Misamis Oriental

Misasmis OrientalTravel Guide

• Why Not Go
• Why Go
• Best Time to Visit
• Where to Stay
• Where & What to Eat
• Nightlife
• To Do List
• Stay Away From
• Getting There

Called Mindanao’s nature front, Misamis Oriental is home to fine beaches, fertile mountains and lush forest reserves, interesting dive sites, caves that wait to be explored, and a diverse culture that begs to be experienced.

Misamis Oriental is one of the 5 provinces of Region X, otherwise known as Northern Mindanao with Cagayan de Oro both serving as the capital of the province as well as the regional capital. Misamis got its name from the word “misa”, a Spanish term for the Eucharistic Mass. It was said that during the early days of Christianity in the Philippines, the word “misa” was shouted by converts every time priests traveled around the province. Over time, the Spanish missionaries started called the province as Misamis. As there are two Misamis provinces, the other one is Misamis Occidental (Western Misamis) which has Oroquieta City as its capital. Other stories say that the word “Misamis” came from “Kuyamis”, a variety of sweet coconut which was also the staple food of the earliest known Negrito settlers in the area. The word Kuyamis was corrupted into Misamis when the Spanish conquerors arrived.

A hut overlooking Mapawa Nature Park
Photo by storm-crypt

Aside from Cagayan de Oro, Misamis Oriental has another city, albeit, a smaller one compared to Cagayan de Oro- the city of Gingoog City, a component city which is located in the eastern part of the province.

While adventure tourism in Cagayan de Oro is promoted heavily in the tourism circles, there are other things to see and do in Misamis Oriental. Such as the ancestral houses of Vega Ancestral Home in Balingasag and the Lagbas Ancestral Home in Sugbongcogon. Like in many parts of the Philippines, the province has a lot of beautiful dive sites which are rarely visited by a lot of tourists because of the stigma that the name of Mindanao evokes. This is very undeserving, as the island of Mindanao has a lot of spectacular sights to see, enough to overwhelm any world traveler – and can put other countries in the Asia Pacific region to utter shame. Take the Agutayan Reef in Jasaan, also called the White Island (this is different from the White Island in Camiguin) – it is a little island teeming with a wide expanse of coral reef with a drop-off starting at 50 feet all the way down to 150 feet with heaps of cracks and crevices along the wall. Pelagic fishes such as the barracuda, eagle rays, surgeon fish, tuna, and sharks are often seen here. A shoal of approximately 3 hectares in size with the shallowest depth at 20 feet below the surface defines Constancia Reef. The reef is teeming with colorful tropical fish, pelagic and territorial fish, sponges and sea fans.

View of the town of Bugo, Misamis Oriental where Del Monte cans its world famous pineapples
Photo by Dave Ryan

Sipaka Point is known for its strong current and is only advised for more experienced divers. This natural current feeds the marine ecosystem which resulted in a gorgeous underwater garden where one can find huge sea fans, hard and soft corals, basket sponges, and feather stars which coexist with snappers, stingrays, groupers and numerous colorful fish – which is perfect for underwater photography, The Talisayan shoal meanwhile fronts the town of Talisayan. It takes about 10 minutes from the Mantangale Alibuag Beach Resort. This tiny shoal is covered with a very good coral growth, with heaps of little colorful fish, shells and other plants and animals such as turtles as well as other pelagic fishes. For wreck divers, one must not miss the Sta. Ines wreck at the sandy and steep slope, this old World War Two pontoon wreck starts at depths of 30 feet to about 150 feet. This wreck is now covered with black corals, fan corals, and other marine growth and serves as abode to jacks, sweetlips, red snappers, surgeon fish, bat fish and Lapu-lapu.

In the town of Medina, one can head out to the Medina Springs, a very interesting dive spot also with rich marine life which is located just about 300 yards from the white beach, near the edge of the shallow coral reef. “The Paradise” as it is called, it is about 90 to 110 feet deep with features like a canyon with a lot cracks and holes and a cavern that can be explored with underwater flashlights. “The Aquarium” meanwhile is another place to make that second dive with depth ranging from 20 to 70 feet. In these two spots- you’d be able to spot the underwater springs called alibuag which literally spew out very cold fresh water. The dramatic seascapes meanwhile, at the eastern tip of Gingoog Bay which is part of the town of Magsaysay is Punta Diwata. This divespot meanwhile has a stair step coralline slope with its ledges and walls all beautifully covered with sea fans, sponges, as well other marine outcroppings. Manta rays as well as the usual colorful and interesting Philippine fishes also frequent the area. To wrap up the dive tour of Misamis Oriental, just out front of Mantangale is Manongul reef- aptly named as Manongul which is the word for coral gardens in the local dialect. Manongul is best for snorkeling and long scuba dives where you can spy blue spotted stingrays, lionfish, convict damsels, soft and hard corals, clown fish who all call Manongul home.

Misamis Oriental Sunset
Photo by storm-crypt

Meanwhile, for those who just absolutely love waterfalls, Misamis Oriental never fails to disappoint. See the Libon-lawit Falls 13 kilometers from Gingoog City centre which is composed of three falls actually- Tiklas Falls (120 feet high), Kilubag Falls which serves as its main attraction and the Bangbang Falls (70 feet high). There is also the small Aya-aya Falls in Lugait, the Kanapolan Falls in Naawan, Lubilan Falls also in Naawan, Sinabayan Falls and Mimboaya Falls in Subongcogon, Bakid-bakid Falls of Gingoog City, and the Sagpulon Springs and Falls in Jasaan.

For all its beauty, Misamis Oriental’s main tourist attractions exists in its many national parks with natural limestone formations, ridges, gorges and canyons like the Initao National Park about 51 kilometers west of Cagayan de Oro which also includes a marine ecosystem which is home to various colorful fishes and corals as well as Splitnose bat cave in its two closed caves and one open cave which opens towards the sea. There is also the Lingon-lingon Plateau Park in Balingasag which is excellent for bird watching and mountain climbing and the Sicolon Cave also called Cueva con Agua in Laguindingan (28 kilometers west of Cagayan de Oro); the Magallanes Cave in Jasaan which is still largely unexplored; the Huluga Caves 8 kilometers away from the St. Augustine Church on the east bank of the Cagayan River. This cave was especially important because this cave also serves as a burial site. Xavier University researchers found a female skull dated back around 350 AD by the Scripps Institution of Oceanography in the United States. The Huluga open site was an ancient settlement site in the area and according to unverified reports; a huge part of this archaeological area was destroyed in 2003 by the City Hall and today remains to be neglected and exposed to quarrying.

Another popular nature destination is the Macahambus Cave and Gorge located 14 kilometers southeast of Cagayan de Oro in Lumbia and the newly developed Lasang Secret Adventure Eco-tourist Park, which was developed as a learning center for scientific research and biodiversity and consists of 100-meter boardwalk which takes one deeper into a forest that contains century old giant Talisay Gubat trees which are endemic to the region. Also, another famous landmark in Cagayan de Oro is the Gardens of Malasag Eco-tourism Village located in Sitio Malasag in Cugman about 20 minutes away from the city centre. It has a botanical garden showcasing the different tribal cultures of Mindanao.

Macahambus Adventure Park
Photo by storm-crypt

Further away from the Malasag gardens is the gorgeous and breathtaking Mapawa Nature Park, one of the successful stories of how people, livelihood, environment and tourism work well together. We were taken on a hay ride around the sprawling properties which include heavily forested mountains, with waterfalls and rivers buried in its canopy of lush and verdant foliage. The nature park offers several sports attractions such as ziplines, rappelling down waterfalls, scenic hikes, as well as of course the most famous Cagayan de Oro sport of white water rafting- a highlight for any traveler to Misamis Oriental. (Mapawa Nature Park booking office call-+638822725265 or 09081285454).

For beaches, check out Bubotan Beach in Initao, and the stretch of beige colored sandy beaches off Opol.

Every August 26th, Cagayan de Oro celebrates the Kagay-an Festival which features street-dancing competitions and trade fairs, as well as the Hudayaka Festival which is likened to the Sinulog Festival of Cebu as well as the Kadayawan Festival of Davao City.

Port of Cagayan de Oro
Photo by storm-crypt

Why Not Go

The problem of getting around Misamis Oriental is one of the main drawbacks of traveling around the area. One must hire taxis which set you back a few hundred pesos to head out to its many nature parks. Make sure that you arrange for your transportation when traveling to Misamis Oriental. Buses to and from the different provinces, however, are easy to get and surprisingly reliable. Most major Philippine airlinse fly to Misamis Oriental via the airport in Cagayan de Oro City.

Why Go

Misamis Oriental offers the seasoned traveler the chance to get away from the usual tourist track. With its many nature parks, and dive sites as well as a decidedly multicultural population right in the heart of Northern Mindanao, it is also the most convenient jump-off point to the many attractions that Northern Mindanao has to offer.

Best Time to Visit

Like most parts of Southern Philippines (which means basically Mindanao), Misamis Oriental rarely gets the fierce typhoons that plague the rest of the country during some months of the year. However, it is not spared from monsoon rains which swell the Cagayan River and cause flooding in Cagayan de Oro. Head out to Misamis Oriental during the drier months. During rains, it is not advised to do white water rafting nor waterfall rappelling due to the threat of flashfloods.

Where to Stay

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There are many hotels and resorts all over Misamis Oriental and most of them are concentrated in Cagayan de Oro. However, for its environmental significance, we would recommend staying at the Mapawa Nature Park instead. Surrounded by lush greenery and thoroughly accessible to a lot of eco-tourism activities. Mapawa Nature Park, we reckon is the best place to park your butt in Misamis Oriental.

Where & What to Eat

One thing that we will probably never forget in Misamis Oriental was how delicious the Durian in the province is. Save for the stink, the fruit was different from what we tried in Malaysia and in the supermarkets of Manila. Make sure you grab one whilst you are in Misamis Oriental. We also tried the spicy chicken dish called Halang-halang in Balingoan, which though delicious, we felt shortchanged as the chicken barely had any meat on it. Halang-halang is basically a chicken dish cooked in coconut milk, and chili. The word halang-halang is literally a Visayan word that means “spicy-spicy”. The sauce was yummy though, I hoped I’d be able to try it again and next time with heaps more meat!

Halang-halang
Photo by Dave Ryan

Nightlife

Probably the best nightlife in Misamis Oriental gravitates to Cagayan de Oro City. It is of course more low-key compared to heavyweights in the bigger Philippine cities like Davao, Cebu and Manila. We would prefer to spend our nights in Misamis Oriental chilling out up in the misty mountains around Mapawa Nature Park for that truly nature and adventure feel.

My to do List

1. Rappel down a waterfall in Mapawa Nature Park.*
2. Go check out the Macahambus Nature Park. **
3. Marvel at the century old trees in Lasang and admire the biodiversity of the region.*
4. Dive in Duka Bay.**
5. Chill by the beaches of Opol.
6. Go canopy-walking!
7. White water rafting and ziplining.**
8. Indulge in fresh and delicious Mindanao durians.*
9. Go waterfall hopping.
*- Highly Recommended
**- Recommended by Locals

Stay Away From

Contrary to what most travel advisories say about Mindanao, Cagayan de Oro is a relatively safe place for travelers (local or foreign). This goes without saying that Cagayan de Oro has been targeted for bomb attacks in the past; the most recent attempt was July of 2009 where two grenades were planted inside a local mall. Security is pretty tight however in Cagayan de Oro and we did not have any troubles going around the province (save for a pesky cab driver in the airport.) Having said that, terrorism is a real threat all over the world (other countries like Thailand, Indonesia, Spain and the US itself have been victimized by much worse terrorist attacks) and not just Mindanao. The fact that the world has been brainwashed that Mindanao is a warzone is unfair and untrue.
1. Mosquitoes! – just bring bug repellent to be sure
2. Drowning – Learn to spot rip tides and make sure you wear a working life-vest!
3. Getting wet, take Ziplocs with you for your gadgets and valuables.
4. Protect yourself from UV rays by putting on a sunblock.
5. Be aware of your surroundings, report suspicious looking packages or individuals.

Getting There

By land, sea and air, Misamis Oriental is very accessible. Major airlines such as Philippine Airlines, Cebu Pacific, Zest Air, Air Philippines fly to the Lumbia Airport in Cagayan de Oro. A new airport however is in the works in Laguindingan which promises to be better, bigger, safer and cleaner than Lumbia. Make sure that you take the taxis outside the airport and not the one inside Lumbia to avoid being scammed. From Lumbia Airport to the Agora Bus Terminal, fare should not exceed PhP150 (at the time of this writing); if in doubt ask a local to make sure you are not getting ripped off. The taxi in the airport wanted to charge us double the amount (apparently he pays a small amount to the airport guard to let him wait for passengers inside the airport). Most taxis in Cagayan de Oro never use the meter, and after arguing with many of them, we decided to give up and just agreed at a contract price for each destination.

Lumbia Airport
Photo by storm-crypt

Several buses travel to and from Cagayan de Oro from almost all major cities in Mindanao. Rural Transit and Bachelor buses are the most popular and we found the most convenient. Via ship, Superferry and Negros Navigation sail to Cagayan de Oro.

Cagayan-de-Oro

Cagayan de Oro Travel Guide

• Why Not Go
• Why Go
• Best Time to Visit
• Where to Stay
• Where & What to Eat
• Nightlife
• To Do List
• Stay Away From
• Getting There

Cagayan de Oro City, the Gateway to Northern Mindanao, is situated along the northern shores of the Mindanao region. As a tourist destination, this golden city has a lot to offer. It is filled with outstanding scenic places ranging from beaches, mountains, limestone caves, museums, historical landmarks, timeless churches, and rivers. Whether it is business or leisure, there is something for you to enjoy in Cagayan de Oro.

As a highly urbanized metropolis, it is considered a first class city and is also the capital of Misamis Oriental. It is approximately a 5-hour drive away from the country’s biggest city, Davao, and is also just a couple of hours away from yet another tourist destination, the island of Camiguin.

Cagayan de Oro City: A view of the city of Cagayan de Oro bisected by the main highway of Northern Mindanao, traversing from the northwest mindanao to the northeast. The view also shows the Cagayan de Oro river almost bisecting the frame horizontally. To the bottom part of the frame is the area of Carmen, while across the river is to the east — Cagayan de Oro City Center. The highway(to the top of the frame) leads to the city of Butuan, to the bottom (and to the west) leads to Iligan.
Photo by storm-crypt

Why Not Go

If you are planning to go to a quiet place, Cagayan de Oro may not be your best choice. It is a bustling metropolis and tranquility is just not one of its strong features.

Why Go

Into the Rapids: One of several boats that day that started off earlier downstream. It was not a pleasant river color. The rains during the season washed away topsoil from the river banks. This rafting is classified as a Class 1. There are several other jump off points of higher levels(Class 2 and above). I don’t know if there’s a class 6 though as the river seems to be smaller to have a class 6 rafting route.
Photo by storm-crypt

There are so many things for you to do in Cagayan de Oro. From fun time frolicking in the beaches, to sports adventures and street parties, you can definitely experience it in this city. Cagayan de Oro is very well known as the White Water Rafting capital of the Philippines, too.

Best Time to Visit

Cagayan de Oro is said to be a typhoon-free area but it has not been able to escape rain showers and some depressions. The best time to go when weather is a consideration would be from March to June as it is sunny during this time.

However, if you would like to see colorful festivals and street parades, you should go there around the 4th week of August as this is the time they celebrate the Kagay-an Festival, an annual fiesta of sorts where there will be parades, street dancing, trade fairs, and a beauty contest. It is the biggest affair of the city.

Where to Stay

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There are expensive hotels and there are also budget-friendly accommodations in the city. For the most part though, the room rates are relatively inexpensive.
• If you want to stay in a hotel within a golf estate, you should stay at Hotel Koresco. It has an 18-hole golf course located at Pueblo de Oro Golf Estate and is just 10 minutes away from the city. Rates start at $79. Phone number (+63) (88) 859 2298
• You can also stay at a pricier place, Pryce Plaza Hotel, which is probably the most luxurious hotel in this side of the country. You get a fantastic view of the city, plus it also has the amenities of a first class hotel. Rates start at $98. Phone number (+63) (8822) 722 791
• The Mallberry Suites would be the most strategic hotel to stay in. It is a business hotel located just beside Robinson’s Mall and Limketkai so it is very convenient. The rates are pretty fair too, starting at $43. Phone number (+63) (88) 854 9999
• A much cheaper place to stay is the De Luxe Hotel, which offers spacious and clean rooms. Rates are quite low, starting at $17. Phone number (+63) (088) 857 2145

Where & What to Eat

• Peking House: for authentic Chinese dishes, this is the one place you should go. Located at Gaisano Mall, you can have a sumptuous array of food for only $4. Their specialties are: Pansit and Lumpia Shanghai.
• Sentro 1850: Great tasting tenderloin steaks you will surely find here. It’s cheap too- you can eat to your heart’s content for only about $10. You can find this restaurant along Don Apolinar Velez Street.
• P Joe’s Diner: American food at its finest, you can find P Joe’s along Limketkai Center. Good steaks, burgers and fries and pizza.
• Golden Arirang: The best Korean restaurant in town. You can try their Kimchi because it is better than most. Don’t order too much though as they tend to serve a lot of side dishes. They are located at Claro M. Recto Avenue.
• Kagay-anon Restaurant: Located at Limketkai Center, they cook authentic Filipino dishes plus you can also sample their ostrich meat cooked in a variety of ways, which is also one of the things this city is famous for.

Nightlife

If you happen to be there during the weekend, don’t miss out on the famous Night Café which is open only on Fridays and Saturdays. You can have some beer and grilled food. You also get to interact with other tourists and locals, as well as experience Cagayan’s street party. The city also has lots of family KTV bars such as M2 and Loreto’s. And a popular hangout for yuppies would be The Site at Limketkai Center.

My to do List

Whitewater Rafting at the Cagayan de Oro River: The stretch from Baraga Dansolihon to the city provides you with a panoramic view of the river’s rocky walls, untouched vegetation, and the sight of the resting haven of monkeys and snakes. It has breathtaking rapids that provide the more adventurous with thrills and challenges of rapids interval not less than 10-15 minutes of each other. Cagayan de Oro River has everything that makes for a memorable experience with awesome roar and power of water cascading over rocks and boulders.
Photo by storm-crypt

• White water river rafting: Cagayan de Oro has the best white water rafting in the Philippines, with 14 rapids stretching from Baraga Dansolihon to the city.

• Tubing and Kayaking: These are alternative activities for river rafting which you can also experience in Cagayan de Oro.

Macahambus Cave: Located just about 4 kilometers south of Cagayan de Oro city’s airport, this cave was a strategic location to several wars in the 20th century. It is a three chamber – two way cave, one end is beside the highway and the other exit is to a cliff overlooking the Cagayan de Oro River.
Photo by storm-crypt

• Cave exploration: You can go to Monigue Cave, which is probably the most popular place for spelunking in Cagayan de Oro.

Macahambus Adventure Park: The Zipline or so — that’s what they call it. What is it? Well, to put it in a more simpler way, you go up, your body get tied to a rope, the rope is attached to a steel cable, and you slide down slowly(if it ain’t close to supersonic, it’d be slow). That’s it. Thrilling? No. Life’s more thrilling, the fact that you don’t know when you’re going to die, how many people are going to betray you in your lifetime, and some idiot named satan who seems to be always trying to be disrupting humanity(I learned it from people who say that our souls are always in peril), a fragile planet that is more difficult to maintain than ever, born in a country where people don’t learn lessons from the past — I’ve got enough thrills in my life. I opt not to try this as I may just fall asleep and end up embarassing the nature park(or thrill park) organizers. Well, its fun for some though. No denying — which is why I’m here at this time.
Photo by storm-crypt

• Nature Tripping: You can check out Macahambus Adventure Park which is about 20 minutes away from the city. Here you will experience nature at its finest, with age old trees and a lot of greens. They also have zip lines and a sky bridge. Additionally, you can also go to Mapawa Nature Park where you can take a dip in a mini waterfall and do horse-back riding.

A hut overlooking Mapawa Nature Park
Photo by storm-crypt

• Shopping: There are a lot of ukay-ukay places in the city which is heaven for the budget shopper. You can also go to the Night Market where you can find cheap stuff, along Divisoria. However, they are only open on weekends- Friday and Saturday 7pm until 2am.

San Agustin Church: It is the city’s main Catholic Church and the seat of the Archdiocese of Cagayan de Oro. The original church was built in 1845 by the Augustinian Friars but was destroyed during the American bombardment in 1945. Only the wooden cross in front of the church survive up to this day.
Photo by erick_photomurals

• Sight-seeing: You can find historical sights in Cagayan de Oro, such as the St. Augustine Cathedral which was built in 1845; Gaston Park which is where the first Spanish settlement was located; and the Museo de Oro, which shows collections of things that Muskim tribes used in the past.
• Extras: You can also go to Bukidnon, the pineapple capital of the country where you can see the Del Monte Pineapple plantation. They also offer great tasting steaks in their restaurant. It takes 2 hours to get there by bus.

Stay Away From

Generally, it is a safe place to be in. Just stay away from deserted locations at night, and keep your valuables where robbers and pickpockets cannot find them.

Getting There

The fastest way to get to Cagayan de Oro is by plane. There are flights from Manila and Cebu daily through airlines: Cebu Pacific, Air Philippines, Philippine Airlines and other airlines such as Asian Spirit that have small planes. There are also ferry boat trips and fast crafts from Manila, Cebu, Dumaguete, and other cities. Buses for those who are just within Mindanao area are also available.