BusinessWeek Mindanao
06 December 2010

IN the town of Medina, one can head out to the Medina Springs, a very interesting dive spot also with rich marine life which is located just about 300 yards from the white beach, near the edge of the shallow coral reef.

“The Paradise” as it is called, is about 90 to 110 feet deep with features like a canyon with a lot cracks and holes and a cavern that can be explored with underwater flashlights.

“The Aquarium” meanwhile is another place to make that second dive with depth ranging from 20 to 70 feet. In these two spots- you’d be able to spot the underwater springs called alibuag which literally spew out very cold fresh water.

The dramatic seascapes meanwhile, at the eastern tip of Gingoog Bay which is part of the town of Magsaysay is Punta Diwata. This divespot meanwhile has a stair step coralline slope with its ledges and walls all beautifully covered with sea fans, sponges, as well other marine outcroppings. Manta rays as well as the usual colorful and interesting Philippine fishes also frequent the area.

To wrap up the dive tour of Misamis Oriental, just out front of Mantangale is Manongul reef––aptly named as Manongul which is the word for coral gardens in the local dialect. Manongul is best for snorkeling and long scuba dives where you can spy blue spotted stingrays, lionfish, convict damsels, soft and hard corals, clown fish who all call Manongul home.

Meanwhile, for those who just absolutely love waterfalls, Misamis Oriental never fails to disappoint. See the Libon-lawit Falls 13 kilometers from Gingoog City centre which is composed of three falls actually- Tiklas Falls (120 feet high), Kilubag Falls which serves as its main attraction and the Bangbang Falls (70 feet high).

There is also the small Aya-aya Falls in Lugait, the Kanapolan Falls in Naawan, Lubilan Falls also in Naawan, Sinabayan Falls and Mimboaya Falls in Subongcogon, Bakid-bakid Falls of Gingoog City, and the Sagpulon Springs and Falls in Jasaan.

For all its beauty, Misamis Oriental’s main tourist attractions exists in its many national parks with natural limestone formations, ridges, gorges and canyons like the Initao National Park about 51 kilometers west of Cagayan de Oro which also includes a marine ecosystem which is home to various colorful fishes and corals as well as Splitnose bat cave in its two closed caves and one open cave which opens towards the sea.

There is also the Lingon-lingon Plateau Park in Balingasag which is excellent for bird watching and mountain climbing and the Sicolon Cave also called Cueva con Agua in Laguindingan (28 kilometers west of Cagayan de Oro); the Magallanes Cave in Jasaan which is still largely unexplored; the Huluga Caves 8 kilometers away from the St. Augustine Church on the east bank of the Cagayan River.

This cave was especially important because this cave also serves as a burial site. Xavier University researchers found a female skull dated back around 350 AD by the Scripps Institution of Oceanography in the United States.

The Huluga open site was an ancient settlement site in the area and according to unverified reports; a huge part of this archaeological area was destroyed in 2003 by the City Hall and today remains to be neglected and exposed to quarrying.