Sunday, May 29, 2011

Where's the Longest Zip Line in Asia? Almost a Kilometer Long!

Wow Bukidnon. It's in Bukidnon, Philippines, and the exact length is actually 0.84 of a kilometer. It is the third leg of 3 separate runs, the first leg being 0.32 of a kilometer and the second 150 meters. If you decide to complete all the 3 runs you are getting so much thrill for your money’s worth - 1.31 kilometers of total adrenalin rush.

The zip lines are in Dahilayan Adventure Park, Manolo Fortich, Bukidnon, located 4000 feet above sea level. One reaches the area by traveling along gravel roads that cut inside the property line of the lush pineapple plantation of Del Monte. Inside the pineapple plantation, one gets a feeling of travelling back in time. There are rows of neatly aligned houses of singular design inside well manicured lawns. There’s a supervisors’ row with slightly bigger houses. It will take more than half an hour to traverse the gravel road of the plantation into the park. But the travel time flies as your senses feast on the open spaces and rows upon rows of pineapple plants in orange clay soil as far as the eyes can see.

The Dahilayan Adventure Park is like no other. Good architecture and engineering allowed them to integrate the structures of the park into the mountain environment in an unobtrusive way. You have to take a quick meal prior to the activities. The restaurant glass panels give you an elegant view of the majestic mountains amid the cool breeze. The food is good and very reasonably priced if you have the patience to wait 20 minutes for the pleasure of eating what is like home-cooked meals.

The professionalism of the rig crews that attach you to the zip lines was astounding. I was awed by 2 things: First is their concern for safety. Second is the genial warmth of the way they coaxed excited guests who hesitate at the last moment. Time flashed in a jiffy as I took the first 2 legs of the zip line in quick succession. Then I had to take a transfer to the apex via a 4x4 off-road Land Cruiser ride on a bumpy mountain trail. But once I stood on the platform of the third leg, time stood still. 

Quickly processing the data on the billboards in my mind, I learned the elevation was 4000 ASL. The average speed of the run is 45 kilometers per hour. They say there are 2 ways of altering this: spread your arms to go slow; or clip your arms on your sides and be like a bullet to go fast. I reckon it will take a little bit over a minute to do this run as I slung myself on sturdy harnesses in prone position. I was wrong.

As the steel gates opened, I hurtled myself into a free fall. The cool air was immediately on my face and in an instant I could feel the adrenalin rush as objects below whizzed by in a blur. I thought to myself that the only way to enjoy this run was to let go and enjoy the moment. You cannot ‘not’ shout for the exhilaration that will electrify your body. Once I settled down, things seemed to go slow-motion. I began to focus on the beautiful pine trees below, many of them cut at the tip in order to provide safe passage for the zip lines. 

After what seemed an eternity, I saw the clearing where the terminal platform is located. I must have accelerated substantially because I heard a loud thud as my harness hit the brakes. This abruptly swung me from prone position to a wild momentary erect sway, and my helmet hit the shackles overhead. The crew gave a few simple instructions so I can disengage myself from the zip line. And that was that. You wanna get out of your comfort zones and experience the thrill of childhood? Get on a zip line!

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Sunday, May 1, 2011

What'sThe 3rd Most Visited Place In The Philippines?


WOW Cagayan de Oro: Wild Rafting & Golden Friendships

For the longest time, I get to travel the country twice a year for the POGS conventions. But this April I visited Cagayan de Oro for the first time. I read somewhere that it is the third most visited place in the Philippines. Arguably it should be either no.1 or no.2. the Cagayanons represent what’s best in the Filipino: warm friendship; spirit of adventure; honesty.

A visitor is greeted on the tarmac with a big signage: Cagayan De Oro – the City of Golden Friendships. I had thought this was hype, common to all who promote their cities as tourist destinations. And as a rule, Filipinos are generally warm and friendly people. But as you meet the ordinary Cagayanons, from drivers to bellboys to vendors to tour guides, you will sense that they are a cut above the rest of us.

They are more accommodating, always on the alert in whatever way they can help. They will engage you in whatever language you will understand each other, be it Bisaya, English, or Tagalog. It is as if they are trained or have the instinct to host the numerous tourists that flock to their city. Golden Friendship.

Cagayan de Oro means "City of the River of Gold". They are the whitewater rafting capital of the Philippines and the guide said their river, which separates the city from Bukidnon province is accredited by world whitewater associations.

Do not fail to do whitewater rafting when you visit the place or you miss half of your life. They have whitewater runs for Intro, Advanced, and Extreme. Their Intro run takes 4 hours along 14 major whitewater, with a good dose of minor ‘not counted’ rapids and several ‘still’ waters where you can take a swim.

           TIPS: 
           1. Dress for the whitewater like you are going for a swim. Leave everything that can get wet behind. 

           2. Engage a rafting shop that has good tour guides serving as boat captains. Do not get on a boat just to finish the run. The prices are standard for all, but a good tour guide will make the difference in terms of safety and value for your money. You will get awed by his story and history. Example: “the next whitewater is major… it is very technical to navigate… it’s called the ‘Kiss the Wall’ bend…” 

            hehe, goodluck!
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