The province of Misamis Oriental is a paradise where nature tripping is a never ending possibility. Located along the northern coast of the Mindanao Island, it is bounded on the north by Macajalar Bay, Iligan Bay on the west, Bukidnon and Lanao del Norte on the south and southwest, and on the east by Agusan Del Norte.
Located at the northern coast of Mindanao in the Philippines is Cagayan de Oro City, the capital of Misamis Oriental. CDO as the city is popularly called is known as “The Gateway to Northern Mindanao” mainly because of its geographical location and reliable transportation facilities.
CDO is also known as “The City of Golden Friendship”, thanks to the warm and hospitable people of the city. They are called Kagayanons and Cebuano or Bisaya is the city’s main dialect, although English is widely used in school, media, government, and commercial transactions. No wonder the city has become a favorite tourist destination of foreign visitors.
The CDO Cityscape
A coastal city facing Macalajar Bay, there are a number of creeks and rivers that run through CDO. On the southern portion of the city, hills, gorges, plateau and the mountain ranges of Bukidnon Province dominate the scenery.
The city does not have any skyscrapers and only a few buildings are four storey high, keeping a provincial atmosphere throughout the city. It is home to a good number of colleges and universities, some of which are Xavier University, Liceo de Cagayan University and Capitol University. These universities are reputable institutions in the fields of nursing, medicine, agriculture, commerce and engineering.
Places of Interest
- Vicente de Lara Park. This is formerly known as MacArthur Park in honor of General Douglas MacArthur who landed in Cagayan after escaping from Corregidor en route to Australia. The park is situated in front of the Provincial capitol Building and is now after a Provincial Governor, Vicente de Lara. It has become the favorite place for people to do their jogging and light exercises, or their evening stroll.
Gardens of Malasag Eco-Tourism Village. The 200 hectare reforested area of Malasag Hill is where you can find this 6 hectare eco-tourism village which showcases replicas of different tribal houses in the region, flora and fauna. This eco-tourism village offers a swimming pool for children and adult with overnight stay accommodations. Ideal for nature lovers. From this vantage point, one can see a panoramic view of the Macajalar Bay and Camiguin Island, on a clear day.
- High Ridge. This is where one can get the best nighttime panoramic view of Cagayan de Oro city. High Ridge is located on a hilltop in Aluba and is open to the public as a venue for outdoor picnics. High Ridge requires a dress code and does not allow visitors to bring pets, glass-bottled drinks, or liquor.
- Night Café and Market. It started in 2003 and has become a weekly city attraction. The entire Plaza Divisoria is closed to vehicular traffic and converted into a busy night market and café. There are food stalls that sell barbecues, grilled food and liquor while live bands perform to entertain the crowd; it is here where Muslim traders sell bags, shoes, trinkets and second-hand items at really bargain prices.
Famous Activities
CDO is known for its extremely exciting water sports. One can go white water rafting or kayaking in the rapids of the Cagayan De Oro River, one of the longest rivers in Mindanao. The beach in the town of Opol is a good venue for skimboarding. How about doing some cave visiting? Macahambus Cave is a historical site dating back to the 1900s.
