Showing posts with label Sohoton Ecopark. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Sohoton Ecopark. Show all posts

Monday, October 14, 2013

OTHER JEWELS OF BUCAS GRANDE ISLAND

Location: Bucas Grande Island, Siargao Island Group
Province: Surigao del Norte, Philippines

As my trip to Siargao Island concluded, I realized that there's a lot of things to see and do in Bucas Grande Island than in Siargao Island just to see the famous Cloud 9 Surfing Paradise. In Bucas Grande, you can find the Sohoton Ecopark with the Jellyfish Sanctuary and the other jewels of the island are: Club Tara Resort, Hidden Island Resort, Bubon Islets and many other nameless white beaches. For me, a visit to the fishing village of Barangay Bay-ang is plus factor. Bucas Grande is one of the 48 islands of Siargao Islands group. It belongs to the municipality of Socorro, one of the six municipalities of Siargao Islands group.


View Bucas Islands in a larger map


The pristine and tranquil Club Tara Resort


Going to Socorro Port from Sohoton National Ecopark, one will pass thru a state-of-the-art resort in the name of Club Tara Resort which offers every luxury a guest would wish to have.

Club Tara Resort is equipped with swimming pool with a bar along its sides


Club Tara Resort is equipped with a docking port and physical sports facilities as well as aqua sports facilities to complete the fun of guests who wanted to stay for long vacation.

Still a part of Club Tara Resort


Indeed, Club Tara Resort is a haven where guests will love to stay as they are pampered with all the luxuries they need.

Truly a hidden paradise with lots of fun to offer


Our next stop was the Hidden Island Resort where it offers a complete fun for individuals and families who wanted to enjoy their vacation in a very secluded but paradise location.

One of the islets in Bubon


Bubon group of islets are picturesque and each islet has its unique charm to entice the visitors to stay for a swim, a picnic or an overnight camping.

An entry to the fishing village of Barangay Bay-ang


We were suppose to head to Socorro Port which is still more than an hour boat ride to catch the 1:00 P.M. boat trip to Dapa of Siargao Island but we almost ran out of gasoline and so we were forced to drop by at Barangay Bay-ang to buy fuel for our boat.

A house in the middle of the sea?


This house may seem odd in terms of location but I find it picturesque and unique. After all, we can't see this in a metropolitan city.

Simple joys in simple dwellings


Kids around their simple shanties enjoy their playful moments satisfied with what they have in a completely surrounded environment by seascape.

A time for playing, a time for bonding


Unmindful of where they live, these kids still have the enthusiasm to play and bond with each other. If you live here, will you do the same?
A real picture of sadness


While we were still at a distance, I saw the girl in the picture to be too busy with something. As we approached near, she sat down and stared towards our boat with gloomy facial projection. Why the sudden change of emotion?

Resting after a tiring swim


After enjoying a round of swimming race, this kid rested at the back of their house to regain his energy.

Kids are having a swim without the presence of their parents


I can still recall when I grew up in our coastal town. We are not allowed to swim in any body of water like beach or river without the presence of our parents no matter how shallow they are. While these kids are given the liberty to do their swimming stuff unguarded.

They are not the typical camera-shy kids


As these kids saw us, they posed for posterity sake. They are not those typical kids in the remote areas where they will shy away with the click of a camera.

The kids have there ever-ready smile every click of my camera


As long as they knew that the camera is grinding, they are ever-ready to flash their smile. They even became more acrobatic on the water just get our attention.

He must have a problem since he did not join the other kids


I noticed this kid in the picture to have been sad and did not even bother to glance to other kids who were enjoying their swimming. He must be sick.

An improvised swimming pool in the middle of their houses


Maybe for safety reasons, the kids were told by their parents to swim unguarded near their house rather than at the open beach. At least, it is safe.

Part of the fishing village is grown with mangroves


Curious of what life is in that fishing village, I had a stroll there and chat with a few residents.

The coastline leading to Socorro Port


After having three picturesque stopovers, we headed to Socorro Port with a travel duration of more than one hour to catch for our trip to Dapa Port of Siargao Island.

SOHOTON NATIONAL ECOPARK (SURIGAO DEL NORTE)

Location: Bucas Island, Siargao Island Group
Province: Surigao del Norte, Philippines

Sohoton National Ecopark is unique of its kind as this pristine emerald paradise has magnificent underwater small caves and lakes, crystal clear water, corals of high definition colors and lush vegetation growing from limestone walls. It is uninhabited and luxuriant in vegetation complemented with emerald waters. This natural wonder is in the island of Bucas, one of the 48 islands of Siargao Islands group. It belongs to the municipality of Socorro, one of the six municipalities of Siargao Islands group. “Sohoton” is a term which means to pass through a narrow and low passage to the extent of crawling. It is highly advisable to visit this natural wonder during lowtide.


View Bucas Islands in a larger map


The crystal clear emerald cove of Sohoton


This trip started when we left Surigao City at 5:40 A.M. boarding a chartered a van going to Brgy. Hayanggabon in the Municipality of Claver at 6:50 A.M. From Hayanggabon port, we boarded a chartered small motor boat at 7:20 A.M. crossing the sea waters of Hinatuan Passage and arrived in Sohoton Ecopark Administration Office at 8:02 A.M. of Bucas Grande Island where we met its Operations Manager for tour briefing. in the name of Mr. Rolando “Dodo” Henson.

This is what you will see in Hayanggabon Port.


This is what you will see standing at Hayanggabon Port looking at the vast sea afar


Sohoton!!! You crawl flat to the ground to fit it with the low lying massive rock entrance


After the briefing from the Management Office, the thrill started as we drove through crystal clear cove. I felt so breathless wondering of how creation on this part of the earth was made. Was God more creative when He made this part of the planet?

We were extremely amazed as its second unfold to us the mystical beauty of Sohoton


Second by second, our eyes, screwed to its detail of the cove. The place was so serene. Nobody was around except our group with God so happy to see us amazed of His unparalleled creation.

These rock formations can tell the age of the Earth


For its turn of the boat, different rock formations are revealed. Every second then was a new experience.

Another treat to our feasting eyes


We had three guides with us. They are well-trained to explain to us what are those we see around.

One of our guides explaining what was in that rock wall formation


As we silently navigate the interior of the cove, we can see the small underwater caves inhabited with species endemic to the place.

The entry point to Hagocan Cave


We first had a minor spelunking in Hagocan Cave where it has a very small and narrow entry point. The entire cave has water coming from the cove outside and one has to swim inside to enjoy its beautiful scenery.

Swimming inside Hagocan Cave


We enjoyed our moments inside Hagocan cave where we had a refreshing swim and endless pictorials to document our unique experience.

Outside Magcocoog Cave while waiting for my companions who tried to have a dive from the atop a wooden flatform


Just minutes away, we proceed to have another minor spelunking in Magcocoog Cave where its topmost elevated exit served as a diving flatform down to the clear aquamarine waters of Sohoton Cove.

Our group inside Magcocoog Cave with our guide


According to our guides, these two caves are the caves where the Teleserye Asian Treasure topbilled by Robin Padilla and Angel Locsin were partly shot.

Having spelunking in the interior of Magcocoog Cave


We were advised by our guides not to stay long inside the cove or else during high tide or else you will climb the rocky cliffs just to have an exit to real world.

After savoring the beauty of the cove, we returned to the Management office and have different guides for the non-stinging jellyfish sanctuary.

HOW TO GET THERE

If you are already in Surigao City, you can either take a bus with a signboard of Tandag with a bus fare of P120 or a chartered van of P1,000 from Surigao City going down in Bgry. Hayangganon of the Municipality of Claver for 1 hour and 10 minutes and from there take a boat for 40 minutes to Sohoton Ecopark.

Alternately, there is a route from Surigao City through big boats to Dapa of Siargao for almost 3 hours or through Roro for 4 hours which usually leaves Surigao City at 6:00 A.M. and another at 12:00 Noon. from Dapa of Siargao Island, one can have a regular boat trip (once a day) to Socorro port of Buscas Grande Island for 1 hour and 15 minutes and from Socorro to Sohoton Ecopark is a boat for another one hour.

CONTACTS

Provincial Governor’s Office
Provincial Capitol, Surigao City
Tel. Nos. (086) 826-7778 Telefax (086) 826-0462

Provincial Tourism and Cultural Office
Provincial Capitol, Surigao City
Tel. Nos. (086) 232-6962 local 410; +639088963975
Email address: surigaodelnortetourism@yahoo.com
Website: www.surigaodelnorteph.com

Mr. Rolando “Dodo” Henson
Operations Manager
Sohoton Ecopark
Mobile Number +639394235793