Summer
is long gone. Yet I couldn’t shake off the overpowering urge to extend it a bit
more, hitting the road whenever I can to explore this island I’ve been calling
home all my life: Mindanao. This passion for travel—probably second nature to
us who live in an archipelago blessed with natural wonders that remain
alluring, vibrant and exotic, rain or shine—keeps me excited about life, work
and everything in between.
This
time, I opted to visit anew one of Mindanao’s lovely yet lesser known
destinations—Sarangani Province!
Separated
by General Santos City and Sarangani Bay, the coastal province, which belongs
to SOCCSKSARGEN (Region XII), was once a part of South Cotabato prior to its
creation in the early 1990s. Geographically, there are two Saranganis: the
eastern coast, which include Alabel, Glan, Malapatan and Malungon, and the
western coast, which cover Maasim, Kiamba and Maitum.
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| Gateway to the western side of the province |
One
of the known homelands of the B’laan, T’boli and Moro peoples, Sarangani Province’s
western side, I believe, fits the description of the “lovely yet lesser known
destination”. Revisited after some time, I couldn't contain my stoke after
seeing once again its three charming towns—Maasim, Kiamba and Maitum—whose
people and natural attractions have left not a few local and foreign travelers
dazed and dazzled!
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| Awesome seascape as seen from a cliff in Maasim |
Whenever
I visit the province, I often head first to GenSan City, which is usually the staging
area of my sojourns in SOCCSKSARGEN. Driving solo along the coastal road that leads
to the three towns on the western side of Sarangani, I hardly blinked for fear
that I might miss a thing or two of the awe-inspiring landscapes that quickly
unfolded before my eyes!
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Whew,
I had to make occasional stopovers if only to capture the plethora of
picturesque images I saw along the way! To my right, the almost barren hills
with sparse vegetation, calling to mind the naked mountains of the American
desert states while to my left, the cerulean blue waters of Sarangani Bay—such
picture-perfect subjects for nature photography! |
| The road to Maasim |
So, here are some of the nice spots that are worth visiting whenever you want to head for that part of Sarangani:
Maasim.
About half an hour’s drive away from General Santos City, this first-class town
is noted for the beach and diving resorts dotting its coasts. Driving through
the well-paved coastal road that links the three coastal towns of the province
on the west end, I was treated to a visual feast of the vast seascape that
somehow lifted up my spirit.
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| Amazing seascape as seen from Maasim's Lemlunay Resort |
Along
the way, I got to see a string of beach resorts lining along the town’s coasts—4ML
Strand, Pacman, Susan’s Beach, Phil Florencia, IML Eco Park, among others. Sorry,
no white-sand beach. The stretches along this part of the Sarangani coastline
are nondescript, mostly black and gray sand.
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| Lemlunay's cool pool |
However,
when it comes to diving, the place to be is Lemlunay Resort. Perched on a cliff
and overlooking Sarangani Bay, it’s a world-class diving destination that’s
fast becoming a hub of many scuba divers.
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| Welcome to Lemlunay! |
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Panoramic vista of Sarangani Bay
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Underwater
enthusiasts who come to the resort usually start their day by snorkeling. The
resort has amenities that take divers into the depths of Tinoto Wall, a popular
diving spot in that part of Mindanao. With clear waters, a plethora of
under-the-sea scenery and a myriad of amazing sea creatures, plus the
affordable entrance fee of P250, you can’t go wrong at Lemlunay, whose name
aptly means “paradise” in T’boli.  |
| Upper portion of Tinoto Wall |
But
plunging into the depths of the bay wasn’t the reason why I visited the resort.
So what’s a deep seawater-averse foodie to do when in Lemlunay? What else but
to dive into the gastronomic abyss of delightful offerings at their restaurant!
Seafood overload—that’s what I gained after hibernating there for a day! |
| Kamanga coal-fired power plant as seen from Lemlunay |
Incidentally, I also caught a glimpse of Maasim’s coal-fired power plant in the village of Kamanga, which is still a work in progress. Also known as Southern Mindanao Power Station or the SM200 Project, the half-finished facility is a 210-megawatt (MW) power plant owned by Sarangani Energy Corporation (SEC). Once completed, the coal-fed plant, which is a joint venture between the Alcantara family and a Thai power company, will help stabilize Mindanao’s energy grid that currently relies on hydropower.
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Kamanga coal-fired power plant in Maasim
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| Nalus Falls |
Located
less than a kilometer away from the main road, Nalus Falls has huge boulders of
granite from where the water drops down a natural pool surrounded by lush
vegetation. Though short and narrow compared to most of the cascades I’ve seen
in Mindanao, you can still indulge in swimming, diving, bouldering and
rappelling at Nalus.
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| Another part of Nalus Falls |
Bocay-Il
Falls, on the other hand, is found at the heart of the town’s rainforest. A
two-drop cascade, the falls is secluded but accessible through a T’boli
village. Bocay-il in T’boli means “clear water.” Nestled some 13 kilometers away
from the national highway, the falls represent the sixth and seventh drops of
Fi’cong Limo, the first five waterfalls found in Kiamba’s highlands. |
| First tier of Bocay-il Falls |
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| Bocay-il Falls |
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| Second tier of Bocay-il Falls |
Just
like Maasim, most of Kiamba’s beaches are black sand. However, just a few
minutes away from the poblacion, you’ll find four small, protected coves with
cream-to-white sand shores. No access roads were built leading to the coves,
which are neatly tucked into the curves of Kiamba’s coastline. The coves are
separated from each other by thickly forested cliffs.
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| Kiamba Port |
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| Fishing is a major source of livelihood in Kiamba |
Collectively known as Tuka Marine Cove, this
hidden sanctuary was on top of my itinerary when I recently went to Kiamba. Of
the four coves named Tuka 1, 2, 3 and 4, only one (Tuka 3) has simple resort
amenities like nipa cottages, including Congressman Manny Pacquiao’s huge beach
house!
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| A boat bound for Tuka Marine Park |
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| A glimpse of Tuka 3's beach |
From what I’ve gathered, the local government regulates visitors who explore the place to ensure its pristine condition. If you want to reach the cove, you have to take a 15-minute boat ride to get there—and only when the tide is very low as the waves could be quite treacherous on certain occasions. |
| Tuka 3's pristine beach |
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| PacMan's resthouse in Tuka |
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| Colorful umbrellas adorning Kiamba's town hall |
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Probably
the best way to end a day in Kiamba is to linger at the sprawling municipal
plaza, which is also ideal for biking, chatting or strolling with family and
friends. What struck me most about the plaza are the hundreds of colored
umbrellas that adorn the pathway leading to the town hall. Simply amazing!
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| Kiamba Baywalk |
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Or
you can roam around Lourdes Park. As dusk settles, you can enjoy the street
foodstuff such as balut (boiled
fertilized egg of chicken or duck), chicharon
(deep-fried pork rind), isaw
(barbecued pig or chicken intestines), pork and chicken barbeque, etc. Just
across a bridge from the park is Kiamba Baywalk where you can catch the sun as
it goes down the horizon.|
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| The road to Maitum |
Maitum.
Dubbed as "Mindanao's Old World, this quaint town whose name means “black”
in the vernacular, is famous for the anthropomorphic burial jars which were
discovered inside Ayub Cave in the village of Pinol. Said to be one of its kind
throughout Southeast Asia, the ancient relics are said to have been
meticulously crafted by Maitum’s forefathers some 1,500 to 2,000 years ago. The
terracotta jars served as receptacles of the bones of dead family members.
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| Maitum's mighty Pangi River |
Each
jar bears a sculptured face that bears a likeness to the dead
person interred. Other jars, without the sculpted head, have interesting
markings and hold other remains. It’s possible to visit the cavern by asking the
caretaker who lives just opposite the mouth of Ayub Cave. Although the place has been
cleared of the findings, some jar fragments and bones can still be seen inside. |
| Replicas of the original Maitum anthropomorphic jars |
For
me, it’s a mortal sin for any traveler who’s fond of arts, culture and history
to miss out on these relics whose amazing replicas are up on display at the
museum found at the second floor of the Maitum Municipal Hall. Aside from the
jars, it also boasts of a variety of relics and artifacts of the T’boli and
Maguindanao tribes. |
| Diorama of Ayub Cave where the anthropomorphic jars were discovered |
According to the museum's staff I've talked to, the original jars have been transferred to the National Museum
of the Philippines in Manila and the National Museum in Butuan City. Still, the
replicas I saw at the town’s museum left me so stoke
when I finally laid eyes on them. It is said that the human face on each jar was etched by the artist based on the emotional state of the deceased at the time of death. So unique are the relics that they’ve been hailed by our cultural experts as National Cultural
Treasures!  |
About two-and-a-half hours drive from General Santos City through a generally well-paved road, Maitum
is a typical Mindanaoan town that’s a melting pot of various tribes—Christians,
Moros and indigenous peoples. Most of the locals are descendants of the
pioneering Ilocanos who came to settle in that part of Mindanao. It is also
home to many Moros and members of the T’boli tribe who populate different parts
of South Cotabato and Sarangani.
When
you’re in town, why not taste Maitum’s priced delicacy, what else but the
marinated flying fish known as bangsi!
The town is so proud of this special product that they hold an annual festival
in its honor. Caught off the waters of Maitum, bangsi is a known breakfast fare, usually fried and best eaten with
sinangag (fried rice), with tomatoes
and itlog na maalat (salted duck egg)
as side dish.
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| A hanging bridge connecting Maitum to its neighbor, Kiamba |
All
told, this is the part of Sarangani Province I’ve experienced on several
occasions. Surely, there’s so much more to
this precious gem in this part of Southern Philippines than what I’ve included
in this post, so much than what I can mention so I say see for yourselves the
beauty of this lesser known destination in Mindanao. So, weekend warriors, when
you feel the urge to run away from it all, make it to Sarangani and savor the
best of the myriad treats that it offers! 😃😃😃
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