First time in Sarangani: A 'Biyahe ni Drew' itinerary

On his first ever visit to Sarangani, Drew Arellano had his fill of paragliding, night diving, fresh seafood and spicy Mindanao delicacies.

There’s a first time for everything.

On a recent episode of “Biyahe ni Drew,” professional biyahero Drew Arellano visited Sarangani for the very first time. Guess what — he loved it. “Ang daming pwedeng gawin, ang sarap ng fresh seafood,” he says. “I’ll see you in Sarangani!”

Here’s his itinerary for a weekend in the province.

How to get there
Fly to General Santos City. From Manila, that’s a one-and-a-half-hour flight.
Take a van to Sarangani. These aren’t van rentals per se, but vans that take travellers to Sarangani on a regular basis. The fare for the one-hour ride costs P20 per person.

What to do

Paragliding
Safi Ranch
Brgy. Seguil, Maasim, Sarangani

Feel like you’re on top of the world — literally! At Safi Ranch, you take a four-by-four all-terrain vehicle ride up a hill. An accredited instructor will be strapped to you and will be in charge of manning the chute. All you need to do is prepare yourself for a serious adrenaline rush, then sit back and enjoy the view.

Come in a group because Safi Ranch requires a minimum of two people per paragliding session. This will set you back P3,000 per person, inclusive of transportation back and forth from General Santos.

Snorkeling and night diving
Southpoint Divers at Lemlunay Resort
Maasim, Sarangani

This is how you start your day right: with snorkeling! Lemlunay has a staircase leading directly to the sea. With clear waters, lots of corals and fish and an affordable entrance fee of P250, you can’t go wrong.

After dark, you can try night diving with Southpoint’s experienced divers. With their guidance and the help of a flashlight, you get to see nocturnal marine creatures like decorator crabs, squid and lionfish.

“Sa gabi, it’s very different. The small critters come out to hunt,” says one instructor. “First-timers can feel it’s quite creepy pero once you get down, nakakalimutan mo na kasi the fun is there na.” One session costs P950, plus P550 for equipment rental.

IML Ecopark
Brgy. Lumasal, Maasim, Sarangani
 

After climbing over a thousand steps, you’ll be rewarded with a view of Sarangani Bay and the surrounding forests. At their restaurant, you can try tuna panga, pork sisig, native chicken tinola and other Filipino home-style food.

Not yet hungry? Work up an appetite with their 600-meter long, 200-foot tall zip line (P200) or at their shooting range that offers handguns, semi-automatics and machine guns. “Bazooka, meron?” joked Drew. “Wala, wala,” laughed our guide.

Where to stay

Drew Arellano recommends: Lemlunay Resort
Kamanga, Maasim, Sarangani

“Walang karaoke, walang videoke, so you can really relax and read a book,” Drew says. “May swimming pool dito, pero kung ayaw mo ng swimming pool, may hagdanan pababa sa dagat. Perfect for snorkeling!”

Here, a room with two queen-sized beds can house up to four people for the night. This comes with a very roomy bathroom and a walk-in closet. The accommodations are simple but clean.

A big reason to go there is the delicious food. At the hotel restaurant, you can try Poke (P190), or Hawaiian-style tuna salad dressed with sesame oil, Dory finger (P190) or steamed pampano in oriental sauce (P425). If seafood isn’t your thing, they also serve buffalo wings (P180) on a bed of chips.

“Kapag tapat mo ‘yung beach, mas masarap ‘yung kain mo ng seafood kasi alam mong fresh na fresh,” adds Drew.

Belmar Ecopark and Beach Resort
Brgy. Kapatan, Glan, Sarangani

Here, rooms for two cost P1,200 a night. Here, you get to dine with a treetop view of Sarangani Bay. Their restaurant’s specialties: manok tinibuok (P380), sinugbang pusit (P80 per 100 grams), sweet escabeche (P90 per 100 grams), kinilaw (P185) and their buko halo-halo (P70).

Sarangani Highlands
General Santos City

If you’re traveling in a large group or want to be close to the airport, this hotel offers rooms for P2250 a night, good for seven people.

Where to eat

Kalilintad Food House
Poblacion, Malapatan, Sarangani

If you want an authentic taste of Mindanao cuisine, don’t miss the chance to dine at Kalilintad. “Ako personally, gusto kong itaas ang pride ng mga Maguindanaoan sa aming mga pagkain,” says their cook. Order the chicken pinalapaan, a Maguindanaoan specialty, and grilled tanigue with sambal.

Their signature ingredient is palapa ng niyog, a savory mix of sun-dried coconut meat, coconut milk, ginger, and spices that adds a golden brown color and savory, spicy kick to any meal.

“Ang palapa, parang ensalada na may sipa,” says Drew. “Babagay ito sa sisig. Pero perfect sa mga grilled fish, grilled squid.”

What to buy for pasalubong
Malong
Balungis Women’s Association
Brgy. Tuyan, Malapatan, Sarangani

Support local industries! The colorful malong is a product with Muslim roots that is used all over the Philippines. It’s one of Mindanao’s most famous products. “Kami mismo ‘yung gumagawa at ibinebenta namin sa ibang lugar para ma-promote ‘yung products [ng Sarangani],” says a weaver.

A shawl costs between P500 to 800, while an authentic malong costs P1,500 to P1,800.

Tinagtag
Malapatan Food Processing Center
Brgy. Tuyan, Malapatan, Sarangani

Sweet batter that’s sifted over a frying pan to create crunchy, porous rectangles. This delicacy gets its name from the way it’s prepared; to sift the batter, two sticks are rhythmically beaten against the container’s handle. “Simula’t simula, sa ninuno pa namin ‘yan,” one cook told us. “[Sa tradisyon], kung may mamatay sa amin na Muslim, gumagawa kami ng tinagtag at ipinamimigay.” A pack of four large pieces costs P40.

Frozen-fresh sashimi
Fish Port Complex, Department of Agriculture Philippine Fisheries Development Authority
Brgy. Tambler, General Santos City

Sarangani’s neighbor, General Santos City, is known for the scale, quality and technological prowess of their fishing industry. On your way back to the airport in General Santos, drop by the fish port for fresh and frozen fish.

Sashimi-ready chunks are frozen-fresh, meaning they were caught and frozen on the same day. Kept in the freezer, these will stay fresh for six months. Get yours for P470 a kilo, and the friendly fish port salesmen can also wrap your fish in airport-ready styrofoam packages. —Cristina Tantengco/CM, GMA News