48 Hours in South Cotabato: A ‘Biyahe ni Drew’ itinerary

“Mapapa-wow ka sa ganda, mapapa-yum ka sa sarap ng pagkain, at ma-i-in-love ka sa kultura,” says Drew Arellano of Mindanao!

While it’s true that some parts Mindanao are still in conflict and thus unsafe for tourists, there are also many peaceful places worth a visit in the country’s southernmost island. Take South Cotabato, for example—home of the serene Lake Sebu, intricate T’nalak weaving, and a zipline that takes you over four waterfalls.

Here’s the itinerary that Drew Arellano and the “Biyahe ni Drew” team used on their recent visit to the underrated province that is rich in both culture and natural wonders.

How to get there
Fly. From Manila, it’s a two-hour flight to the General Santos City airport.
Bus. From General Santos City, you can take a bus to South Cotabato’s Koronadal City for P80 per person.

Stopover in GenSan
General Santos City, also known as GenSan, is two to three hours away from the municipality of Lake Sebu in South Cotabato. Before hitting the road, Drew suggests passing by a nearby mall to grab some grub.
 

Where to eat: Ranchero Nuevo Grill
SM City General Santos, Santiago Blvd. cor. San Miguel St., General Santos City

“[We serve] simple food cooked with fresh ingredients from my dad’s ranch,” says a second-generation owner of this family business.

The house specialty at Ranchero Nuevo is the baby back ribs, but we suggest ordering at least one tuna dish to go with your meal. After all, GenSan is the tuna capital of the Philippines! Their tuna belly is Drew’s favorite, and we also enjoyed their tuna kilawin, which came with generous slices of mangoes. Top it all off with a dragon fruit smoothie and you’re good to go.

Prices can be steep at around P300 per dish, but all the dishes are good for sharing.

First stop in South Cotabato: Koronadal City

Where to stay
If night catches you on the road to Lake Sebu and you need a cheap place to stay, there are many hostels in Koronadal City such as the Greenstate Suites, where a room for two costs P950 a night.

Main destination: Lake Sebu

You definitely don’t want to visit South Cotabato without stopping by Lake Sebu.  With the lake’s calm waters, lily pads and fresh breeze, it really is a natural wonder.

Located one and a half hours away from Koronadal City, Lake Sebu is located within a municipality of the same name. The municipality of Lake Sebu is considered an economic and cultural center of South Cotabato, and is often referred to as the Summer Capital of South-Central Mindanao!

Cesar Sulit Jr, a South Cotabato tourism officer, says: “Tuwing may darating na turista dito sa amin, dinadala po namin sila sa Lake Sebu kasi we consider it as ‘yung pinaka-banner site naming turismo.”

In fact, it’s such a popular destination among tourists, so you’ll find plenty of accommodations and restaurants to choose from.

Here’s an important tip, though: Plan your activities in the morning, because afternoons are often rainy in Lake Sebu.

Where to stay
Punta Isla Lake Resort
Lake Sebu, South Cotabato

The T’boli are the indigenous people of Lake Sebu. At Punta Isla, you can spend the night in an open-air, traditional T’boli cottage. A cottage with a sleeping area good for 15 people costs P1,350 a night—that’s just P90 per person!

Mountain Lake Eco Resort
Brgy. Bacdulong, Lake Sebu, South Cotabato
Telephone: (+63 083) 826-1009
 

The T’boli-style houses here have painted interiors that resemble houses you’ll see in the city. However, your mattress still rests on the floor. A room good for six people, with a private bathroom, will cost P1,500 a night.

The Mountain Lake Eco Resort also offers a one-hour lake cruise for P200 per person, inclusive of an all-you-can-eat buffet! They also offer water activities like kayaking and hook fishing for fresh tilapia. “Siguradong ma-e-enjoy niyo ang serene sights and sounds ng Lake Sebu,” says Drew.

Merl Garden Spring Resort
Brgy. Lahit, Lake Sebu, South Cotabato

If you want to go swimming, Merl Garden might be a good fit for you. A tiny kubo good for four people costs P600 a night. It’s a bit cramped, but you have access to the resort’s swimming pool!

What to see
Aside from Lake Sebu itself, there are a number of other destinations in the area that will make your visit worthwhile.

Seven Falls
Brgy. Lake Seloton, Lake Sebu, South Cotabato

Upon seeing the Seven Falls, Drew couldn’t help but exclaim: “Rumaragasang tubig!” At the first waterfall, Hikong Alo (meaning ‘passage’), the water is so strong that it even turns to mist. Our local guides told us that if it’s your first time at a waterfall, you should pick up a stone and rub it against your skin to bring good luck and protection.

Local guides can help you trek to all seven waterfalls, but if you’re in a rush or aren’t the trekking type, you can ride a 700-meter-long zipline that gives you a bird’s eye view of four of the waterfalls. It’ll cost you P250 on weekdays and P300 on weekends.

T’nalak weaving center

From the Seven Falls, you can take a habal-habal to see one of the Philippines’ living treasures. The T’nalak fabric is sacred to the T’boli tribe, and the master—or shall we say, mistress—of this craft is Lang Dulay, whose intricate patterns come to her in her dreams. In 1998, she was given the title of National Living Treasure.

Lang Dulay’s home doubles as her weaving center. Because of her old age, she has had to stop doing the manual part of weaving; these days, she designs patterns and teaches her students how to create T’nalak out of abaca—a process that takes over three months per roll of cloth.

Just be sure to call the local tourism office in advance if you plan to visit her; since Lang Dulay speaks only T’boli, you’ll need a local guide to interpret.

If you want to buy T’nalak as a souvenir and to support the weaving industry, one meter costs P600. There are plenty of pasalubong options, from T’nalak-wearing dolls to actual clothing made from the sacred fabric which can cost up to P1,500.

Simple joys: Tupi

Tarsier Sanctuary
Brgy. Linan, Tupi, South Cotabato

For more nature-tripping, visit the neighboring municipality of Tupi. Their sanctuary is relatively new, so be sure to pack a lot of patience—it took us an hour before the shy tarsiers showed themselves to us. Still, Drew says, “ang kakaibang experience na ito is worth the wait.”

A friendly reminder from the sanctuary staff: No touching and no flash photography!

Where to eat
Tanokz
Pan-Philippine Highway, Tupi, South Cotabato

Right along the main highway is a restaurant that serves mouthwatering grilled chicken. “Mas masarap kung kakamayin,” says Drew.

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Photos by 'Biyahe ni Drew' segment producer Deanna Bibat
–Cristina Tantengco/PF, GMA News