Category Archives: ACTIVITIES

Sun Plaza Sapa (Vietnam)

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Sun Plaza Sapa

Come morning of our second day in Sapa, after breakfast at Bora Hotel, we walked along Cau May Walking Street, towards Sapa Square and the stunning, instantly recognizable four-storey Sun Plaza Sapa, a shopping and entertainment complex and the essential hub and crucial starting point for our visit to Mount Fansipan, the “Rooftop of Indochina” as it houses, at the first floor, the ticket office for the iconic Muong Hoa funicular.  Offering a unique way to travel through the clouds while taking in breathtaking views of the stunning mountain scenery, the train has a classic design and luxury vibe.

Check out “Cau May Walking Street” and “Sapa Square“

The Muong Hoa Funicular

The building, in itself, is a must-see spot in the heart of the beautiful town of Sapa. Sun Plaza Sapa is a place with great views, a shopping center and dining options, including a bar, at the first, second and third floors, and a parking area at the ground floor.

The clock tower

Designed in a grand, classic, luxurious and beautiful French-style architecture (by architect Bill Bensley of the international architectural firm Chapman Taylor) that brings a touch of Europe to the Sapa mountains, it was built by Sun Group and completed in late 2018.

L-R (front row): Des, Grace, Lourdes, Lorraine. L-R (Back row): Jandy and the author

The building, with its striking yellow and green façade, also features large glass windows, which create a bright and inviting atmosphere, especially at night. The clock tower at the entrance, one of the main attractions and a symbol at Sun Plaza Sapa, attracts many visitors for photos.  Inspired by the famous Big Ben clock tower in the United Kingdom, it has three large clocks with a round, lantern-like design.

The circular central hall

Upon stepping into the large circular hall of Sun Plaza Sapa, its floor decorated with motifs such as centrally located bronze drums, we felt like we were entering a European royal palace or a castle without leaving Vietnam.  Showcasing unique French-style of architecture with an interesting Vietnamese touch, its delicate interiors features a dome, large columns, stunning lights, grand corridors with intricately decorated walls, elegant glass doors, European-style lamps, arches, and metal railings.

The funicular ticket office

The symmetrical design adds to the elegance, and the delicately painted artwork on the ceiling in the main lobby, with flowers and leaves, along with bright, sparkling light beams, is particularly eye-catching. This place is a perfect spot offering countless beautiful spots to snap amazing, Instagram-worthy photos.

The dome with its delicately painted artwork on the ceiling

Shopping is a must at here as this shopping center is full of fashion (shoes, clothing, bags, cosmetics, etc.), local souvenirs, and regional specialties, ranging from budget-friendly to luxury items. As a food paradise, it offers delicious European dishes, prepared by professional chefs, to make your dining experience unforgettable. There are also cozy cafés and eateries, including a Starbucks.

Passing by the Starbucks on the left

De la Coupole Sapa – MGaller, a luxury 5-star hotel inside Sun Plaza known for its elegance and charm, offers a unique, unforgettable experience, with 249 stunning and creatively designed rooms inspired by local Northwest culture and French and Indochinese design. A perfect spot for a special and relaxing getaway, the hotel also has restaurants, bars, a spa, and event spaces.  

Passing the Highlands Coffee shop on the right

Absinthe, a cafe on the 10th floor, next to Sun Plaza, with French design and art creating a cozy vibe, is a great spot to relax and the perfect place to sit down for a coffee either inside, to enjoy the blended artistic interior space and French fashion style, or outside to take in the beauty of Sapa, enjoying nature and the amazing views of Sapa’s majestic mountains and forests hidden in the flying clouds.

Stairway with intricately designed metal railings

Sun Plaza Sapa: 1 Ng. Cau May, Sa Pa Town, Sa Pa, Lao Cai.  Tel: +84 948 309 999. Open daily, 7:30 AM to 10 PM. Website: www.sunworld.vn.

Cau May Walking Street (Sapa, Vietnam)

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Cau May Walking Street

After our tour of Sapa Square and the Church of the Holy Rosary, we all proceeded to walk along the historic Cau May Walking Street, to reach Bora Hotel where we were to stay overnight.  Also known as Western Street, it is nestled in the grandeur of the Northwest mountains. 

Check out “Sapa Square“ and “Church of the Holy Rosary”

This popular and vibrant, though relatively small pedestrian-only street, in foggy Sapa town, is known for its lively atmosphere and local street food, with numerous modern restaurants, bars, cafes and 3 to 5-star hotels, and is a cultural hub where locals and tourists can interact, stroll, explore the bustling night market, sample local street food, and relax at a bar. 

Food stall and restaurant

It was built in 1905, during the French colonial era as a retreat for French officials and Vietnamese locals alike, and serves as a convenient point to access other tourist spots in Sapa. At night, the street comes alive with colorful displays and many shops and stalls selling local street food and traditional handmade crafts.  

Sapa’s nightlife is often described as a blend of liveliness and an atmosphere that remains more tranquil than in large cities. Visitors can enjoy a variety of delicious and high-quality local Northern Highland specialties, ranging from humble to upscale culinary experiences.

They include dishes like sour salmon hotpot, Sapa green vegetable stir-fry, grilled deer with lemongrass, local pork, honey-glazed grilled duck, hotpot with gang hot sauce, butter lemon sauce fish, Sapa mushroom and lotus seed braised chicken, thang co (a famous horse meat soup), thit trau gac bep (dried buffalo meat), xoi ngu sac (five-color sticky rice), grilled skewers (lamb and bird) and bamboo-cooked rice as well as more modern dining options.

Cau May Walking Street in daytime

The street has a unique ambiance that harmoniously combines the allure of vintage and classic Western charm of the past century, with a touch of modernity, the captivating culture of local ethnic minorities, such as the H’mong and Tay. The street occasionally hosts cultural events and festivals that showcase the region’s heritage. 

Bora Hotel

Cau May Walking Street: 19 Cau May Street, Sapa Town, Lao Cai Province.

Hoan Kiem Lake (Hanoi, Vietnam)

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Hoan Kiem Lake

From Hanoi Train Street, a short 2-km. (10-min.) drive brought us to the 11.551-hectare (1,243,350 sq. ft.) Hoàn Kiếm Lake (Vietnamese: Hồ Hoàn Kiếm), a fresh water lake in the heart of Hanoi that is a popular cultural and historical landmark for both locals and tourists.  In the past, the lake was variously named as “Lục Thủy Lake” (Vietnamese: Hồ Lục Thủy, meaning “Green Water Lake,” aptly named for the water’s color), “Thủy Quân Lake” (Vietnamese: Hồ Thủy Quân, meaning “Mariner’s Lake”), Chữ Hán (meaning “Lake of the Returned Sword” or “Lake of the Restored Sword”), Sword Lake (Hồ Gươm) or Tả Vọng Lake (Hồ Tả Vọng, its first name). 

Check out “Hanoi Train Street”

L-R: Grace, Jandy and the author

The area, one of the major scenic spots in the city and a focal point for its public life, is a powerful symbol of Vietnamese independence and resilience. Connected to the city’s Old Quarter, it is surrounded by several major streets (including Dinh Tien Hoang, Le Thai To, and Hang Khay), walking paths, flower gardens and age-old trees, making it an ideal place for a morning jog, a leisurely stroll, Tai Chi sessions, or simply unwinding while enjoying the scenic view, reflecting the harmonious balance between urban life and nature.  In 1891, the French built a road around Hoan Kiem Lake and, on New Year’s Eve 1893, it was officially inaugurated.

L-R: Lorraine, Jandy and Lourdes

During weekends, the area around the lake becomes a pedestrian-only zone, coming alive with street performances, cultural showcases, and local delicacies, offering a vibrant energy and experience for travelers.  It has a maximum length of 700 m. (2,300 ft.), a maximum width of 250 m. (820 ft.), an average depth of 1.2 m. (3.9 ft.) and a maximum depth of 2 m. (6.6 ft.).

The lake’s name comes from a legend which is deeply intertwined with Vietnam’s history and folklore.

During the 15th-century, Emperor Lê Lợi, while boating on the lake, was given Heaven’s Will, a magical sword, by the Dragon King (Long Vương) , a local god,  to defeat the Ming Dynasty of China. After his victory, the Golden Turtle God (Kim Qui) surfaced to reclaim the sword and return it to its divine realm, and the king renamed the lake to commemorate the event. 

Turtle Tower (Tháp Rùa)

The iconic Turtle Tower (Tháp Rùa), a small tower standing on a small island near the center of the lake, is linked to the legend. For many years, large soft-shell turtles (either the species Rafetus swinhoei or a separate species named Rafetus leloi in honor of the emperor), have been sighted in the lake but the last known individual was found dead on January 19, 2016. There are three remaining turtles of the species Rafetus swinhoei.

Jade Islet, near the northern shore of the lake, is home to the Temple of the Jade Mountain (Ngoc Son Temple).  Built in the early 19th century, the temple, originally dedicated to “Three Sages” Wenchang Dijun, Guan Yu and Lü Dongbin, also honors Trần Hưng Đạo, a 13th-century military leader  and national hero who distinguished himself in defeating the Mongol invasions of Vietnam thrice; the classic scholar Văn Xương; Taoist master La To and Nguyễn Văn Siêu, a famous writer and official who undertook repairs of the temple in 1864.

Its architecture is a blend of traditional Vietnamese styles, with intricate wooden carvings, red-lacquered pillars, and delicate dragon motifs, while inside, visitors can observe ancient artifacts, calligraphy, and a preserved specimen of the sacred turtle believed to be linked to the legend of the lake.  Buildings of the temple, all with symbolic meaning, include the Tháp Bút (“The Pen Tower,” it is inscribed with the words “Ta Thanh Thien,” which means “Writing on the Blue Sky”, symbolizing the importance of literature and education in Vietnamese culture), the Đài Nghiên (ink-slab), the Đắc Nguyệt (“moon contemplation pavilion”) and the Đình Trấn Ba (pavilion against waves). 

Jade Island is accessed, from the shore, by the wooden Thê Húc Bridge (Cầu Thê Húc).  Painted vermillion red, the bridge’s name is poetically translated as “Perch of the Morning Sunlight.” One of the most photographed spots in Hanoi, it stands out against the emerald-green waters of Hoan Kiem Lake.

Thê Húc Bridge

On the western bank of Hoan Kiem Lake, along Le Thai To Street, is the “Ly Thai To Monument” with its statue honoring King Ly Thai To (974–1028), the first emperor of the Ly dynasty, who reigned from 1009 to 1028 AD.  He is best known for moving the capital to Hanoi (then called Thang Long), in 1010 AD, and for leading the resistance against the Ming army in the 15th century.

Ly Thai To Monument

Hoan Kiem Lake: Hàng Khay Street, Hoan Kiem District, Hanoi, Vietnam. Coordinates: 21°01′44″N 105°51′09″E.

How to Get There: The lake is conveniently located near the Old Quarter and is easily accessible. 

Hanoi Train Street (Vietnam)

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Hanoi Train Street

Upon our arrival in Hanoi’s Noi Bai International Airport, we met up with our Vietnamese guide from Hava Travel and boarded our coach for our city tour.  Our first destination was Hanoi Train Street, a 25.2-km. (45-min.) drive away.  This captivating blend of old-world charm and vibrant modern life winds its way through several bustling streets, including Phung Hung, Dien Bien Phu, and Le Duan. Here, we were to experience something unique many visitors enjoy – the thrill and excitement of sipping coffee while watching trains pass just inches away.

L-R: the author, Jandy, Grace, Lourdes and Lorraine

This narrow train bypass in Hanoi was built in 1902, during the French colonial era, when the French established the railway system to connect Hanoi with other parts of Vietnam.  As of 2025, it is still an active rail line.  It sees, several times daily, a train pass close to buildings on either side of the single train track line.  It runs north from south, to Hanoi railway station whose width takes up nearly the entirety of the famous Hanoi Train Street which refers to the narrow railway tracks running through residential neighborhoods, along Tran Phu and Phung Hung streets, in the Old Quarter.

When trains approach, local residents living alongside the tracks clear their belongings from the narrow space. During other times, they often use the space for daily activities like drinking tea and playing board games. The street developed into a tourist destination and, along the narrow alley, tourists would often stop and take pictures to post on social media. In recent years, safety concerns have increased as tourism has grown.

One of the cozy cafes lining the tracks

The street attracted widespread recognition and, eventually, became a tourist attraction. In October 2019, citing safety concerns, Vietnamese government directed businesses along the train track to close and implemented barriers and police presence to restrict tourist access to the street. This prompted thousands of complaints on social media and negatively affected local tourist businesses. In early 2023, the train street has reopened for tourists. 

Since it became popular with world tourists, Hanoi Train Street has seen a growth in local businesses and, as the number of visitors increased, many residents around the area turned their colorful homes into small, cozy cafes (Cafe Đường Tàu, Cafe Ga Đông Hương, etc.) and small businesses selling drinks, food and a range of traditional handmade local handicrafts (railway paintings, conical hats, embroidered wallets, ceramic teapots, etc.). Along the streets near the railway, numerous souvenir shops also line both sides of the road.

A reminder of the dangers on the track…..

Upon arrival, we approached the train tracks crossing Dien Bien Phu Street and the crowds were beginning to gather.  As we walked along Train Street, we caught the rich aroma of coffee and the enticing scents of traditional beef pho and fragrant grilled meat from roadside stalls.

We all sat down at outdoor seating areas closer to the wall at one of the local cafes, its façade adorned with colorful hanging lanterns and flags.  Along the alley are vibrant murals, in bright, vivid colors, that beautifully depict scenes from the past, such as Hanoi trams (which ran from 1901 to 1991), bustling streets, street vendors, festivals, and old houses that capture the everyday life of Hanoians.

The train arrives….

While waiting for the train to arrive, we ordered aromatic and creamy egg coffee (Cà Phê Trứng), a rich, creamy and decadent Vietnamese drink featuring a sweet, airy foam of whisked egg yolk, sugar, and condensed milk and served atop strong, dark coffee, often brewed with a traditional phin filter. Prices typically range from 25,000 to 60,000 VND (USD 1 – USD 3).

While sipping our strong Vietnamese coffee from our front-row seat, street vendors, residents, and children were playing near the tracks. Soon, we heard the blaring of the train horn and the locals quickly pulled in tables and chairs just in time as, seconds later, a train barreled past us.

Egg Coffee

It was an exhilarating experience, as the rumbling train sped by, just inches away from us.  Watching the train race through Hanoi Train Street was a thrilling spectacle.  Truly, Hanoi Train Street was a place where the soul of Hanoi thrives, framed by the hum of trains and the warmth of local life.

Hanoi Train Street: P. Trần Phú, Hàng Bông, Hoàn Kiếm, Hà Nội 100000, Vietnam. Usually, there are over 7 trains passing by, from 7AM to 11PM. There is no entrance fee to visit Hanoi Train Street. Popular viewing times are around 3 to 3:30 PM and 7 to 7:30 PM. Local cafes, on both sides, indicate the train timetable. You could also request train passing by time from cafe in advance.  The stretch through Phung Hung Street is, undoubtedly, the most vibrant, drawing visitors with its lively atmosphere and the thrilling spectacle. You can also watch along the alley of 224 Lê Duẩn street, specifically, along Điện Biên Phủ and Phùng Hưng streets, Alley 5 on Tran Phu Street and the main Hanoi Railway Station.

A: Museum – Immersive Art Universe (Paranaque City, Metro Manila)

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The interactive and engaging, 5,000-square meter A: Museum – Immersive Art Universe, the Philippines’ largest digital art museum, is a popular destination for families, friends, and dates.  It is a collaboration between the Philippine Amusement and Entertainment Corporation (PAEC), Ayala Malls, and South Korea’s APLAN Company. Established in 2021, PAEC, which curates and operates the museum, is regarded as the largest creator and operator of interactive and educational indoor attractions in the Philippines.

A: Museum – Immersive Art Universe

Beautiful and massive and designed to ignite curiosity and wonder, it features an immersive digital experience where Classical art comes to life through interactive installations and cutting-edge technology.  The exhibits here are designed to be visually stunning and are popular for capturing highly Instagrammable photos and sharing experiences. 

It also features immersive digital art installations including a ball pit and motion light and motion installations and digital versions and reproductions of classic art works of famous artists such as Vincent Van Gogh, Claude Monet, Wassily Kandinsky and Pablo Picasso, offering visitors a 2-hour, immersive experience where they have an active role in the experience, with interactive elements and a focus on creating memorable and photo-worthy moments. 

The author at Stellar Chamber

Here, we explored, in a series of mesmerizing spaces that blur the lines between time, space, and imagination, and carefully curated to celebrate the fusion of art and technology, timeless masterpieces that transcend generations and cultures, engaging with art in a way that is both unique and profound.  There are 12 immersive, multi-thematic digital art rooms. The moment we entered the dynamic and futuristic Teleport Gallery, a new world appeared as we are led through time and space, giving us a quick look at artistic movements, from ancient to contemporary, modern art, where past and present blend into a powerful experience of change.

Teleport Gallery

At the fascinating Portal of Lights, we marveled at an interplay of light and music. Here, a laser shows syncs perfectly with the music, creating vibrant shapes. The ball pool, like a portal leading to another dimension, is filled with a red glow, casting a mystical aura—where reality melts away and the extraordinary appears.

Portal of Lights

At the magical Art Reflow, we directly engaged with digital installations.  Here, paintings came alive with the touch of our single fingertip, with the masterpiece shifting fluidly, as if the paint is moving, constantly reshaping the artwork in a dynamic dance of creativity.

Infinite Blossoms, with light, color, and form coming together to create a dreamlike scene, was a magical experience where nature and art blend in perfect harmony. As the calming melody filled the air, elegance meets wonder as we were drawn into a world similar to Claude Monet’s Water Lilies (a series of about 250 Impressionist oil paintings of his water garden in Giverny, France, created during the last 31 years of his life), creating blooming masterpieces.

Color Sonata, an enchanting space where music and art come together in perfect harmony, we can play a piano to change or influence the colors and visuals of the digital artwork in real-time. When our fingers struck the piano keys, Russian painter Wassily Kandinsky’s paintings shifted before our eyes, with each chord and note breathing life into his work, crafting a magical, responsive experience where music and color merge seamlessly.

Infinite Blossoms

At the Cosmos Voyage section, we explored the infinite possibilities of art.  Here, we envisioned ourselves stepping inside and passing through a black hole, where not even light can’t escape, leaving behind the limits of time and space, and opening the door to a whole new dimension of art, discovering the infinite artistic possibilities.

Cosmic Voyage

At the timeless beauty of Eternal Touches, a lasting expression of art, light and shadow merged as we explored timeless works that have survived through ages. From classic brushstrokes to the bold energy of modern artists, their influence reaches across time and cultures, emerging to create a powerful, quiet moment.

At Drive Your Dream, an imaginative realm where dreams transform into reality, is a highlight of the museum’s immersive digital art. Experience.  Here, we unleashed our creativity on a blank digital canvas as we designed the car of our dreams. As soon as we pressed the scan button, our imaginative creation came to life on a large screen, becoming the heart of the captivating Village, thus creating lasting memories.

Drive Your Dream

At the Floor Canvas, projection mapping is blended with motion sensing technology as our footsteps rippled across digital water, transforming the walkway into a responsive canvas. At Cubist Portrait, another digital art installation, our portraits were fragmented and reassembled in a Cubist style digital image with the ability to interact with the different elements within it.

Floor Canvas

At Stream of Heaven, an advanced form of interactive storytelling, we “walked” on clouds in a digital heaven.  At the Stellar Chamber, we experienced the “weightless realm” though cutting-edge technology that creates multi-sensory experiences. Here, we entered a world of weightlessness where gravity disappears and the boundaries of time and space where blurred.

A: Museum was a mind-blowing, modern and interactive way to experience timeless classics, leaving us with unforgettable memories as we delved into an extraordinary world of artistic innovation.  This immersive media art exhibit revolutionizes art by merging the past, present, and future with cutting-edge technology, showcasing various art forms reimagined through modern technology and the boundless creativity of artists. Truly, a one-of-a-kind artistic experience that combined visual works, music, and interactive moments. More than just a venue—it’s an artistic odyssey through emotions and beauty.

A: Museum – Immersive Art Universe: 3rd Floor, Building B, Ayala Mall Manila Bay, Diosdado Macapagal Ave. cor. Aseana Ave., Paranaque City.  Mobile number: (0954) 987-4572.  E-mail: amuseumeternaltouch@gmail.com.  Open daily, 12 noon to 9 PM (last entry: 7 PM). Admission: Php899/pax.

MindSpark Museum (Paranaque City, Metro Manila)

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MindSpark Museum

The 9,000 square meter, immersive Mindspark Museum, opened last August 12, 2025 (with Education Secretary Sonny Angara as main guest), is a fun facility much like “Disneyland,” but for science geeks.  The country’s newest and largest interactive science exploratory museum, this “playground for the mind” was developed, curated and operated by the Philippine Amusement and Entertainment Corporation (PAEC).

Physics

Established in 2021, PAEC is regarded as the largest creator and operator of interactive and educational indoor attractions in the Philippines.

Kaleidoscope

The museum, aiming to serve as an “extension” of classrooms and provide a “simulated environment” for learners of all levels, features 100 interactive, STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics)-themed exhibits and 33 interactive science exploration-packed rooms and hands-on learning zones, for students out for some off-campus discoveries and adults with fond memories of frog dissections and other classroom experiments. 

Plants
Crustaceans and Cephalopods

Perfect for all ages to launch into scientific discovery, every corner of the museum was designed to spark curiosity, creativity and discovery. 

Human Anatomy
Rocks

Here, we immersed ourselves, up close, in the life cycle of insects, and step and peeked inside a working hospital laboratory, with real-world science, to witness real lab experiments.

Animals

We also walked inside a giant model of a human heart, lungs and intestine (bringing biology lessons to life); got up close with the secrets of large-scale animal anatomy and animated insect life cycle displays, learned how electricity and AI (artificial intelligence)-powered robotics work (including a replica of Optimus, a creation of the Elon Musk company Tesla) through fun hands-on exhibits; and experienced amazing optical illusions that challenged our senses. 

Optical Illusion
Laboratory

Other areas cover physics, chemistry, interactive bubble science experiments (where you can make and burst bubbles inside bubbles), the mysteries of outer space, fire safety, engineering design and gemology (where you can marvel, touch and examine real, shimmering gems, minerals and ancient stones).

Butterflies and Moths
Gemology

They offer tour programs for schools and other organizations.  Truly a unique blend of education and entertainment.

Artificial Intelligence
3D Printing

MindSpark Museum: 5th Floor, Building A, Ayala Mall Manila Bay, Diosdado Macapagal Ave. cor. Aseana Ave., Paranaque City.  Mobile number: (0915) 009-1031.  E-mail: mindsparkph@amusements,global.com. Open daily, 12 noon to 9 PM (last entry: 7 PM). Admission: Php899/pax.

Katunggan Mangrove Park (Mahinog, Camiguin)

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Katunggan Mangrove Park

After breakfast at Paguia Cottages, we checked out and boarded our multicab for the 24.8-km. (40-min.) drive to Katunggan Mangrove Park.

L-R: the author, Grace, Jandy, Gelyn, Lorraine and Lourdes

It has a series of wooden boardwalks, suspended on stilts over the wetlands, that zigzag through the mangroves, leading to picnic huts (available to rent from pHP150 to 500 for a three-hour period) perched over the crystal-clear ocean. These huts also serve as great spots for jumping into the water.

Black mangroves (Avicennia germinans)

The myriad of roots of the black mangroves (Avicennia germinans) that reach up through the dense substrate of the high tidal pools. It differs from the red mangroves in that its roots, called pneumatophores, extend out horizontally, under the waterlogged sedimentary soil, and then vertically up towards the surface.

The wooden and bamboo boardwalk

When the tide is low, these roots can supply air to the underground root system, an adaptation that allows it to live in a habitat that the red mangrove can’t.

Pneumatophores

Popular among local families, the park has one entrance, and it is the only way to access its boardwalk and huts.

Picnic huts with access to the sea via wooden ladders

Typically busiest on weekends, the ideal time to visit the park for swimming is during high tide.  Aside from swimming, other activities you can do here are stand up paddle boarding and kayaking.

The park’s restaurant

Katunggan Mangrove Park: Brgy. Benoni, Mahinog, Camiguin. Open daily, 6 AM to 6 PM.  Admission: Php50/pax (Php30 for Mahinog residents).

Sto. Nino Cold Spring (Catarman, Camiguin)

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Sto. Nino Cold Spring

From Tuasan Falls, we again boarded our multicab for the 10.3-km. (25-min.) drive to Sto. Nino Cold Spring, the largest cold water spring in the province.

Check out “Tuasan Falls”

The entrance to the resort

Also known as Kiyab Pool. It has 2 stone pools, the larger one measuring 25 m. by  40 m.  and its depth varies from one-half meter to 2 m..

The author with Grace and Jandy⁰

The other is a kiddie pool.  The resort also has picnic huts (rented for Php150), toilets, function hall and native stores for picnickers.  Even if it wasn’t a weekend,  the resort was still packed with picnickers during our visit.

Here, I swam its icy-cold, crystal-clear spring water, flowing from Mt. Mambajao, continuously sprouting from its sandy bottom, sharing the spring waters with some tiny fish.

Picnic huts

Toilets and changing rooms

Sto. Nino Cold Spring: Brgy. Mainit, Catarman, Camiguin.  Admission: PhP70/pax. Open Mondays and Thursdays, 11 AM to 5 PM, and Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays, 8 AM to 5 PM.

How to Get There: The spring is located 4 kms. north and uphill of Catarman town proper. From Mambajao, it is a 45-min. drive. From the main road, make a turn into 2.4-km. long dusty track to the spring.

Tuasan Falls (Catarman, Camiguin)

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Tuasan Falls

After lunch and swimming at Bura Soda Water Pool, we gain boarded our multicab for the 6.5-m. (20-min.) drive to the beautiful 25-m. high Tuasan Falls. Though Jandy and I visited Camiguin in 2001, this would be our first visit to the falls.  The falls is just a few steps away from the entrance which has a huge parking lot, comfort and changing rooms and picnic tables.

Check out “Bura Soda Water Pool”

L-R: Grace, the author and Jandy

Though much shorter than the more popular and more crowded Katibawasan Falls, it is potential source of mini-hydro-electric power due to its impressive water flow.

This single-drop waterfall is surrounded by lush greenery and has two natural pools, with crystal clear waters, at its base. 

Check out “Katibawasan Falls”

L-R: Lourdes, Lorraine, the author, Grace, Jandy and Gelyn

Rock pile art at the falls

Just like Katibawasan Falls, the pool nearest to the base of the fall has been cordoned off with a rope due to the danger of falling rocks.

Resthouse with toilets and changing rooms

Tuasan Falls: Brgy. Mainit, Catarman. Admission: Php50/pax.  Open daily, 7 AM to 5 PM.

How to Get There: The fall is located some 6 kms. northwest of the town and 4 kms. from the ring road.

Bura Soda Water Pool (Catarman, Camiguin)

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Bura Soda Water Pool – main pool

After our short visit and souvenir shopping at the Sunken Cemetery viewing area, we gain boarded our multicab for the 8-km. (15-min.) drive to the Bura Soda Water Pool, said to be the first of its kind in the country.  Located at the foot of the 1,250 m. high Mt. Hibok-Hibok, it was only developed in 2007 and it was not yet around when Jandy and I first visited Camiguin in 2001.

Pool entrance

The resort has two mid-size pools (separated by a concrete trellis), amidst lush vegetation, fed with cool, refreshing and clear, natural and unique effervescent soda water bubbling up from subterranean springs.  Natural soda water is known to reduce osteoporosis, decrease cardiovascular healt disease and lower blood pressure.  Another soda water spring can be found in Brgy. Agoho in Mambajao.

They even have drinking stations with taps where you can drink the soda water (commonly known as carbonated water, it is water where carbon dioxide, udder pressure, is dissolved). Its taste was comparable to high-quality, commercialized bottled spring water like Evian, slightly sweet but without the fizz and the acidity.

The second pool

Picnic huts

We rented a picnic table and had our lunch, ordering food from a nearby restaurant. The resort used to have a restaurant but it is now closed.  After lunch, we all went for a relaxing, cleansing and healing swim.

Male and female toilets and changing rooms

The now non-operational restaurant

Bura Soda Water Pool: Compol-NIA-Mainit Rd., Sitio Lumad, Brgy. Bura, Catarman. Admission: Php75/pax.  Open daily, 8 AM to 5 PM.