Eden Nature Park

October 28, 2007 – It was a planned getaway to celebrate the end of the semester (and secondarily to treat the jealousy of not being able to go with James to Baguio), Cary and I spent the whole Sunday at Eden Nature Park, Toril.

Adventure-seekers as we are, we went there by jeepney (to Mercury Drug, Crossing Bayabas, Toril, regular fare of P7.00 for the first four kilometers) and motorcycle (from jeepney stop going up to Eden, P80.00 for two). I really don’t recommend going there without a car. The motorcycle ride was okay but it’s not that safe (I got my calf burned from the muffler)…

The trip offers really great sights. But better sights await you at Eden Nature Park.

Reception Area –Eden offers various packages for clienteles, we chose Package 2 which is P230 per person and that’s good for entrance, one light snack, and horse-back riding. Visitors can choose for different packages, we opted for Package No. 2 mainly because of the horse-back riding, little did we know that we should’ve taken the Package with the Lunch Buffet on it (I guess it was for P400+) when we discovered the delectable menu they were serving at their restaurant…

Well anyway, we ventured, discovered, explored the place, and found out that we got lost. It was their busy season and we weren’t able to join in their Guided Tour because of the wave of people that reserved before us. So, another tip, it’s better to reserve your visit before going there…

So, as I was saying, we got lost, but getting lost in such a nice place is not that all distressing. Why? Just look at the pictures below and be awed of the wonders and beauty that Eden Nature Park offers:

When we got back to the reception area, we were very hungry. Since we didn’t avail of the lunch buffet, we instead ordered for sandwiches (which were really heavy and delicious) and iced coffee (unfortunately, the iced coffee wasn’t really that satisfying). Fog was thick at 12 noon. It was also raining that time, but it didn’t really stop us from trying on their Indiana Jones at the children’s playground.

We then proceeded to another area (it’s actually separate, just across the street from Eden Nature Park) for the horseback-riding. We ate our supposed to be ”light” snack (the one we get with the package), which we discovered to be a plate of spaghetti, garlic bread, and brownie, and it wasn’t just “snacks” for me, it was like I had my second lunch... And the place wasn’t just purely a stable for horses, it also had a mini children’s playground with my favorite Indiana Jones and an obstacle course that really got my attention as if it awaken the child in me. I tried the obstacle course. Unfortunately, because of my age and lack of practice, I failed to hurdle it and went away defeated, muddy and wet.

It was an experience to treasure. I love that day! I was tired but it was all worth it. It felt like I just had all the good stress that I need.

Lake Sebu, South Cotabato

Boring Thursday morning of April 27, 2006, I received a text message from Uncle Bong inviting me and Jeanne to go to Lake Sebu. I was in Marbel then, my second time to visit that place,and I was very eager to explore the city and its neighboring municipalities.
Lake Sebu is a municipality located in South Cotabato. It was an hour's ride from Marbel. Commuting would take longer, you can either ride on a bus or van travelling to the Lake Sebu minicipality, and thereafter take a motorcycle (locally known as habal-habal) to take you to wherever you want to go. You can either go to the very famous natural lake ("Lake Sebu", where the municipality's name is taken), or visit other places like the 7 waterfalls.

What makes Lake Sebu amazing is that seems to be located on top of the mountain, it looks more like a crater than a lake, but there are no volcanoes there... It's really a lake, not a crater... There are different resorts around the lake. Most of these offer lake tour packages, fishing, some have swimming pools. The lake tour includes a native T'boli tourguide, clad in their native attire complete with the 6-kilo brass belt with full of bells.

Of course, the trip is not complete without food. The restaurants can either cook your catch if you are lucky enough in your fishing expedition or you may order from their palatable menu which mainly consist of tilapia dishes. Lake Sebu is one of the major producers of Tilapia. For me, the best dish was the chicharon tilapia. I was never a tilapia-eater but the chicharon tilapia served there was a big and instant hit for me. It is really delicious. Another first is the tilapia kinilaw. In my 21 years of existence, I have only encountered malasugue (blue marlin) and bariles (tuna) kinilaw. I was shocked to see a kinilaw na tilapia in their menu. It was good-tasting as well and I highly recommend it, a must-try, it went beyond the ordinary kinilaw that you've tasted before.
Lake Sebu was an enjoyable experience. If you happen to visit South Cotabato, don't forget to take a peek at the magnificent Lake Sebu and be awed by its beauty.

Summer Trip

My sisters woke up on the early morning of May 5 to get ready for our summer getaway. The plan was to go to Bluewaters Resort at the Island Garden City of Samal.

Going there was a breeze. If you have your own car, you can take the barge. You can also take a 10-minute boat ride to the resort from Insular Hotel's Pirata Bar. Transportation is affordable at P150 (lump-sum if the passengers do not reach 10 persons) or P15 per head (if the passengers reach more than 10). The boat is available from 7 am and the last trip will be at 4:30 pm.

Bluewaters is like a semi-private place, different from the neighboring resorts jam-packed with people. At Bluewaters, you can find solace at their reasonably-priced picnic huts and facilities. The saltwater pool is also a plus (specially during low tide).

Check the pictures below to have a taste of Bluewaters Resort:

Footbridge going to the resort

This is the small picnic hut priced at P150.00 good for 10 persons... There are also large picnic huts at P300 good for 20 persons. If you want to stay overnight, they have cottages and furnished rooms to accommodate you and your family.

A view of the saltwater pool overlooking the ocean.

The beach:

Aside from its really friendly service, the rates are also very affordable. Entrance fee is only P70 and the pool rate is P50. Experience Fun Under the Sun!

Diving 101

On February 18, 2007, there was an organized diving in Samal Island. Diving Fee was P950.oo per head, inclusive of lunch and snacks, free tshirt, diving gears, and basic lessons from a diving instructor.

This was my first diving experience. The diving spots we visited were Mansud Wall, Babu Santa, and Coral Garden. It was an exhilarating experience. Seeing Nemos (clown fish) in real life is such an unforgettable sight and truly a great experience. I did not only enjoy diving, I also learned to value our water resources.

www.windandwavedavao.com


Updates:
As of 2009, diving rates for Diving 101 is P1,050.00 per person. Please visit windandwavedavao.com for more details. Actually, there are more diving shops in Davao but Wind and Wave is the author's favorite. =)