Philippines. 7,107 islands. Each place unique. Each experience distinct.

     Cagayan de Oro lies in the Northern part of Mindanao, the Philippines' second largest island group. There are two ways to get to CDO from Cebu. The first (and the easiest way) is by plane (Air Asia, PAL, Cebu Pacific). From MCIA you will reach Cagayan de Oro Airport in less than an hour. Second way is by boat. From Cebu City Pier  7 you leave at 7:00 PM and will reach CDO at 6:00 AM.

     It was my first time to get back on the plane after a decade. I had a minor fear of heights but after that experience, I naturally overcame it. My boyfriend is from sunny CDO but I was more thrilled than he was. His family greeted us with all smiles and delight. As we drove towards LKK, the traffic lights surprised me because they had countdown timers below. Another first for me! The city didn't have much clutter on the streets like what we have in Cebu. We had breakfast at The Pancake House in Lim Ket Kai Mall, which somewhat reminded me of Del Amo Mall in Torrance, CA. It wasn't that big though. Breakfast was finally served. Omelettes, pancakes, coffee. Great company, great food. We make an adventure out of everything. (laughs)

     We stayed at their farm in Opol and being an animal lover myself, I was greatly astonished by the creatures there! Some were wild and some were domesticated. The star of them all was a Shih Tzu named "Poofy." He was literally, how we say, poofy. With all the hair he had and the big and perfectly round eyes and fluffy tail, he was like a cross between a lion and a rabbit.

     Not staying long in the house, we went out and ventured around the big city! Next to Lim Ket Kai, Centrio Mall was a favorite among the masses. It is a three-level mall with a garden in the middle. I noticed a lot of locals, probably from other regions (based on how they dressed), walking around and shopping. It wasn't packed with people, which was good. After all the strolling our bodies were calling for a calorie-recharge. Dinner was held at Seafood Island. You have the option to experience the boodle adventure (where food is placed in one big banana leaf, salo-salo style) or order ala carte. There were other guests apart from us so we went for the latter. It was superb, nevertheless. Being seafood junkies, we dug in without any hesitation. It was just the perfect meal to refuel our energy for Dahilayan!




     The following day we were set to head to Dahilayan, Bukidnon. Dahilayan Forest Park is where you can find Asia's longest dual zipline at 840 meters. There are a bunch of fun activities you can do there. If you need a quick surge of adrenaline, try the drop zone. You'll scream your souls out I guarantee you! They slowly pull you up at 120 ft. above the man made lake. It felt like the last few moments of my life! haha! The craziest thing is that you'll be the one to pull the trigger for you to drop. After that, I walked out of the zone cold and quiet, my soul still going against gravity. (lol) The emotion was indescribable. Tears of both joy and fear, the feeling of only having to hear your own screams echoing in your head and in the open air. Damn! If you feel like biking on air (sort of) and just staying within the boundaries of comfort, try the flying lizard canopy glider. You get to pass by the tall trees, appreciate nature, and luxuriate in the fresh scent of pine trees. They also have the ropes challenge course. Mind you, it's not as easy and it sounds. So many things to do, so little time. Dahilayan is not for the feeble man.










     Travel time from Bukidnon to CDO is about two hours. In our case, almost three because Opol is is in provincial area of Misamis Oriental. The journey back to the farm allowed me to witness a part of Misamis in depth. From tall buildings, long and wide high ways just at the seaside to people tending to their cows and goats in the fields. This city is booming! Indeed, it is the emerging city of tomorrow.






Here are some links you might find useful:

1. Dahilayan Forest Park

2. Ferry Schedule

3. or book a flight with either Cebu Pacific or Air Asia