Eco Tourism Village – Where Is It?

An Eco-Tourism Village in Cagayan de Oro City, aptly named Gardens of Malasag, has steadily become a favorite destination for creationists, island vacations enthusiasts, spiritual retreats goers and natural attractions lovers wanting to go on nature trail trekking and mountain view sightseeing and enjoy its campsite and other facilities. Reached via a 30-minutes drive from Lumbia Airport (Cagayan de Oro City Airport), it sits on a 7.2 hectare property in the slopes of Sitio Malasag connecting to the 800 hectares reforested area of the  Cugman Watershed in Barangay Cugman, Cagayan de Oro City in the northern part of Mindanao Island, Philippines.

Eco Tourism Village – Why Visit the Place?

I was not into travel blogging then when I first visited and stayed at the Eco Tourism Village on August 9-13, 2010 as a participant to the 5-day Training on Ecotourism Planning and Development conducted by the Development Academy of the Philippines (DAP) in partnership with the Philippines-Australia Community Assistance Program (PACAP) purposely to capacitate the various Bucas Grande Island stakeholders in the formulation of the Socorro Eco Tourism Development Plan.

Being a nature lover island vacations buff, I really admired and missed the place.  Hence, one year after my first visit, I decided to pay a return trip to the Malasag Gardens. From the city center of Cagayan de Oro, we traveled for 10 minutes along the National Highway, turned right at a junction and went uphill through an asphalted winding road until we reached this portion . . .

The signage showing the way to the Gardens of Malasag and Eco-Tourism Village with the road towards the Cugman Watershed Reforestation Project on the right.

A few more minutes travel and my eyes were once again attracted by this sight . . .

The welcome rotunda leading to the Gardens of Malasag Eco-Tourism Village

After paying the PhP 30.00 per head entrance fee, we entered the eco tourism village premises and this signage with an imposing logo of the Gardens of Malasag had greeted our eyes. . .

The comely Gardens of Malasag Eco-Tourism Village logo prominently displayed at the junction road.

We then proceeded to the parking area within the vicinity of the swimming pool and this view had captured our interest . . .

The turquoise waters of the swimming pool enticing guests of the Gardens of Malasag and Eco-Tourism Village for a quick dip or a languorous swim.

I and my wife then started to savor the alluring sights of the eco tourism village, the first being the camp ground. . .

The Eco Tourism Village Camp Ground with the Pergola and Villas at the background.

Afterward, we trekked on the nature trail uphill towards the central portion of the village until we reached this spot on the road side . . .

A pose with the replica of a Bukidnon-Pulangihon tribal datu on a war dance.

On the opposite side of the road is the Amphitheater. . .

The Gardens of Malasag Amphitheater . . .

Situated just a few meters from the amphitheater are the cozy villas smartly designed to match with the rolling terrain . . .

The villas ready to accommodate guests willing to stay at the eco tourism village . . .

A further walk led us to the tarpauline displays on the road side showing some of the tribes in Mindanao Island whose members are working in various capacities in the Gardens of Malasag . . .

The Umayamnon Tribe . . .	The Tigwahanon Tribe . . .
The Subanon Tribe . . .	The Bukidnon Tribe . . .
The Talaandig Tribe . . .	A worker belonging to the Talaandig Tribe . . .

My wife was lucky to have selected a few Higa-onon and other tribal souvenir items left as the others were purchased in bulk by a group of employees having a seminar at the Gardens of Malasag . . .

The souvenir hut displaying some tribal souvenir items . . .

As we were about to end our nature trail trek, we sat for quite sometime at this spot to savor the enthralling views . . .

A stunning view of Macajalar Bay and its environs.

Eco Tourism Village – Final Thoughts

The Gardens of Malasag Eco-Tourism Village was conceptualized in 1991 by the Philippine Tourism Authority (PTA), now the Tourism Infrastructure and Enterprize Zone Authority (TIEZA), dreamily inspired by the picturesque gardens of Granada in Spain and Butchart Gardens of Canada. While the amenities built of indigenous materials, as in the case of the tribal houses, were already gone and the  the native huts being replaced by concrete villas smartly designed to have an indigenous look, but the ambiance of a cultural domain of natural wonders are still very much evident. What I missed in my return visit were the tribespeople demonstrating their dancing and musical culture that I had seen and participated before as we came to the place in the morning while the tribal street dancing were done every 4:oo o’clock in the afternoon.

If you want to have a wonderful experience of having a colorful glimpse of the ecology and rich ethno-Filipino heritage of Northern Mindanao while savoring the spectacular view of Macajalar Bay and the bustling city of Cagayan de Oro, a visit to the Gardens of Malasag Eco Tourism Village is an undertaking which you would surely not regret having decided to do so.

Hidden Valley Resort – An Introduction

Hidden Valley Resort, one of the best family vacation destinations and ideal couples retreat location and sight seeing spots and among the best family resorts and couples resorts suited for fun family vacations, kid friendly vacations as well as spiritual retreats and meditation retreats for island vacations enthusiasts, urbanites,  religious groups  and other people from all walks of life situated in the hinterland village or barangay of Lamac, Pinamungajan in the island province of Cebu, Philippines. It is owned and managed by one of the best performing cooperatives in the country, the 47,394-member strong Lamac Multi-Purpose Cooperative (LMC).  It can be reached from Cebu City in 2 fronts, the first being the circuitous route by travelling 65 kilometers  via a paved road towards the town center of Pinamungajan, Cebu and traverse a 14-kilometer cemented road to Barangay Lamac. The second option is via the short cut route by travelling a 40-kilometer paved road from the main city towards Barangay Bunga, Toledo City and maneuver on a bumpy 7-kilometer intermittent paved and rough gravel road towards the site.

Hidden Valley Resort – Why I Visited The Place?

Being the Chief Executive Officer of the Socorro Empowered People’s Cooperative (SOEMCO), the strongest and biggest cooperative in the province based in Socorro, the lone town of Bucas Grande Island in Surigao del Norte, Philippines, I lead the 43 regular employees of the cooperative who were very enthusiastic to have a study tour in the renowned Cebu-based cooperative. On board four (4) hired vans, we left Cebu City at exactly 2:00 o’clock in the afternoon of April 21, 2011. Opting to travel via the short cut route, we traversed through the 40-kilometer winding road until we reached Barangay Bunga, Toledo City at 3:30 PM. The vehicle then turned left and our travel calvary begun as we went on a bumpy ride via a sometimes paved, but most of the time, rough gravel road passing by farmlands and occasional narrow passageways like this. . .

A pinched gravel road on a cut limestone boulder en route to Barangay Lamac

As we went on, one of my lady staff blurted:  “Sir! Are we really sure with our destination? I promptly calmed her down with an assurance that we were on the right track. Twenty minutes later,  we reached the mountain top and this exhilarating sight of a hidden valley on our left, which our driver pointed out as our final destination, had caught my attention . . .

Bird's-eye view of a hidden valley where Barangay Lamac nestles tranquilly. . .

We then maneuvered through an all-downward route until we reached the Lamac community at the foot of the valley situated 7 kilometers away from the junction. Our van then traversed through a barangay street, climbed on an upward route and stopped in front of this signage. . .

The imposing Hidden Valley Resort signage . . .

As we stepped out of the van and looked in all directions. . . and after seeing the sceneries,  my staff shouted in unison : “WOW! This is great . . .

The exhilirating view of the Hidden Valley Resort cottages built on a hillside with white mountain rock formations on the background. . .

After the usual check-in procedures, we were ushered to our respective cottage assignments. On our way, my eyes were glowed on this sight . . .

A concrete stairway leading to the Hidden Valley Resort Chapel . . .

From the chapel, I savored this alluring view . . .

The mesmerizing sight of the Hidden Valley Resort and its environs . . .

As the western sky turned crimson to orange, I took this photograph . . .

Sunset at Hidden Valley Resort . . .

We then gathered in the Narcisa Hall for the much awaited orientation on the history, products and services of the LamaC Multi-Purpose Cooperative (LMPC). Truly, the stirring speech of the cooperative’s General Manager Ellen Canda-Limocon was among the best speeches I have had heard in my lifetime. Her soft voice detailing the woos and glees of the cooperative could easily capture a cooperative leader-listener’s attention even on a standing position from dusk to dawn.

After the sumptuous welcome dinner, we retired to our respective beds. I was the first from among the group to rise in the morning purposely to take morning shots of the resort sceneries like these . . .

The Lourdes Retreat House . . .

The Hidden Valley Resort Reception Center with the imposing LMPC logo on the foreground . . .

The resort's Kiosk where the Karaoke Challenge among guests are held . . .

The Sinungkulan Hall and Veranda Cafe . . .

The Hidden Valley Resort's Main Swimming Pool . . .

The Hidden Valley Resort Amphitheater . . .

The Kiddie Swimming Pool . . .

... and the Pond cottages

I went back to the main Swimming Pool and saw the SOEMCO lady staff headed by the Accounting Manager Racquel Kristina T. Ocon gearing for a languorous swim into the turquoise waters . . .

The SOEMCO lady employees on their best swim attire . . .

The SOEMCO calendar girls posing for posterity at pool side . . . with some smiling boys at the back

Struggling not to not to be left behind by their counterparts, the SOEMCO male staff had also shown their capability to be posted on the men’s magazine cover . . .

The SOEMCO male staff on their best pool pose . . .

HIDDEN VALLEY RESORT VITAL INFORMATION PLEASE CLICK HERE. . .

Hidden Valley Resort – Final Thoughts

The  study tour was the best trip the SOEMCO staff had gone so far in their entire life as it left a tremendous impact on each and every employees’ lives. As we left the place, each one of us made a vow to continue spreading with renewed vigor and vitality the virus of cooperativism back home and conquer Caraga Region the Lamac Multi-Purpose Cooepartive (LMPC) way! Truly, the spot had been lost from our sights as our van had sped away, but the LMPC and the Hidden Valley Resort would always remain in our minds and hearts forever.

Hidden Island Resort is one of the island getaways in Bucas Grande Island, Socorro, Surigao del Norte, Philippines that I long to visit . For one, I want to see for myself the veracity of the stories being told that it has been transformed into a world-class resort by its owner, my good friend Roger Pimentel. Though I live in the island  but it was already quite some time that I visited the place since it was first constructed around 5 years ago.

Hence, on February 14, 2011, armed by my newly-acquired Nikon D 7000, I embarked on a sight seeing trip around my island home with the Hidden Island Resort as my first tourist spot destination.

Truly, after our boat maneuvered at the back of one of the secluded islets within the vicinity of Barangay Dona Helen, I was awe-struck when my eyes caught this view . . .

As I disembarked from the boat, my appetite to dive had soared upon seeing this dive board. . .

The Hidden Island Resort reception desk is simple and comely . . .

With its Patio so elegantly designed . . .

The simple yet elegant Blue Marlin Cottage had really caught my attention . . .

More so with the schools of groupers swimming on the azure waters beneath . . .

I saw for myself that guests in the Dolphin Cottage are treated like kings and queens as evidenced by this exquisite bedroom . . .

Standing at the resort’s catwalk, I cannot help but be inspired by the resort’s signage . . .

The sight of the resort’s flagship billeting place, the Lobster Cottage, is simply amazing . . .

But, nothing beats the exhilarating view of the island scenery as seen from the Lobster Cottage veranda . . .

Savoring the beauty of floating dish garden-like islets dotted on azure seas as viewed from Hidden Island Resort’s Lobster Cottage veranda would surely excite  the  urban guests and make them forget the hustles and bustles of city life . . .

Even I, an islander myself, so dearly admire the view of the Hidden Island Resort from atop the limestone view deck . . .

Truly, as my boat had sped away towards another tourist spot,  the spot had left an imprint in my mind in that . . .

judging from its facilities and amenities, Hidden Island Resort would surely dig deeper into the company of world-class vacation resorts capable of offering tourists a wholesome island vacations.