Revisiting my Dapitan Adventure

Dapitan City in Zamboanga del Norte is one of my favorite places in the country. It’s historic and majestic; full of surprising adventures. I wouldn’t mind going back again and again to this beautiful city.

Back in 2016, I was lucky to have been one of those invited to visit Dapitan along with fellow bloggers and some friends from Smart. Although it wasn’t my first time to go to the Shrine City of the Philippines, it was the most memorable because I was able to fully explore the place.

July is Dapitan’s month as the city will commemorate the Kinabayo Festival, a colorful re-enactment of the Spanish-Moorish wars and a celebration in honor of St. James the Apostle. As such, since July is just around the corner, now is the perfect time to revisit my Dapitan City adventure and share it with you.

This first came out on my blog Maiadventures.cdeo,ph (now inactive). Putting it here so more people will discover the beauty of Dapitan City.

I first had the chance to visit Dapitan in 2014, when my friends and I joined some co-workers on a tour to the historic Shrine City of the Philippines. I remember being giddy with excitement as I have always wanted to experience what it was like to step foot in the place where Dr. Jose Rizal lived while in exile.

The more or less 7-hour travel time (by land, from Cagayan de Oro) did not bother me as I have always loved long distance rides. We left CDO at dawn, so I just slept throughout the trip, waking up every now and then to munch on something or to read. Although that first time was a whirlwind trip and we stayed overnight only, I had a lot of fun.

On our way home, I kept telling myself how lucky I was for having been given the chance to experience a place as beautiful as Dapitan. Ever since that trip, I found myself wishing time and again that I could go back and explore more. And then July 2016 came.

Dapitan the Second Time Around

In July 2016, Smart Communications invited CDO and Iligan Bloggers for a special trip to Dapitan. Luckily, I was one of those who received an invite. It was the best time to go back to Rizal’s place of exile because if was fiesta (festival) season.

Again, I found myself looking forward to the trip with excitement. This time around, I would be traveling with fellow bloggers; people who loved adventures. The kind of people I am comfortable with.

I remember it was a Friday, and we left Cagayan de Oro early in the morning after meeting up at Dunkin’ Donuts in Divisoria. Inside the van, we couldn’t contain our excitement. But, first, we had to pick up our friends in Iligan.

After a brief stopover at a Jollibee in the City of Waterfalls, we finally went on our way. Our next stop was the Mukas Port in Lanao del Norte, where we got on a barge that brought us to Misamis Occidental. It was a short but pleasant ride where we grabbed the opportunity to take photos of the cottony sky.

On the way to Dakak Park and Beach Resort, we saw the new Dapitan City Government Center and decided to stop by to take some photos.

The sprawling government center is considered one of the city’s attractions. It stands on an area surrounded by trees and greens. The 3-storey building is in itself a work of art. It stands high and mighty, looking out to the ocean. It is a picture perfect, Instagrammable scene.

When we finally checked-in at Dakak Park and Beach Resort, it was mid-afternoon already. Thanks to the City Mayor’s Office, we were given two dormitory-type rooms with comfortable double deck beds. Each room had two toilets and two bathrooms. Both were fully air conditioned and equipped with spacious cabinets, hangers & racks, and a television set.

After relaxing and freshening up, we headed off to dinner. Dakak’s Il Patio Ristorante Italiano was our dining destination that night. We feasted on pizzas, different types of pastas, and a variety of dishes especially prepared by the restaurant’s chef.

The Adventure Begins

We got up early that Saturday morning and had buffet breakfast by the seaside. Our adventure for that day was a Heritage Walk courtesy of the Dapitan Tourism Office. So, after filling our stomachs, off we went to meet our tourism guides at the Punto de Disembarco.

Punto de Disembarco is one of the first landmarks you will see when you arrive in Dapitan. On this site, you will see a monument of Dr. Jose P. Rizal as he disembarked from the steamer that took him to his place of exile. He disembarked from S.S. Cebu on July 17, 1892.

This historical marker symbolizes the start of our national hero’s life of exile in Dapitan. 

After taking some photos, we started our Heritage Walk. Our first destination was the City Plaza, also known as the Dapitan Plaza, where the monument of Rizal stands.

The park is spacious and green. There were people everywhere, busy with preparations for the fiesta festivities.  We went around the park and saw the Relief Map of Mindanao, which was made by Rizal.

We were also directed to the site of the original Casa Real, which served as the official residence of the governor when Rizal was exiled in Dapitan. Near the plaza is the old district hospital, which was built by the Americans.

We also went inside the beautiful St. James Church. Built in honor of Dapitan’s patron saint, St. James the Great, the church played an important part in Rizal’s life. Inside, visitors will find a historical marker that indicates the spot where our national hero stood every time he heard the Sunday Mass.

Some of my co-bloggers, as well as our friend from Smart Communications, Ms. Judee Chaves, dared to climb up the creaking wooden ladder that led to the belfry. I did not join them as I do not like the feeling of climbing uneven, unstable steps. They were rewarded with a breathtaking panoramic view of the plaza and some parts of the city.

I took a lot of photos inside the church; something I love to do as I have always been in awe of old churches.

Just before lunch, we stopped by the Rizal Shrine for a treasure hunting game organized by our friends from Smart. We weren’t able to stay long inside the shrine, though, as we had to head off to our next destination, where we were going to have our lunch. This was no ordinary lunch, however, as we were going on a river cruise.

I’ve experienced the river cruise in Bohol, but the Dampa River Cruise of Dapitan is different. For one, it lasted more than an hour. We really traversed the river from one side to another. And the sight…it was definitely something to behold!

This was one of the Heritage Walk stops where I took a lot of photos.

After lunch, we were brought to one of the oldest houses in Dapitan, which also happens to be the Department of Tourism’s office.

The Aniano Adasa Heritage House was built in the year 1900. It combines American, Spanish, and Japanese elements. Inside the house, you will find various symbols of Dapitan’s cultural heritage. The Department of Tourism has also set a small room that showcases the city’s best in arts and culture.

Residing in the Adasa Heritage House is Junrey Balawing, Guinness World Records’ Shortest Man (as certified in June 2011).

Before going back to Dakak to rest and freshen up for the evening festivities, we headed to the famous Rizal Shrine again. This is one of my favorite destinations in Dapitan. I can stay inside for hours and get lost in all its historical stories. Inside the compound are replicas of the structures that Rizal built.

Some of the structures you will find there include Casa Redonda, the Rizal & Pio Valenzuela Monument, Casa Cuadrada, Rizal’s Kitchen, the Public Toilet, Casa Residencia, Casitas de Salud, and Rizal’s Dam. One of the structures that wasn’t there yet in 2014 is the Jose Rizal Monument situated near the Baywalk and Seawall.

Inside the museum, I also found several new installations. One of my favorites is the digital topographical map of Rizal’s irrigation system.

Going around the museum, and the shrine in general, will help you learn more about our national hero, his life, and sacrifices for the Filipino people.

On our way to Dakak, we decided to drop by Gloria de Dapitan for some ice cream. We had Fruits in Ice Cream (FIC) in different flavors, along with some pizza and pasta.

We headed off to Dakak to rest and recharge for our evening adventure. We were able to secure tickets to the Miss Dapitan Coronation Night, as well as ride-all-you-can passes for Gloria’s Fantasyland.

Our first stop was the coronation night. It was fun watching a pageant in another city. However, we stayed only for a few minutes because we wanted to experience Fantasyland in full. One of our friends, photographer Tom Udasco of CDODev.com, stayed behind to take photos of the pageant.

It was my second time at Fantasyland, but I was as excited as the first time. We got inside just as the special live musical show started, so we had to wait for a few minutes before we could go on the rides.

The first attraction we tried was the 5D ride. It was a rollercoaster-themed motion-based thrill ride. We shouted and ducked every time a snake seemed to slide off from the screen, ready to swallow us. By the end of the ride, my adrenaline was pumping and I was raring to go on more adventures.

After our 5D experience, we had to rest for awhile as we witnessed the magical “Festival of Colors” parade. We were amazed at how creative and fantastic the floats, costumes, and effects were. It reminded me of my Disneyland Paris Electric Parade experience.

We continued our Fantasyland adventure by riding the bump cars, the carousel, and some kiddie rides. For the roller coasters, however, we decided to choose the “safer” ones (translation: no multiple loops). Too bad my friends did not want to go inside the Haunted House! Well, I actually went through it back in 2014. It was a fun and funny experience, mostly because of the people I was with.

Our Fantasyland adventure was a memorable one. All in all, our evening was well spent. We went back to Dakak ready to call it a night; and looking forward to our last day in Dapitan.

Going Home

We woke up early on Sunday morning and went straight to the breakfast hall. Since we still had free time before our scheduled departure, we swam on the beach and in the pool. I had a lot of fun – and laughed a lot – with my friends Ruby and JenJacqs. We went on the pool slide several times, giggling and shouting with excitement like little girls.

By mid-morning, we were all ready to say goodbye to Dakak and depart Dapitan. As we were going back to our rooms, however, one of our companions found out that something happened to their house in Cagayan de Oro. As soon as we learned that everyone in her family was all right, we packed our bags and set off for the long trip home.

Despite what happened, our Dapitan experience ended on a positive note. It was the best opportunity for the Iligan and CDO bloggers to bond and establish a meaningful connection. It was an exciting way to discover the treasures of Dapitan.

Somehow, the simplicity and quietness of Dapitan did a lot of wonders for us. It refreshed our tired souls and satisfied our quest for discoveries. It allowed us to make new friends and rekindle friendships. 

For this and many reasons more, I will always want to go back to Dapitan.

(Next week, I’m going to share my fun experience at Binahon Agroforestry Farm in Lantapan, Bukidnon)