Nonchalant at the Norfolk Lorega of Bukidnon

Picture a picturesque place here in Mindanao where the air is fresh and nippy, where fogs envelop lofty mountains, where pine trees adorn the lush surroundings and, chances are, Bukidnon would most likely come to mind. Found in the northern part of the country’s second largest island, the landlocked province has practically everything I'd like to experience during a quick weekend wandering up there in the highlands.

Here’s a place where weekend warriors like you and I can be carefree and nonchalant about life and the cares of the world, even for just a few hours. Here’s a place where I would definitely—if and when I have the wherewithal to spare—build a cabin in the woods, a hideaway where I can hide whenever life weighs me down with its twists and turns. And if I were to choose the ideal location for my humble shack, the village of Lorega would be it. 

Located in the town of Kitaotao, Lorega is fast turning into a “village of mountain resorts” where city slickers can spend a day or two hibernating in any of the highland sanctuaries found there—Adrian and Alice’s Place, Alta Monte, Cicada Hills, Highway 81, Seagull Mountain Resort, among others.

Recently, my friends and I made it to one of the newest destinations in the village—the Norfolk Lorega, a two-storey villa whose appellation, I surmise, must have been named after those evergreens from Norfolk, an island in the vastness of the Pacific Ocean. Native to the island, the pine is a key export, being a popular ornamental tree on mainland Australia and the rest of the world. 

It was through some coworkers that I first learned about the Norfolk Lorega. Seeing some pictures which they shared online, I was instantly smitten by the simple yet scenic resort. Wasting no time, I readily contacted my fellow weekend warriors and invited them for a weekend spree in Lorega. To my delight, several of them signified their intention to join the trek—Jacques, Bong, Joel, Marisa, Cheryl and Letty. We missed Butch, Jerson, Manoy and the rest of the gang who didn’t make it. 

It was a cloudy Saturday when we hit the road to Lorega. The spur-of-the-moment escapade was a much-anticipated gathering for us because it’s been a while since our last get-together. It was a two-hour drive along winding roads with rough stretches but I didn’t mind the distance because I was having a grand time laughing at the funny stories of my two passengers.

The resort's furry receptionists

Around lunch time, the three of us reached Lorega while the others came later in the afternoon. And guess who helped the caretaker usher us into the resort? A couple of nice-looking labrador retrievers, Pressy and Messy, (I hope I got their names right.) who happen to be the resort's adorable and amiable receptionists! 

Why head for the hills? Well, we felt the need for some cool mountain air and the comfort of each other’s company. We do this once in a while because we want to nurture and preserve our friendship which has stood the test of time. 

For me, my friends are a source of strength, comfort and inspiration. Having these people I can trust and rely on has helped me through the bad times and has made the good times even better. I’ve known these fellows since college—never mind the year!—and their presence has always made life all the more worth living.

When they’re around, I can be as laid-back, indulgent and nonchalant as I can be. Mind you, these crazy bunch, my fellow college debaters, with their wit and humor (hmmm, should I add sarcasm?), not to mention the camaraderie we’ve managed to sustain, has kept me from going crazy all these years! 

And the Norfolk Lorega turned out to be the ideal scenic place for another reunion of sorts for us. We were fortunate that the mountain resort had no other bookings that week—the place was ours for the taking! Thanks to Jacques who has this knack for tinkering with electronics, we were able to hook his portable karaoke device with the resort’s TV and sound system. Left to our devices, we spent the rest of the afternoon (up to late in the evening) talking, laughing, eating, drinking and singing to our hearts’ content!

Dusk at the resort

Designed for group gatherings, the Norfolk Lorega is about as group-friendly as they come. Visitors of all ages can engage in a plethora of activities to while away time. It has several amenities, including a swimming pool (with cold spring water!), volleyball and basketball courts, a ping-pong table, a TV set, sound system, among others.  It also has a large kitchen area with some basic appliances and cookware where groups can prepare their meals.

Seeing those Norfolk pines scattered all over the resort can be a delight to the senses for those who seek solace for their sagging spirits. Walking around a vast expanse surrounded with evergreens can be therapeutic, so I heard. Alone with those trees can work wonders to the soul. Mind you, those pine trees not only smell sharp and sweet, they’re also the perfect backdrops for those fond of taking and posting pics on social media—either selfies, duofies, or groupfies!

Truly, the resort is an ideal venue for silence and solitude. A time alone to think and be as one pleases, with no intrusions, however, is such a difficult feat to accomplish these days. Not only because we are social creatures by nature, but the demands of family and work make it difficult for us to spend time alone with ourselves. With the world reduced to a global village, detachment is nearly impossible these days.

Still, if there’s any chance coming my way in the future, I’d certainly love to come back to that resort on the hills of Lorega where I can be nonchalant as I please. This time, I’ll make sure it’s a solo sojourn—yes, without my dear, crazy buddies!—if only to smell those Norfolk pines, speak to myself and seek solace in the arms of nature.  😍😍😍

Magnetized by Marilog's Marvels

Summer is just around the corner. Chances are, you’d most likely be thinking of escaping to the beach or to the highlands whenever the sweltering heat gets too hot to bear. If you’re yearning for some cool, pine-scented mountain air, Baguio, the country’s  Summer Capital, would most likely make it into your list of choices.

Now, if you’re in Davao or near it, you need not go that far. Situated roughly 76 km away from the heart of the city, there’s this slice of paradise near the Davao-Bukidnon border that’s being touted as the city’s “Little Baguio” because of its numerous marvels that have magnetized visitors for they evoke images of the popular destination in the north—the district of Marilog.

Portion of the Bukidnon-Davao Road



  

The nippy mountain air and thick fogs—so thick they render road visibility to near zero to the detriment of motorists!—that quietly crawls into Marilog’s highlands and envelops the pine trees and wild flowers call to mind that magical ambience that has come to be associated with the City Pines.  Here’s a wonderful slice of Baguio just north of one of the world’s largest cities!

Foggy day in Marilog

Traversing Marilog is the well-paved highway linking Davao to its closest neighbor in the north, Bukidnon. Going to the farthest end of the district, you’d get to pass thru a portion of the provinces of Bukidnon (thru Kitaotao) and Cotabato (thru Arakan). Isn’t it amazing that you get to breeze into these three amazing places in three Mindanao regions (X, XI and XII) in less than thirty minutes?

Marilog's ruggedly alluring terrain

A trek into the highlands of Marilog is like taking a trip back in time when Davao was a vast, largely unexplored frontier. Home to the city’s lumads or indigenous peoples, it offers visitors an exciting peek into the rich history and culture of Davao’s indigenous peoples who have been there long before the coming of the Spanish colonizers. 

The lumads of Davao, particularly the Ata, Bagobo, Matigsalug and Obo-Manobo tribes, are dispersed all throughout the district’s twelve villages—Baganihan, Bantol, Buda, Dalag, Datu Salumay, Gumitan, Magsaysay, Malamba, Salaysay, Suawan, Tamugan, and of course, Marilog Proper. 

Nature bestowed upon Marilog a plethora of awesome marvels—waterfalls, caves, rivers and springs—that make it such an interesting destination for eco-adventurers. Each of the district’s villages have their own natural come-ons but the ones that are magnetizing the throngs are the known attractions in Baganihan, Datu Salumay and Buda. 

Epol Falls: one of Baganihan's most visited natural attractions

Baganihan.  The village’s most popular come-on is undoubtedly the breathtaking waterfalls named Epol—short for "Everlasting Power of Love"—whose rustic beauty provides the perfect backdrop for communing with nature along with family and friends. Surrounded by lush greenery, the falls will surely bewitch visitors with its unpretentious beauty.

Young people basking in the beauty of Epol Falls

Once known as Green Valley Falls, Epol boasts of several small cascades of ice cold waters, with a total drop of about 30 feet, smashing into several boulders below, providing tourists a chilling respite from an exhausting eco-adventure.  It may not be as stunning as Mindanao’s popular cascades but the secluded falls has its own way of charming even the most jaded adventure junkie. 

Part of the trail to Epol Falls

Hidden deep in Marilog’s lush forests, you’ll have to hike for roughly thirty minutes along a forest trail to reach it. Caveat: The trail to the falls can be muddy and slippery during the rainy season.  Take extra caution when you go downhill into the falls.

When you’re in Baganihan, a visit to the cultural village of the Bagobos, the first ethnic group in Mindanao who inhabited the banks of Pulangi (Bukidnon) and Davao Rivers, is a must. Dropping by this enclave gives tourists an opportunity to get a glimpse of the culture and lifestyle of the Bagobos, including their colorful costumes and exotic way of living.

Baganihan's new landmark

Visitors often include spelunking among their adventures in Baganihan. The village has a cave with large chambers adorned with captivating stalagmites and stalactites, which is definitely a sight to behold. There are also mini-lakes there where eco-adventurers can take a quick dip.

 

Another must-see in Baganihan are the sculptures of the Philippine eagle, also known as the "King of Philippine Skies,” and the natives of Mindanao, located just along highway. The landmark is one the three awe-inspiring creations of prolific Davao artist Kublai Millan whose works adorn many of Mindanao’s towns and cities.

Incidentally, the other two structures in Davao are "Durian and Carabao" in Toril (in the south), and "Waling-Waling," known as the "Queen of Orchids" in Lasang (in the northeast), which proudly greet visitors entering the city from different parts of the island.

A little sea of clouds enveloping the hills and mountains of Datu Salumay

 

Datu Salumay. Stepping into this farflung village after a two-hour journey away from the heat and hustle of the lowlands, you’d get the strange feeling of being transported into a different place and time. As you traverse the long, almost deserted stretch, you’d most likely see numerous makeshift stalls displaying fresh flowers, ornamentals and potted plants for sale.

Along the way, you’d also be with treated with bucolic scenes that call to mind Banaue, Sagada or some other remote town in northern Philippines—quaint houses standing on rolling hills and slopes bedecked with lush conifers; children in thick clothes on their way to school; women carrying pails and jars overflowing with spring water, etc. 

 

The road to Bemwa Farms

Datu Salumay gives you all these and more—including strawberries! Known to come mostly from Baguio, these luscious fruits are now being grown extensively in that part of Davao. The recent advancements in agricultural technology have made it possible of strawberries to be cultivated in the highlands of Marilog.

Bemwa Farms

Bemwa Farms in  Datu Salumay, for instance, has several hectares of strawberry fields. It also grows other high value crops  that  require high altitudes, notably lettuce  of different varieties. In  the future, it  wouldn’t come as a surprise if Datu Salumay and the other villages would earn for Marilog the title, “Strawberry Capital of Davao”.

Bemwa's strawberry field 

Visitors going to the mountainous village shouldn’t dare miss the chance to explore this new haven for nature lovers—Jive Highland Resort. Hidden in a secluded part of Datu Salumay, the relatively unknown resort provides the perfect venue for weekend family vacays, spiritual retreats, campings, and other corporate outings.

Here’s a place where time seems to stand still, allowing city slickers to take a breather from the pandemonium of the lowlands and commune with nature in the uplands. Within its sprawling area, nature trippers will be delighted to know that there’s a waterfall and a cave where the intrepid and adventurous can indulge to their hearts’ content. 

Being a new destination, Jive has quite a few amenities to boast of. Except for the modest accommodations, a multi-purpose hall and a basketball court (that also doubles as a parking area), it has no swimming pool, open-air cottages, restaurant, souvenir shop and what-have-you.

What Jive lacks in terms of creature comforts, it compensates with the abundance of natural treats—stunning views of verdant hills and forests,  spellbinding waterfalls, mysterious caves and, of course, fresh mountain air.  If further developed and marketed well, the highland resort could become the next tourist destination not only of Davao but the entire island of Mindanao as well.

A natural waterfall inside Jive Highland Resort  

Buda. Bracketed by sprawling mountain ranges, Buda’s rolling landscape and refreshingly cool climate make it one of the best destinations for a weekend wandering in Davao.  If eco-adventure is your game, the city’s farthermost northern village—just a few meters away from Bukidnon—is the ideal place to be. 

Frequented by local and foreign tourists who want to escape the din and drudgery of the lowlands, Buda, to some people, is a portmanteau for the Bukidnon-Davao Road. A quick peek into the list of the city’s 182 barangays (villages), however, shows that there’s indeed a place that also goes by that same name.


Buda, like the other villages in Marilog, offers a refreshingly cool ambience that’s similar to the one you get to experience in Baguio. The village’s most distinctive landmark is probably Seagull Mountain Resort (Others, however, consider the resort as part of the village of Lorega in Kitaotao, Bukidnon).

Seagull's cafe and restaurant

Owned by the Durezas, one of Davao’s prominent political clans, the mountain resort is nestled on a sprawling estate with an altitude of about 1,200 m (4,000 ft) above sea level. Its amenities include a golf course, a jogging trail, a chapel, a path for staging the Way of the Cross, a tent and picnic area, a pavilion, a coffee shop, among others. 

Seagull Mountain Resort also boasts of several nice accommodations, including cottages (known as condo units) that can shelter two to four people and log cabins that can house as many as three people each. It also has designated campsites for those who want to sleep outdoors.

Two of Seagull's sought-after delights—suman (glutinous rice cake) 

and sikwate (hot chocolate drink)

Perhaps the resort’s best natural come-on is the waterfalls found just a few meters away from its main complex. The refreshingly cool cascade supplies water to Seagull’s four swimming pools—a deep one for adults, two for kiddos and a shallow one (located near the waterfalls). 

Not to be missed when you’re at Seagull are its sought-after mouth-watering treats—suman (glutinous rice cake) and sikwate (hot chocolate drink), the perfect brekkie for weekend wanderers. For more about this exciting mountain resort in Buda, visit my post at  http://scorpio-sojourn.blogspot.com/2011/08/seeking-serenity-in-seagull-mountain.html.

 

As your thoughts turn to nature this summer, these are but a few of the destinations that would surely magnetize you when you visit Marilog. So, weekend wanderers, see to it that you add this haven in the highlands of Davao City to your list of options for a vacay. Go there and get magnetized by Marilog’s marvels! :-D