Impasug-ong , Bukidnon
What used to be known as an habitat of the cow and sows in Impasug-ong has now become a social media celebrity destination in Bukidnon, North Central Mindanao, Philippines. With the mountain ranges and natural scenic land formation of Impasug-ong, I could personally say that it is deserving enough of the clout and attention it has caught from both local and international tourists that really took time to travel to its far-flung location.
Impasug-ong is not as known as the other municipalities and cities in Bukidnon before, such as Malaybalay City, Valencia City, and Manolo Fortich where trading and well-known destinations are located, to mention are: Pine Ridge Bukidnon cabin and camping grounds, Dahilayan Adventure Park, Kaamulan Park and Zoo, Monastery of Transfiguration and so much more, well, Bukidnon has a lot to offer to the tourism industry of the country.
Not until recently, when Communal Ranch opens its premises to the public and people shared its astounding beauty on social media. People start checking out and visiting the place after being attracted to different posts that occupied their feeds.
Personally, I was not so convinced to check it out because I kinda don't like to chase the clout, and for me, Communal Ranch is so mainstream. However, my cousin James, mentioned that our Bukidnon trip would not be complete if we couldn't visit Communal Ranch for ourselves, and as their elder cousin, that always wanted to bring them to beautiful places and show them the wonders of our country (not the world yet, not until I become a millionaire, lol!), I wanted them to experience and feel the same experiences I have when I traveled to different places in the Philippines.
So, I have decided to find time to insert the Impasug-ong itinerary after checking out the places-to-visit in that place online. As planned, we will do a side-trip visit to Impasug-ong before we travel back home to Cebu, as before our date of return, we visited our family first in Kidapawan, North Cotabato (something you'll check out on my next next next blog in my Mindanao travel series).
The Worth-the-Risk Travel
It was a Monday when we travel up to Bukidnon from North Cotabato, we traveled by car together with our cousins and aunt, and we departed at around noon, which was initially planned to be an early morning departure, and arrived in Maramag Bukidnon at around 3 pm. Worse, it was raining that afternoon, knowing that Impasug-ong is a mountainous Municipality of the province of Bukidnon and was shared on social media that it has a very poor road structure leading to the Communal Ranch, I feared that we couldn't travel to the mountain resort that we booked. I booked our accommodation at RotyPeak Ridge Camp , watch out for my next blog. I called the resort and confirm if it is still safe to travel, and they confirmed it. So, it's a go!
We went to Maramag Bus Terminal to take a ride to Impasug-ong, as our cousin's errands are only in Maramag and they will stay there for their business whereabouts, so we need to commute to Impasug-ong.
What we thought to be a smooth journey turns out to be very time consuming, as buses in Mindanao will have to stop over almost all of the bus terminals of each municipality and cities that it passes.
Well, a lesson learned, if you travel to Mindanao by public vehicle, choose to travel by Van than by Bus, it has a more smooth travel and more convenient, it cuts and lessens the stop-overs than by bus, and the fare difference is not so significant. We've already reached Impasug-ong tourism office on a pitch-dark evening, and considering we're in Mindanao, I am already hesitant if we will continue to travel by motorcycle, locally known as habal-habal, to the mountains. As much as I wanted to tell our long-evening-road trip on this blog, but I wanted to reserve it for my next blog intended for RotyPeak Ridge Camp blog, so to cut it short, we pushed the ride and made it to the mountain resort on a starry evening.
The next day, we proceeded to the main destination- Communal Ranch. The road leading to the place is very bumpy especially the road from RotyPeak Ridge Camp to the junction leading to the Communal Ranch road. It was not the kind of adventure I wanted though, but the scenic view of the road trip made the ride worth taking!
Lovers Lane
After an hour of habal-habal ride, we reached the roadside park which they called as "The Lovers Lane". I believed that it was named as such because it has a good spot to have a date with your sweetheart as it has some benches to sit on while looking at the scenic view of the mountains of Impasug-ong.
We had a short stopover as the Habal-habal drivers recommended us to check out also. The view deck is pretty beautiful too for a photo op and some snacks stop, but we didn't linger too much in the spot. It is another spot to check out, too, when visiting Communal Ranch.
Aside from Lovers Lane, there are other spots that people visiting Communal Ranch can check out too, such as Mt. Millionaire and Mt. Kulago Campsite.
Communal Ranch of Impasug-ong Bukidnon The Celebrity Destination
We reached the Communal Ranch within 15mins from Lovers Lane. We paid the entrance fee of P20 per head ($0.50) before we proceeded to the premises of the ranch.
Way back it went viral on social media, the Communal Ranch of Imapasug-ong was literally a celebrity destination, as it was where the movie, Love Me Again, by Angel Locsin and Piolo Pascual, both a local versatile actress and actor, was shoot. They have donated to the government of Impasugong the house that they erected for the movie. As read on the previous year's blogs across different sites, the house is being rented for an overnight stay for the rate of P1,500 to P2,000 (around $27 to $37) a night, but I am not sure if they still get to rent it out, I must have asked the people in charge there.
Communal Ranch in Capitan Bayong, Impasug-ong, Bukidnon is the only government-owned 642-hectare ranch in the Philippines. It has been a destination for photoshoots and prenuptial shoots because it gave a New Zealand vibe, it is just so cinematic, from the solo tree facing the man-made pond amid flat terrain to the immediate rise of the mountain ranges that is giving a very scenic background to the photos.
Personally, I am getting back my perception of missing it just because it is so mainstream. If you're in Bukidnon I must say that YOU MUST VISIT IT OUT!
When I got into the mountains while still taking the ride, I was in awe all throughout the travel as the mountains are just very cool to be just beside the roads and its greenery and the unending mountain ranges are so refreshing. When we got to the Communal Ranch, my nature-lover-heart jumped out in awe and appreciation, the place was incredibly beautiful and so refreshing for the mind and soul, I wish to stay and linger longer!
Abegail gets excited as we were welcomed by the cowboys at the entrance, as they are offering horseback riding for P250 ($4) per hour. We took 2 horses to get us to the mountain ridge that serves as a photo deck, the mountain ranges in the background is giving a scenic view in the photo.
On the foot of the mountain ridge is the Dila River meeting the Tagolan River, while on the opposing side are the Kulago Ridges, Abiogan Ridges, and Ginawahan Ridge. The horseback riding on the mountain ridge is giving us the perfect scenic photo we can keep in our memories together.
I wish I could stay longer, I want to come back there with my family or friends and stay overnight camping. Well, someday, I know for sure that Bukidnon is worth to be visited all over again.
We stayed in the ranch for just an hour and a half, because aside from we are catching up on our sea travel by 8 pm that day, the sun is scorching, although it was not sultry because of the cozy wind all over that we couldn't even feel the heat of the sun in our skin.
It's a Wrap!
๐๐ค๐ฌ ๐ฉ๐ค ๐๐๐ฉ ๐ฉ๐๐๐ง๐:
๐Take a bus going to Impasug-ong
๐ฃ๏ธStop over at Impasug-ong Tourism Office
๐บTake a Rila (trike) going to the bus terminal to take a Habal2x or ask the tourism officer that you'll heading to the Communal Ranch so they can get you a Habal-habal
๐๏ธ โฑ450 two-ways habal2x fare. Take a habal-habal ride to the Communal Ranch
๐45mins to 1hr roughly, road trip with a view
๐๏ธโฑ60 per head. Pay the entrance fee to the communal ranch
๐ซShow your tix at the entrance of the ranch
๐ผ๐๐ฉ๐๐ซ๐๐ฉ๐๐๐จ:
๐โฑ250 per hour horseback riding. Can take turns with your companions.
๐๏ธScenic View Picture-taking
๐งบPicnic and Camping
๐ Canteen available inside the premises
Impasug-ong to Cagayan De Oro Travel to the port
We left the ranch and travel back to the town of Impasug-ong to get to the bus terminal.
As we paid our habal-habal fare, we felt that we are hijacked because of some misunderstanding as we asked for the rates before proceeding to the ranch from RotyPeak Ridge Camp.
Nevertheless, I paid for the price differences for my cousins, too ( I feel like writing more often here in Hive to make up for my travel budget loss, your upvotes are highly appreciated, lol but no lol! ), and just thought that I am helping these men earn a living for their families they feed , so I'm happy :).
No worries though after being cash-shorted as there is an ATM on the nearby municipal hall which Kuya Habal-habal driver has brought me. Not so long, a bus heading to Cagayan De Oro arrived, we embarked and traveled to CDO for around 2 hrs.
It was still around 4 pm when we arrived in Cagayan de Oro City and was so early to be at the port, so we decided to take a sip of caffeine and refreshments at a cafe in LimKetkai. Limketkai is somehow like an IT Park in Cebu where there are building for offices, commercial establishments, and malls.
We kill time at Coffee Project by working on some Monday tasks, then we traveled to the port which is just 6mins away by car from Limketkai. We took the 8 pm trip of Trans-Asia Shipping Lines to get us home in Cebu, that ends our Mindanao trip, for now!
Thanks for strolling with me today, watch out for my next post on my Mindanao travel blog series as I'll take you to a breathtaking view of RotyPeak Ridge Camp.
About the Author
Hi! I am Kim- The Strolling Mind.
I love to travel, I have been traveling in my beautiful country- the Philippines, and some Asian countries, as well. My pleasure to share them here in Hive.
I believe that our mind is so powerful that anything we think is anything we can reach and achieve.
It is our mind that'll lead us to where we are heading, so....