GENSAN-SOUTH COTABATO-SARANGANI TRIP ITINERARY

Day 1, Friday
0530AM – 0600AM – Assembly Time NAIA Terminal 3
0600AM - 0710AM – Boarding of Passenger
0710AM - 0900AM – Manila to Gensan
0900AM - 1000AM – Airport to Gensan (Bulaong Terminal)
1000AM – 1130AM – Gensan (Bulaong Terminal) to Marvel
1130AM – 1215NN – Marvel to Surallah
1215NN – 0130PM – Surallah to Lake Sebu
0130PM – 0200PM – Check-in @ Punta Isla Resort, Rest, Prepare
0200PM – 0220PM – Habal-Habal Ride going to Zipline
0220PM – 0500PM – Zipline, Trek, Falls, Photo-Ops
0500PM – 0520PM – Back to Resort
0520PM – 0700PM – Rest, Prepare, Take a Bath
0700PM – 0800PM – Dinner, Cultural Show
0900PM - Lights Off!

Day 2, Saturday 
0430AM – 0530AM – Wake-up Call, Prepare
0530AM – 0730AM – Check-out @ Punta Isla Resort, Habal-Habal Ride going to Surallah
0730AM – 0815AM – Surallah to Marvel
0815AM – 1000AM – Marvel to Gensan
1000AM – 1200NN – Gensan AGP Terminal to Maitum
1200NN – 1200PM – Maitum Town Proper to Brgy. New La Union
1230PM – 0200PM – Pangi White Water Tubing
0200PM – 0230PM - Brgy. New La Union to Maitum Town Proper
0230PM – 0430PM – Maitum to Gensan AGP Terminal
0430PM – 0500PM – Gensan AGP Terminal to Gensan KCC Mall
0500PM – 0600PM – Gensan KCC Mall to Glan, Sarangani
0600PM – 0620PM – Glan, Sarangani Town Proper to Gumasa Beach
0620PM – 0630PM – Check-in @ White Haven Resort
0630PM – 0800PM – Prepare, Dinner
0800PM – 0830PM – Rest, Lights Off!

Day 3, Sunday
0530AM – 0600AM – Wake-up Call
0600AM – 0730AM – Swimming, Photo-Ops
0730AM – 0800AM – Take a bath, Prepare, Resort Check-out
0800AM – 0820AM - Gumasa Beach to Glan, Sarangani Town Proper
0820AM - 0930AM – Glan, Sarangani Town Proper to Gensan KCC Mall
0930AM – 1000AM – Gensan KCC Mall to Panatalan (Sweets Pasalubong)
1000AM – 1100AM – Pantalan to Citra Mina (Tuna Pasalubong)
1100AM – 1230PM – Citra Mina to Hannoks Grill & Resto (Lunch)
1230PM – 0100PM – Hannoks to KCC Mall (Buy Souvenir Shirt)
0100PM – 0200PM – KCC Mall to Gensan Airport
0200PM - 0245PM – Boarding of Passenger
0245PM – 0400PM – Gensan to Manila

GLAN, SARANGANI

The town is the first class municipality on the west by Sarangani Bay.

One of the most visited Barangay is the Gumasa wherein you can find the a long pristine powdery white sand beach.

White Haven Resort is the one of the most affordable to stay in for a backpacker.

MAITUM, SARANGANI

The town is the second municipality at the north of province of Sarangani, Philippines, The word "Maitum" refers to the black stones in Saub River. It is believed that the river stones turned black when the local native princess and her warrior lover passed through it as they eloped and escaped from the wrath of the princess' father who disapproved their marriage.

One of the most visited Barangay is the New La Union wherein you can find the famous White Water Tubing adventure at the Pangi River. As per advised by our habal-habal driver most of the resident in barangay is ilocano speaking, this was beacause some of the locals in San Fernando, La Union migrated in Sarangani and these are the reason why the barangay got its name, New La Union.

LAKE SEBU, SOUTH COTABATO

Lake Sebu is located at District II of South Cotabato, the town got its name from the biggest of the three lakes. The placid lake of Lake Sebu measures 354 hectares. The two other lakes are smaller; Lake Seloton is only 48 hectares while Lake Lahit is 24 hectares.

You can reach the town by riding a Yellow Bus Lane at Bulaong Terminal in General Santos City, there a two types of bus w/c will take you in Koronadal (often referred to as Marbel, its old name) - Option 1 is YBL Bus with signboard Marbel Non-stop about 1 hour w/c will cost Php70/passenger, air-conditioned. Option 2 is YBL Bus with signboard Marbel-Polomok about 1 hour and 20mins w/c will cost Php50/passenger, non-airconditioned and with stop to Polomok town to pick-up some passenger. From Koronadal, take the Yellow Bus to the town of Surralah (about 38 minutes). From Surralah, take a jeep to Lake Sebu (about 43 minutes). From Lake Sebu town proper take a habal-habal going to Punta Isla Resort (about 10 minutes)

DAKBAYAN SA GENERAL SANTOS CITY

Due to Cebu Pacific non-stop seat sale, my friend invited me to visit General Santos City, it really surprised me when she told me that the promo ticket was only Php768 roundtrip (really a great deal ^_^). Without any plan on my mind and no assurance on my sched yet, i told my friend that i can join her for 2-3days only, and still she got a good deal on a weekend sched good for 3 persons, and this is where it all started...... Amazing Race Backpacking of Three Ladies... tsk! tsk! tsk! ^_^

General Santos City or so called "Gensan" is almost 2 hours trip by plane. Cebu Pacific, PAL, and Airphil  has flight in and out on a daily basis with a schedule of as early as 7am, they say that the Gensan Airport is the second largest airport in the Philippines... no wonder when we landed i kept on saying to my friend that among the domestic airport i've been before Gensan Airport was the best for me so far..it was clean, wide runway and very nice comfort room..


Some Interesting Facts about Gensan

• Known as the Tuna Capital of the Philippines

• Hometown of the famous Filipino professional boxer and politician Emmanuel "Manny" Dapidran Pacquiao and the fifth female Big Winner of the Pinoy Big Brother Melisa "Melai" Cantiveros

• Cebuano and Ilonggo are the main dialect spoken in the city. Filipino based on Tagalog is spoken as the National Language. English is also widely used.

• Kalilangan Festival, is the biggest festival in the City, celebrated every month-end of February.

• People from GenSan are mostly Roman Catholics. There are also a large number of Protestants and Muslims in the city.