South Cotabato

As often said, one thing leads to another and this is what happens during my vacation in South Cotabato. To attend a Wedding (the only reason I went here)… And it leads to thrilling fun and adventure – making almost everything my first time to experience…

A First Time to Experience

1. To Attend a Friend’s wedding

Although I had attended numbers of wedding ceremonies, but this one separates from the rest – it was one of my best of friends’ wedding.

Weddings bring people together; these are the times that good old friends, after separated by college graduations, for the longest time, see and meet again. Also, it is an event where you can gain new friends and meet new people. So when my friend (Ellen) called to inform me about her wedding I knew it would be a great time for all of us to reunite once again.

Six hundred forty-seven miles I travelled across by plane from Manila to General Santos City and after hours spent on numbers of land transportations I reached my destination - Surallah, South Cotabato.

And seeing these old familiar faces once again felts like we have just parted weeks from this moment.

Newly weeds go as honeymooners, but not with my newly weeded friends. Instead of taking their honeymoon trip, we all did take the trip to Lake Sebu. And enjoy the early morning tranquillity at the Punta Isla Lake Resort where we stayed, experience the thrilling ride of Southeast Asia’s Highest Zip Line, and trekking to Trangkini Falls and bathing in its cold water.

2. To Enjoy The Lake View (Punta Isla Lake Resort)

“Nothing beats the provincial life, its ambiance and its morning tranquility”. As my friend (Eldie) repeating a particular quote about love – “Nothing beats the first love”… Well for me I just found my first love…

 

 

Away from the city, while having my coffee and watching the scenic lake view from the balcony of Punta Isla Lake Resort I had at last savored again the type of quiet and peaceful environment… Indeed a pleasure, and I could not ask for more but to wish in despair to be here in this place forever or just to stay for long.

3. Falls Bathing (Trangkini Falls)

After the lazy morning breeze in Punta Isla Lake Resort, not later this day we head our way to the rough road of Trangkini Water Falls on rentable motorcycles.

And after an hour of trekking on this forest rocky path contour we bathed in its cold splashing water and its strong current pressure bubbling like Jacuzzi from beneath to the surface.

4. To Ride a Zip Line

The most thrilling and my first adventurous ride – The Seven Falls’ Zip Line; Southeast Asia’s Highest.

My heart was racing so fast, I was nervous and it’s getting all over me. This is what I feel while we gear up for the ride but nonetheless I was still smiling and laughing…

Six Hundred feet (600 ft.) high from the ground, as I thought the ride was scary as hell, it was rather thrillingly awesome and seeing the view from above was magnificently wonderful.

(The view from above)

5. To Enjoy Eating Durian Fruit

With lots of food to taste, finally I did enjoy eating the famous fruit of the South – Durian Fruit. “With an awful smell that I love to sniff but not usually to eat its rotten taste”. The time has come, my taste buds had eventually accepted and did finally enjoyed eating this fruit and wanting for more.

There this also a delicacy called the “Nilagpang na Manok” a grilled native chicken soup that tastes so good.  Similar to an Ilonggo dish but never did I tasted any of these when I was still in Visayas.

With my first time to attend a dearest friend’s wedding, ride a Zip Line, appreciate the lake view, waterfall bathing and finally enjoy eating Durian Fruit. It was also my first time to explore the Northern part of the Philippines and my first long vacation in a few years… And I never imagined that to set foot in this place awaits the unplanned itineraries that thus making my Christmas Holiday, a vacation worth all remembering.