bislig — Caraga rising paradise

Bislig City – a city by the bay

July 1, 2009 40 Comments

This is one of my most exciting visit since this is the place where the famous Tinuy-an Falls located. Bislig City is the opposite end of Butuan City that is end to end to each other in Caraga. If you want to look at the map, Bislig City was 158 kilometers away southeast of Butuan City, and is heading at the last part of Caraga in going to the South to Davao Oriental.

Bislig City was located in the province of Surigao del Sur. It is known as – a city by the bay – because most its land mass occupying the scenic bay facing the great Pacific Ocean. Bislig City owns the whole part of the bay. No more, no less. Both Butuan and Bislig have a bay in honor to its name. Bislig City got its name from a forest vine of the rattan family that grew in abundance along the banks of its rivers.

In 1990, the then Bislig town was converted into a city. Other cities that comprise Caraga aside from Bislig are Butuan and Surigao.

A Portal of Virgin Forest

It is just about 5 hours ride from Butuan City. While as we move closer to Bislig City, the rough road has started to bump my seat but there were lots of entry point in order to get through to the city. There you experience big trees along the side of the road as you have never seen before like a trip to a never ending forest. You are heading the road as if you are passing the cradle of giant trees and wild plants but it seems they are just the leftover of boom logging in the 70’s.

If you think of it, Bislig City before the boom of logging industries was part of a cradle of virgin forest, or else a frontal image of a nude forest in the Pacific. This is where the defunct PICOP Resources discovered the best location of it. PICOP was formerly the largest paper mill in Asia.

PICOP, Mangagoy, or Mangagoy, PICOP

It can not be deny that word PICOP and Mangagoy – are famous name compare to the name Bislig. When you say PICOP refer to Mangagoy, and Mangagoy known where PICOP Resources located. It is just simply both name overshadowed the name Bislig. When I was young I always hear the name Mangagoy and PICOP until then in high school, I have a research on it and discovered that they are all came from Bislig town.

Someone is telling me, to that effect that comparing Mangagoy is like a city and Bislig was just a plain rural area. Later I learned that Mangagoy was just a downtown barangay envelope by not famed Bislig town. PICOP became a household name because most of its inhabitants were connected to PICOP as human resources and the source of livelihood. In short, most bisliganon survives due to PICOP existence.

Tourist Attraction

I have already discovered the beauty of Tinuy-an Falls which is known as “Niagara of Caraga.” It is a 3-layered falls with a height of 55 meters and a width of 95 meters, and possibly the widest falls in the Philippines. When I went there, it will cost 45 minutes to jump from the city proper. It is one of the best waterfalls in the entire Philippines because of its majestic and unique natural formation. Its colorful picture was once appeared in the International Travel Magazine.

Another hotspot is Hagonoy Island is a pearl shape island with clear blue water and white sand suitable for tropical getaway. It is 45 minutes pumpboat ride within the Bislig Bay.

The Lawigan Beach which faces and considers a part of the Pacific Ocean is a host of white sand beaches in the coastal area with fresh ocean breeze and sun bathing.

The enchanted underground river of the Hinayagan Cave. Famous for its unique features and has an atrium at the center reflecting sun rays. Experience a thrill while riding a banca or bamboo raft with bats hovering over your head.

The Togonan Cold Spring which is a 30-minute ride a far from the city proper.

Forester Park where amazing rock formation carved by nature through time which includes century old trees amidst mahogany tree plantation.

Bislig also hosts an annual festival called “The Karawasan Festival” during the charter day of the city which features an inter-school ethnic dance competition. Karawasan came from a local dialect which means “movement of the crabs”.

Never-ending Nature Parks and Resorts

• Ocean View Park – found at Gangas Drive 300 step up in a forest. You can see the panoramic view of Bislig Bay, Pacific Ocean, and Bislig City Skyline
• Baywalk Boulevard
• Mone River – offers a boat ride tour and witness the tropical getaways
• Florland Resort
• Restiseta Farm Resort
• Villa Salud Resort
• Villa Maximilla Resort
• Sian Resort
• Highland Function Farm

some photos and info from bislig city government website, other pics from bislig tambayan, and friendster from bislig karawasan photo

You can reach Bislig City for 5 hours from Butuan City by bus.

Tinuy-an Falls – niagara of caraga II

February 28, 2009 37 Comments

It’s been sometime that I’ve been for a while gazing memories back when I conquered this falls a year ago that started from the first lane of layers then climbed at the top of it. The memories are worth nothing but real treasure. Now I’m back to the amazing place which is called Tinuy-an Falls. Possibly, the widest falls in the Philippines.

It’s My Second Post

I remember my first post about Tinuy-an Falls full of wonder how it was discovered when a story came out. When you enter the center of a thick covered virgin forest, falls were nowhere else but when cleared everything magnificent falls started to emerge before your naked eyes. That was the logging boom in the 60s and 70s when the story started. Well a story started easily from the scratch but it turned out to be an added fascination and attraction for curious individuals out there who don’t know about Tinuy-an Falls. For those who do not know the story of Caraga, well it will add color to your curiosity about the land of the brave, and became a frequent visitor here.

I have gone to different falls in Agusan del Norte with its beautiful mountain ranges. Even the dominated flat lands of the historic Butuan and the Shangri-La adventures of Surigao del Sur, I can tell you simply amazing, but you can not resist the beauty of Tinuy-an Falls. It makes me a crazy person, and easily lost all my 2 gigs of digicam for wild shots of different angles.

On The Road To Redemption

It started with a bumpy ride for almost an hour from the heart of Bislig City. I was stuck with my friends in an old jeepney ride that turns out to be over crowded that some of us became a sandwich. The backache, headache, butt ache and some kind of ache turned out to be so vulnerable whenever the vehicle jumps from the rocky and hollow portion of the road. Well, I will tell you its part of adventure to an unknown place beyond.

But when we reached Tinuy-an Falls all of the ache vanished. Tiredness and weariness lost when you saw the scattered glistening white falling like crystal that crushed into the rocks, so big and wide as mountains. The sound of the falls is more than a music, you will never get tired of listening. The place was surrounded with thick green trees that refresh your eyes that were strained too much from the exposure of computer screen. And here, you will forget everything. It makes you a renewed person: body and soul.

I remember Siargao escapade. You can see the beauty of nature between seas and mountains, the escape route was the beaches. But here, it is not, you must be at the center of the forest, and find the magnificent view of nature that captures your eyes so much – the gigantic flow of water from the top of the mountains.

A Three-Layered Falls

You can see the first batch of water that falls from the top of the mountain. The first layer…

The second layer is the most gorgeous because of its highest fall. Wanna know where my friends are….let’s move closer…

Get closer…follow the red marking…

Gotcha!

The third layer is the first you can see after moving out from the vehicle I am in.

To sum up all in all, here’s the whole world of Tinuy-an Falls.

I find it very interesting when Tinuy-an Falls of Caraga turns out to be the Niagara of Caraga. Someday, Tinuy-an Falls will be remembered as Tinuy-an of Niagara. Err, I think, they are both the best of natures.

You can reach Tinuy-an Falls for almost 1 hour from the heart of Bislig City and from Butuan City to Bislig City for 5 hours by bus.

Tinuy-an Falls – niagara of caraga

January 17, 2007 2 Comments

When I went to Bislig City – a City by the Bay – with my companions from different agency for monitoring, we are invited by mayor Garay to take a visit to Tinuy-an falls. I’m so excited because I learned that the discovery of this magnificent falls, when years back, was just a result of logging boom in 60’s and 70’s (although, i’m not sure about the story). When loggers tried to set back in the heart of thick green virgin forest near the boundary of Surigao del Sur and Agusan del Sur and found the heavily covered majestic Tinuy-an Falls when cleared the area.

When I saw the falls, it was covered with mist and its cold…how big it was! I tried to go at the top of it with a stairway along the side and found another falls – all in all a three layered falls. I thought it was the widest and the biggest falls i’ve ever seen of my entire life.

Tinuy-an Falls as one of the widest water curtain in the country (possibly the widest), has a total height of 55 meters and a bathing area of 95 meters. It can be reached by a car within 30 minutes from the heart of the City of Bislig.