If you’ve been following me on Instagram, you should know by now that I traveled to Northern Mindanao this late May! It was an unforgettable experience for me since I visited not just one but four places in Mindanao in just one trip!
And guess what, it was a solo trip! It was really daunting at first, so I was really proud that I managed to finish that trip successfully and safely.
Why visit Northern Mindanao?
My initial plan was just to travel to CDO because I really want to try whitewater rafting and to Bukidnon because it looks really picturesque. Then I found out that CDO is also near Iligan and Camiguin, so I said, why not?! And right there and then, I decided to accept the challenge of fitting all those places in just 5 days, and as you can see, I did it!
CDO
My only plan of activity for CDO is whitewater rafting, but I had a fair share of experience in this place since it was the main location of my whole trip. To my surprise, CDO is very urbanized and it also has heavy traffic as early as 4pm. I’m not sure, maybe it was because of the day? But during my trip, it was hard not to notice the traffic. I think the reason might be because it’s the main gatepoint in Mindanao?
And speaking of gatepoint, I really love that it’s easier to travel to other places in Mindanao when you are in CDO. And bus trips surprisingly depart on time, I love that! Also just like other major cities, angkas and grab are also available in CDO.
My whole trip was also very pleasant since it’s very easy to communicate and to ask locations to locals since they also speak bisaya. Contrary to what I expected, I also felt safe all throughout my trip.
Bukidnon
I can’t say more on this, since I only had a day trip in Bukidnon plus I availed a habal2x tour, so my interaction with locals were very limited. But either way, my experience with the people was very pleasant. I love that the people there just mind their own business and not being a marites, hahahaha.
As for the tourist destination, my! Bukidnon looks very picturesque. Everything looks like they came straight out of a painting. I was also amazed that the name is very literal for this place. I mean, there’s lots of mountains everywhere, which I think makes Bukidnon perfect for people who are soul searching since the place looks so serene just by looking at the mountains.
Since Bukidnon is a series of mountains, there’s some tourist destination that has steep rough roads, which I think makes the experience more rewarding since the end point won’t disappoint you, *wink.
Iligan
I only spent a shorter time in Iligan compared to the other three destinations, but it was still an unforgettable experience. I wish I could have stayed longer. As a waterfall lover myself, Iligan feels like a paradise since there’s a lot of waterfalls to see there.
Aside from the wonderful waterfalls, I also love how there’s a lot of fruits to try there. So yes, before riding a bus going back to CDO, I also spent a moment in their market to hunt for fruits hahaha.
I didn’t book a habal2x tour in advance before going there, but luckily I found a really kind habal2x driver that toured me around Iligan.
Overall, it was a very pleasant trip. I’ll definitely be back!
Camiguin
I love that Camiguin doesn’t just offer beautiful beaches but also waterfalls, cold springs and even hot springs! The hot spring isn’t that hot though, but it was still nice dipping there.
My whole trip to this island was very pleasant since the roads look like they are properly maintained. I definitely want to go back, but I hope at that time I now know how to ride a motorbike lol. I feel that Camiguin is perfect for road trips because of the view and there’s no annoying traffic at all.
My Overall Experience
It was fantastic! Unfortunately I wasn’t able to try out some local foods, but just seeing those beautiful sceneries was enough for me (for now). And as a solo female traveler, I have to say that I felt safe throughout that trip.
There were also times that I felt a bit lonely since most of the travel destinations I visited (mostly in Camiguin) have families enjoying the place, so it was kind of awkward swimming alone in the corner, lol. I think it might be because I am not really fond of going to the beach alone. But as I traveled solo, I think I may grow out of that thought.
Another thing I liked about this trip was my tour guides/drivers. I love how very kind and accommodating they are. Aside from that, I also met some fantastic people that take amazing photos, which I think is an accomplishment for an introverted person like me, lol.
This is absolutely one of my most unforgettable trips. What are you waiting for? Visit Northern Mindanao now!
Gorgeous! I’m so glad you got the chance to see and experience all that.