambiance is relaxing because of the greens that surround the area. The landscape is clean and well-maintained, thus, the entire area is picture perfect - a perfect place to bond with your loved ones.

TRAVEL GUIDE: MATIN-AO COLD SPRING, Malaybalay, Bukidnon

Matin-ao Cold Spring is one of the public summer destinations in Malaybalay City, Bukidnon; it is a long river system where the cool and crystal waters are free flowing. The crystal clear pool lit by a natural skylight creates the picturesque more dramatic. Not only that, the area is surrounded with hardwood trees that preserve the tranquility and also serve as a perfect backdrop. And of course, the set up is not complete without the birds singing their lullabies to welcome the visitors. There are benches and has a wide open ground for family gatherings and picnic. A habal-habal is needed to visit these spots because they are located in a remote area on an adjacent location.

Nasuli Cold Spring, Bukidnon

Nasuli Cold Spring is one of the top tourist destinations in Bukidnon. 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 Nasuli Cold Spring is picture-perfect which can be considered as one of the must visit attractions in Bukidnon.

Paseo de Santiago

My Iligan City habal tour ended at the Paseo de Santiago, a seaside complex with several food stalls and shops. Since it's seaside, of course it's by the beach, the sound of the waves makes the area cozy with the cool breeze - a perfect spot to relax. Others would call it a "hangout area" where you can have a few bottles of beer and "ihaw-ihaw," with someone performing on the mini stage. The area is wide with an instagrammable landscape which includes the gorgeous fortress (photo above), a wide map of the Philippines on the ground and the statue of Lapu-Lapu on the other side. The perfect time to visit this place is during sunset. It is privately owned, thus, entrance fees are being collected.

SOLO-BACKPACKING: Lanao del Norte, Lanao del Sur, Misamis Oriental, Bukidnon, Davao del Norte, Compostela Valley, Davao City

CASH ON HAND: 10,300 PESOS
SUB-TOTAL EXPENSES WITHOUT AIRFARE: 9,464 PESOS
AIRFARE: 2,189.84 PESOS
TOTAL EXPENSES: 11,653.84

 

San Lorenzo Wind Farm (Guimaras Windmills)

My last destination in Guimaras was Guimaras Windfarm with 27 gigantic wind turbines that harness electricity from the wind. The island is surrounded by the seas, so it’s a perfect location for renewable because of its sea breeze. According to Kuya Ken, the harnessed energy is being transported to Ilo-Ilo City via cables submerged into the water. There’s a registration but no entrance fee. Also, we talked about the proposed bridge that will connect Guimaras to Ilo-Ilo, however, it was rejected because it can damage the living underwater creatures. By the way, Bangui Windmills is the most prominent wind farm in the Philippines which brought a lot of tourists in Ilocos Norte and just recently, I featured the Tanay Windmills in Tanay, Rizal.

Tori's Backpackers Paradise

Tori's Backpackers Paradise is the cheapest place to stay in Siquijor. At their small reception area, the receptionist greeted with the genuine "Good Morning, Sir!" and a smile. That very moment, I thought that this place is perfect. For an overnight stay, I only paid 350 pesos, great deal, right? This resort is backpackers friendly because of its cheap price and they have a dormitory type room where visitors can meet other visitors. I was just sad because my visit was off season and there were only three visitors in the resort. If you want privacy, that's not a problem because they also private rooms.

Siquijor Church

The Siquijor Church greets all the visitors as it is situated near the port. It was established in 1783 by the secular priests. It was built using coral stones and initially used cogon for roofing. What's unique about this church is the bell tower built a few meters away. Like some other old churches in the Philippines,  its convent served as the hiding place from the pirates and other invaders. Today, it is the center of Catholicism in the province but for a non-Catholic like me, this church is the living witness of the past survived by the province and its people.

Salagdoong Beach

Salagdoong Beach is a prominent beach destination in Siquijor, so expect tourists. I can't deny that this beach has crystal clear waters with a fine white sand shoreline but there are sharp stones and corals. Want a more thrilling experience? This beach has two cliff jump stations that you can try. The ambiance in the area is relaxing because of the man-made landscape which is also picture-perfect. Your day will end with a stunning sunset with the cool sea breeze blowing.