An Enchanted Homecoming : Part 1 of the Surigao del Sur Trip

It had been ages since I came to visit my hometown. It was 1998 when when I first left Mangagoy, Bislig, Surigao del Sur to study in Davao City. For a couple of years I would go home at least twice a year, during Christmas and summer break. But as the years passed, the trips home would become less and less until eventually, the trip home on the summer of 2005 would be the last one for a very long time.

That all changed last May 2012. Apparently, my hometown boasts one of the tourist attractions in Surigao del Sur that is making it's rounds in Facebook. Seeing photos of and hearing stories about it makes me wonder, why the hell didn't I know this place exists?

Fortunately, AirAsia recently offered flights to Davao from Clark and had promo fares for flights that cover the dates for holy week! Without hesitation, I booked a flight for Roda and I and we will be going to Surigao del Sur!

First stop : ENCHANTED RIVER, Hinatuan, Surigao del Sur

The first destination is the Enchanted River in Hinatuan. For me, this was the priority destination. I have been seeing photos of this in Facebook and it was so unreal. I had to see this for myself. My Auntie Myrna was kind enough to let me and my cousins use one of their cars so we were good to go. We headed out at around 2am so we would arrive at around the same time the Enchanted River opens.

The mandatory jumpshot

At around 9am, we finally arrived at the Enchanted River. To our surprise, a lot of people came before us so all the tables/chairs were already rented out. Luckily, there was still space at one corner where we could put our bags and use as table for our food. We didn't waste time, we rented life jackets at Php15/hr so we could start swimming. Yes, it's a good idea to use life jackets if you are a non-swimmer like me.

The river lived up to it's hype and it's name. It was indeed enchanting. It's also a good idea if you brought goggles with you so you can see the fishes at the bottom and be awed once again. The fishes seem to be always at arms reach but they say that no fish net/ or hook has ever caught a single fish in this river. Awesome! At around noon, all swimmers will be asked to get out of the water. They would then throw bread crumbs(??) into the water and to everybody's delight, fishes come out and feast on the food thrown at the water. It's really pretty sight, they seem to dance together with the music being played at the background.

kids eagerly watching the fishes feed. Almost like they are dancing with the music

After a couple of hours swimming, Roda and I decided to explore the area a little bit.

a wooden bridge along the river, leading to a  small port for boats you can rent to do island hopping

We found out that the enchanted river is near the river delta and you could rent out small boats at Php150/hr and the boat could fit up to 6 passengers. It was great because one can only do so much swimming. And because there were so many people, lounging beside the river and staring at it's beauty is not an option at the time.

Our first destination was the fish cage where you can have fresh seafood for lunch. They literally catch the fish and other seafood at the time you order them. If you are planning to stay overnight, the fish cage also has rooms for rent for as low as Php2000/night. 

The next destination is the Margareth Peak Island where you can climb up a Baguio-grotto-like set of stairs and see a stunning view of the Pacific Ocean. Great place to just sit and admire the vastness of the ocean.

Are we there yet?

After around 2 1/2 hours, we were back at Enchanted River. We took a couple of minutes to dip into the enchanting blue waters again and then it was time to head on. Our next stop would be my hometown, Mangagoy, where we will stay the night.

Traveling Tips :

• For those who start the trip at Davao, it would be a good idea to be on the road starting 12mn so that when you arrive, there would still be tables for rent available. Tables/chairs can be rented @ Php100 and above for whole day of use.
• You can chose to bring your own food or you can get fresh seafood at very low prices on site.
• If you plan to stay overnight, you can stay at the fish cage however, I would recommend that you go to Mangagoy instead and spend the night there. You can find good accommodation at very reasonable prices.It would also then be easier to go to Tinuy-an Falls the next day. You should try to get to as many destinations as you can to make the most out of your Surigao del Sur Trip.

Next : Part 2 of this series Tinuy-an Falls.