When thinking about vacation hot spots in the Philippines, the first that comes to mind are the famous Boracay, Enchanted Kingdom, or maybe the other well-known places from the north. But lo and behold, something from the south awaits to be discovered! The proud and loud Surigao offers you a lot and so much more than you expect. Here are the fascinating and awe – inspiring nature spots that would surely tempt you to go all the way to Surigao del Norte and del Sur
BRITANIA GROUP OF ISLANDS: Rarely known by some, Surigao del Sur hides a tropical paradise in San Augustin with sand nearly as perfect as Boracay's. Not only one, nut you'll find 24 of them. Yes, over 24 breathtaking islands are comprising the Britania Group of Islands. They have distributed over the crystal clear waters of Lianga, with the Pacific Ocean at a view. The area offers a lot of island hopping tours covering four islands. Even if they offered the most visited one, you could always visit all the others especially those that are not very much known and that's a very good idea.
ENCHANTED RIVER: Hinatuan may be a sleepy and silent town, but as the discovery of the Enchanted River was known, it has emerged in recent years as one of the top tourist destinations. Its waters are turquoise clear that the riverbed is visible. It appears in different shades according to the depth and a school of huge fish huddles into the water every 12 noon and three in the afternoon as a soft hymn is played to call them. Can you imagine how enchanted the river is?
TINUY-AN FALLS: Branded as the Philippines' Little Niagara, this Falls in Bislig, Surigao del Sur bears strong cascades of 55 meters high curtain-like falls bringing to mind the Niagara. All three tiers of this Falls are fascinating, and if you want to see it up close, you can hop on a bamboo raft to go near it. During summer between 9-11 am, a rainbow beaming across its walls greets the tourists.
SIARGAO ISLAND: Perfect for surfing enthusiasts, this place dubbed as Surfing Mecca of the Philippines boasts its huge and never ending waves known for its signature break, the Cloud 9. International competitions during surfing seasons are also available in the place. If you are a fan of beaches, love not having only the sand, sun and the sea, but also the waves itself. Siargao also offers a half – day boat tour to three white sand islets.
BUCAS GRANDE: Just in the south of Siargao is another attraction that's worth exploring. Bucas Grande has everything: Islets, forest, caves, and lagoons that offer thrilling eco – adventures. A boat takes you to the Sohoton Cave which is half – submerged and only emerges during low tide. As there is in the Sohoton Lagoon with emerald islets tropical vegetation and clear waters. And the Magkukuob Cave which has both spelunking and cliff-jumping opportunities.l for every tourist.
PEBBLE BEACHES: As the Philippines is known for its sandy beaches, here is another unique attraction with a share of pebble beaches with exotic stones found only in Surigao City. One known is the Mabua Pebble Beach, a beach made up of smooth stones.
Some may think Surigao is just another boring place but open your eyes; there's a paradise!
Martin Wynn
