It was a rather dull and boring evening and I was lazily sifting through Facebook posts when I saw something that caught my attention. It was a of photo a river in some obscure town in Mindanao called Hinatuan. The photo went viral and has accumulated enough likes, maybe a thousand or more, to reach my news feed and catch my curiosity as an avid traveler. I couldn't believe my eyes then. I was sure something of that level would have been surely post-processed to achieve the effect if there ever was any intention to do so. The comments seem to echo my sentiments also. The waters were clear and blue that it seemed like it was man-made. It was certainly inviting. I kept that image in my mind and soon enough I was booked on a trip to visit the Enchanted river of Surigao to see for myself.
Part I:
We took the morning flight to Butuan city and arrived as early as 7:30AM. Information on different websites I read suggested that there are vans that go directly from the airport to Bislig city. However, upon arrival we learned that the vans are chartered for a minimum fee which at the time we could not afford. They advised us to look for public vans at the bus terminal. Unfortunately when we arrived at bus terminal, the bus and vans bound for Bislig city already left so we instead took a public van bound for San Francisco, Agusan del Sur which is few towns away from Hinatuan. From San Francisco bus terminal we transferred to a public jeep bound for Hinatuan.
The trip took approximately 4 hours through wide and well paved roads passing through fields filled with coconut trees. Cars plying the same route were few and far in between with only the common and widely used habal-habal motorcycles transporting vegetable produce frequently catching our sights. We had asked to be dropped off at the junction separating the main road and the dirt road leading to the Enchanted river. There we chartered a habal-habal to take us to the river. Our driver offered us a package which includes a visit to Tinuy-An falls for P1,500.00 for three people. The rate was standard for the tour.
The habal-habal ride took about 30 minutes through tortuous unpaved roads which was an experience in itself until a sign in the middle of the forest indicated we were there already. There were a lot of people during our visit with many of them occupying the picnic tents surrounding the river. We didn't mind them as we walked immediately straight towards the river and as it unfolded in front of us we all gasped in awe.
It was real and it was even better up close. We stared at it for a little while longer and then we put down our bags, removed our clothes, and motioned towards the river to finally swim. The water was cold but bearable. We were told that the water was coming from the nearby sea and flowed through an underground cave which no one has yet explored. The deepest part easily reached 25 meters and while swimming we could see schools of fish swimming from underneath our feet.
Local folklore has it that the river was inhabited by mystical elements and beings. Some unexplainable events have been reported to have happened ever since the place was opened to the public. Nevertheless the supernatural and eerie reputation of the place has only allured more and more locals to flock to the place.
After the river, we packed our bags and went on to Bislig city. It was another one and a half hour journey with the last 30 minutes riding again through unpaved roads leading up to Tinuy-An falls. We arrived late in the afternoon just before sunset and we knew we were already close when we we heard the sound of rushing water.
From afar we could already see the bottom tier of the waterfalls and it was magnificent. The air was filled with mist and the sun was just at the right place to light up the scene. For a minimal fee we rented a bamboo raft to be able to get closer to the foot of the falls. The catch basin is 30 feet deep and the under current was not that strong at the time so it was safe to swim. The highlight of the experience was standing exactly below the falling water as it acted like natural shower.
We had to make in time for the last bus to Butuan city so we left after an hour. We were exhausted but by the end of our first day we all agreed that it was well worth the travel and effort. Our habal-habal cruised through the countryside with little difficulty and we relaxed as the rushing wind dried our drenched clothes and we watched as the sun wearily and slowly put an end to our first day of adventure. We boarded the bus and quickly dozed off as soon as it left Bislig city.
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| Map of Surigao for reference |
-There are multiple entry points to get into the province from Manila either through Surigao City, Davao City, Tandag City or Butuan City. The flights are operated by PAL and Cebu Pacific Air. Following my rough itinerary we chose to fly in through Butuan City as it was the closest entry point to reach the southern part of the province.
-The Enchanted river is located in Hinatuan, Surigao del Sur and Tinuy-An falls is in Bislig City. We took the morning flight to have enough time to visit both attractions within the day. I have read that normally there are vans located in the airport that would offer to take tourists straight to Bislig City but the vans are hired on a chartered basis and price would be economical only for large groups. We were quoted P3,500.00 for a van that could fit 10 people.
-Alternatively there are buses and vans at the integrated bus terminal that ply the route going to Bislig City. The vans take 4 hours while the buses take 5-6 hours to reach Bislig City. They pass through major cities of Agusan such as Bayugan, Properidad, and San Francisco before crossing over to Surigao del Sur through Tagbina and Hinatuan.
-At the junction before entering Hinatuan town proper, several habal-habal drivers will be available for hire. Standard rate is P1,500.00 for a tour that will include a visit to the Enchanted River, Britania group of islands jump-off point and Tinuy-An falls exclusive of entrance fees. Our habal-habal driver was Tata (09078926375). You can contact him prior to your trip to arrange the tour and he will be waiting for you at the junction
-For overnight stays, Paper Country Inn (086-628-2313) came in highly recommended. We however chose to do a day trip at the last minute due to time constraints. I had to cancel our reservation.
-Last trip leaving Bislig city to Butuan city is at 5:30 PM.
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