Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Despite the crocodiles, and its isolation, the marsh is inhabited by about 2600
people, mainly the
Manobo
, an animist group that live across much of eastern
Mindanao. Their houses are floating wooden structures with thatched roofs and rest on
a platform lashed to enormous logs. Whole communities exist like this, their houses
tethered to one another in one place, but moveable at any time. You can visit the marsh
from the town of Bunawan from where you can rent a boat and guide for the three-
hour ride along the river to the marsh area itself - be prepared for a full day out and
take lots of water and sunblock.
ARRIVAL AND INFORMATION
AGUSAN MARSH WILDLIFE SANCTUARY
By bus and tricycle
The marsh is around 2hr 30min
(100km) from Butuan and 3hr (200km) from Davao;
whichever direction you're coming from, you need to get
off the bus in the town of Bunawan (note that only
slow non-a/c buses stop here), and then take a tricycle
west to the Bunawan Tourism Center (
T
0910 984 0285)
to register and receive a briefing from the Department of
the Environment and Natural Resources O
ce regarding
sanctuary policies.
Tours
The tourist o
ce, and hotels in Butuan, can help
arrange trips, while a locally arranged day tour in Bunawan
costs around P2000 for the boat plus P1000 for the guide.
Accommodation
There is some very basic accommo-
dation in Bunawan, and some of the floating Manobo
villages also offer lodgings - ask at the Bunawan Tourism
Center.
The Enchanted River
12km from Talisay • P30; lifejackets can be rented for P15, as currents can be strong • The turning to the river and Talisay is signposted
2km north of Hinatuan on the main coast road, 150km south of Butuan; the main road is served by frequent buses between Butuan and
Mangagoy; without your own transport it's a very long walk or habal-habal ride from Hinatuan
Swimming in the
Enchanted River
is one of the highlights of a trip to Mindanao. The
accessible part of the river is more like a narrow saltwater lagoon that ends at an
underwater cave and ravine crammed with all sorts of tropical fish that get fed every
day at noon. The colours are mesmerizing; the water glows like liquid sapphire,
surrounded by dense jungle and karst outcrops.
The site is managed as a small park (you can wander to a small beach from here), but
it's well off the beaten path and few foreign tourists make it this far (although crowds
of locals descend at weekends). The park lies at the end of a 12km dirt road, just
beyond the pretty fishing village of
Talisay
.
8
Tinuy-An Falls
15km west of Bislig • P50; bamboo raft P200 • Most people hire a minivan and driver in Butuan (from P3000), but you can take a bus to
Bislig or Mangagoy and then local transport to the falls (habal-habal P400 return)
Around 160km south of Butuan, near the port town of
Bislig
, a dirt road leads some
15km to the astounding
Tinuy-An Falls
, a thunderous, multitiered 95m cascade. Get
here early and it's a magical place, with lush jungle, durian trees and giant ferns
drooping over the river - you can lounge on the bank and enjoy the views or clamber
up to the higher levels and paddle or swim in the pools, where a bamboo raft takes you
closer in to get thoroughly soaked.
Surigao
The bustling, ramshackle capital of the province of Surigao del Norte,
SURIGAO
,
some 120km north of Butuan, is essentially just a place to pass through on the
way to the picture-postcard island of Siargao. It's a compact place and easy to get
around on foot, but there's just not that much to do here: if you find yourself
with time on your hands it's worth a trip up to the pretty pebble beach at
Mabua
,
12km north.
