Britania Group of Island

 

Britania islands are group of 24 serene, tropical islands, situated in the village of Britania in Surigao del Sur province. They can be reached by boats from Britania village, where you can arrange island hopping with different agencies situated by the beach. The islands are uninhabited, and only have a beach. One of the island has a cave. It’s also great spot for snorkeling.

The closest town is San Agustin (6 km away). From Butuan City, there are buses and vans for hire going to San Agustin. It takes about 4-5 hours. Once in San Agustin town, you can hire a tricycle until Britania port. From Bislig there are buses going to Barobo (about 20 km away from Britania), which cost around 100 pesos. From Barobo to Britania village (Barangay Salvacion) the price is 40 pesos.

There are many agencies at Britania port, which are renting their boats. The prices range between 1500-2000 for hiring a boat, and one boat can fit around 15 people. It’s better if you find people to share it with, but however, if you are traveling solo, then you can negotiate the price for the small boat (between 300-600 pesos). Joan’s beach resort is a small family run resort, which can offer much better deals comparing to the “big” agencies in the beginning of the port.

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LASWITAN LAGOON!!

In Cortes, Laswitan is the most recognized tourist attraction. It’s the one thing in Cortes people from along the coastal area of Surigao del Sur, say I should visit. Interestingly though, many of them haven’t been to Cortes yet.

After securing my stay in Cortes, through the courtesy of LGU officer Vincent Duenas, I was taken on a habal-habal ride to Laswitan by Archie, an LGU staff. From Cortes town proper, it was still a good 6 kms of dirt riding away. When the road ends, there is a 5 minute hike down to sea level where you see the majestic Pacific Ocean and Laswitan, fronting it.

 

The falls is created by huge splash of strong waves towering over 20-feet rock barriers, hence, it is called ocean waterfalls. the catch basin of the falls are lagoons safe for swimming.

The “Little Boracay” Cagwait white beach

CAGWAIT WHITE BEACH is situated in the Municipality of Cagwait, the 4^th class municipality of Surigao del Sur which is about 32 kilometers Southeast of Tandag, the capital town of the province of Surigao del Sur. It faces the coast of the Pacific Ocean in the east and Mount Diwata on the west.

According to history, a young sailor from the Leyte province who escaped from the Spaniards noticed while passing the bay, a resemblance of a human mouth and/or the esophagus which in he uttered “mao rag wait” in native dialect thus the establishment of its name, Cagwait.

Referred by the famous American Aviator Charles Augustus Lindbergh as the Waikiki of the South, Cagwait White Beach is a U-shaped and/or a C-shaped white sand beach woven by the harmonious composition of nature of tropical settings stretching the aquamarine water. It is said to believe that the discovery of the spot was mishap when the primary intention of coming to the CARAGA was for the wildlife campaign under concessions of the logging industry turned to be the sanctuary of the Philippine Eagle.

Enchanted River

The Hinatuan Enchanted River is a deep spring river on the island of Mindanao in the Philippines. It flows into the Philippine Sea and the Pacific Ocean at Barangay Talisay, Hinatuan Suriago del Sur. It is found between the boundaries of Barangays of Talisay and Cambatong. It earned the moniker “enchanted river” from the diplomat Modesto Farolan who described the river in his poem entitled “Rio Encantado”.

The Hinatuan Enchanted River in Mindanao, Philippines, is a flawless saltwater river that flows into the Pacific Ocean. It is around 80-feet deep, and just barely long enough to be considered a river, yet the flow attracts visitors from around the world who want to experience the beautiful waters that locals have long thought to be miraculous.

In fact, no one is sure exactly where the saltwater emanates from, although the prevailing theory involves an underground cave system which spits the river out, free of any dirt or silt which would usually cloud such a stream. Whatever the explanation, the clean waters are a natural wonder unlike any other.

TRULY ENCHANTED. Local tourists enjoy swimming in the blue waters of the Enchanted River in Hinatuan town in Surigao del Sur on June 22, 2012. MindaNews photo by Erwin Mascarinas