by Roland Hanewald
The first European who "discovered Surigao (in terms of adding it to the world map) was Francisco de Castro, a Portuguese-born Spaniard trying to backtrack the famous Mindanao expedition of Loaisa. The year was 1538, and the place was somewhere on the narrow peninsula which points like an accusing finger at the Visayan islands farther north.
"Caraga" as the territory was named then -- probably after an original Visayan name of "Calahaga" -- became one of the first outposts of Christendom in Mindanao, much to the chagrin of early Muslims dwelling there, who showed their displeasure for the turn of events by conducting periodic raids on the newly Christianized communities. For a long time after this, Surigao and its environs led a rather nondescript existence as a little fishing harbor and trading post. A marked upswing only occurred quite recently with the discovery of gold, nickel, chromite and other valuable ores in the area. Located very close to the abysmal Philippine Deep, the general region has been subject to strong geological upheavels through the ageas and is extremely rich in minerals as a consequence. Its nickel deposits alone possibly make up the world's largest reserves.
A genuine discovery of Surigao, however, taken place as of late, in the field of tourism. Visitors to the handsome city and mainly the many islands dotting its foreshores will be utterly surprised why Surigao did not become a major tourist destination of the Philippines much earlier. True, there are drawbacks. For one thing, it rains a lot in Surigao. From November to January, the heavenly sluices unload their freight on this portion of the Pacific coast. Surigao holds the annual rainfall record for Southeast Asia -- That is very wet. It is easy not to get soaked in Surigao, though, by just choosing a drier season for going there.
Jaded travelers may also gripe about certain shortcomings in the touristic infrastructure. Put into proper context, such moanings simply translate to delightfully unspoiled conditions -- so many of them, in fact, that Surigao deserves to be called one of the most rewarding and exciting travel destinations. Very few places in the Philippines combine the amenities of city life with intact nature just a stone's throw away.
A visitor to Surigao City landing by car ferry from Leyte at the city's well-maintained terminal at Lipata will get an initial dose of such conditions. The ride into town leads past extensive stretches of mangrove shoreland, into which the city's outskirts almost imperceptibly melt. Mangrove is the major theme throughout the province of Surigao del Norte. The saltwater-loving tree forms interminable "marine forests" along the coasts of the Mindanao mainland and turns into even dense thickets among the outlying islands. The enormous ecological value of Surigao's mangrove stands has been duly recognized by no less than the World Bank, which actively supports and furthers their preservation. The results are impressive. Fish catches in the region have increased dramatically, rare birds have found sanctuary in the green wilderness, and saltwater crocodiles, some of sizeable proportions, have made a spectacular comeback, much to the delight of environmentalists all oer the world. Happily, Surigao's mangrove forests may be counted among the most ecologically intact areas in the Philippines.
One of the truly exciting experiences Surigao has to offer is boat ride through these "jungles in the sea." Unlike in most other places, the mangrove thickets here are intersected by deep channels, some navigable by seagoing vessels. It is possible to make such trips comfortable starting at your seaside accommodation in town, and for the duration of several hours, no participant is likely to complain of boredom during such a "rhizophoric" ride. (Most mangroves are of the genus Rhizophora).
The movements of the tides are another particular phenomenon of the Surigao area. Pressed through the bottleneck of Surigao Strait, tidal currents reach frightening velocities in places, forming huge eddies and vortices among some islands and exhibiting such peculiarities as incoming and outgoing tides actually running side by side at several knots. Visitors bent on bathing and diving should not take the locals' warnings lightly. Once caught in a rushing riptide, a swimmer may find himself quickly transported to a point of no return, and no one may witness his involuntary departure among the thinly settled shores.
No such perils await lovers of beach life at General Luna on Siargao Island. Here, blindingly white sand stretches endlessly along a palm-studded coast, bordering waters benignly shallow and crystal clear. Beyond the vast lagoon, extensive coral reefs abut upon the churning Pacific Ocean -- first class diving guaranteed! It takes several hours to reach this South Seas scenario by boat out of Surigao City.
Travelers who have seen a bit of the Philippines already will find themselves transposed to places that may look oddly familiar. The beaches of Siargao Island have a nuance of Boracay flair about them them, other locations like the island of Bucas Grande looks strikingly similar to Palawan's north, with its soaring limestone cliffs and bizarre vegetation.The barangay (village) of Day-asan is referred to locally as the "Venice of Surigao" and may invoke memories of some communities in the Sulu archipelago. Elsewhere, large caves and lovely waterfalls vie with other such spectacular sights throughout the Philippines.
When it comes to scenic variation, Surigao is certainly the place to go. The long stretch of Dinagat invites enterprising hikers, and the islands also has nice things to offer to the cave enthusiast. Siargao boasts not only fine beaches but has a lot else to show island explorers, including croc-watching off the town of del Carmen. Bucas Grande Island, very sparsely populated, seems to be the place for the scuba diver (and recently, kayak enthusiast - ACG). In between these three major islands lie a bevy of smaller islands, all of which are decidedly worth a visit.
Surigao is a place of five stars, but they are scattered far and wide. It will be up to the visitor to locate them and arrange them into a properly aligned pattern. Just trying sounds like a lot of fun.