There are still a lot of hidden natural spots that need to be explored in the Philippines. Such places can be found in the southern part of the country - Mindanao! And recently, I got the opportunity to visit one.
This quick escapade was not included in my itinerary. I didn't plan anything during my trip to Oroquieta City in Misamis Occidental. All I planned was just to stay at my uncle's place to kill some time before I head down south to attend a wedding. However, I would be lying that I wasn't open to any spontaneous activity during my visit.
Fortunately, my cousin and his other cousins (his mom's side) were adventurous and decided to bring me to an amazing spot called ISKO RESORT where I could enjoy nature in the mountains.
As the name says, it's not the resort you would expect and not like the ones you see at the beach! It's just a simple tourist spot with cottages situated on the bank of a river. To get here, one must have a private vehicle as it requires 1 - 2 hours of travel time. It's about 13-14 km from the city proper. There are no public vans, buses, or "habal-habal" to take you there.
Isko Resort or any other "resorts" located are most frequented by the locals and I would understand why because the beaches here are not attractive, to say the least.
The road leading to the place was in good condition and surrounded by trees and mountains. Just feeling the cold breeze on your face was already relaxing. Small signage by the side of the road indicated we arrived at the place. We passed by a small cottage at the entrance but no one was on the lookout. As the place was spacious, one can park anywhere. We parked near a small cottage.
When I got off from the car, I was instantaneously drawn to the trees surrounding us. I love that they didn't cut off the trees but instead built their cottages in the spaces in between.
There were no entrance fee, no parking fee, and no corkage fee! All you got to pay is the cottage fee which costs us Php 200 or $3.57! No wonder the locals would flock to the place.
As my uncle and cousin got busy with unloading our stuff and preparing our food, I on the hand got busy with my camera. It was Sunday and we got here around noon time where there weren't a lot of people yet so I wanted to grab the opportunity to take some photos of the place at its best. And they didn't mind at all.
One thing that one would notice right away is the big white boulders along the side of the river. They added some contrast to this all-green scenery of the place. The air was chilly. The water was clear and gave a shade of green color that blended well with the surrounding. A few people were already bathing in the waist-high waters. Across the river were a few colorful cottages and clean, fresh Bermuda grass that makes you want to run there barefooted. A hanging bridge made of bamboo can be seen at one end but seems to me unsafe to be used.
I continued walking along the side of the river and can't help being mesmerized by the small but visible waterfall at the far end. Surrounded by these luscious trees, the sound of birds, and laughter from the children playing by, one will be humbled by nature's simple yet serene presence. Its grounding energy just quiets your mind, takes your worries away, and makes you enjoy the present moment.
I saw two kids playing nearby and it just made me smile. No worries! They were watched over by adults nearby. With them and just the waterfall, the clear and calm waters, the boulders, and the vibrant greenery, it was for me a spectacle of nature's beauty. I was in awe and made me miss traveling to mountains, springs, and waterfalls so much.
Then I realized that where I was standing was a stream or tributary connected to the main river where the waterfall was located. Walking further, I followed the path leading to the intersection of these two connecting bodies of water. I was more in awe of this preserved natural wonder. I was even luckier that there was no person in sight for me to take these beautiful shots.
No words can truly describe our feelings once we get in touch with nature. As this mountainside stood still in silence, the small and gentle flow from the waterfall reminds me of those sweet moments in life before we hit the fast but steady, sometimes turbulent waters of the river seeping and passing smoothly over the boulders. And somehow this assures me that we will overcome hurdles and obstacles as long as we ebb and flow just like the river.
As I bring my attention to where the flow of water was coming from, my gaze was met with hundreds of boulders following the smooth curves of the river. Writings can be seen on some of them. Although this is in fact vandalism, one of them warns the people not to bathe, eat, and wash their clothes in the river. It might seem like this place was safe because of the low rise of water however as my cousin informed me, this river can be dangerous as water would rise to the base of where the cottages were located especially during heavy rain or even a storm.
On the other side of where I was standing, a serene view of a cozy cottage sits near the river bank with a huge old tree nearby. It faces another bend of the river where water was flowing calmly. It was on this side where people, later on, enjoyed jumping over its deep cold waters.
Just when I thought I already got my doze of nature's beauty, as I turned around to head back to our rented cottage, I got a picturesque view of this mountainside that couldn't stop me from sighing a breath of relief. It was simple yet so beautiful for me.
I decided to take another route to take some other photos of the place. There were a few more cottages that is found on the far end. Vehicles were slowly coming in and tables were filled with families and friends enjoying their stay here. There was a designated cottage where one can cook or roast their food. There is a small store but I doubt they sell that much stuff so it's much better to bring everything you need before coming here.
As I got to our cottage, everyone was already having their dibs with the food and merrily chatting with each other. I happily joined in and later on, we went for a swim. We enjoyed the cool freshwater of this river. My cousin even jumped on the small cliff. Perhaps I'll show you the video some other time.
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