From The Highest Peak to The Deepest Sea: backpacking in mindanao

The deepest lake in the country and also the 4th largest lake in the Philippines. Almost equally distributed between the province of Surigao Del Norte and Agusan Del Norte; surrounded by the towns of Mainit and Alegria, and Kicharao and Jabonga respectively.

If you want to take a best photo of the lake I suggest getting off at Brgy. San Roque in Kicharao, Agusan Del Norte. Alight before Kicharao terminal or else you'll be riding another motorola to go back. This is if you are coming from Butuan. But if you are coming from Surigao, Brgy. San Roque is located after the terminal. Just inform the kundoktor.

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Sometime in the past years there is this resort called Almont Lake Resort that used to accommodate guests who wants to admire this enchanting lake but sad to say and I just found out earlier that they already stop operation of the place. Regardless, it is a public place and you can just go in there and take photos.

My trip to the country's 4th largest lake in Agusan Del Norte dated last September 2, 2017 is an official entry to my 81 Before 30 Challenge.

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When I cut my Mindanao trip short I was so determined to go back. After all, I still have tickets for my Tawi-Tawi trip that will takes place in less than two weeks after I went home. Didn't want to go to waste my almost 500 pesos return trip from Zamboanga to Tawi-Tawi and vice versa. Its a cop and its not always there's a sale like that on any airlines.

I, then booked another trip to Mindanao because it feels so uneasy not to finish this. A goal is a goal. Anyway, since I’ll be going back to Mindanao again in less than two weeks I make it sure to visit the remaining provinces I haven’t visited on my previous trip.

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I know there are more spot in Zamboanga Del Sur but I have so little time and I need to travel to Zamboanga City that night so I make the most of what I have. This hill can easily be accessed from the airpot and tricycle ride will cost you only around 60 pesos. Not to mention riding on the famous tricycle of Pagadian!

The view is mesmerizing seeing the sea up above and from where you stand are some activities like horse back riding and bar where you can eat and dine.

My trip to Pagadian Bulatoc Hill in Zamboanga Del Sur dated last October 4, 2017 is an official entry to my 81 Before 30 Challenge.

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I was so blessed for having such an amazing bestfriends. One happened to be a son of one of the officials who have connections at Tawi-Tawi that makes this trip easy and unforgettable. I only ask for assistance to his mom but she gave me more than that. She gave me a home, a family even.

Tawi-Tawi has been marked by social media wrongly simply because they are part of Mindanao or should I say Mindanao in general. When you tell people you wanna visit Mindanao they will gave you this specific look of questioning with a big word “WHY?”, but why not? Right?

Arriving at Tawi-Tawi is so overwhelming. I admit, at first I feel so nervous because I don’t know what’s waiting for me out there. My 16 days stay at Mindanao makes me realize something and that this part of the country is the most beautiful of three main islands of the Philippines. The people are great and accommodating and really friendly. But Tawi-Tawi as the media always portray is scarier if you think of it. I am used to military men all over the places, they are everywhere in Mindanao, more check points on every points, guns loaded, Martial Law on the entire island, terrorists bombing on the sides, yes part of me is nervous but I am as always excited for new adventure.

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I was welcomed by two officials who happened to be a good friend of my mom’s best friend and they escorted me to their head official’s home where I’ll be staying. 99% of Tawi-Tawi’s population is Muslims so I expect more interaction with them on this trip. It is not my first time hanging out with them, I have few drinking moments with my Muslim friends back home. The road to the house where I will be staying is completely a tour and feast on my eyes. Tawi-Tawi is a small island surrounded by bodies of water so everything you see on the sides are the sea. So clean and so peaceful. So green and so blue. That feeling when you want to dive and play on the water and just chill all day.

The wife welcomed me with a big hug and big smile and escorted me to a hello kitty themed room where her daughter sleeps. Aahh, I love hello kitty and this trip is getting pretty perfect as the hours goes by. She prepared a sumptuous breakfast for me and the other officials as his husband arrives. Over breakfast they were chatting and making conversations about why I chose their place to visit and why it is just me alone. I think they were all fascinated with the idea and as much as excited as me. They were also planning on where to take me as my Tita entrusted me to them to take me to beautiful places and making it sure that I will have a good time during my entire stay.

Honestly, there is just three places I really wanted to visit at Tawi-Tawi, it tops all of the amazing spots they have for they really have plenty. Bud-Bungao, Turtle Island, and Sitangkai are the top three places on my list but I get to visit just the first one. The latter are located at the far most part of the island and I need to ride another boat to get there, not that its not possible but it is since I only have limited time. But good thing about not being able to visit all on your lists, it means there are more reasons to go back.

My first day stay at the island is jampacked. I met another Muslim family, the extended family of my bestfriend. One of the best and amazing family back there. They welcomed me as if I’m their own. I eat lunch with them and the conversations with them are nothing compare to anyone else. They are heart-warming and hospitable all the Filipino good traits you may think of.

After making me rest after another sumptuous lunch, the first family who adopted me fetch me and brings me to probably one of the amazing experience I had in my entire Mindanao trip. Bato-Bato town is one of the busiest town in the island during Fridays and Saturdays because believe it or not “barter” still exist in this place. People flock here to do barter. Others of course may still buy using money. I was in awe seeing and witnessing something I only read on books.

Meals with them has always been my favorite. We mostly talked while eating over anything. It was always under the starry night sky and I never felt so much home on island that is so foreign to me. But we have to cut every conversation because tomorrow we are climbing the highest peak of Tawi-Tawi! Excited much? Who wouldn’t?

I woke up so early the next day. Excited of course. We meet another group of friends from the BJMP and Bikers Club of the island. Together we climb Bud-Bungao. It was an easy trail given they made it a park already and built a staircase up to the summit. Before, as per the locals, it was so muddy climbing it and since most of the tourist visits it for a wonderful view the government decided to make it a park to make it easy for the tourist to visit it. At the summit are some covered tables and chairs so people can stay for a while and enjoy the view while having a meal or two. The fun part of climbing this peak is that all through out the trail there are numerous monkeys everywhere. You are allowed to feed them but only bananas. They are not harmful, unlike other spots in the country where monkeys are aggressive.

It was a fun hike with newly found friends. Afterwards, Tito Mike prepared a sumptuous lunch over this restaurant where I get to eat the best of the best of Tawi-Tawi. I was so full when I found out we are still going to another’s party where of course we are going to eat again. If only I knew I saved some room for sweets because that party serves a lot of delicacies of the island and they taste really good. I get to experience how food were served and mostly the culture of the Muslim, it was such a learning experience for me, experiencing first hand those that I only read about them.

The rest of the afternoon were spend mostly visiting different resorts at the island and tourist spots accessible from our place. It was nice experience because I get to see part of Tawi-Tawi culture.

My last night I stayed with my Tita’s family in the island. Again, another sumptuous meal for me. Tawi-Tawi has this occasional black out and it happens to occur on my last night but that doesn’t mean it was less enjoyable because all more reason to eat outside the house under the starry night sky and moon up above us.

It pains me to leave the place so quickly. One of the places I fell in love with. One of the places that I stayed for small time that I regret so much. I had two families who adopted me and I will be forever thankful for the learning experience I have with them. The hospitality and warm-welcome, the kind-heart and the biggest smiles they gave me, not just the two families who I get to live with but for all the people I get to know and hang out because of them. And of course to my Tita Cora, who made this trip such a wonderful experience.

I am encouraging everyone to visit Tawi-Tawi. They have the most welcoming and most wonderful sight. Of course, precaution is really important and I suggest contacting their tourism office so you can get an assistance.

My trip to Tawi-Tawi dated last October 6-8, 2017 is an official entry to my 81 Before 30 challenge.

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img courtesy of google

I can proudly say that planning a trip is really my forte. Doing itineraries excites me and searching for where to stay and what to visit thrills me. Planning this Mindanao trip has been the top most fulfilling yet challenging of them all.

The only provinces I have visited in Mindanao is the Davao Region, with 27 total provinces in Mindanao minus Davao Region that leaves 22 provinces to visit. Backpacking on those provinces is tough, yet alone doing it solo. But looking back, I can say that toughest is the planning stage.

Jumping to 2017, I was the only one who was able to push through this trip. My two other friends were so busy at work that they weren't allowed to go on leave that long. I, on the other hand, left my job last December 2016 and focus on my online job and on organizing tours giving me so much time to fulfill this ultimate backpacking trip. Yep, solo travel in Mindanao.

Thorough planning is one of the key points on this trip. I spend days and months plotting my best entry point, where to stay, what to visit, how to travel from one place to another, checking of plane tickets, checking for bus schedules and everything in between. Plus of course, saving so much for this trip.

How Many Days?

The new plan is to stay in Mindanao for 40 days straight alone. Why it became 40 days? While browsing the internet about the places I wanted to visit in Mindanao I realize that staying for only 20 days is not enough, though the island is just small and within reach, the travel from one province to the other requires so much land travel that it will eat up much of the days, not to mention limited land transfers of buses which has limited time schedule only. After realizing this, I chose what places where I will be staying for just overnight, days, or weeks. Though some I wish I had stayed more.

The Exact Dates?

I was so nervous that this will not push through, why? Plane tickets and all. My target date? August 31 - September - October 09, 2017. I was able to plot my entry point which is CDO and already booked a plane ticket but after that, no definite plan yet.

Plane Tickets?

That was March 2017 when Cebupac's GetGo goes on sale for their 10th year anniversary. All members are entitled to use 10 getgo points to booked on cebupac's destinations and just pay for the taxes. Luckily that time, with my paypal account enough savings in there from my online article jobs I was able to booked my trips to Mindanao and other future trips after that.

With Cebupac's getgo sale I was able to booked the following:

Zamboanga - Tawi-Tawi - Zamboanga - October 06-08, 2017 - P478.24
Zamboanga - Manila - October 09, 2017 - P239.12
Total - P 717.36

Ticket to Cagayan from Manila - August 31, 2017 - P1299

Total Bought Tickets - 2016.36

Route?

My plan is to visit the northern most part of the islands first then my trip will end in Zamboanga. Note that I am no expert on their geography and this is just base on my understanding on the island and from that plot my destinations. Below are the sequence of the "planned itineraries":

CDO -- > Camiguin -- > Agusan Del Norte --> Surigao Del Norte --> Dinagat Islands --> Agusan Del Sur --> Surigao Del Sur --> Davao (entry point to gen san) --> Sarangani --> South Cotabato --> Sultan Kudarat --> Maguindanao --> North Cotabato --> Lanao Del Sur --> Bukidnon --> Lanao Del Sur --> Misamis Oriental --> Zamboanga Del Norte --> Zamboanga Del Sur --> Zamboanga Sibugay --> Zamboanga City --> Basilan --> (back to Zambo) --> Sulu --> (back to Zambo) --> Tawi-Tawi --> (back to Zambo then Manila)

That was the plan. And I decided to stay much longer in Siargao and in Davao Oriental where I will be revisiting Mati again. Most of the provinces I intended to just stay for a day, because part of it is I only wanna see just one spot from there.

Physical Preparation

I am in a bad condition for the past months prior this trip. I have ulcers, history of kidney infections, history of car accident resulting to damage back, ligament tear and some more. I skip going to hikes to save strength for my knee, eat more fruits and vegetables and avoid foods not allowed for me. And I ran 4 to 5 times a week max of 5 km just to keep up with my cardio.

Mental Preparation

Honestly, this is the second most vital in my planning stage: mental preparation. Why? I've been doing solo travel for almost three years now and I know I should be used to this but Mindanao is far different for me. My first visit in Mindanao was in Davao Region, two on that province I was alone, but again, Davao is a lot more different from any other provinces in Mindanao (saying this after I've visited other parts of the island).

We are all aware how media portrays Mindanao, ever since the chaos happening to Martial Law officially implemented at the place. And this is probably the top most concern I am facing that time. Most of my friends were reminding me about it, and every time I mentioned this idea, people's eyes were on me judging me and telling me how dangerous my plan is and how it is not advisable to go in there at that time. But I did not flicker a bit. I always listen to news and all but I always believe that there are more to Mindanao than the news we heard but of course part of was scared a bit but feeling scared makes me want to do it more. After all, how will we know if we wouldn't try, right?

Before I went to Mindanao, I decided to visit my favorite place in Bicol where I composed and conditioned my mind. Not really necessary, but its just for me. This specific camp calms me and it does help somehow.

Budget?

Honestly, during one of my convos with my friends, whom this plan was with originally, we talked that twenty thousand is enough. I still follow it but keeps another five thousand just in case. I aloted budget on each provinces but mostly to places I really want to spend more days like Siargao and from there manage the remaining amount to the rest of the provinces.

What To Bring?

I make sure to just pack light. Given the number of days, I will be needing many clothes for that. I decided to bring half of the days I'll be staying and will just wash it wherever I will be staying for long. And after a couple of weeks I will just ship back to my own house some of my clothes so my baggage will be lessen before my trip ends.

Of course, bringing all my meds and first aids are important too. I remember one trip where I forgot to bring the only med that can heal my headache and it was the worst ever.

Contact Information

When you love to travel and do it yourself, I am pretty sure researching is one of your thing. You search and search to finally come up with the best possible places to visit and stay and who to contact for any reservation if needed. For this trip, I almost called every number and contact possible just to ensure my hassle-free stay in Mindanao. Focus is the key. There were times when I jump from one province to another, I get excited but again, focus, and set a budget for each so you know if you are going beyond your budget.

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Also part of my planning is informing most of your friends and your family of your whereabouts. You need also to take notes of the person you will call in case of emergency and inform them that they are your 911 in case something happens. It took me months to finalize my itinerary. Though not really as specific but a general information of the place.

Next post will be about the actual trip. Stay tuned! :)