Libtong's Blue Lagoon | Cantilan, Surigao del Sur

It's been a while since I went on traveling after my 13 Days of Summer Escapade ended on April 2013. Due to my chicken pox episode, I was bed driven for almost two weeks where I was required for some visits to the community hospital in San Miguel, Surigao del Sur.

With summer still around, the weather was just so perfect to waste  inside the house and it's hard to think doing the art of nothing and just waiting 'til all of my scars are  healed off.  This scenario was so unbearable for an  outdoor guy like me, so when my blisters have shown signs of drying, I went on searching for my next travel destination.

Care to jump in a 10-foot diving board?

Learning about the Blue Lagoon of Libtong in Cantilan, I hurried to catch  the last trip of the 3-hour jumbo jeepney drive towards to the jump-off point in Brgy. Consuelo in Cantilan. 

Accompanied by local friends, Cathe Duero and Brendo, we rented a small pump boat for Php 800.00 and sailed for less than  30 minutes before reaching  Brgy. Libtong in General Island.

It was already high noon when we docked in Libtong Resort where we witnessed  a paradise-like- marine lagoon that was similar to the secret lagoons of El Nido, Palawan, only this lagoon was unheard of. It was just sad to notice that it was already the peak of summer season and yet we were the only visitors in this hidden  tourist spot in Cantilan.

Timely, I was requested by a friend from De La Salle University-Dasmariñas to record a video message for the 16th DLSU-D Alumni Home Coming. The venue was just too ideal to have the message recorded with pristine blue paradise as my backdrop. Overwhelmed with its intimidating beauty, it took us a while to perfectly shoot the video. 

The lagoon has two parts and it was divided by strip of limestone rocks with lush green vegetation in the middle. The unspoiled water body is home  to thousands of sting-less jellyfish that have served as their breeding ground in a particular season of the year.

According to our guide, you can swim with the jelly fish unharmed. The lagoon is also littered with different colorful species of fishes swimming around, so uncaring with our presence. It was also our lucky day to spot a White-bellied Sea-eagle freely flying above which is now rarely seen in the wild.

Sting-less jellyfish in the Blue Lagoon of Libtong, Cantilan, Surigao del Sur

After the video shoot, we decided to have our lunch at the cottage of the resort. Since the resort is a community operated establishment, we requested from their accommodating personnel on duty to buy us some fresh sea food and some soda at the barangay proper which was just twenty minutes away from the resort . We were served with rice and  "kinilaw na pugita" or fresh chopped octopus soaked in vinegar. 

We took the whole afternoon taking advantage of the priceless relaxation and feasting our eyes on the rare beauty in front of us. 

I even tried jumping from the 10-foot high diving board installed in front of our cottage.  Hitting the 15-20 meter deep turquoise blue water was just an exhilarating activity. With this kind of water that was so cool and refreshing, it made me addicted to jump countless of times with different types of diving executions, jumping even in my most awkward position.  

How Much to Experience this Paradise?

NO entrance fee in Libtong Resort, instead you just have to pay for the cottages ranging from Php150-500. If I wasn't in a hurry to get home that day, we could have actually stayed for a night in Libtong. 

How to get to Cantilan?

There are multiple entries going to this hidden paradise. There are flights available daily to Butuan City and Surigao City

1. Coming from Butuan City Terminal, take a bus bound for Tandag City. Bus leaves every hour, fare is Php 300.00 for airconditioned bus (Bachelor) with travel time of 5 hours. In Tandag City, there are two options you can take to visit cantilan: (1) to take a bus bound for Surigao City or (2) take a van. Buses have a limited schedule until 2 pm only. Fare is Php100.00 with travel time of 2 hours.

In Cantilan Terminal (near the market) you can take a tricycle and tell the driver you are bound for Consuelo. Fare is Php 50.00

If you wish to visit some of the islands, you can negotiate with the local fishermen to take you on a round on the nearby destinations.

2. Coming from Surigao City, there are buses and vans in the city terminal bound for Tandag City. Alight in Cantilan, fare is Php 170, then follow the rest of the instructions above.

3. Coming from Davao City, there are two direct trips to Tandag City, 6 am and 12 mn. Fare is Php363.00  and travel time is 8 hours. From Tandag City, follow the instruction above.

Accommodation

There are few pension houses in Cantilan. It is a small town so you won’t miss seeing one. There are also quite a number of resorts along Baybay, the coast. From the town , you can take a tricycle for Php 15.00/head to the coastal community of Baybay.

With our experience we were accommodated in a 2 room resort in Cathe Pacific Cottage by the Beach you may contact the owner Cathe Duero at +63915.429.2488 for reservations.

Local contacts:

For surfing and island hopping activity  you may call Brendo Torejos for assistance at  +63921.729.5255 or Cathe Duero at +63915.429.2488

Cash Problem

There is an ATM available at Cantilan Bank located at the heart of the town.

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