Bukidnon is not a typical tourist destination. Straddling the plateau region of northern and central Mindanao, the province is known for its cooler temperatures being located on a higher elevation and the pineapple plantations of food production company Del Monte. Its promise on tourism was further explored in the Northern Mindanao leg of the Philippine Experience Program (PEP): Culture, Heritage and Arts Caravan of the Department of Tourism.

Started in 2023, PEP is a promotional effort to highlight heritage, food, festivals, wellness, culture and the arts and tourism products and attractions of the different regions through a series of caravans. It is actually familiarization tours participated in by travel agents, members of the diplomatic corps, members of the media, tourism workers and officials and representatives of national government agencies. It has been held in Davao Region, Calabarzon, Bicol, Western Visayas, Zamboanga Peninsula and Ilocos.

The Northern Mindanao leg was held from 23 to 25 May. While there were visits to Museo de Oro in Cagayan de Oro City and Divine Mercy Shrine in El Salvador City, Misamis Oriental, the major part of the tour was dedicated to Bukidnon, which impressed participants by its potentials and tourism sites.

Dahilayan Adventure Park in Manolo Fortich

The Bukidnon tour started in the town of Manolo Fortich, which is one of the nearest towns to the regional hub, Cagayan de Oro City. It is mostly known for its pineapple plantation, which has become a tourist attraction itself, but in recent years the town has become also known for the Dahilayan Adventure Park.

Nestled in the forests and rolling hills of the barangay of Dahilayan and opened in September 2009, the theme park boasts to have a dual zipline said to be Asia’s longest, the Zipzone. With a launch point at 4,700 feet above sea level, the 840-meter zipline can garner a speed of up to 90 kilometer per hour.

More rides were installed over the years including shorter ziplines; the Razorback Mountain Coaster, which lets you slide down a slope in a teeny car on a monorail; the Dropzone, which drops you 20 feet above a

man-made lake; the Python Rollerzip; the Flying Lizard Canopy Glider; and the Skytower Base Jump.

The Dahilayan Adventure Park also offers accommodations at the Pine Grove Mountain Lodge, venues for events and a restaurant.

Kumaykay River Farm Resort

A highlight of the Manolo Fortich sojourn is the Kumaykay River Farm Resort, where we had our dinner. The farm resort was established in 2000 by the father of chef Josef Martin Javier and later developed to what it is now, a place where one can dine, commune with nature and hold events and activities.

Also located in Dahilayan, Kumaykay River Farm Resort has camp grounds beside a brook with glamping and camping facilities for family, group and company outings and venues for different events.

The food is not to be missed at the Farmhouse by Josef restaurant. So far, this is the best restaurant I’ve experienced in Bukidnon and so far in whole of Mindanao. The cowboy-inspired, barn-style dining place, made quaint with knickknacks and artworks, sits beside a yard growing passion fruits. It serves smoked and grilled meats, pastas, burgers, salads and more — all commendable.

Ricardo’s by Cucina Higala

Another Manolo Fortich discovery is the new Ricardo’s by Cucina Higala in the barangay of Mampayag, where we had breakfast before exploring other parts of Bukidnon.

The ranch-style restaurant is the second one of the Cagayan de Oro-based Cucina Higala, located after fields of pineapples in Camp Phillips and serving generally a range of continental dishes. It is notable for its view of rolling hills that is matched by charming and spacious interiors.

Tourist Rest Area in Manolo Fortich

On the way to the southern part of Bukidnon, we stopped at the Tourist Rest Area (TRA) in the barangay of Tankulan, before proceeding to the provincial capital of Malaybalay.

A flagship tourism development project of DoT, the structure offers more than just restrooms but it itself a handsome facility which is also a tourist information center with lounge and charging stations, a coffee shop, showers and a lactation room for breastfeeding mothers. It also displays works by local artists and serves also as a pasalubong center, selling local products from micro-, small- and medium-sized enterprises. Facilities such as this is needed especially if the country aims to be tourist-friendly.

The TRA was conceptualized by DoT in partnership with DoT’s infrastructure arm, the Tourism Infrastructure and Enterprise Zone Authority to enhance tourism experience in the country.

The Bukidnon TRA is the second one to open in the country, inaugurated on 4 August 2023, and the first in Mindanao. Other completed TRAs, which have been turned over to recipient local government units, are located in the towns of Medellin, Moalboal, Carmen and Carcar City in Cebu; Samal Island; Davao del Norte; Roxas, Palawan; and Dauis in Bohol. More TRAs are planned to be built.

(To be continued)