Enchanted River

There are three destinations the province of Surigao del Sur is famous for: Britania Islands at San Agustin, Tinuy-an Falls at Bislig, and Enchanted River in Hinatuan.

True to its name, you will surely be "enchanted" by its crystal clear and clean blue waters. It's also enchanted because according to folklore, there are spirits living down the depths of the river. According to stories by the locals, many attempted to go down to the deepest part of the river but most of them failed even with diving equipments. Some say that there is an underground cave down below. No one knows for sure if they are true or not. That probably adds to its mystique.

Look at that clear blue waters!

When you go swimming by the river, there is a moderate current that pushes you out towards the mouth of the river. Since the river is already near the sea, the water tastes mildly salty. I believe there is less probability of you drowning in the river because of its strong bouyancy. But then again to be safe, there are life jackets available for rent.

Fish-feeding
When we went there, there was a scheduled fish feeding at 12:00 noon. Resort hands feed the fish with bread. It's amazing when they come out of nowhere, different kinds of fish seem to be dancing with the background music. Then they disappear again when feeding stops and people again starts swimming.

Going to Enchanted River is not really expensive. There's an entrance fee of less than a hundred per head and another fee if you're going to rent a cottage. There are food stalls outside that sells seafood and other viands like shrimps, grilled fish, pancit, and vegetables dishes. You can opt not to bring food if you like and just buy from these stalls. Or you can go to the Hinatuan market and buy seafoods and meat and just ask the stalls to cook it for you for a minimal fee.

Tip: You can go on a sidetrip to Sibadan Fish Cage where you can have your lunch. All you have to do is ride a small boat waiting near the edge of the river for about 15 minutes. There, you can order fresh seafood like crabs, lobster, clams, and fish which are already in the fish cage waiting to be caught. You can even get a fishing rod and catch you own fish to be served as your food.

Enchanted River is about 240 kms. from Davao City or about 4 to 5 hours of driving. Good road condition by the way. It's already in Google Map so you will not get lost going there. Put it in your travel bucket list and have and adventure this summer!

I will feature the other two: Britania Islands and Tinuy-an falls in my next blog. By the way, this coming Holy Week (last week of March), my entire family, my three brother and their families (16 in all!) will be going to these places. I will have new pictures and will blog about it soon. Happy steeming!
All photos are mine