Asia Pen Pals RAFT; Philippines

This+is+a+picture+of+Cagayan+de+Oro%2C+Philippines+during+the+night.

This is a picture of Cagayan de Oro, Philippines during the night.

Hayden Basler, Beat Reporter

Dear Hayden,

I am excited that you have decided to come and visit me here in the Philippines. I have planned out three places here that I am excited to show you. I live in Cagayan de Oro Philippines. We will meet at the Lumbia Airport. The Lumbia Airport address is Airport Road, Cagayan de Oro, 9000 Misamis Oriental, Philippines. You will board a US Airlines plane in Kansas City MO, and the plane will make three stops before reaching the Lumbia Airport. The total time traveled will be 30 hours and 17 minutes. The plane will take 4 hours and 14 minutes to get to the first stop, San Francisco. It will stay at San Francisco for 1 hour and 43 minutes. It will then take off and land in Seoul, South Korea. The time between San Francisco and Seoul will be 13 hours. It will stop in Seoul for 2 hours and 25 minutes. Then it will be 1 hour and 30 minutes to Manila Philippines. After a 3 hour and  20 minute stop in Manila, it will finally fly to the Lumbia Airport. The total cost will be $4,632.46. Make sure you pack clothes and food for the flight. Also, bring some extra money so you can buy things on the plane if you need to and we can stop at some Philippine restaurants. The plane will take off on December 26, 2017.  We will visit the Mapawa Nature Park, the Initao–Libertarian Protected Landscape and Seascape, and the Macahambus Cave.  

The Mapawa Nature Park

The first place we will visit is the Mapawa Nature Park. We will visit it on Wednesday, the 27th. The entrance fee is 55 Philippine Pesos, ($1.10 U.S.). The Mapawa Nature Park is a very beautiful place. There are lots of breathtaking waterfalls to visit. On top of that, there are plenty of wild animals to see in the park. The park is also full of lots of outstanding flowers. I hope that you enjoy nature parks because this park is really beautiful. I can’t wait to hear the sound of the waterfalls bubbling and roaring as they run.

Initao- Libertad Protected Landscape and Seascape

The Initao- Libertad Protected Landscape and Seascape is a protected area in Western Misamis Oriental, Philippines. There are lots of plants and palm trees and there are trails that run through it. There are also lots of places where there is a breathtaking view of the ocean. If you would like, you can also swim in the water. So, make sure to bring a swimsuit and a beach towel. On top of the beaches, there is also beach resorts where you can stay overnight if you would like. The cheapest of these resorts is the Hapitann resort which means, Drop-in. The entrance fee to this resort is 10 Philippine pesos ($20.00 US).

Macahambus Cave

The Macahambus cave is located just a few kilometers away from uptown Barangay Lumbia, Cagayan de Oro city. There is no entrance fee when going to the cave. The only fees is when doing the outside activities at the cave’s Adventure Park. The cave has three chambers and goes from one chamber to another. You might have to crouch down to fit in the middle chamber. When you reach the end, you will be on a 100 ft tall terrace and down below you will get a beautiful look at the Cagayan de Oro river. As soon as you walk in the entrance, you will feel the air from the other side of the cave.

 

I hope that you will enjoy the places I have chosen and we might eat at a restaurant here in the Philippines. I think we will stop at an Ihop or a Pizza Ranch. Even if you have one of these restaurants I think you will still enjoy it. The smell of pancakes in Ihop or the taste of homemade ice cream from Pizza Ranch. I can’t wait to see you and I will be waiting upon your arrival. Make sure to bring anything you need for the trip. You will want to pack some extra money, some extra outfits, and anything else you think you need for the trip. I can’t wait to see you here!

 

Sincerely,

Bayani