1st Leg: Mindanao Roadtrip

This isn't my first time to have a road trip but first time with friends. Thrilled as it is, spending the long weekend on the road. ♥

Route: Gensan - Tacurong - Shariff Aguak - Cotabato - Parang - Matanog - Malabang - Zamboanga del sur - Molave - Dipolog - Dapitan - Oroquieta - Ozamiz - Kulambugan - Iligan - Cagayan de Oro - Malaybalay - Valencia - Maramag - Davao - Digos - Gensan

Day 1:

Everyone's set and ready and we're off the road!!! Living Gensan at 4 o'clock in the morning.

After 3 hours on the road and passes towns of 3 provinces of  South Cotabato, Sultan Kudarat and Maguindanao, we arrive Cotabato City.

Gutom na!! Mc Donald's

Had a sumptuous breakfast at Mc Donald's, took some rest and some c.r. break then it's time to move again...☺

Cotabato City Cathedral

From Cotabato City, it's another 4 hours on the road. Taking Narciso Ramos Highway road lead us to Parang, Maguindanao and neighboring towns. Then it lead us to Malabang Tunnel, famous tunnel in Lanao del Sur connecting to Zamboanga del Sur.

Malabang Tunnel

Moving forward, we had lunch at a Carenderia in the town of Aurora, Zamboanga del Sur. Just a little rest then it's 2 more hours on the road to Dapitan.

Lunch @ past 1pm

stop over somwhere

Almost 8 hours on the road and everyone is still up in high spirit and excited. ☺☺☺

snack break.. ☺

After almost 12 hours on the road, stop-overs on almost every towns, picture taking, had breakfast and lunch on different places and sang "mahal kita kasi" the whole trip to ease the boredom...... At last, Dapitan City welcomed us with warmth. ☺

hello Dapitan!!!

Before sunset goes, we went to the historic Rizal Shrine in Dapitan to experience the beautiful sunset and visit the relics of Dr. Jose Rizal and Josephine's home.

As the night began, we had a good walk at the Boulevard and breath some fresh air.

There's a long stretch of "Ihaw-ihaw" Restaurant at the Boulevard. And so, it's dinner time!!!

We slept at our Officemates house in Dipolog City and had a fun fun night!!! Too bad, I didn't brought my camera that time...

.... (more dapitan post on the next blog)

Day 2

It's another fun, fun, fun day for us!!!

A day in DAKAK... (see it in the next blog)

After spending a day in Dakak, we went back to Dapitan City proper and checked-in to Villar Pilar Resort.

One thing we went to Dapitan is to savour their seafood delicacies. We ate lots of Talaba and crabs . Thanks to our donors!! ☺

We also visited the "Gloria sa Dapitan" and just roam around since its just a walk away from the resort.

Day 3

And it's time to say goodbye Dapitan....

Leaving Dapitan at 6 a.m., and we are bound to Oroquieta City and will catch a barge in Ozamis.

After almost 3 hours, we arrived in Oroquieta City and had breakfast at Jollibee.

And we're off the road again.

Oroquieta City to Ozamis City is just 45-minutes away, but since we had some missed turn it tooks us more than an hour to reach the port. (^_^)

kainan na...

... and its a barge time!!!!

@ the passengers seat

Ozamis City to Mukas, Kolambugan, Lanao del Norte is a 30-minute barge ride. We just enjoyed the ride and the good view.

@ Roofdeck

From Kolambugan, we are heading to Iligan City for some lunch and visit the famous Maria Cristina Falls. 

it's a lechon feast in Iligan

Resto along the beach

Outside Macapagal Ancestral House in Iligan

Maria Cristina Falls

... en route Cagayan de Oro City

pumapatak na naman ang ulan...

Iligan City to Cagayan De Oro is a 2-hour drive. We just had a gasoline fill in CDO and its raining cats and dogs as we left.

From Cagayan De Oro, we pass through Malaybalay, Bukidnon and took some stop over in Valencia, Bukidnon for some dinner. And were on the road for 3 hours, its past 7pm.

@ Mindy's

At past 8pm, we're on the road again, en route to Davao City. And it's another 5 hours drive through Bu-Da road ( Bukidnon-davao) 

At past Midnight, were already in Davao, took some rest and coffee break and after an hour were back on the road.

... and the road trip is almost finished!!!

Davao to General Santos is a 3-hour drive. And at last at 4am we arrived in Gensan. Exhausted but fulfilled. 

... A Certified Tubong Mindanao!!! ♥