4) Adventure and Nature tripping.
Driving around Butuan City is an adventure in itself. You can see Jeepneys and Tricycles that can carry more people than it can really fit and it can be quite a site. Five minutes away from the city proper, mountains serve as a beautiful backdrop to streets that lead to farmlands that stretch out before you. There are bridges that lead to beaches with sounds and sights of children playing in the water under the intense heat of the sun. You can forget about your busy life here and just embrace the slow and steady pace of provincial living. If it’s a taste of more thrilling adventure that you’re after though, you may also want to try these activities.
a) Diving
The photos I have seen from divers in Butuan are just crazy beautiful! For the diving aficionados and enthusiasts out there, you will be excited to know that there are several beautiful dive sites in Butuan. I’ve included a photo map below of these dive sites. A local favorite or “home” and pride of the local group Butuan Bay Divers though is in Vinapor in Carmen, Agusan Del Norte which is about 50kms from Butuan. In Manila, one of the closest dive sites we have is in Anilao but it take about 3 hours to get there by car and even then, a boat ride to the dive spots are more than an hour away from the resorts. A flight to Butuan just takes about an hour and 15 minutes and just 30 minutes away from the city are some of the best dive sites in the country! The Butuan Bay Divers have over 15 regular dive sites mainly concentrated in Carmen alone. Courses conducted by the group are currently conducted through Scuba Diving International (SDI) and Professional Association of Scuba Instructors (PADI)
As I don’t dive (yet!) Here are some of the actual photos from the local divers which I asked permission to grab from the official fb page of the Butuan Bay Divers. Some dive sites are just about 15 minutes away by boat from the resorts! You may also contact the JJ Dive Center in Butuan which is the first and currently the only Butuan-based dive center.
Butuan Bay Divers – www.butuanbaydivers.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Butuan-Bay-Divers/168420173240270
Email: butuanbaydivers@gmail.com
Ph: 09186646502
Photos above courtesy of Troy Mayne and Jeff Ong
JJ Dive Center
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/JJ-Dive-Center-Butuan/478830248860076
JC Aquino avenue, 8600 Butuan City
0926 463 4000
b) Snorkeling
Who would have thought that at 15-30 feet only, you can already enjoy seeing a wide range of corals and fish? In the region, it is not impossible. Check out this video! It’s crazy how seeing the corals feels like seeing a garden underwater. It’s just beautiful!
c) Zipline.
The longest zipline in Asia with a length of 1.3km is actually in Delta Discovery Park in Bonbon, Butuan. The park is about 20 minutes away from the city proper of Butuan. If you also want to test your driving skills or just enjoy the view with friends, take the ATV’s that are for rent. The ride can be an adventure as well! A jeep takes you through rough roads that lead you up the mountains. Once you decide to do the zipline, you will notice that from a distance, it’ll look like you won’t fit in a seemingly small space between the mountains, but don’t worry, we’ve all survived and lived to tell the tale 😉
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