A little bit familiar to the local tourism’s ears, but Lake Sebu is one place everyone must dare to visit. Whenever someone is in town as far as Davao, Lake Sebu will always be peeping over the lid of that bucket list. It may sound a little touristy because every Filipino traveler has heard about it but once you go there, it is just like a newly discovered spot.
One of the country’s prime eco-tourism destination, Lake Sebu is a progressive town in South Cotabato with aquaculture as its main industry along with tourism. It is also a protected watershed that supplies irrigation to the provinces of South Cotabato and Sultan Kudarat.
Fish cages for tilapia..
Lake Sebu used to be a village of Surallah. An ancestral domain by the T’boli and the Tasadays, “Sebu” is the T’boli word for “lake” though I read that it can also mean “leaf” in reference to its mythical origin that revolves around a leaf. There are also three lakes in Lake Sebu but Lake Sebu is the largest occupying 380 hectares. The other lakes are Lake Lahit ( 24 hectares) and Lake Seloton (48hectares).
I was already in Isulan and it would be unforgivable if I’ll miss it. Travel time was 45minutes to an hour but we arrived late because we dropped by Surallah. Its location is elevated at 300 meters above sea level and “once your ears start to pop, you’re almost there” ( according to Engr. Glenn Escalera 🙂 ).
Dining in Lake Sebu is the most common activities in the area. Tilapia is their main product and along the way, you can see live tilapias for sale at 90Php/kilo. Some buy them in bulk and then retails them in neighboring places.
The many ways you can cook Tilapia
Again, I don’t eat tilapia. Hehe. But I know I will in Lake Sebu. True, it looked less scary and the smell that I dislike apparently was absent. Fresh grilled tilapia with rice of course! I ate this with its head cut-off. Yummy!
I’m aware that tilapia is now one of the preferred fish fillet in the US and yes, its white fillet is really sumptuous. Reminds me of Cream of Dory fillet ( my dad discouraged me to check what that fish really looks like, he knows I wont be eating his Sweet and Sour Cream of Dory once I see its face. lol!).
There are also boating trips around the lake.
Placid Lake Sebu
After our “lunch”, which was almost 4pm, we hurried to the zipline and to the famous 7 Falls. Amazingly, Lake Sebu is not just home to three lakes but to 7 falls. Extremely blessed by Mother Nature.
For safety reasons, ziplining will end at 4pm and we just arrived at the nick of time. The road is no longer cemented but safe. Ziplines used to scare, just that thought of it. Snapping. With my weight. Along the way Agnes shared what the crew told her – the metal cords (?) and pulleys are those used in ships and if one snapped, it can still carry the rider’s weight until he/she reaches her point. As I watched, it is really safe.
I want to do it with my husband. I told Agnes, I will do it if she will go with me. The reason? I need someone that I won’t mind yelling or pinching as we zip across the lush forests of Lake Sebu. hahaha!
While our other travel mates were focused on the zipline, we went to the falls. It was already drizzling and getting dark. Thank God, this was just just less than 5 minutes away on foot.
A must is the 2nd Falls with the T’boli name “Hikong Bente”; “Bente” means, immeasurable . Very beautiful, you can go up close unlike most waterfalls with the same height. It is really an outdoor shower. Still can’t get enough of it.
Sorry, I don’t know how to tweak the shutter speed. Glenn just offered me his own camera to document my trip. I will post videos of these falls soon just for you to “feel” what it was like to be there.
It was a nice trip for all of us. The trekking was a little strenuous but the landscape’s charm made it very refreshing. We went back to Isulan with a kilo of tilapia flapping their tails every now and then. As what Thirdy (one of our travel buddies) said, “mangihi daw sila” ( they want to pee). Wahaha!
Another wonderful experience in Lake Sebu, South Cotabato. A fantastic way to spend my last night in Mindanao. A big thanks to the Escaleras! 🙂
Related Articles:
“Tukiba Surallah”: Discovering Surallah, South Cotabato
I came, I saw Isulan,Sultan Kudarat