It was last March 2015 when I scored a part-time job I found online as a mystery traveler and that gives me the chances to go around the Philippines for reviewing tasks almost free - roundtrip flight and a hotel subsidy. Though the pay won't make me a millionaire, I took it for the love of travel and to produce a blog content after. In the coming weeks I will be going to Cotabato as my third travel assignment. Oh how time flies and I wish I can travel for as long as I want.
My very first travel assignment is in Ozamiz. I only spent a day and a night there because the notice was very short so I have no time to file a vacation leave from work. I was also not able to do an extensive research about what are the tourist spots to see in Ozamiz actually. Thanks to Bugoy, the tricycle driver who was personally recommended by Executive Hotel where I stayed for a night there. For only P400 I was able to see six tourist spots in Ozamiz that you should see when you are there. We started around noon and finished past five in the afternoon.
Here are the places we visited in Ozamiz:
1. The Fort or Fuerte de la Concepcion y del Triunfo
The one pictured above. This reminds me of Intramuros in Manila, a base of Spanish conquistadores before. Built in 1756, its walls are made of old sturdy corals and stones. Inside you can visit the Cotta Museum, Cotta Shrine, lighthouse and the old canyon. Entrance fee is only P5 but the one in charged there asked P20 from me.
2. Cotta Beach
From The Fort you can view the majestic sight of Cotta Beach which is just 5 minutes away. The sand here is black and you will see lots of locals swimming and having a picnic.
3. Virgen sa Cotta
To the right of The Fort is a religious place where you can find the Virgen sa Cotta(statue of Virgin Mary carrying the Dead Jesus). There is also a spot there of an al fresco type of celebrating the mass - cemented chairs and altar during sunny days. You can find here a lot of Catholic accessories, souvenir items and candles at the main entrance.
4. On the way to our next destination, we stopped at House of Suman and Pasalubong Center. Their specialty are 13 different flavors of suman. I love eating suman as my grandmother and my mom knows how to cook this. Eating this transports me back to my home especially with a hot cacao chocolate for a drink. This reminds as well to one of my solo backpacking adventure to Cebu in 2012 where I chanced upon Tablea Cafe, a breakfast restaurant that offers one of the best suman, cacao drink with a slice of sweet mango.
5. Misamis Occidental Aquamarine Park
This is a wildlife sanctuary to a lot of animals such as birds, crocodiles, monkeys et cetera. There are lots of big fish ponds and hatcheries I saw inside.What I love the most is in order for us to cross a swamp we need to pass through this bamboo - made board walk before we reach the mangrove. There is also a house there should you wish to spend a night here. I just wonder what are the sounds of nature one can hear in the wee hours when darkness has enveloped this place!
6. Dolphin Island
Here as its name implies you can swim or touch the dolphins with a fee. There is a restaurant, swimming pool and the overall view is really majestic. I love the cold breeze of the air! Too bad it is currently renovated so we never got to see a single dolphin :(
 |
| Add caption |
7. Immaculate Concepcion Cathedral and it's huge pipe bamboo organ
I am really amazed of how colorful the facade of this church but unfortunately I was not able to take a photo of it. First I was dead tired for no sleep since I arrived in Ozamiz and it is already past 5pm so it is a bit dark to take a photo. It is said to be the second largest of its kind in the country and the only one in Mindanao.
There you go, this is how I spent a day and a night in Ozamiz. Definitely I will be going back as I feel I was not able to took advantage of what this place has to offer. I will continue to update my blog for my next travel assignments and looking forward to shoot videos too :)
No comments