One of my last Philippine regions to explore, Caraga is unspoilt and oozing with natural wonders that it was overshadowed by surfing island of Siargao. Since I have weekends to spare and got a PAL promo fare but on Davao City only, I went back again to Mindanao island to visit the remaining Caraga provinces despite the long bus rides. See my Northern Caraga provinces post here.
Caraga, officially the Caraga Administrative Region (or simply known as Caraga Region) and designated as Region XIII, is an administrative region in the Philippines occupying the northeastern section of Mindanao. The region was created through Republic Act No. 7901 on February 23, 1995. The region comprises five provinces: Agusan del Norte, Agusan del Sur, Dinagat Islands, Surigao del Norte, and Surigao del Sur; six cities: Bayugan, Bislig, Butuan, Cabadbaran, Surigao and Tandag; 67 municipalities and 1,311 barangays. Butuan, the most urbanized city in Caraga, serves as the regional administrative center. Caraga is named after the Kalagan people (Spanish “Caragan”), a Mansakan subgroup (related to Visayans) native to the regions of Davao and parts of Caraga who speak the Kalagan languages. The name itself is from kalagan(literally “[strong] spirited“) which means “fierce” or “brave”; from kalag (“spirit” or “soul”) in the native animistic anito religions. Hence, the whole Provincia de Caraga of AD 1622 was called region de gente animosa, that is “region of spirited folk”.
In this post, I’ll show some tourist destinations I visited in Agusan del Sur and Surigao del Sur since I’ve visited the northern provinces prior to this. I’ll post here in my #project81 the articles related to each province.
Southern Caraga Region: Davao City (transit only)-Prosperidad-Tandag City-Barobo (transit only)-Bislig City-Hinatuan-San Francisco (transit only)-Davao City (flight to Manila)
HIGHLIGHTS PER PROVINCE:
AGUSAN DEL SUR Prosperidad 📍Agusan del Sur Provincial Capitol 📍Naliyagan Plaza Grounds 📍DOP Memorial Sports Complex 📍Agusan del Sur Provincial Tourism Office 📍Prosperidad Municipal Hall 📍Prosperidad Bus Terminal and Negosyo Center for buying souvenirs
SURIGAO DEL SUR Tandag City 📍Surigao del Sur Provincial Capitol 📍San Nicolas de Tolentino Cathedral 📍Tandag Town Plaza 📍Tandag City Hall 📍Tandag Boulevard Hinatuan 📍Enchanted River 📍Hinatuan Municipal Hall 📍Hinatuan Signage 📍Sibadan Fish Cage Resort 📍Enchanted River Rock Island Resort Bislig City 📍Tinuy-an Falls 📍Lake 77 📍Bislig City Baywalk 📍Bislig City Hall 📍International Doll House
*Davao City (sidetrip) 📍Davao City Hall 📍San Pedro Metropolitan Cathedral 📍Rizal Park 📍Bankerohan Public Market 📍Philippine Eagle Center 📍Poblacion Market Central (new location of Aldevinco Shopping Arcade) 📍SM Lanang Premier
Francisco Bangoy International Airport (Cebuano: Tugpahanang Pangkalibutanon sa Francisco Bangoy, Filipino: Paliparang Pandaigdig ng Francisco Bangoy; IATA: DVO, ICAO: RPMD), also commonly known as Davao International Airport, is the main airport serving Davao City and Davao Region in the Philippines. It is the busiest airport on the island of Mindanao and the third busiest in the Philippines in 2022.
Davao City, officially the City of Davao (Cebuano: Dakbayan sa Dabaw; Filipino: Lungsod ng Davao, Lungsod Davao, o Siyudad ng Davao; Tagalog: Lungsod ng Dabaw / Lungsod ng Davao o Siyudad ng Dabaw / Siyudad ng Davao ), is a 1st class highly urbanized city in the Davao Region, Philippines. The city has a total land area of 2,443.61 km2 (943.48 sq mi), making it the largest city in the Philippines in terms of land area. It is the third-most populous city in the Philippines after Quezon City and Manila, and the most populous in Mindanao. It is geographically situated in the province of Davao del Sur and grouped under the province by the Philippine Statistics Authority, but the city is governed and administered independently from it. The city is divided into three congressional districts, which are subdivided into 11 administrative districts with a total of 182 barangays. Davao City is the center of Metro Davao, the second most populous metropolitan area in the Philippines. The city serves as the main trade, commerce, and industry hub of Mindanao, and the regional center of Davao Region. Davao is home to Mount Apo, the highest mountain in the Philippines. The city is also nicknamed the “Durian Capital of the Philippines”. The region’s name is derived from its Bagobo origins. The Bagobos were indigenous to the Philippines. The word davaocame from the phonetic blending of three Bagobo subgroups’ names for the Davao River, a major waterway emptying into Davao Gulf near the city. The aboriginal Obos, who inhabit the hinterlands of the region, called the river Davah (with a gentle vowel ending, although later pronunciation is with a hard v or b); the Clatta (or Giangan/Diangan) called it Dawaw, and the Tagabawas called it Dabo. To the Obos, davahalso means “a place beyond the high grounds” (alluding to settlements at the mouth of the river surrounded by high, rolling hills).
Agusan del Sur, officially the Province of Agusan del Sur (Cebuano: Habagatang Agusan; Butuanon: Probinsya hong Agusan del Sur; Tagalog: Timog Agusan), is a province in Caraga region, Mindanao, Philippines. Its capital is the municipality of Prosperidad. It is bordered on the northwest by Agusan del Norte and Misamis Oriental; east by Surigao del Sur; southeast by Davao Oriental; mid-south by Davao de Oro; southwest by Davao del Norte and, mid-west by Bukidnon. It is the fourth largest province in the country in terms of area. Agusan derives its name from the Agusan word agasan, meaning “where the water flows“, referring to the Agusan River that splits the land and meanders south to north in a 250-kilometre (160 mi) rush to Butuan Bay. It is third largest river in the country and served as highway for the Spanish colonizers in gaining access to inner northeastern Mindanao.
Prosperidad, officially the Municipality of Prosperidad (Cebuano: Lungsod sa Prosperidad; Tagalog: Bayan ng Prosperidad), is a 1st class municipality and capital of the province of Agusan del Sur, Philippines. Prosperidad is the venue of the Naliyagan Festival, an annual event celebrated by the entire province of Agusan del Sur. It also hosts its own festival called the Angot Festival celebrated every 28 September in honor of St. Michael the Archangel. At the start of the American Period, Las Navas was bustling with local trades, but is experiencing constant flooding thus a new community,a business center cops up on a nearby site and was named ‘Prosperidad’ derived from the word Prospero or “progressive” as the place experienced growth and prosperity during the time of American Governor Zapanta.
Surigao del Sur (Surigaonon: Probinsya nan Surigao del Sur; Cebuano: Habagatang Surigao; Tagalog: Timog Surigao), officially the Province of Surigao del Sur, is a province in the Philippines located in the Caraga region in Mindanao. Its capital is Tandag City. Surigao del Sur is situated at the eastern coast of Mindanao and faces the Philippine Sea to the east. There are two hypotheses on the original meaning of “Surigao” among linguists, depending on the original root word. If the root word was taken to be sulig (“sprout” or “spring up”), then Surigao may have derived from suligao (“spring water“), likely referring to the Surigao River (known as “Suligaw” in Mandaya) that empties at the northern tip of the island of Mindanao. Early historical accounts record the name of the river as Suligao, Surigao, or Zurigan. Another possibility is that it is derived from Visayan surogao or suyogao, meaning “water current”. From suyog (also sulog or surog), “current”; cf. Sinulog, Sulu, and Tausug (Suluk).
Tandag, officially the City of Tandag (Tandaganon/Surigaonon: Siyudad nan Tandag; Cebuano: Dakbayan sa Tandag; Filipino: Lungsod ng Tandag), is a 5th class component city and capital of the province of Surigao del Sur, Philippines. Farming and fishing are the main economic activity for most of the people in Tandag. The chief farm products are rice, corn, and coconut. Livestock- and poultry-raising are also important sources of income. Tandag has a national secondary airport and a seaport. Many versions have been given regarding the name of Tandag. One version states that Father Calan, Father Encarnacion, and another priest were on their way to visit chieftain Suba to baptize his people. When one of the missionaries asked a native rowing their boat what name of the place was with fingers pointing downward, the native thought the priest meant the school of fish. He answered “tamda“, meaning ‘look down‘. This name later became Tandag. Father Encarnacion, a member of the group, was later killed by the natives.
The Roman Catholic Diocese of Tandag (Lat: Dioecesis Tandagensis) is a diocese of the Latin Church of the Roman Catholic Church in the Philippines. Erected in 1978, the diocese was created from territory in the Diocese of Surigao. The diocese has experienced no jurisdictional changes, and is a suffragan of the Archdiocese of Cagayan de Oro.
Cathedral of Saint Nicholas of Tolentino in Tandag City is the seat of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Tandag. This modern-looking cathedral is located a few kilometer away from city center, along Surigao-Davao Coastal Road.
Bislig, officially the City of Bislig (Cebuano: Dakbayan sa Bislig; Filipino: Lungsod ng Bislig), is a 3rd class component city in the province of Surigao del Sur, Philippines. It is the most populous among the cities and municipalities in the province of Surigao del Sur. Barangay Mangagoy, the downtown area often dubbed by its residents as “the little city within the city”, is the center of trade and industry of Bislig which has a population of 32,464 as of the 2015 estimate. It is the largest barangay in the city and the entire province of Surigao del Sur in terms of population. Since Barangay Poblacion is often referred by the locals simply as ‘Bislig’, Mangagoy on the other hand is often mistaken as a separate town though it is only just one out of the 24 barangays that comprises the entire City of Bislig. In 2000, Bislig was converted into a city per Republic Act 8804. It is the easternmost city in the Philippines. Historically, Bislig derived its name from the word “bizlin“, a kind of gold, “which is worth two pesos a tael. The weight of a tael is one and one-eight ounces” in the 16th century, which the natives used for trade and barter. Prior to the coming of Spaniards, this terminology was understood in Luzon and in Mindanao. In the report of the Administrator of Royal Properties Andres Mirandaola dated September 8, 1573, sent to King Philip of Spain that “much gold found in the island of Mindanao, District of Butuan, Surigao …” It is believed that this kind of gold found in the rolling hills and mountains of the southernmost portion of Bislig and Agusan Province.
Tinuy-an Falls is a multi-tiered waterfall in Bislig, Surigao del Sur in the southern island of Mindanao, Philippines. Bislig is a city known as the Booming City by the Bay. The waterfall itself has been featured in various international travel magazines and TV shows. The Tinuy-an falls are 95 m wide and 55 metres (180 ft) high, touted as the little Niagara Falls of the Philippines. Tinuy-an is a white water curtain that flows in three levels (with a fourth tier hidden from view) and is said to be the widest waterfall in the Philippines. Every morning, the area shows a rainbow between 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. One may also ride a raft to get close to its cascades and get a water “massage.” Tinuy-an Falls is a co-management effort between the tourism office of Bislig and the Manobo Tribal Council.
The name Tinuy-an comes from the word Tinuyo-an, a native Cebuano vernacular which means “intentional act or performance to attain an objective or goal“. It can also be transliterated into the Filipino context as Babalik-balikan (“a place you’ll keep going back to”). Legends says that long time ago, the people living on the Magdiwata Mountain were turned into slaves by tribesmen from Agusan. These tribesmen were so cruel and did not treat the slaves humanely, forcing them to do very difficult tasks. Eventually, the slaves felt tired of their abusive masters, they planned on attaining their freedom. While they were rowing the gakit (bamboo raft), the slaves jumped into the water and forcefully pushed the gakit towards the waterfalls, consequently killing their masters, and ultimately attaining their freedom. This action of the slaves were planned, or intended, hence, the name of the waterfalls.Hinatuan is a second class municipality in the province of Surigao del Sur, Philippines. Hinatuan is approximately 44 kilometers (27 miles) north of Bislig, a component city in the same province. The name Hinatuan, originally derived from the word “Hatud” and later called “Hatudan” was handed down from generation to generation through oral version. These words have two versions – ” Hatud ” in the native dialect simply known in english as brought. In fact, fishing is the major occupation of the inhabitants. To denote a place, a suffix ” an ” was added to ” Hatud ” to become ” Hatudan “meaning brought forth.The Hinatuan Enchanted River, also called the Hinatuan Sacred River, is a deep spring river on the island of Mindanao in the Philippines. It flows into the Philippine Sea and the Pacific Ocean at Barangay Talisay, Hinatuan, Surigao del Sur. It is found between the boundaries of Barangays of Talisay and Cambatong. It earned the moniker “enchanted river” from the diplomat Modesto Farolan who described the river in his poem entitled “Rio Encantado“. Hinatuan Bay, which is the habitat of various species of turtles, is located at its mouth. Its mouth also offers a safe anchorage against storms and typhoons.
Davao City Hall was established in 1926 as the Municipal Hall when it was still a town. Davao was incorporated as a part of Moro Province from 1903 to 1914.
The Saint Peter Metropolitan Cathedral, also referred to as the San Pedro Cathedral or Davao Cathedral, is a Roman Catholic cathedral located at Barangay 2-A, Poblacion District, Davao City, Philippines. The cathedral, dedicated to Saint Peter, is the ecclesiastical seat of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Davao.
Bankerohan Public Market is the largest and busiest market in the city, and it is a major source of fresh produce and other goods for the city’s residents.You can buy local produce and souvenirs here, as well as try their local cuisine.
The Philippine Eagle Center is home to our national bird, Philippine Eagle where some are captive-bred. It also houses other species of birds, species of mammals and species of reptiles. Simulating a tropical rain forest environment, the Center offers the visitor a glimpse into the country’s forest ecosystem. Although the exhibits are used primarily to help educate the Filipino people on conservation, the facility is also considered a major tourist attraction in Davao City. The Philippine eagle, the country’s national bird and considered the largest eagle in the world, is endemic to Davao.
SM Lanang Premier is an indoor four-story shopping mall in Lanang, Davao City, Philippines along Jose P. Laurel Avenue and within S.P Dakudao loop. Ibought some souvenirs here.
For detailed post about food trip in Davao City, click on below link:
Ben Goes Where 
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