Getting Wild and Wacky at Maitum Whitewater Tubing

It’s not really bad to try out something new from time time. Especially if we get to try death-defying activities. Wait. Not really death defying. I was just exaggerating on that part. But trying out adrenaline pumping activities once in a while is a perfect way to kill the monster called “Monotony” and that monster sometimes breeds offsprings called “boredom”

Haha enough with the words.

And to kill those monsters living deep inside of me, off we went to the town of Maitum in Sarangani province Philippines to test our courage, through the white water tubing.

maitum whitewater tubing

photo by Mimi Boldios

MimiWayfareness

Maitum is around 45 minutes away from General Santos City. One of the prime business and oppurtunity centers in the Mindanao region. You may check out Lamudi for a complete listing of real estate for sale and for rent in General Santos City if youre interested. Also, for more information on what General Santos has to offer, go to Its More Fun In The Philippines.

This is going to be my second time to do this heartstopping whitewater tubing in Maitum, so I know what to expect, more or less.

whitewate tubing  2014    00001

Coming from Maitum Municipal Hall, we drove to Barangay New La Union around 11 in the morning. It was drizzling when we arrived at the whitewater tubing registration site. There was another group ahead of us who’ll be going down the river, so we decided to just take our lunch first take rest before we go down the river.

For lunch we had fried bangsi, salted eggs, latô salad and a few other local dishes. Bangsi is dried flying fish, the One Town One Product of Maasim. It’s yummy! Perfect for rainy day weather.

After we had lunch the young girls of Maasim performed some T’Boli dances to us. Once they were done with their dancing, we gamely traded places. We also did some Tboli dancing while the kids where watching us.

whitewate tubing  2014    00002

After an hour, it was finally our turn to try the whitewater tubing. From the registration center, we took a habal-habal going to the jump off point. But since it rained earlier, the road got slippery. It was scary, I must say.

At the jump off point, had a short briefing of what to do when approaching the rapids.

Finally it was time. Geez, the water is sooooooo cold. And the river current is much stronger compared during my first tubing experience in 2010. This means that this is going to be one hell of an experience!

Each one of us had guides that would assist us in “driving” our tubing away from the huge boulders. Going through the rapids is a surefire adrenaline pumping experience. The thrill of getting splashed with lots of water and falling off the boulders getting smashed with the water current an experience you should truly experience at least once in your life! Hahaha

Photo by Mimi Boldios

Photo by Mimi Boldios

And I did it already twice, with no scratch or bruise or whatever. Everything is safe at the Maasim Whitewater Tubing! The whole stretch of awesomeness is about 1.6 kilometers. I first tried it December 2010, and recently, just a few weeks back.

The current of the river on a normal day is more than enough to make you scream, but it is even more exciting during rainy season as the current gets wilder!

This was in 2010

This was in 2010

You wanna experience this one of a kind water fun too? Contact Go Sarangani Travel and Tours. They are the premier tour operator in General Santos City and in the whole South Central Mindanao Region

Go Sarangani Travel & Tours
Lagao, AH 26, General Santos, South Cotabato 9500
(083) 304 4398
gosaranganitravel@gmail. com



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Getting Wild and Wacky at Maitum Whitewater Tubing

It’s not really bad to try out something new from time time. Especially if we get to try death-defying activities. Wait. Not really death defying. I was just exaggerating on that part. But trying out adrenaline pumping activities once in a while is a perfect way to kill the monster called “Monotony” and that monster sometimes breeds offsprings called “boredom”

Haha enough with the words.

And to kill those monsters living deep inside of me, off we went to the town of Maitum in Sarangani province Philippines to test our courage, through the white water tubing.

maitum whitewater tubing

photo by Mimi Boldios

MimiWayfareness

Maitum is around 45 minutes away from General Santos City. One of the prime business and oppurtunity centers in the Mindanao region. You may check out Lamudi for a complete listing of real estate for sale and for rent in General Santos City if youre interested. Also, for more information on what General Santos has to offer, go to Its More Fun In The Philippines.

This is going to be my second time to do this heartstopping whitewater tubing in Maitum, so I know what to expect, more or less.

whitewate tubing  2014    00001

Coming from Maitum Municipal Hall, we drove to Barangay New La Union around 11 in the morning. It was drizzling when we arrived at the whitewater tubing registration site. There was another group ahead of us who’ll be going down the river, so we decided to just take our lunch first take rest before we go down the river.

For lunch we had fried bangsi, salted eggs, latô salad and a few other local dishes. Bangsi is dried flying fish, the One Town One Product of Maasim. It’s yummy! Perfect for rainy day weather.

After we had lunch the young girls of Maasim performed some T’Boli dances to us. Once they were done with their dancing, we gamely traded places. We also did some Tboli dancing while the kids where watching us.

whitewate tubing  2014    00002

After an hour, it was finally our turn to try the whitewater tubing. From the registration center, we took a habal-habal going to the jump off point. But since it rained earlier, the road got slippery. It was scary, I must say.

At the jump off point, had a short briefing of what to do when approaching the rapids.

Finally it was time. Geez, the water is sooooooo cold. And the river current is much stronger compared during my first tubing experience in 2010. This means that this is going to be one hell of an experience!

Each one of us had guides that would assist us in “driving” our tubing away from the huge boulders. Going through the rapids is a surefire adrenaline pumping experience. The thrill of getting splashed with lots of water and falling off the boulders getting smashed with the water current an experience you should truly experience at least once in your life! Hahaha

Photo by Mimi Boldios

Photo by Mimi Boldios

And I did it already twice, with no scratch or bruise or whatever. Everything is safe at the Maasim Whitewater Tubing! The whole stretch of awesomeness is about 1.6 kilometers. I first tried it December 2010, and recently, just a few weeks back.

The current of the river on a normal day is more than enough to make you scream, but it is even more exciting during rainy season as the current gets wilder!

This was in 2010

This was in 2010

You wanna experience this one of a kind water fun too? Contact Go Sarangani Travel and Tours. They are the premier tour operator in General Santos City and in the whole South Central Mindanao Region

Go Sarangani Travel & Tours
Lagao, AH 26, General Santos, South Cotabato 9500
(083) 304 4398
gosaranganitravel@gmail. com



© Enrico Dee for BYAHILO, 2014. | Permalink | Be the First to comment! | Add to del.icio.us

Maitum Anthropomorphic Jars

One ofthe places that I have beenwa ting to go to ever since is the Maitum Anthropomorphic Jars Museum located at the Municipal Hall of the town of Maitum in the Province of Sarangani Philippines.

What’s so special about this place?

It was in the 90′s when several secondary burial jars were discovered in Piñol Cave. But these jars are like no other: they hace very intricate human-like designs that cannot be found elsewhere.

Maitum burial jars

Maitum burial jars

Once inspected you would easily notice the fine carvings of the eyes, mouth, nose, and the ears. It is said that id the deceased is a woman, the burial jar would have a breast, but id the dead person is a male,a small protrusion symbolizing the genitalia can be found at the base of the jar.

When a deceased person’s body has fully deconposed, all its bones are then transferred to the secondary burial jar. These are the kinds of jars that was discovered in the caves of Maitum Sarangani.

Through carbon dating process, it was suggested that these anthropomorphic burial jars are more or less 2000 years old, or during the Metal Age. It is said to be the second oldest evidence of human civilization in the Philippines, second only to the ones found in Tabon Cave in Palawan.

Today these burial jars arenon display at the Maitum Municipal Hall museum. Two of these jars have already been declared by the National Museum as a National Cultural Treasure of Philippine Archaeology.

Maitum secondary burial jars

Maitum secondary burial jars



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Lemuhen Cultural Troupe: the Dream Dancers of the Tboli Tribe

A few months ago, I was invited by Sarangani First Lady Michelle Lopez-Solon to come to tour around the province and experience the Sarangani Bay Fest.

Lemuhen Cultural Troupe   00001

Last May 15, early in the morning, I boarded the Cebu Pacific flight bound for General Santos City, the gateway to the South Central Mindanao region. There I was met by Michelle together with other bloggers who will also be joining the tour.

Our first stop of the day was the Lemuhen Cultural Dance Troupe in Brgy Badtasan in the Municipality of Kiamba. This Tboli community of performers is led by Lyn Lambago.

Lemuhen Cultural Troupe   00002

They have been eagerly awaiting for our arrival and immediately gave us a warm welcome, the Tboli way.

Upon we arrival we had our traditional Tboli breakfast of camote, Gabi, chicken cooked in bamboo pole and some bananas. After the heavy meal, cultural presentation followed. Several traditional Tboli dances were presented to us. The finale performance was done by Lyn Lambago herself, explaining to us that the number she presented was kin fact shown to her in a dream. She was told that that dance in her dream is the original Tboli dance that should be taught to the younger kids of today.

Lemuhen Cultural Troupe   00007

Lyn stressed to us that today,many groups are also performing so-called Tboli dances but actually are not authentic dance movements anymore. and In this day and age where traditions are slowly being forgotten by the kids, she emphasizes the need to teach the young Tboli kids their traditional dances. In this way the rich and colorful culture of the Tboli people would be passed on to the next generation.

This was just the first part of our Sarangani, Your Adventure tour. Stay tuned for the second part of this series. In the mean time, enjoy the photos I took during the tour.

Lemuhen Cultural Troupe   00006

Lemuhen Cultural Troupe   00008



© Enrico Dee for BYAHILO, 2014. | Permalink | Be the First to comment! | Add to del.icio.us

Lingayen Bagoong atbp!

Day Two of my Lingayen escapade. Sort of. I woke up a little bit late. By around 11AM, I walked towards the Pangasinan Provincial Capitol to snap some photos and return to the beach area.

Pangasinan Provincial Capitola

Pangasinan Provincial Capitola

As always I am mesmerized at the grandeur of the capitol. Very elegant. I just can’t take my eyes off the building! Later I went inside to check out its interior where photos of the former governors as well as plaques trophies and recognition awarded to the Province were on display.


From the capitol, I proceeded to the beach. It was scorching hot so I just decided to stay at the food stalls. Hunger is starting to kick in. so I decided to check out the foods at the carinderia. For lunch I had a cup of rice and paksiw na bangus. I dunno, but bangus in Pangasinan especially coming from Dagupan is soooo good!

Pangasinan Provincial Capitola

Pangasinan Provincial Capitola

Sarap sarap!

After lunch I then proceeded to Antonino Café for a cup of coffee. I also found some time to work on some writing projects while at the coffee shop. I love it there. The coffee is good, the place is quiet, with fast Internet access.

Later I got to meet another Pangasinan blogger, Vanj Padilla who also works as consultant for the Office of the Governor. From the coffee shop we went to the Capitol Resort Hotel where I finally got to taste the popular Alaminos Longganisa. It was good. it is garlicky too like its Vigan counterpart, but is much subtle in taste. You would easily recognize Alaminos Longganisa by its appearance: it uses lots of toothpicks instead of thread to divide the sausages. Interesting, right? I dunno why they use toothpicks and not thread.

Longganisang Alaminos

Longganisang Alaminos

After our longganisa treat, we then headed to another surprise. We got to visit one bagoong factory in Lingayen! (JE’s Bagoong: 16 1.864 N 120 12.859 E). This town has been known for its one town one product: Bagoong or fish/shrimp paste.

Bagoong Making in Lingayen

Bagoong Making in Lingayen

Many people would surely raise their eyebrows at its stinky smell. But I bet you would love bagoong! During our visit, I got to discover the different kinds of bagoong being made. There’s the kind which is perfect for cooking like kare kare or bagnet, there’s the sweet type is is a perfect dip for green mango, among others. They also have patis or fish sauce, which is a by product when making bagoong. I am amazed at how tedious the process of making the shrimp paste. According to one staff, they keep their salted anchovies or shrimps in large vats for almost seven months before bottling them. That long. For sure their bagoong is full packed with all the goodness.

Assorted Baggong Products from Lingayen

Assorted Baggong Products from Lingayen

After our short trip to the bagoong factory, we then checked out the Narciso Ramos Stadium where the Palarong Pambansa was held last 2012. Its big, and spanking clean. The stadium reminds of the Panaad Park and Stadium in my hometoen Bacolod City, which was also the hot of the Palarong Pambansa in 1998. It is good that Lingayen has topnotch sports facilities like these where its students and young athletes can train.

From the stadium, our last stop is the Urduja House which is declared as the official residence of the Governor of the Province of Pangasinan. Tourist and guests can enter the house but up to the lobby area only.

Urduja House

Urduja House

It was a quick overnight stay in Lingayen but I truly enjoyed every moments of it. I know this is not the first and last time that I will set foot here. I’d definitely comeback, and shop for more bagoong!

Bagoong Products

Bagoong Products