Smart Backpacker: It's More Fun in Visayas or Mindanao??

This summer 2012 is exceptionally one of a kind for me.

I traveled both in Visayas and Mindanao and experienced so many different adventures and witness a variety of tourist spots in the Philippines.

From a guy coming from Luzon (specifically in Batangas), I deemed it best not to include Luzon in the dilemma mindful that I might be tagged as biased.

Anyway, on with the show… last week of March (end of second semester in FEU), I did a backpacker travel from Cagayan De Oro to Lanao Del Norte to Bukidnon, went back to Cagayan, took a flight to Davao City, cruised at the Island Garden of Samal, then went back to Davao mainland, passed Compostela Valley, went to Agusan Del Sur, breezed Surigao Del Sur, then Surigao Del Norte, took a pump boat to Siargao and Bucas Grande Island, and finally reached Surigao City. It took me ten (10) days to finish this backbreaking and nerve-wracking journey.

On the other hand, the Visayas tour kicked off last week of May (end of summer classes in FEU) and I started this tour from Boracay, passed Antique, visited Iloilo, took a pumpboat to Guimaras, transferred to Pulapandan, Negros Occidental, went to Mabinay, Negros Oriental, then Zamboanguita for Apo Island, went back to Dumaguete City, off to Canlaon City, then Bacolod, and last stop was Silay City for my return flight to Manila. It took me another ten (10) days to conclude this tour.

So, which is better, Mindanao or Visayas??

The two main islands have so many different and numerous places and adventures to offer.

Let us first talk about beach. Visayas has Boracay, Panglao Beach and Guimaras. Mindanao has Siargao, Camiguin and the Island Garden of Samal. This one goes to Visayas. Beach fanatics, Visayas is your destination! Only El Nido (it’s in Luzon) beats Boracay!

For mountain climbers, Mt. Apo in Davao is the best spot since it is the tallest mountain in the Philippines.

How about spelunking or caving? Nothing beats Visayas! It has the Mabinay caves, Calbiga cave in Samar and another famous cave in Bohol. Only the Sagada caves and Cagayan Valley caves in Luzon can match the caves in Visayas.

What about waterfalls? Mindanao wins this one because of the numerous falls in Lanao Del Norte such as the Tinago Falls, Limunsudan and Maria Cristina Falls.

For heart-stopping and breath-taking adventurers, Mindanao gets the score. It has the longest zipline in the Philippines in Butuan, the second longest zipline in Bukidnon, the whitewater rafting in Cagayan De Oro and Davao City, Flying Gecko in Bukidnon and tube-rafting in General Santos. Noteworthy of mentioning are the adventures in Cebu, namely -the edge coaster, city zipline and skywalk.

How about gastronomy? Mindanao gets my vote. Davao offers the cheapest eat-all-you can meals from Php 90-120 plus bottomless iced tea! Visayas caters more on seafood.

In terms of accessibility and expediency of doing the tour, Mindano offers the easier way of doing it. In Visayas, you have to do island hopping to travel from one island to another. The Cabano trip in Guimaras to Pulapandan, Negros Occidental is one experience I won’t forget. There was no tropical depression but the waves are simply death-defying. In Mindanao, except for Siargao and Tawi-Tawi, you can do the tour by simply by land travel.

For photo ethusiasts, Visayas offers a variety of landscapes which cannot be matched by Mindanao. Visayas has eco-tourism spots (Guimaras, Leyte and Samar) heritage places (Talisay City and Silay City) and historical places (Samar and Cebu).

Last semestral break of 2012, I went to Region VIII (Leyte, Southern Leyte, Biliran, Eastern Samar, Northern Samar and Western Samar) and the best destination is Biliran.

Again, there are so many things to talk about. But I have to arrive at this conclusion.

Well, the question has to be answered.

Personally, I Iove adventure and I do not dwell much in beaches.
Doing island hopping, yes. Swimming and getting a tan in beach, no.

I’d rather go back to Mindanao and re-live my adventures. I want to go to Zamboanga City, Dipolog City, GenSan, Saranggani, Cotabato and Tawi-Tawi (the remaining places to visit in Mindanao).

And so, it’s more fun in Mindanao! =)

Here are some of my Mindanao pics -