Day hiking Camotes Ridge in Sta. Cruz

You might as well marvel where in Mindanao Camotes Ridge is located. For a Sta. Cruzian like me it is a distant mountain range located in Barangay Zone 1, some 5 kilometers  away from the town proper and can be accessed via Barangay Hall or in Luceba Village, a familiar running route for St. Joseph Runners (SJR).

  

Today my feet brought me to Camotes Ridge with fellow SJR Phede. We took the Luceba route  along a vast agricultural lands of banana and coconut and some farm houses along the way. It has been my quest to visit a hill which is very visible from the town proper with a clear view and is only sealed with a farm house. From a distance it is very tempting for hill runners like me. The farm house is owned by Manong Pitok Luchaves, a native from Sta. Cruz and is staying in his farm in Camotes.

The trek was pretty much the same with my other day hikes only that there were minor strain I gained because Phede was really not the usual trail runner, he is very fast even from the beginning of the trek. We took the all-uphill trail to the summit in 1 and a half hours and reached Manong Pitok’s house by 10:30 AM.

Camotes serves as vantage point to several notable landmarks of Sta. Cruz which includes Mt. Tambaraan in the extreme west, Mt. Marayat in northeast, Mt. Malusing (796) in extreme north and  Mt. Sinoron in extreme south. The hill of Camotes also borders sitio Loay in Barangay Zone 2 and sitio Kibarangan in Barangay Coronon.

Fronting the eastern part of Camotes is a gorgeous view of Davao Gulf. The settlements of Barangay Coronon to Tagabuli are another good ranges of visions that even extends to as far as the municipality of Malalag. I was very unfortunate though because my GPS did not function well and I was not able to record the elevation of Camotes. However, with the type of vegetation thriving the area and with some guess estimates I think it is within the 300-400 masl range.  

After a refreshing buko break being offered by Manong Pitok we departed the area at around 11:00 in the morning. By lunch time I was back in the office.

Camotes ridge somehow offers another site for us trail runners and overnight campers to look into in the future. This is another manifestation that Sta. Cruz is truly blessed with wonderful sites that are yet to be explored and discovered. 

The splendor of Asik-Asik Falls

It might not be your most accessible destination on a weekend but Asik-asik falls in the municipality of Alamada, North Cotabato is worth all the long travel especially if one chases for a euphoria of disgust and disappointments.

Last September 16 I headed 200 kilometers west bound   to see for myself an ultimate bucket list – the majestic Asik-asik waterfalls. The extensive bus travel which took 4 hours from Sta. Cruz to Midsayap and another 1 and a half hour motorcycle ride from Midsayap to Barangay Dadu of Alamada was exhausting. For day tourist from Davao City I suggest you take a very early morning ride via Mindanao Express Bus because time is really of the essence when going to Alamada.

It was already past 12:00 noon when I arrived at the tourist information center. I paid 30 pesos entrance fee and instantly gained access to the waterfalls. The trek was less than 10 minutes using a concrete stairway. I saw several weekenders also visiting there from almost all parts of Mindanao. Indeed, Asik-asik falls is now one of Mindanao’s most promising tourist destination.

I was struck in awe when I witnessed face to face the grandeur of Asik-asik falls. As a naturalist I thought of this place as truly wonderful. Its splendor and magic is second to none. I have been exposed to a lot of waterfalls in the country already but man, this one is beyond compare.  

What is more interesting is that this waterfalls emanates from practically nowhere. The wide and endearing droplets are just being positioned opposite the fertile vertical land structures of Alamada and the drops have collaborated with the horizontal water body to form a titanic river. It is ironic that this waterfalls is not formed from a mighty bulk of descending stream. 

All waters arising from the backdraft of Asik-asik falls is potable. Locals believed that it springs out from Lake Lanao considering that the location borders the provinces of Lanao del Sur and Bukidnon.  

Whatever supernatural ideas surrounding Asik-asik falls, I believed the foremost concern now for government authorities is on the aspect of sustaining the beauty of this natural heritage. It was only opened for public approximately five years ago but there is so much more at stake for this terrestrial attraction in Alamada.

In my pursuit to find comfort amidst annoyance I found out that Asik-asik falls is an ultimate refuge. This waterfalls holds all the magic to calm a storming emotion. In Asik-asik falls you will realize that freedom is not as subtle as what others thought of. In Asik-asik falls we can always refuse to perish.    

P.S. There are two options when traveling to Barangay Dadu from Midsayap. Regular jeepneys travel from Midsayap daily but will take several hours before reaching Dadu. This is only good for guests who will be staying overnight in Alamada. For those who are in a hurry and catching up with some tight schedules I suggest you take a motorcycle from Midasayap all the way to Dadu. The rate is 1,000 pesos back and forth. The highly-suggested driver is Janjan, a very reliable driver and tour guide at the same time. He can be contacted through cellphone number 09305519760.

Weekender: MALAGOS BAMBOO SANCTUARY

In Mindanao where destinations with unique theme are practically in scarce I found a new place of interest in Malagos, Baguio District. They call the place Bamboo Sanctuary. On September 2 we decided to pay a visit there along with my daughter Majesta, sisters Maimai and Ruby and brother in-law Archie.

At first glance the place, like all others in the region, is fine as a leisure destination ideal for family outing and day tour.  As a new attraction which was opened to the public just last June this year, Bamboo Sanctuary lives up to the billing as a secluded abode for people who seek peace of mind. It has affordable accommodation rooms, restaurant, a natural pool, cottages and other amenities.  

However, more than being beautiful with green and leafy landscape, Bamboo Sanctuary’s selling point is its botanical dome situated just few steps away from the information center. The dome is the biggest of its kind in the country and houses several flora species endemic in the locality. The chirping of birds can also be heard while inside the dome.

Another unique advantage of the resort is the presence of 26 species of bamboo along its perimeter. We were taught that bamboo emits more oxygen than any other tree varieties and store plenty of water underground, making its pool cold enough even in gruelling sunny occasions. In fact, the place is considered bamboo conservation area because majority of its landscape is pedicured with gorgeous bamboo plants and several species of bamboo thrive well here.

When planning to visit the place, resort authorities encourage to book early. They also accept walk in visitors. There are transport shuttles available in case guests want to be fetch from Calinan proper to the resort and vice versa.