If you've just booked that GenSan plane ticket and considering where to go, you can head to South Cotabato for a road trip and use this as your guide itinerary! It is still part of Region 12 (SOCCSKSARGEN), which is blessed with nature, farms, fruits, traditions of the T'boli weaving, waterfalls and fish. For our trip, we first headed to Sebul Farm where we stayed for the night, then some of our mates tried the newly opened Centro Ultimate Water Tubing experience! We weren't able to have interactions with the T'boli people since we ran out of time but you can also arrange to add that as a memorable cultural experience. Check out my first Lake Sebu trip here where we got closer to the lake. For when to go, September to November are the season for durian, mangosteen and marang if you'd like those hehe. Check out other places below:
Sebul Farm
There are around 40 learning sites and applicants in Region XII this year. These are farmers that have the appropriate farm sizes that have submitted their letter intent to the Agricultural Training Institute of the Philippine Department of Agriculture who are willing to share their interest in organic farming in their communities and are willing to be resource speakers and conduct training courses the ATI way to uplift the Philippine farmer's plight out of poverty. Since the average age of farmers is now 57 years old, this is the government's strategy to entice the youth also to go into farming and to debunk the idea that there is no money in agriculture.
Here at Sebul Farm, visitors are encouraged to pick and eat from their edible landscaping. At the same time, you'll learn that they prefer to teach the value of turning raw produce into processed products since these can be sold at a higher price. They make and sell stevia powder, herbal tea, tablea, coffee beans (robusta is aromatic while the arabica is flavorful), chili sauce, cocoa vinegar (which sells out quick!), serpentina capsules and many more!
For dinner, we feasted on kambing lechon, blue ternatea rice, hito and ginataang native chicken with ubad from bananas!
For breakfast, we had fish and yummy salted turmeric eggs from itik!
Over snacks of turon and bibingka, we were introduced to the T'boli products and accessories like brass bracelets and the headdress suwat from farm owner Ms. Mayette Sy! The T'nalak fabric, she said, must not touch the ground and one must conceal any sleeveless shirts when wearing it. The weavers, she said, also practice abstinence until they finish one piece, which takes about 6 months or the fabric might break.
Centro Ultimate Water Tubing and Swimming Resort
Around 20 minutes away is this new water tubing site near the farm. It cost P320 per person for a round and you will spend around 2 hours tubing down the Cepaka River and hiking your way back. We went around 4 pm, which was nearing dark already, so I suggest arriving earlier so that you won't have to walk back in the dark.
We went with the tubers and walked for around 15 minutes to get to the starting point. They spent around 20 minutes preparing everyone, gearing them up, briefing and lining them up. I had to back out since I haven't done rafting before and I wasn't feeling 100% that day. I'm glad I did since the trek going there and back using this path was already heavy breathing exercise for me. Haha.
My blogger mates said that the water was 5 times more challenging that the Camiguin white water rafting and you'll surely fall into the water or hit something like rocks. We hogged the karaoke machine while we safely waited for them to come back ;)
Lake Sebu 7 Falls Zipline
This was my second time here. We're lucky it wasn't as slippery as my first time to get to the falls! Check out my first Lake Sebu 7 Falls tour here.
Too bad the zipline wasn't opened yet when we arrived. We waited until 10 a.m. for it to open. I would definitely recommend you try it! You can see around waterfalls while you zip. This is also the longest zipline in Southeast Asia if I'm not mistaken. The surroundings are all natural too and you zip Superman style so I like it.
Tupi Fruit Market
Vendors were relocated here from the highway and sell lots of very juicy and sweet MG3 pineapples! There's also yummy guapple with more flesh (dip in vinegar or salt-sugar-chili mix), avocados (P35 per kilo) and marang when we went (June). The pineapples can be cut and eaten right away. They can put what you bought in boxes ready for the airport. I suggest you bring other things you want to put in the box as well.
Blooming Petals Agri-Tourism Park
This sunflower park is near GenSan and there was only one patch available when we arrived. I heard they plant more and it becomes sunflower fields for 3 weeks in time for Valentines Day (Feb), Mother's Day (May), T'nalak Festival (July) and December. More info in this link. Bring an umbrella since it is very hot here.
Renting a Van
You might want to try DM Car Rentals for General Santos airport transfers and land tours. The rate for a van is around P3500 for 24 hours plus gas and add P500 if with driver. Book at least 5 days in advance.
Sebul Farm
There are around 40 learning sites and applicants in Region XII this year. These are farmers that have the appropriate farm sizes that have submitted their letter intent to the Agricultural Training Institute of the Philippine Department of Agriculture who are willing to share their interest in organic farming in their communities and are willing to be resource speakers and conduct training courses the ATI way to uplift the Philippine farmer's plight out of poverty. Since the average age of farmers is now 57 years old, this is the government's strategy to entice the youth also to go into farming and to debunk the idea that there is no money in agriculture.
Here at Sebul Farm, visitors are encouraged to pick and eat from their edible landscaping. At the same time, you'll learn that they prefer to teach the value of turning raw produce into processed products since these can be sold at a higher price. They make and sell stevia powder, herbal tea, tablea, coffee beans (robusta is aromatic while the arabica is flavorful), chili sauce, cocoa vinegar (which sells out quick!), serpentina capsules and many more!
Over snacks of turon and bibingka, we were introduced to the T'boli products and accessories like brass bracelets and the headdress suwat from farm owner Ms. Mayette Sy! The T'nalak fabric, she said, must not touch the ground and one must conceal any sleeveless shirts when wearing it. The weavers, she said, also practice abstinence until they finish one piece, which takes about 6 months or the fabric might break.
Centro Ultimate Water Tubing and Swimming Resort
Around 20 minutes away is this new water tubing site near the farm. It cost P320 per person for a round and you will spend around 2 hours tubing down the Cepaka River and hiking your way back. We went around 4 pm, which was nearing dark already, so I suggest arriving earlier so that you won't have to walk back in the dark.
My blogger mates said that the water was 5 times more challenging that the Camiguin white water rafting and you'll surely fall into the water or hit something like rocks. We hogged the karaoke machine while we safely waited for them to come back ;)
Lake Sebu 7 Falls Zipline
It's an okay walk down but a bit steep going back up the parking lot.
Tupi Fruit Market
Blooming Petals Agri-Tourism Park
This sunflower park is near GenSan and there was only one patch available when we arrived. I heard they plant more and it becomes sunflower fields for 3 weeks in time for Valentines Day (Feb), Mother's Day (May), T'nalak Festival (July) and December. More info in this link. Bring an umbrella since it is very hot here.
You might want to try DM Car Rentals for General Santos airport transfers and land tours. The rate for a van is around P3500 for 24 hours plus gas and add P500 if with driver. Book at least 5 days in advance.
For more info on the sites we visited and if you're interested in Philippine agriculture, farm visits and organic farming, check out the ATI, E-Extension and Department of Agriculture websites.
For their Facebook, Twitter, YouTube and Instagram, you can check out @atiinteractive.
ATI also has a list of all accredited farms that are Learning Sites (LS), Extension Service Providers (ESP) and Schools for Practical Agriculture (SPA). Click here. These are the hotlines of ATI Main if you want to be in touch and ask for the farm contacts - 0920-9462474 or 929-8541 (government office hours). It is better to call their regional offices (info available at the ATI website) also as they are the ones coordinating with the farmers.
Details:
ATI Learning Site and Farm Tourism - Region 12
San Felipe, Tantangan Lake Sebu, South Cotabato
Open Daily 6am-6pm
0908-9284360