“I
love places that make you realize how tiny you and your problems are.” So goes
a quotable quote I came across recently. The highlands make me feel that way.
Stepping into mountains or hills or even seeing them from a distance helps
change my perspective on the scheme of things. Looking down on the beauty
surrounding me from high above, it often dawns upon me that most of the
“problems” I obsessed about turn out to be inconsequential over the course of time.
Looking back at them, I realize how small they really were!
 |
Mt Apo as seen from Kapatagan one early morning
|
Whenever I hear the siren call of the mountains, I always find a way to heed it for it means one thing: It's time to slacken and scamper away from my comfort zone, suck in some fresh pine-scented air, and savor the spectacular rustic beauty of nature from way up there. That's exactly what I did recently when Jacques, one of my adventuresome college chums, invited me and a few of our friends to a weekend wandering at the highland village of Kapatagan in Digos City.
It's
my fourth time to make it there yet I still felt so excited the moment I
reached the place after so many years.
Nestled on a verdant plain, Kapatagan is blessed with a chilly mountain
breeze (that sometimes turn into howling winds at certain times of the year!),
lofty forest trees and conifers as well as rare flora and fauna set amidst a
picturesque landscape at the footslopes of Mt. Apo, the country’s highest peak.
Rising about 1,296 meters (roughly 4,252 feet) above mean sea level, the rolling plain that's considered the "Vegetable Capital of Davao del Sur”. There are days when the village is blanketed with a mantle of cold mists and a canopy of thick fogs both in the morning and at dusk. Its nearness to Apo makes it one of the most fascinating take-off points for mountaineers seeking to get to the top of the country’s rooftop.
Kapatagan
is one of the province’s dreamy destinations I’ve visited on three occasions in
the past. The first was when I scaled the summits of Apo in 2005, the second
was when I rode the ziplines of Camp Sabros in 2010, and the third one was when
I spent a night at one of the resorts there in 2014. Undoubtedly, these
occasions count among the most defining and adventurous moments of my life—all
of them giving me the ultimate natural high!
And so was this most
recent sojourn to the upland village, which was once postponed due to conflicts
in schedules of the weekend warriors. Mind you, it has turned out to be the
most enjoyable of all the times I was in Kapatagan. Reason: I was in the
company of the craziest bunch who’ve kept me from going crazy all these years!
For
the longest time, Jacques had been egging us to join him for an overnight stay
there. One of his siblings had recently put up a rest house in Kapatagan and he
wanted to show the place to us. It was difficult to get the gang together given
our availability. There were other buddies who also wanted to be with us but
for one reason or another, their schedules didn’t allow them. In the end, only six
of us were able to push through with the escapade one weekend after Valentine’s
Day.
It
was a rainy Saturday afternoon when the six of us—Jacques, Bong, Butch, Cheryl,
Letty and me—headed for the village. Dusk was settling as the pickup truck
that Jacques drove snaked its way up into the highlands of Digos. Barely had we started our ascent when, without warning, a canopy of thick fogs started
to hover and obscure the dark, winding road. From what I’ve gathered, it’s nothing
exceptional up there at this time of the year. Nonetheless, it made my blood run
cold as I experienced it firsthand on a drizzly night at that!
 |
Our home away from home up there in the highlands
|
Geez, there were moments during the course of our journey when visibility seemed to drop to almost zero! Jacques would immediately slow down before revving up the vehicle. Good thing, he was familiar with the dangerous curves going to Kapatagan. Otherwise, we could have ended up somewhere we don’t want to be! Minutes later, our vehicle went past the fogs. The rain, however, showed no signs of stopping.
A pitch black darkness welcomed us
as our vehicle inched its way towards the house. Jacques said matter-of-factly that
there was no electricity yet in those parts. He then parked the vehicle and
dashed into the downpour, bringing with him the gallon of gas we early bought
to bring the generator to life.
Relying
on the lone flashlight he gave us to illuminate our way towards the house, we followed suit.
Soaking wet in the rain, each one of us walked along the short but the slippery path, carrying
our luggage, groceries, folding beds, and other stuff. Whew, it was like a familiar
scene from some Hollywood horror movie I saw! LOL! Somehow, we made it through
the rain and got into the house. Suddenly, the generator roared to life. In minutes, the whole place was lighted.
Nobody made a fuzz about preparing dinner as we already had our fill in downtown Digos a
few hours before heading for Kapatagan. Still, Letty volunteered to clean the
fish that we earlier bought. She also cooked paksiw (fish stewed in vinegar) that we had as our pulutan (appetizer), along with chicharon (fried pork rind), peanuts, among others, during our short
drinking session. I offered to help her with the chore.
Moments
later, we heard the guys engaging in a spirited yet subdued conversation. It
was followed by a brief crooning session as Jacques brought along a portable
sound system. Letty and I joined them later, raising our glasses for the safe arrival
at Kapatagan and for the rare chance to be together up there in the boondocks. Everyone
was in his element that night, unperturbed by the heavy rain, the howling winds,
and the harsh cold.
As I sat there and sip my beer, I couldn’t help but feel so thankful for
the gift of friends. Truly, finding those
you click with is like looking for the proverbial needle in the haystack. Lucky
me, I stumbled upon my friends who’ve been part of my life since college, who
took me just as I am, no explanations needed. From supporting me through my
battles, offering their two cents on crucial life decisions, or just being
there to make me roar with laughter, these awesome souls have turned ennui into
excitement!
As the evening wore on, the languor of the sojourn finally took its toll
on the weekend warriors. Shortly before midnight, we were all lying on the
floor, waiting to take off for the land of Nod, except for Cheryl who still
managed to belt out a few of her favorite tunes before hitting the sack. Later,
everyone was dozing off. Only the howling winds that intermittently pummeled
the galvanized iron roof and the glass windows interrupted the silence of the
eerie night. Soon, my eyelids became heavy and I was lost in dreamland, too.
Morning came faster than I expected.
“Hey,
guys, wake up! Look what we have here!”, someone shouted, arousing me and the
rest of the gang from the stupor of a good night’s sleep. It was Butch who
couldn’t contain his excitement as he peeped through one of the glass windows. Geez, it must be Apo, I thought.
Instinctively, I rose, grabbed my smartphone and went outside. The others also
started to get to their feet and followed after me.
Still
languid, I inched my way towards the verdant expanse at the back of the house and
voila! There he was. The Grandfather of Philippine Mountains in his naked
splendor, so visible under the blue, cloudless sky. Whew, what a refreshing
sight to behold! It was a little past 5 AM yet everyone was already tinkering
with their gizmos, eager to pose for some selfies and groupfies with the
country’s highest peak at the background!
 |
One of the newest friends we gained at Kapatagan
|
After
snapping so many shots, we went about with our morning rituals. Later, the
makeshift kitchen outside the house was abuzz with activity as Butch, Jacques,
Bong and Letty took turns in preparing our brekkie that consisted of sinangag (fried garlic rice), fried
eggs, corned beef, dried fish, paksiw,
and, of course, sinugba (grilled
fish). When you’re in the company of these masters of the kitchen, there’s definitely
more to soak in than the awesome natural scenery of Kapatagan!
For me, the highlight of a perfect mountain morning is having a hearty breakfast in the company of people close to your heart. And that’s exactly what we had as we feasted on the mouth-watering creations that our cooks laid on the table, swapping stories and anecdotes that had all of us in stitches, and taking in the freshness of Kapatagan’s mountain air. Geez, it was one of the simplest yet most satisfying meals I ever had this year!
We spent the rest of the morning exploring the place, taking pictures to our hearts’ content. By 1 PM, however, we decided to leave. Before going back to the city, we dropped by the neighboring Camp Sabros Mountain Resort, going around for a look-see (as it was Cheryl and Letty’s first time to see it), and taking more selfies and groupfies.
Nestled
at the highlands of Kapatagan, Camp Sabros, which is known as one of the
pioneering outdoor adventure parks that offer zip line rides in the Philippines,
is about a kilometer away from where we stayed. At some point, the resort was
regarded as having one of the longest zip lines with the highest elevations before
it was overtaken by other similar adventure resorts. Roughly two hours away
from Davao City, the park is often frequented by adrenaline junkies and weekend
wanderers from here and abroad.
 |
The refreshing view at Camp Sabros
|
If you want to enjoy the rides there, it’s best to stay overnight at the
park and then take the zip lines early in the morning (before 8 AM, if
possible) to catch the picture-perfect vista of Mt. Apo at the background as
you “fly” through the wires. Even if I missed seeing the mountain (which was covered by thick clouds) during my visit
to Camp Sabros in 2010, I still felt so ecstatic as I tried for the first time the
heart-stopping ride on the wild side!
 |
|
Revisited after almost a decade, the park seemed much crowded, noisy, and cramped for comfort when we got there. Still, it was as ravishing as the day I first saw it. I noticed my companions were having the time of their lives as they basked in the beauty of the verdant surroundings and took several pics at different parts of the mountain resort. Much as we wanted to linger, we had to leave after an hour of exploration as we had other things to attend to that day. I heard from my other companions though that a revisit is in the offing this summer.
 |
|
Short as it was, our stay at the highlands enabled us to take
a much-needed respite from routine. I bet you’d have the same experience,
regardless of whether you do so with a companion or several companions, a book,
your camera or smartphone. The breathtaking vista of the mountain and its
surrounding landscape will surely drive all your cares away, beckoning you to
pause, pose and post your pics on social media. It’s a rare chance to get high
at the highlands by escaping the fast-paced, stressful life most of us have to
live with.
Leaving
that village is like leaving somebody you've grown fond of. Like many of my
friends who’ve been there on several occasions, I’ve developed a rather deep
connection with the place—it’s like stumbling upon a second home where I feel
so at peace with my inner self in the arms of nature. If there’s one more chance
for another weekend wandering up there in the highlands of Kapatagan, I’d
definitely grab it if only to get a natural high with the craziest bunch of buddies
I’ve ever known! 🤣
“I
love places that make you realize how tiny you and your problems are.” So goes
a quotable quote I came across recently. The highlands make me feel that way.
Stepping into mountains or hills or even seeing them from a distance helps
change my perspective on the scheme of things. Looking down on the beauty
surrounding me from high above, it often dawns upon me that most of the
“problems” I obsessed about turn out to be inconsequential over the course of time.
Looking back at them, I realize how small they really were!
Whenever I hear the siren call of the mountains, I always find a way to heed it for it means one thing: It's time to slacken and scamper away from my comfort zone, suck in some fresh pine-scented air, and savor the spectacular rustic beauty of nature from way up there. That's exactly what I did recently when Jacques, one of my adventuresome college chums, invited me and a few of our friends to a weekend wandering at the highland village of Kapatagan in Digos City.
It's
my fourth time to make it there yet I still felt so excited the moment I
reached the place after so many years.
Nestled on a verdant plain, Kapatagan is blessed with a chilly mountain
breeze (that sometimes turn into howling winds at certain times of the year!),
lofty forest trees and conifers as well as rare flora and fauna set amidst a
picturesque landscape at the footslopes of Mt. Apo, the country’s highest peak.
Rising about 1,296 meters (roughly 4,252 feet) above mean sea level, the rolling plain that's considered the "Vegetable Capital of Davao del Sur”. There are days when the village is blanketed with a mantle of cold mists and a canopy of thick fogs both in the morning and at dusk. Its nearness to Apo makes it one of the most fascinating take-off points for mountaineers seeking to get to the top of the country’s rooftop.
Kapatagan
is one of the province’s dreamy destinations I’ve visited on three occasions in
the past. The first was when I scaled the summits of Apo in 2005, the second
was when I rode the ziplines of Camp Sabros in 2010, and the third one was when
I spent a night at one of the resorts there in 2014. Undoubtedly, these
occasions count among the most defining and adventurous moments of my life—all
of them giving me the ultimate natural high!
And so was this most
recent sojourn to the upland village, which was once postponed due to conflicts
in schedules of the weekend warriors. Mind you, it has turned out to be the
most enjoyable of all the times I was in Kapatagan. Reason: I was in the
company of the craziest bunch who’ve kept me from going crazy all these years! 
For
the longest time, Jacques had been egging us to join him for an overnight stay
there. One of his siblings had recently put up a rest house in Kapatagan and he
wanted to show the place to us. It was difficult to get the gang together given
our availability. There were other buddies who also wanted to be with us but
for one reason or another, their schedules didn’t allow them. In the end, only six
of us were able to push through with the escapade one weekend after Valentine’s
Day.
Relying
on the lone flashlight he gave us to illuminate our way towards the house, we followed suit.
Soaking wet in the rain, each one of us walked along the short but the slippery path, carrying
our luggage, groceries, folding beds, and other stuff. Whew, it was like a familiar
scene from some Hollywood horror movie I saw! LOL! Somehow, we made it through
the rain and got into the house. Suddenly, the generator roared to life. In minutes, the whole place was lighted. 
Nobody made a fuzz about preparing dinner as we already had our fill in downtown Digos a
few hours before heading for Kapatagan. Still, Letty volunteered to clean the
fish that we earlier bought. She also cooked paksiw (fish stewed in vinegar) that we had as our pulutan (appetizer), along with chicharon (fried pork rind), peanuts, among others, during our short
drinking session. I offered to help her with the chore.
Moments
later, we heard the guys engaging in a spirited yet subdued conversation. It
was followed by a brief crooning session as Jacques brought along a portable
sound system. Letty and I joined them later, raising our glasses for the safe arrival
at Kapatagan and for the rare chance to be together up there in the boondocks. Everyone
was in his element that night, unperturbed by the heavy rain, the howling winds,
and the harsh cold. 
As I sat there and sip my beer, I couldn’t help but feel so thankful for
the gift of friends. Truly, finding those
you click with is like looking for the proverbial needle in the haystack. Lucky
me, I stumbled upon my friends who’ve been part of my life since college, who
took me just as I am, no explanations needed. From supporting me through my
battles, offering their two cents on crucial life decisions, or just being
there to make me roar with laughter, these awesome souls have turned ennui into
excitement! 
As the evening wore on, the languor of the sojourn finally took its toll
on the weekend warriors. Shortly before midnight, we were all lying on the
floor, waiting to take off for the land of Nod, except for Cheryl who still
managed to belt out a few of her favorite tunes before hitting the sack. Later,
everyone was dozing off. Only the howling winds that intermittently pummeled
the galvanized iron roof and the glass windows interrupted the silence of the
eerie night. Soon, my eyelids became heavy and I was lost in dreamland, too.
“Hey,
guys, wake up! Look what we have here!”, someone shouted, arousing me and the
rest of the gang from the stupor of a good night’s sleep. It was Butch who
couldn’t contain his excitement as he peeped through one of the glass windows. Geez, it must be Apo, I thought.
Instinctively, I rose, grabbed my smartphone and went outside. The others also
started to get to their feet and followed after me.
Still
languid, I inched my way towards the verdant expanse at the back of the house and
voila! There he was. The Grandfather of Philippine Mountains in his naked
splendor, so visible under the blue, cloudless sky. Whew, what a refreshing
sight to behold! It was a little past 5 AM yet everyone was already tinkering
with their gizmos, eager to pose for some selfies and groupfies with the
country’s highest peak at the background!
After
snapping so many shots, we went about with our morning rituals. Later, the
makeshift kitchen outside the house was abuzz with activity as Butch, Jacques,
Bong and Letty took turns in preparing our brekkie that consisted of sinangag (fried garlic rice), fried
eggs, corned beef, dried fish, paksiw,
and, of course, sinugba (grilled
fish). When you’re in the company of these masters of the kitchen, there’s definitely
more to soak in than the awesome natural scenery of Kapatagan! 
For me, the highlight of a perfect mountain morning is having a hearty breakfast in the company of people close to your heart. And that’s exactly what we had as we feasted on the mouth-watering creations that our cooks laid on the table, swapping stories and anecdotes that had all of us in stitches, and taking in the freshness of Kapatagan’s mountain air. Geez, it was one of the simplest yet most satisfying meals I ever had this year!
We spent the rest of the morning exploring the place, taking pictures to our hearts’ content. By 1 PM, however, we decided to leave. Before going back to the city, we dropped by the neighboring Camp Sabros Mountain Resort, going around for a look-see (as it was Cheryl and Letty’s first time to see it), and taking more selfies and groupfies. 
Nestled
at the highlands of Kapatagan, Camp Sabros, which is known as one of the
pioneering outdoor adventure parks that offer zip line rides in the Philippines,
is about a kilometer away from where we stayed. At some point, the resort was
regarded as having one of the longest zip lines with the highest elevations before
it was overtaken by other similar adventure resorts. Roughly two hours away
from Davao City, the park is often frequented by adrenaline junkies and weekend
wanderers from here and abroad.
If you want to enjoy the rides there, it’s best to stay overnight at the
park and then take the zip lines early in the morning (before 8 AM, if
possible) to catch the picture-perfect vista of Mt. Apo at the background as
you “fly” through the wires. Even if I missed seeing the mountain (which was covered by thick clouds) during my visit
to Camp Sabros in 2010, I still felt so ecstatic as I tried for the first time the
heart-stopping ride on the wild side!
Revisited after almost a decade, the park seemed much crowded, noisy, and cramped for comfort when we got there. Still, it was as ravishing as the day I first saw it. I noticed my companions were having the time of their lives as they basked in the beauty of the verdant surroundings and took several pics at different parts of the mountain resort. Much as we wanted to linger, we had to leave after an hour of exploration as we had other things to attend to that day. I heard from my other companions though that a revisit is in the offing this summer. 
