In Preview: 6 Days - 9 Provinces - Mindanao Trip

by lakwatserong tatay

**Update: Were done with this trip together with my two co-lakwatserong tatay's johari and jp.  We manage to visit all of the regions however we missed two of our target provinces. First is Glan, Sarangani to visit Gumasa Beach and second is Sta. Cruz, Davao del Sur to visit the Passig Islet Aqua Park Resort although Davao City is under Davao del Sur. So for these reasons, we will have to go back and maybe add more towns and provinces to explore, specially the Province of Sultan Kudarat...^_^.

We manage to visit 8 provinces out of 9 target provinces (General Santos, South Cotabato, Sultan Kudarat for Soccsargen ; Surigao del Sur for CARAGA, Davao Oriental, Compostela Valley, Davao del Norte and Davao del Sur for Davao region), visited 12 cities/towns (Koronodal, Lake Sebu, Tacurong, Isulan, Britania, Hinatuan, Bislig, Davao City, Mati, Nabunturan, Pantukan and (IGACOS) Samal Island). 

It was one heck of trip, different bus transfers, roro ride, island hoping activities, wonderful sceneries, warm welcome by local residents, one memorable ride of habal-habal and tons of memorable photo opps....^_^.


One week from now, x-plorerboyz will have another adventure from the provinces of Mindanao. 3 of us will set their foot for the 1st time in Mt. Apo. Yours truly together with co-lakwatserong tatay's johari and jp will be traversing provinces, 9 in total from Soccsargen provinces, to Surigao der Sur and back to Davao Region.

My modified travel map...^_^

My very own travel map version...thanks to wikipedia..^_^

Our draft itinerary:

Day1: Travel to General Santos to Koronadal(Marbel) to Surallah to Lake Sebu (our 1st stop for the day) Activities: Zipline, Lunch at Punta Isla Resort and any possible spots that could fit on our spent time in Lake Sebu....(for any suggestions please do comment on this post...thanks!). Travel back to GenSan, and look for cheap accomodation....^_^

Day2: Early wakeup for GenSan Fish Port...^_^, and then travel to Isulan, Sultan Kudarat for Isulan's Provincial Capitol, Provincial Museum and Governor's Palace. Travel back to GenSan and next stopover is Glan, Sarangani (beacheneering in Gumasa Beach). Two options for night accomodation. Look for straight trip to San Agustin, Surigao del Sur or stay for the night in Davao City. (any suggestions will be a really big help and maybe a free accomodation for the night..^_^)

Day3: Start our day for a long bus ride to San Agustin, Surigao del Sur for Island Hoping in Britania Group of Island and proceed right after to Hinatuan for Enchanted River and overnight stay at Sibadan Fish Cage....^_^

Day4: Early bird catches the beautiful sunrise in Port Lamon, Hinatuan, Surigao del Sur we will be having our Island Hoping in Port Lamon and right after this activity we will be going in Bislig's Niagara falls known as Tinuy-an Falls, Lunch at Ocean View Park Restaurant and visit the International Doll House...^_^

Day5: After staying overnight in Davao, we will be having a very early bus ride to Mati, Davao Oriental for Dahican Beach. On our wayback to Davao, we will be having our lunch at Magnana Waters Beach Resort in Pantukan, Compostela Valley and we will be having a quickie stay at Passig Islet Aqua-Eco Park Resort in Sta.Cruz, Davao del Sur.....(any suggestions will be a big help and could help us for the free overnight homestay in Davao would be so much appreciated).

Day6: Back at Davao City, we will going to Samal Island, Davao del Norte for a quickie halfday adventure from Mt. Puting Bato quickie hike, visit Monfort Bat Cave, be refresh in Hagimit falls and if time permits we will try go to Maxima Aquafun to try their giant slide...^_^ and right after a quickie day tour in Samal Island. We will head back to Davao city for a quickie tour...and by 8pm head back to Manila and back to reality....^_^

For tips, suggestions, willing to tour us and give us free home staycation on this places. I would also love to meet any fellow co-travel bloggers, if your on this provinces starting thursday next week. Just place a comment or pm me......me, together with my co-tatays will be willingly and gladly to accept it and be happy to meet you in person....thanks!

2013: A Retrospect of Lakwatserong Tatay's Adventures

by lakwatserong tatay

Once again....my 2013 ended with a blast. Visited several provinces and towns. Getting in touch again with nature. Tried several mountains together with X-plorerboyz. However, it is obvious i wasn't able to update my site a lot. However i was able to travel enough all throughout the year...^_^. I'm hoping this year i will be able again to update my site....(sana lang po....^_^). So let's me start the journey of my 2013.....

January: We had a day tour of adventure in Amansiyana Mountain Resort and Pugad Lawin Adventure Camp. We just enjoyed their infinity pool and the activities we had at Pugad Lawin Camp, like mudslide, zipline and rock climbing...^_^

Xplorerboyz @ Amansinaya Mountain Resort

Within our day tour adventure in Amansinaya, we had the chance to explore Ambon-ambon falls of Laurel, Batangas which was included on our activity that day...^_^

Lakwatserong Tatay @ Ambon-ambon Falls

Right after our Amansinaya Adventure, we followed it with a trekking sidetrip and found ourselves in Nasugbu, Batangas to do a quickie dayhike to Mt. Batulao via new trail....^_^

Lakwatserong Tatay @ Batulao summit....

February: Our group were invited to different kind of birthday celebration. My 2nd time around on this mountain, traversing from Kayapa, Nueva Viscaya to Itogon, Benguet. One of my most memorable climb for 2013. As a promise to myself, i will not set again my foot on this mountain because i'm getting bigger and it is not as easy as wayback 2008 when i had the chance to do my 1st traverse in Mt. Ugo...^_^

My 2nd time on Mt. Ugo summit....^_^

March: Summertime is fast approaching and once again i find myself in Biñan, Laguna together with my wife's teammates, my wife and my two angels (gayle & gab). Where we had a day tour of fun at Splash Island Resort.

Me with my two angels (Gayle & Gab)

March: Due to envy to our co-xplorerboyz. Me with Joel decided to do a quickie dayhike at Pililia, Rizal in Mt. Sembrano and had a sidetrip at Manggahan falls.

Lakwatserong Tatay's in adventure mode....^_^

April: Another dayhike activity plus historic sidetrip in Angono's Petroglyph site. Located near Thunderbird Resort in Angono, Rizal.

Xplorerboyz @ Angono Petroglyph's site....

Right after seeing the historic site, we proceed to our destination in Brgy. Janosa, Talim Island, Binangonan, Rizal to hike Mt. Tagapo aka Mt. Susong Dalaga.

Lakwatserong Tatay near the summit...^_^ 

April: Were getting near to transfer on our house at Angono, Rizal. While going there me and my wife decided to take a tour inside Nemiranda's Art House. This place has a galleries of paintings, different higantes festival crafts and also a restaurant just like the Balaw-Balaw Restaurant that is just one block away.

Me @ Nemiranda's Art House facade....^_^

April: Every year on my wife's family, we have a yearly summer vacation. This year we visited the province of Laguna. We started our journey by passing by the town of San Pablo and visit San Pablo Church in getting guidance to our journey to Nagcarlan.

my three adorable angels....

Right after paying a visit in San Pablo Church's, we proceeded to Nagcarlan and look for Villa Gregoria Terrace Resort in Nagcarlan, Laguna that is recommended by my sister-in-law's bf...^_^

me with gab & gayle @ Villa Gregoria

May: The heat of the sun is really on fire. Thank's again to my wife and officemates. Where off to another journey and beacheneering trip in Cagbalete Island in Mauban, Quezon Province.

me, my wife & gab

May: One thing i love in our company is having team building activities where we could choose to have it by food tripping or something like this. One day of full adventure. Our POD chooses to stay in Bakasyunan Resort in Tanay, Rizal.

Me @ Bakasyunan Resort in Tanay, Rizal

August: Two months without any activity makes excited with this another journey. We visited another two towns of Laguna. Our first stop is Mt. Ping-as in Pakil, Laguna of course together with Xplorerboyz.

Xplorerboyz @ Mt. Ping-as Summit....

Right after that quickie hike, our next stop is to seek adventure in Ambon-ambon falls of Panguil, Laguna. Located inside Panguil EcoPark.

Xplorerboyz @ Ambon-ambon falls...

September: One of my most awaited and anticipated trip in 2013. My travel project to visit 7 Provinces in 6 Days. Of course with a limited budget......^_^. 1st stop is Iloilo, where we visited several towns of Iloilo city, Jaro and Miagao.

lakwatserong tatay @ Iloilo

2nd stop: Province of Antique. Visited the towns of San Jose and had a full adventure in Tibiao.

Lakwatserong Tatay's in Antique

3rd stop: The famous place in the Province of Aklan. My 2nd visit in Boracay Island.

Me, Caloy and Eric @ Boracay....

4th stop: Overnight staying in Capiz. Visited the famous church that has the Biggest Church Bell in Asia. Known as the Sta. Monica Parish in Panay, Capiz.

Xplrerboyz @ Sta. Monica Parish, Panay, Capiz

Right after visiting the town of Panay. It's time to visit the city proper. We strolled around the city center of Capiz, known as Roxas City and had our dinner at the famous Baybay Beach Seaside Restaurant's  that is known in Roxas City, Capiz.

Lakwatserong Tatay @ Roxas City, Capiz

5th stop: After travelling from Capiz, we proceeded our journey to the Province of Guimaras, known to be the Mango Capital of the Philippines. We had one day of full packed adventures in visiting the towns of Jordan and Nueva Valencia. We did a day hike to  Mt. Balaan Bukid, staying for a while in Ambakan Falls, have several stopovers in Smallest Plaza, Guimaras Provincial Capitol and Pasalubong Center and Trappist Monastery, visit the Guisi Lighthouse and its beach, and stayed overnight in Raymen Beach Resort.

Xlorerboyz @ Guimaras

6th stop: After spending a day in Guimaras. Next stop for our 6th province in the list. We stop again for a day of adventure in towns of Bacolod City and Murcia, Negros Occidental.We strolled around in Bacolod City. Eat, Dine and Buy out in Manukan Country, and Bongbongs. Several stopovers in Bacolod's Church and Bacolod Provincial Capitol and had a halfday tour in Mambukal Resort and trek the 7 Waterfalls of Mambukal and dip for a while on their Ishiwata Bath House.

Lakwatserong Tatay @ Negros Occidental

7th and last stop: The last province on our list, we set our foots in Dumaguete City, Negros Oriental. We opted not to pursue our Siquijor trip and just spent our whole day in Dumaguete, stroll around and visited several spots in Dumaguete. Just like the famous school known as Silliman University. Next was Dumaguete's Church and tried one of the restaurants near Silliman University, strolled around in Robinson's Dumaguete and of course we did not forget to buy Sans Rival.

***thanks to Carlo for all of the photos for our 7P6D projects***

Lakwatserong Tatay loves Dumaguete, Negros Oriental

October: Our 2nd to the last mountain trekked for 2013. Mt. Balagbag plus Otso-otso Falls in Rodriguez, Rizal.

Xplorerboyz @ Mt. Balagbag plus Otso-otso falls

November: My last trek and activity of the year together lakwatserong tatay's Jhovan, JP. A duohike in a day. After setting our itinerary, were off and found ourselves in Nasugbu, Batangas again. 1st mountain stop is Mt. Talamitam. Meet again few of my mountaineering friends, Migz & Agot of Yabag Mountaineering and the rest of the group....^_^

Lakwatserong Tatay's Duohike: 1st stop: Mt. Talamitam

2nd mountain stop is one of the famous mountain in Nasugbu known as Mt. Batulao (old to new trail). My 2nd visit in 2013, however by this time, we did a traverse trail. Two of most surprising thing while were traversing this mountain, is we meet two of the coolest family with their sibling. First was Baby Maktrav that we had the chance to have photo opps (see photo below) and the other one is not quite amusing because he was just 2 months old baby (hindi ko gagawin toh kung ako ng tatay nun!!! hindi rin namin nagawang magpaphoto opps kasi medyo nastress kame sa tatay nun bata na proud na proud pa..how wish the baby could stand the wind that time...and hope the baby will be fine...^_^)

2nd stop with JP, Jhovan @ Mt. Batulao

So that's it, i had again a full blast of adventures in 2013. All in all i've set my foot in different towns and provinces again in our country. Most of them are first time and some of them where i've revisited. Seen different historical churches, galleries and museum, trek some of our mountains, tried to swim on different waterfalls and of course tried to do local interactions with the different provinces i've visited.

So once again.....thanks 2013!!!! hello 2014....Hope to have more DIY travels, tipid trips like i always do. More mountains to conquer even if im not as like before....(huhuhuhu). Again like i always do....   I grab this opportunity to thanks all of my travel companions. It was such an honor to travel with you guys...you know who you are....i just hope and whising to travel to you again and again. More trips with my fellow lakwatserong tatay's and of course my so called group, known as XPLORERBOYZ....Jhovan, Joel, Carlo, Melvin, Coy, Shanwar and Ekoy.

My wish for this year, is to meet and join a sponsored trip activities together with famous travel blogger (hoping that would be free and could happen this year....). Have more sponsored post where i could earn some and get some freebies...^_^

So that's it!!! I would end this post of mine..... by saying we will not stop exploring our country and hoping this year, "2014" we will have another year of "NONSTOP GALAAN"....travel escapades from North to South....Meet and Greet different person. Have more fun and memorable pictures. Hoping that i could bumped in your travel escapades.

And the most important thing and wish that i have this year is... to my hon...nay...hope you would still allow me to continue and do all of this activities and travel journey's.....^_^.

Thanks hon...!!! This travel stories is all for you and for our kids (gian, gayle, gab & gio)....^_^

Cheers and more travels to you all this 2014!!!!!!!!