The enchanting Surigao Del Sur

CEBU, Philippines - The calming sound of the flowing water, the fresh sea breeze, the sparkling white sands, beautiful sceneries that surround, and a variety of delectable foods – these are just a few of the things to enchant visitors in Surigao del Sur.

Surigao del Sur province lies in Caraga region, in the eastern coast of Mindanao facing the Pacific Ocean. Beauty abounds in this wonderful place – beauty is everywhere, from the ridge to the reef. I feel myself lucky to have had recently experienced the place myself.

The province has a large area, who knows how much time it takes for a visitor to fully cover it. The space doesn’t seem to end. Going from one tourist spot to another, for instance, usually already takes a number of hours of land travel.

At 5:30 a.m., we took a van at Butuan City, where we landed earlier on a flight from Cebu City, and headed towards Bislig City.  In an effort to assuage our empty stomachs, we engaged in chitchats, which brought so much laughter among our small group. Actually, we had some chips, biscuits and coffee inside the van.

We passed by lush greenery along the way, while the morning fog was rising. It was easy to imagine that the view we had was the same throughout the entire Caraga region. It was a numbing 150-kilometer, four-hour trip. Our ultimate destination was the Tinuy-an Falls. And soon we heard the sound of water!

Our senses hinted that we were close. And, true, in a minute or two, there it was – the famed “Niagara Falls” of the Philippines! The view was really quite worth the tough ride to get there. Tinuy-an Falls got its name from the Visayan word that means “something to be intentionally sought for.”

The vicinity of the falls had sari-sari stores that also sold swimming gears. Cottages were available for rent. Specific areas were designated for swimming.

Tinuy-an falls is a three-tiered falls amid forested hills. Giant ferns, different trees, orchids and vines were everywhere. It was possible to have a good “selfie” just anywhere.

Next, we traveled about 90 minutes to Hinatuan, for lunch and for a visit to the Enchanted River. The river is another must-visit spot in the place. The clear, sapphire blue waters were simply mesmerizing. We were told that Enchanted River is so called because of legends that it is protected by “diwatas” or “engkantos.”

Resisting the urge to quickly take a dip in the inviting river water, we first took a ten-minute banca ride to Sibadan Fish Cage for lunch. The floating restaurant, located at the mouth of the river, offered a bounty of seafood – steamed, grilled, and raw. But even a good lunch did not appease our hankering for a plunge in the river. Right after the filling meal, we hurried back upstream.

There was more to our plunge in the river than just the cool embrace of the water. It offered a magical underwater view as well. Different fishes and other freshwater creatures frolicked with us. At 3 p.m. we witnessed the fish-feeding ritual by the caretakers of the Enchanted River, complete with musical accompaniment. And the fishes were like dancing to the tune as they tried to catch the food.

Britania wharf was next in our itinerary, for an island hopping experience. The sun was already setting then, and our tour guide said that we had to be quick as pump boats could no longer be booked when darkness strikes. Britania, with its group of islets, was ideal for swimming, sunbathing, and overnight camping 

Among the Britania islets, the most popular are the Naked and Hagonoy islands. Naked Island is actually a long stretch of white sand bar that lie “naked” in the middle of the bluish green sea. It is the resting place to a number of migratory birds from a long flight. Hagonoy Island, on the other hand, also called the Lovers Island, is a perfect for a romantic getaway and pre-nuptial pictorials.

Considering that it was getting dark when our group reached the Britania islets and how fascinating the view still was, it’s not hard to imagine how great it could look on a sunny day. The mere one day of going around some of the attractions that Surigao del Sur offers its visitors was already so fulfilling. It was not hard to imagine what more wonders another day or two would have brought.