Dipolog City Day Hopping (lakbay rizal 4th leg)

what's with this provinces (my 10th solo backpacking)

august 13-15, 2011 saturday to monday

objective: to visit the best tourist spots that fits my taste and budget accordingly
additional task: to continue the lakbay rizal quest and explore what this provinces can offer at limited time

weekend journey to zamboanga peninsula

departure delayed at 50 minutes due to congested airport wherein our aircraft places 5th on waiting to take-off, air traffic controller's job. anyways, we arrived in dipolog domestic airport with drizzles around. after checking-out, negotiated to habal-habal bound to bus terminal for the start of my lakbay-rizal quest. then, at the terminal, rode a multicab bound to katipunan town plaza for php18 fare.

RIZAL FARM - The farm was acquired by Rizal from Calixto Carreon, a blind patient who offered it for free out of gratitude for his successful treatment. Rizal refused and paid him Php200 for the land. He cultivated it every weekend with his pupils.

rizal farm pilgrim

dipolog cathedral

Rizal farm's stamp site is one of the most easiest to visit but the hardest rizaliana spot to find. how did i know where it is ? well, due to the aggresive effort of attaining the passport stamp for a closed stamp site on this day, i have to visit the house of tourism office in charge which is the town mayor's wife and just 300 meters away. as i arrived to her home and another unfortunate event by informing she was not there for an on-field seminar. through the assistance of nice and kind locals, they help me out to go on the mayor's farm which fortunately the rizal farm (5km estimated distance from stamp site), what a blessing in disguise. rizal farm is privately owned but not a farm anymore. i even met the katipunan town mayor personally just for a single stamp. then, after 3 hours of stamp adventure, one of the assistant opened the tourism office in katipunan plaza and finally have my 1st of 8 stamps on this province, what a relief.

i went back to dipolog then rode a tricycle bound to dipolog cathedral. another almost stamp site close thought by not having the proper place where to find it. after asking a lot of locals i finally saw the stamp site which is beside the cityhall, infront of rizal pilgrim and 50 meters away from the church. since lakbay-rizal spots serves also as tourist destination and tourists are mostly available on weekends, why are they torturing ordinary visitors like me on finding this stamp sites.

DIPOLOG CATHEDRAL - Rizal is said to have designed the church altars of the Dipolog Cathedral. Although the facade has been extremely renovated, the interior remains relatively intact.

3,003 steps to linabo peak, dipolog city

3,003 steps to linabo peak, dipolog city

3,003 steps to linabo peak, dipolog city

around 1600H, i went for a habal-habal ride going to the linabo peak, one of dipolog's main attraction. at 3,003 steps going up which functioned also as station of the cross. the most tiring stairways on a hill i have ever experience imagine a 6,006 steps going back to start. Concrete steps winding along a tunnel of verdant trees leads to a panoramic vista of sky, plains and sea horizons and a spectacular view of the twin cities of Dipolog and Dapitan. This is Dipolog’s highest elevation point – 486 meters above sea level. Fourteen Stations of the Cross punctuate the way up.

then, I went back to dipolog terminal for an ordinary bus almost an 1-hour ride to dapitan city. dropped-off to dapitan plaza, dinner then night shots.

linabo peak, dipolog city

linabo peak, dipolog city

the next day, departing from dapitan city, i inserted the pending item for sungkilaw falls. after negotiating to numerous habal drivers, finally i went  to a very nice person that he even acknowledge my request to have fast and furious joyride to be able to catch the last bus trip to pagadian city. mostly very rough roads in getting there especially in the 14km stretch from the highway, and by approximate 1 hour we arrive in this 'enchanted' sungkilaw falls. no entrance fee but there is another set of stairs that costs 410 steps going to falls. i just spent almost 5 minutes of photo-shoot due i have to be in the highway before 1630H, which i am very fortunate that the roads to pagadian city is on the same way also.

sungkilaw falls

sungkilaw falls

sungkilaw falls

driver: REY ANDRE
vehicle type: honda bravo 110cc
contact no: +639066234451
max passenger: 2
rate: php300-400
starting point: dipolog bus terminal
remarks: highly recommended for being kind and accommodating

dakak beach resort day tour