has drawn anglers from as far afield
as Japan, France, Hungary and the
UK, but if you love fishing — billfish,
tangigue or dorado — you too can
get in on the action thanks to a little
help from the local fishermen, who
double up as adventure outfitters. Just
approach any of them.
Spelunking in Burgos
In the municipality of Burgos, head over
to the Duhay-Puerta Cave (Two Doors
Cave) and drop by the town hall to hire
a guide. As with most cave tours, it’s
best to do this with a local who knows
the area. Locals also believe in unseen
beings that reside in nature, especially
in uninhabited forests and caves, and
anytime you venture into these places
you must politely acknowledge the
spirits that live there (otherwise, there
will be consequences that range from
broken devices to a severe skin rash
or worse). If you also fancy a ride on
a local water buffalo (
kabaw
)
after the
cave adventure, contact local resident
Cynthia Bourne.
Swimming in Katipunan
Just a quick 15-minute motorbike ride
from GL is Katipunan, where you can
then hop aboard a pump boat for a five-
minute ride to the cold spring where
you get saltwater during the high tide
and fresh water during the low tide.
Mangrove kayaking
in Del Carmen
You don’t get many opportunities for
this. Head over to the municipality
of Del Carmen on the western part
of the island and kayak what’s been
documented as the largest mangrove
forest in Mindanao. Just 15 minutes
from the Sayak airport (and an hour on
motorbike from GL), Del Carmen also
has a 300-year-old grotto in the church
called Our Lady of Mt Carmel. Heads
up to history buffs: the church holds
records of missionaries dating back to
1571,
or just 50 years after the Spanish
docked in the archipelago.
83
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}
S I A R G A O ’ S S U R P R I S E S
You can get to
many of the
interesting spots
on the island by
motorbike; (top)
the cold spring at
Katipunan, just a
quick 15-minute
ride from GL
PHOTOS
JM LIBARNES; PACO GUERRERO
ON MODEL
TUBE DRESS BY BILLABONG
