DIY Itinerary to Northern Mindanao, CARAGA and Davao Provinces for 10 Days to a SOLO Female Backpacker

Dinagat island, Surigao

A few weeks ago, I featured Camille in The Inspiring Traveler Series:  She is 20, been to 37 Philippine provinces and recently finished a 10 - day solo backpacking in Mindanao. 

I was only planning to post her DIY tips and itinerary of her 10 - day trip to Northern Mindanao, CARAGA and Davao but I was just simply captivated by her stunning photos so here am I posting a different article about her trip. I have to admit her 10 - day trail wasn't the usual itinerary to anyone. It is one of the longest I have ever heard for a young and solo woman backpacker like her. As a matter of fact since I am researching for the right keywords on how to come up with an article about this, I had to really take time to find it out. 

Aliwagwag Falls

I had to admit it was quite a challenge to figure it out myself.  It was a combination of Philippine famous backpacking routes. From day 1 to 3 she did a CDO - Camiguin - Bukidnon - Iligan tour, then the CARAGA: Dinagat Island, Surigao del (Norte and del Sur), Butuan plus Agusan and Davao.

First part : CDO - Camiguin - Bukidnon - Iligan itinerary

DAY 0: January 30, 2016 (Arrival Manila to Laguindingan)

1:45pm-ETD Manila (flight was delayed for more than an hour)

3:00pm-ETA Laguindingan airport

3:15pm-ETD for Iligan via Rural Transport bus

4:45pm-ETA Iligan City

5:00pm onwards-Meet Iligan host, socialize and plan itinerary for the next day

12:30am-Lights off

DAY 1: January 31, 2016 (Chasing waterfalls at Iligan City, Lanao del Norte)

7:30am-Wake up

7:45am-Breakfast

8:00am-Prepare

8:20am-Car ride to NPC Park

8:40am-ETA NPC Park

9:45am-Habal-habal ride to Botanical and Zoological Gardens

8:50am-Checked out Botanical and Zoological Gardens

9:05am-ETA Maria Cristina Falls

9:30am-ETD Maria Cristina Falls

9:45am-ETA Timoga Springs; swim

10:30am-ETD Timoga Springs; buy lunch

10:50am-ETA Mimbalut Falls

10:55am-Lunch

11:05am-Pictures; Take a dip

12:00nn-ETD Mimbalut Falls

12:20pm-ETA Tinago Falls; swim

2:00pm-ETD Tinago Falls

2:30pm-Habal-habal to highway

2:40pm-Jeep to city proper

2:50pm-Jeep to host's house

3:00pm-Rest

5:40pm-Car ride to Paseo de Santiago

5:50pm-ETA Paseo de Santiago

6:15pm-Back to city proper

6:45pm-Dinner at Flamoo; hang out

9:15pm-Go home

10:30pm-Lights off

DAY 2: February 1, 2016 (White water rafting at Cagayan de Oro, Misamis Oriental)

6:30am-Wake up, prepare

7:30am-Host dropped me off at terminal

8:00am-ETD Iligan via Rural Transport

9:40am-ETA CDO

9:45am-Jeep to Divisoria

10:00am-Meet CDO host

10:10am-Drop off bags and rest

11:00am-Jeep back to Divisoria

11:15am-Lunch at Jollibee

12:30pm-Pick-up for water rafting

1:40pm-ETA Jump-off point

1:50pm-Orientation

2:00pm-Start water rafting

5:00pm-End water rafting

6:20pm-Back to Kagay office for pictures

7:30pm-Dinner with host at apartment

10:30pm-Lights off

Mimbalot Falls, Iligan

DAY 3: February 2, 2016 (Braving the rain at Camiguin)

2:00am-Wake up; prepare

2:30am-Leave for Agora Terminal

2:45am-ETA Agora Terminal

3:30am-ETD Agora Terminal via a/c Bachelor Express bus

5:00am-ETA Balingoan Terminal

5:10am-Walk to Balingoan Port

5:45am-Ferry to Benoni Port

6:50am-ETA Benoni Port

7:00am-Van to Mambajao

7:20am-ETA Mambajao

7:30am-Checked in at Sunriser Pension

9:20am-Start tour

9:35am-ETA Katibawasan Falls

10:00am-ETD Katibawasan Falls

11:00am-ETA Sunken Cemetery

12:00nn-ETD Sunken Cemetery

12:10pm-ETA Old Church Ruins

12:30pm-ETD Old Church Ruins

1:20pm-Back to pension house; rest

5:00pm-Going to Ardent Hot Springs

5:15pm-ETA Ardent Hot Springs; only took pictures

5:45pm-ETD Ardent Hot Springs

6:00pm-Roamed around Mambajao

6:15pm-Dinner

6:30pm-Back to pension house

9:30pm-Lights off

*Nagkataon na may nakasabay akong kuya na papuntang Camiguin. Tinulungan nya ako maghanap ng accom and later on sya na nagtour sakin para makasave ako kahit papano kasi 800php ang motorcycle rent w/ driver. Saktong free day din nya kasi nun from work. Hanggang Old Church Ruins lang ang tour namin kasi anlakas na ng ulan nun at naghihingalo na yung motor.

Dinagat Island

Second Part - CARAGA Tour itinerary

DAY 4: February 3, 2016 (En route to Dinagat Islands)

4:45am-Wake up; prepare

5:30am-Check out

5:40am-Walk to center

6:25am-Jeep to Benoni Port (I was the first passenger kaya matagal pa naghintay bago umalis)

6:45am-ETA Benoni Port

7:30am-Ferry to Balingoan Port

8:30am-ETA Balingoan Port

8:40am-Walked to Balingoan Terminal

9:00am-ETD Balingoan Terminal via non-a/c Bachelor Express

12:00nn-ETA Butuan Terminal

12:10pm-Rode a/c Bachelor Express bus to Surigao

12:30pm-ETD Butuan Terminal

4:00pm-ETA Surigao Terminal

4:10pm-Ate at Jollibee Gaisano (katabi lang ng Gaisano mall yung bus terminal)

4:30pm-Multicab to Luneta

4:45pm-ETA Luneta; meet Kuya Lolong (boatman)

4:50pm-Motorela kung san nakadock yung boat

5:00pm-ETD Surigao City via outrigger boat

7:00pm-ETA San Jose; meet Mam Roseville's family

7:30pm-Dinner

11:00pm-Lights off

Dinagat Island

DAY 5: February 4, 2016 (Island hopping at San Jose and Basilisa, Dinagat Islands)

7:30am-Wake up; prepare

8:15am-Breakfast

8:30am-Start island hopping

11:30am-Lunch

4:00pm-End island hopping

5:00pm-Roam around town; look for souvenirs (bought a keychain at Agdol San Jose Art Shop but we also checked out the Provincial Tourism Office) and eat halo-halo

7:00pm onwards-Free time

10:30pm-Lights off

*Walang pong exact na itinerary yung island hopping. Kumbaga po hindi naman sya package tour. According po kay Kuya Lolong depende po sa inyo kung ano-ano pong gusto nyong puntahan. Yung sakin po wala po akong alam so pinaubaya ko na lang po kay kuya kung saan maganda pumunta. Pero better po if si Ma'am Roseville po ang icontact nyo para matulungan nya po kayo 

*You can also include visiting the PBMA Shrine and White Castle, tinamad lang po ako bisitahin kasi pagoda na rin hehe

DAY 6: February 5, 2016 (Visiting museums at Surigao City, Surigao del Norte 

and Butuan City, Agusan del Norte)

6:00am-Wake up; prepare

7:30am-ETA San Jose Port

7:50am-ETD San Jose Port

9:25am-ETA Surigao Port

9:30am-Searched for Surigaonon Heritage Museum by walking (anlayo ng nilakad ko malapit lang pala sya sa port)

9:45am-ETA Surigaonon Heritage Museum

10:00am-Tricycle to Luneta

10:05am-ETA Luneta; looked for souvenirs

10:30am-Brunch at Greenwich

10:50am-Jeep to terminal

11:00am-ETA Terminal

11:30am-ETD Terminal to Butuan City

2:40pm-ETA Butuan Terminal

2:45pm-Trike to Butuan National Museum

2:50pm-ETA Butuan National Museum

3:10pm-Jeep to junction to Balangay Shrine (Route 4 na jeep, pagkalabas ng BNM walk lang sa highway. Sabihin lang ibaba ka sa may Paradise yung pa-Balangay Shrine)

3:25pm-ETA Junction; trike to Balangay Shrine

3:30pm-ETA Balangay Shrine

3:45pm-Trike to Bood Promontory (pwede sya lakarin from Balangay Shrine kaso dala dala ko mga gamit ko kaya nagpahintay na lang ako sa trike)

3:50pm-ETA Bood Promontory

3:55pm-Went back to junction

4:00pm-ETA Junction

4:05pm-Jeep to terminal (Route 4 jeep ulit)

4:30pm-ETA Butuan Terminal

5:30pm-ETD Butuan Terminal to Mangagoy, Bislig, Surigao del Sur (last trip)

10:30pm-ETA Mangagoy Terminal

10:35pm-Check in at Casa de Babano

12:00am-Lights off

*Dapat sa Butuan ako magoovernight kaso naisip ko na dumiretso na lang ng Mangagoy para maaga rin makapagstart ng tour.

Tinuy - an Falls, Surigao del Sur 

Third part: Davao tourist spots 

DAY 7: February 6, 2016 (Enchanted by Hinatuan and Bislig, Surigao del Sur's natural wonders and amazed by the PH's highest waterfall at Cateel, Davao Oriental)

4:30am-Wake up, prepare

5:10am-ETD to Hinatuan (maaga para wala pa ganong tao)

6:15am-ETA Enchanted River (nagpicture-picture lang. Wala kasi ako sa mood maligo dun ng napakalamig na 6am na puyat pa haha)

7:00am-ETD Enchanted River

8:00am-Passed by Chocolate Beach

8:35am-ETA Tinuy-An Falls (nagpicture-picture lang din)

9:15am-ETD Tinuy-An Falls

9:30am-Passed by Lake 77

9:50am-Back to Casa de Babano to get things

10:10am-Brunch

10:30am-ETD Mangagoy to Cateel, Davao Oriental

12:30pm-ETA Aliwagwag Falls Eco Park (picture-picture lang din from the bridge. Hindi na ko pumasok sa park sayang 50php entrance di naman ako maliligo haha next time na lang)

1:00pm-ETD Aliwagwag Falls Eco Park

1:30pm-ETA Cateel Terminal (3pm last trip to Davao City. Kung wala nung 3pm trip, babalik ako dapat ng Mangagoy kasi 4pm last trip doon)

3:00pm-ETD Cateel to Davao City via ComVal (meron kasi via Mati. Mas matagal yata yon)

9:00pm-ETA Davao City

9:15pm onwards-Meet up with my friend. We hung out til 2am. Sa kanila ako nagstay sa Davao

3:00am-Lights off

*I could've saved some more money siguro kung may kahati ako. Tapos kung nagcommute na lang ako from Mangagoy to Cateel then sa Cateel na lang ako naghire ng habal-habal papuntang Aliwagwag. Pero okay lang kasi at least mas tiwala na rin ako kay Kuya Dondon kasi sya na nagservice sakin sa Enchanted and Tinuy-An.Plan ko talaga sana Sunday mag-Aliwagwag kaso naisip ko kaya naman ng one day at sayang din kasi yung bayad sa accom so pumunta na ako sa friend ko sa Davao.

Monastery of Transfiguration, Bukidnon

DAY 8: February 7, 2016 (Accidental trip to Malaybalay City, Bukidnon)

9:30am-Wake up; prepare

10:30am-ETD Davao City via car

1:30pm-Lunch at Bukidnon Roadhouse Cafe in Valencia

2:15pm-Otw to Transfiguration Monastery

3:00pm-ETA Transfiguration Monastery in Malaybalay City

3:20pm-ETD Transfiguration Monastery

7:00pm-ETA Davao City

*Accidental sya kasi nagkataon na pupunta pala talaga yung family ng friend ko don. So nakisabit na lang ako haha

DAY 9: February 8, 2016 (Chilling at Davao City, Davao del Sur)

*I've been to Davao last October so ginawa ko na lang po tong rest day. We just had lunch at Lachi's and checked out the art store Morning Light

Day 10: February 9, 2016 (Departure Davao to Manila)

*2:05pm ang flight ko dapat, delayed for more than 7 hours

9:20pm-ETD Davao City

11:30pm-ETA Manila

*Pwede mas relaxed yung pace ng IT nyo kaso po hinabol ko rin kasi talaga na makarating ng Davao ng Saturday para po makasama ako sa family trip ng friend ko sa Bukidnon ng Sunday :))

Contacts:

Habal habal ride in Iligan - Kuya Chris 09161682548

Kagay Water Rafting (CDO based tour operator for water rafting) 09177122442

Boatman in Dinagat island - Kuya Lolong 09286003805

Island hopping tour package - Ma'am Roseville Eviota 09286003805

Habal-habal ride to Enchanted River, Tinuy-An and Aliwagwag - Kuya Dondon  09083852809

ALL photos are fully credited to Camille Anne Morales. To get to know her on social media, please click here to add her on Facebook. For Instagram, please click here.  

Related article: Travel Guide to Davao's Kadayawan Festival 2017. 


Disclaimer: This guide is a crowdsourced itinerary. We suggest to please do a thorough research in your actual trip to make sure you'll have the best time of your life.