The Seven Falls of Lake Sebu, South Cotabato

September 21, 2014October 16, 2014 / margarethabsinintrepido / Leave a comment

South Cotabato has proven to be one of Mindanao‘s best kept secrets that is now aggressively gaining popularity. After our adventure at Lake Holon at T’boli, we were headed for Lake Sebu to see more of what the province has to offer. The mountain town of Lake Sebu, also famous for its three lakes: Lake Sebu, Lake Seloton and Lake Lahit, is also home to the indigenous T’boli community . Aside from that, it also boasts of various natural treasures: lush forests and plantations, placid lakes, rivers and waterfalls that will surely prove to be worthwhile to visit.

After coming from Surigao del Sur to see Tinuy-an Falls a couple of days before we reached Lake Sebu, we still haven’t had enough of seeing not just one, but seven waterfalls so we added The Seven Falls as one of the highlights of our itinerary for Lake Sebu. It was very rainy on our first day, I was constantly waiting for

weather

updates in the news and looks like that leg of the trip will be accompanied by another tropical depression. We still chose to push through with our plans, good thing our habal habal drivers were also up for the challenge.

One of the main tourist spots in Lake Sebu is the Seven major cascading falls located at Barangay Lake Seloton. We were told that the local clan of Dongon are the caretakers and owners of these falls. One of the main tourist spots in Lake Sebu is the Seven major cascading falls located at Barangay Lake Seloton. We were told that the local clan of Dongon are the caretakers and owners of these falls. Additionally, only five of them are accesible to tourists since Falls 6 and Falls 7 will take long hours to trek by foot.

This attraction is quite popular since there are a number of activities that you can also accomplish here. By the entrance, there are already a number of shops that sell shirts, bags, and other souvenir items so it’s a great opportunity to do your pasalubong shopping.

– See more at: http://thechroniclesofmariane.blogspot.com/2014/06/the-seven-falls-of-lake-sebu-south.html#.dpuf

a bird’s eye view of Falls 3, 4, and 5

If you’re up for it, you can also have your picture taken while wearing T’boli traditional outfits. For only 50 pesos, you can have all the poses you want! It’s one of the best souvenirs I’ve had on my trip here.

the woman manning the booth was really friendly, i think I even had more than 20 shots taken 😛

And of course, for us adrenaline junkies, the zipline is not to be missed. For only 250 bucks, this is the easiest way to see five of the seven falls in one go. Since my companions need to leave earlier to catch their flight leaving at Gen San, I was left to wait for the operations to start and the rain to calm down. After lunch, I was finally able to take the ride. I can say, it is the most scenic and also the most affordable zipline I have ever had up to date. During the ride, I was worried whether to take a video or shoot pictures, but it would have probably been the best to leave the

camera

behind and just enjoy the thrill and the experience!

Enjoying Lake Sebu’s zipline, so this is how “flying” to these natural wonders would feel like!

Even though the heavy rain did not permit me to take more shots of the falls that I hoped I had, I still very much enjoyed the majestic view. It’s interesting how many falls you can find in just one town. It definitely is one of Mindanao’s gems. Another check on my bucket list!

#tboliselfie

How to go to Lake Sebu
There are two easy options if you will be taking a plane, either by landing to General Santos City or Davao will do. In our case, we visited Surigao del Sur first then headed to Davao.

From General Santos City
Take a transfer, either by taxi or jeepney to the bus station and look for buses heading for Koronadal/Marbel (Yellow bus line). From there, there will be buses heading for Surallah. And from this town, you can take jeepneys that will go to Lake Sebu. There are also habal habals available.

From Davao
You can take a bus heading for General Santos or Koronadal/Marbel (also Yellow Bus line). From there, you may take the similar directions above.

Habal-habal drivers (whole day rate is 500 pesos, half day is 300 pesos)
Kuya Paning – 09057163942
Kuya Enteng – 09364175139

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EXPERIENCE LAKE SEBU

September 21, 2014September 21, 2014 / margarethabsinintrepido / Leave a comment

Imagine yourself paddling into sparkling pristine water…embrace with the beauty of lotus and lilies greeting you along the way…

A place where you’ll hear songs from the winds and the whisper of grasslands…

The least explored region of Mindanao can definitely present a taste of Asian culture in its most colorful and exotic form. With tourism backing up its economic development, South Cotabato is gradually owning a share of famed spots among the 7,107 islands of the Philippines.

Probably one of the road less traveled, little has been written about South Cotabato. Yet it’s as remarkable as other famous tourist destination in the country. It’s a region where life is good and the possibilities are endless. Enjoy so much more for far less than you thought possible.

Adding to the unique character of South Cotabato is a prime eco-tourism destination and one of the province’s tourist pride, the awe-inspiring LAKE SEBU…

On board to Lake Sebu, enjoy a thrilling road trip experience via the local transportation known as the habalhabal and enjoy the breathtaking views along the way.

If you love nature in all its simplicity, Lake Sebu will reward you with scenic landscapes and a picturesque lake in its most serene natural world. Often described as a bowl of forest and mountains, this charming fresh water surely rekindle all the imagination and whimsy of your love for the great outdoors.

Different cultural tribe inhabits this area. Get up close and personal with native T’bolis and watch them present their music and perform their cultural dance…

The T’bolis are also known for their incredible craftsmanship on tinalak weaving and brass making. Leading the ancient art of T’boli textile weaving is Tinalak Master Weaver and National Living Treasure Awardee, Lang Dulay.

Visit the T’boli museum and see a collection of antiques and artifacts in a building patterned to a traditional T’boli house. Tourists can buy these intricate handmade pieces at some souvenir shops seen along the side roads.

Here, the main livelihood is fishing and farming. With the abundance of newly catched tilapias and fresh garden crops, art of good healthy living is well in evidence at the table.

Although accommodation here at Lake Sebu doesn’t have the grandeur of a five star hotel, there are a handful of lake resorts to choose from. A couple of lodging houses that offers a cozy and eco-friendly retreat best for visitors who want a raw experience of an intimate stay.

A blossoming green destination, it offers many delights for nature lovers, long distance foot paths and spacious navigable lake water. Boat trips offer a chance to bask in a peaceful aquatic environment. Gaze at distinctive nipa huts together with locals who are for centuries living in harmony with the lake.

Set out for a morning stroll. Simple travellers learn to savour the charm of its little roads. High up on hills, hikers can find giant trees in a secluded rainforest.

Day trippers are always ecstatic when they see Lake Sebu’s famous 7 falls. A series of 7 different falls showcasing its own unique magnificence, truly a Lake Sebu star attraction

For those who want to experience something a little more extreme, an exhilarating zipline ride would satisfy your adrenaline rush. This is Philippine’s longest and highest zipline giving screaming riders a breathtaking bird’s eye view of the majestic falls while flying across lush forest trees.

As the fog rises above the lake at night, Lake Sebu hugs its visitors with a blanket of cold fresh mountain air, a serenade from the sweet hum of birds and ending your day with a peaceful relaxing good night sleep.

Immerse yourself in this southern part of the Philippines and look forward to a journey that could just be as interesting as the destination.

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THE LAKE SEBU ESCAPADE

September 20, 2014October 16, 2014 / margarethabsinintrepido / Leave a comment

It’s fun to be in Lake Sebu. But it’s more fun to listen to the T’boli tour guide who accompanied us during the entire lake CRUISE in Isla Punta Resort.

Yes, it’s been a great weekend for all of us. We have now a few days left before returning to Manila so at least, we gave ourselves a treat: Going to Lake Sebu, South Cotabato. We tried lake CRUISING at Isla Punta and we went around the places’ vast waters. There we met the tour guide.

Well, I thought it’s fun to listen to her because of the natives’ story about the lake. The lake obviously has become part of their lives so I thought, they must have legends surrounding it. The “frustrated anthropologist” within me prompted me to ask to which she replied, “Yes sir. According to legend, the lake came into being because of a woman and a frog.”

“A woman and what?” asked a brother behind me. I thought I heard it “rag”, Philip thought it was “rock.” Jay, who was just staring blankly said… well, never mind.

“A frog sir,” the tour guide repeated. “According to legend, a female weaver found a white frog sitting on a Takul leaf. She drove it aside and found out that underneath the leaf was a spring. She washed herself with it and enjoyed its fresh water. From time to time, she would return. But before leaving, she makes sure that she would cover it again with Takul leaf and place the white frog on top of it.”

“The frog doesn’t move?” someone asked behind me.

“Yes it doesn’t. Then one time, she left the spring uncovered. The Takul leaf was gone, and so the white frog. Water continuously flowed from it. Eventually, the spring inundated the area.”

And poof! It became Lake Sebu, I told myself with a tone just like that in Koko Crunch commercials.

She almost said everything of what a tourist should at least know about the place and the tribe. Stuff like Lake Sebu is considered the summer capital of south and central Mindanao; that the lake itself is 180 ft. deep (so one has to be seriously wearing his life vest); that it has 12 islands and islets, one of which is the 21-hectare Crocodile Island which ironically doesn’t have any crocodile at all; that most of the people are pure-blooded T’boli, almost 85 percent of the population; that majority of them are Catholic while the rest are Muslim, and from other Christian denominations.

The guide also invited us to their other destinations. Aside from the 45-minute cruise around the lake, the next attraction in Lake Sebu is its Seven Water Falls. The waters of Lake Sebu flow down to the rivers through these falls. But you can only have a good sight of it (well at least 3 of them since the rest aren’t yet that accessible to tourists) when you take the breathtaking zipline. It is said to be the tallest in the Philippines, if not in Southeast Asia. Just imagine you’re kilometres above a cliff, as if you are suspended in the air and ready to fall!

That was really fun.

And

inspiring

.Oh yes, it really was.

The feeling was as if you’re an eagle flying to see the landscape below. And I found myself praying, not for my safety though, but in praise. I can’t help but to marvel at its beauty and the intelligence of the One who designed them all. “Ang ganda Lord!” (It’s so beautiful Lord!) If only I have the chance again, without second thought, I’ll try it once more.

I observe that in Lake Sebu, nature and culture meet. Politically, it is a 1^stclass municipality of 19 barangays. But in the eyes of the natives and those who appreciate the serene life found in the place, it is a community who formed itself around the gift of nature, the great Sebu. If Max’s was the house built by fried chicken, it is rightly so to refer Lake Sebu as the community built by the lake!

Or maybe the community is the gift of the female Tinalak weaver who accidently found the spring. Figuratively, it may! Without the spring guarded by the white frog, there could be no Lake Sebu. And without Lake Sebu, there could be no good destination as this in Central and Southern Mindanao.

And perhaps we can’t have a good weekend treat like this too.

LAKE SEBU:SHOW CASE OF ARTS AND CULTURE

September 20, 2014September 20, 2014 / margarethabsinintrepido / Leave a comment

Lake Sebu’s T’boli Tribe Featured in Globe Trekker

Globe Trekker (sometimes called Pilot Guides in Australia, Thailand, and Canada, and originally broadcast as Lonely Planet) is an adventure tourism television series produced by Pilot Productions. The British-based series was inspired by the Lonely Planet travelbooks and began airing in 1994. Globe Trekker is broadcast in over 40 countries across 6 continents.

The show often goes far beyond popular tourist destinations in order to give viewers a more authentic look at local culture. Presenters usually participate in different aspects of regional life, such as attending a traditional wedding or visiting a mining community. They address the viewer directly, acting as tourists-turned-tour guides, but are also filmed interacting with locals and discovering interesting locations in (mostly) unrehearsed sequences. Globe Trekker also sometimes includes brief interviews with backpackers who share tips on independent travel in that particular country.

Shilpa Mehta

On its 10th episode for Season 3, Globe Trekker Shilpa Mehta travels to the Philippines. Among the places she visited were Baguio, Sagada, Manila, Davao, Palawan and Lake Sebu.

She met with the indigenous T’boli people and got to see one of their distinct tradition – horse fighting! The said episode was aired recently at the Lifestyle Network.

Click here to read more about Globe Trekker’s visit to the Philippines.

Here’s a TV commercial of Nescafe Classic featuring the T’boli TRibe of Lake Sebu with their theme, “Para kanino ka bumabangon”. Watch and see how beautiful and interesting the T’boli Tribe is in this 30seconder ad.

South Cotabato allots P5M more for development of eco-tourism sites in Lake Sebu

Here’s some good news courtesy of http://magazine.southcotabato.org/The provincial government of South Cotabato is investing an additional P5 million for the development of the emerging eco-tourism and adventure sites in the lakeside resort town of Lake Sebu.Cesar Sulit Jr., South Cotabato tourism officer, said over the weekend that the additional funds would be utilized to fast track the ongoing implementation of the Seven Falls Development Project, a local government-led tourism initiative that promotes the development of Lake Sebu’s famed seven waterfalls.“We will continue with the infrastructure buildup, improve the site’s operations and develop other potential attractions within the seven waterfalls,” he told.

Sulit said the project’s allocation was endorsed earlier this month by the Provincial Development Council as part of the local government’s annual investment plan for 2011.

He said South Cotabato Gov. Arthur Pingoy Jr., who earlier adopted the project as among his administration’s priorities in terms of tourism development, had set additional funding through the provincial government’s proposed 2011 budget.

The management of the Seven Falls Development Project, which was launched more than two years ago with an initial funding of some P20 million from the provincial government, was transferred earlier this month from the supervision of the Provincial Environmental Management Office to the Provincial Planning and Development Office (PPDO).

The provincial government launched anew the project led by Gov. Pingoy and other local officials.
Sulit, who also heads the PPDO’s Arts, Culture, Tourism and Sports Unit, said they earlier launched a study to identify various strategies that would help enhance the ongoing development and operations of the project.
He said that among their initial plans was to introduce trekking and wildlife tours as complement to the popular ziplines installed in three of the area’s seven waterfalls.

Sulit said they will develop the trails from waterfalls 1 to 7 to encourage trekking activities, which would be mainly marketed among students and hiking enthusiasts.

He said they would train some local residents to serve as tour guides for the trekking and the wildlife tours.
To improve the operations of the ziplines, Sulit said they would acquire additional equipment to accommodate their growing number of clients, especially during weekends and holidays.

The ziplines connect waterfalls 1 and 5 as well as waterfalls 2 and 5 and features a thrilling drop of about 740 and 400 meters, respectively.

Sulit said the twin ziplines, which accommodates at least 50 persons daily, posts an average daily income of P12,500 but such figure usually doubles during weekends and holidays.

“Right now, only the zipline and the entrance fees were generating revenues for the project. We want to further improve its capacity to draw more income by introducing more adventure packages and opening accommodation facilities,” Sulit said.

Sulit said they plan to construct additional sheds, cottages, conference halls and accommodation facilities to accommodate long-staying visitors as well as host seminars and conferences at the site.

He also said that they would hire additional personnel to further improve the operations of the project’s management unit.(PNA)

LAKE SEBU: A LOVELY PLACE TO STAY FOR

LETS EXPLORE THE ONE AND ONLY LAKE SEBU

Month: September 2014