Cagayan de Oro (CITY OF GOLDEN FRIENDSHIP)

Cagayan de Oro City, the Gateway to Northern Mindanao, is situated along the northern
shores of the Mindanao region. As a tourist destination, this golden city has a lot to
offer. It is filled with outstanding scenic places ranging from beaches, mountains,
limestone caves, museums, historical landmarks, timeless churches, and rivers. Whether
it is business or leisure, there is something for you to enjoy in Cagayan de Oro.

Transportation
The fastest way to get to Cagayan de Oro is by plane. There are flights from Manila and
Cebu daily through airlines: Cebu Pacific, Air Philippines, Philippine Airlines and other
airlines such as Asian Spirit that have small planes. There are also ferry boat trips and
fast crafts from Manila, Cebu, Dumaguete, and other cities. Buses for those who are just
within Mindanao area are also available.

Things to do

 White water river rafting: Cagayan de Oro has the best white water rafting in
the Philippines, with 14 rapids stretching from Baraga Dansolihon to the city.

 Macahambus Cave: Located just about 4 kilometers south of Cagayan de Oro

city’s airport, this cave was a strategic location to several wars in the 20th
century. It is a three chamber – two way cave, one end is beside the highway and
the other exit is to a cliff overlooking the Cagayan de Oro River.

 Nature Tripping: You can check out Macahambus Adventure Park which is about
20 minutes away from the city. Here you will experience nature at its finest, with
age old trees and a lot of greens. They also have zip lines and a sky bridge.
Additionally, you can also go to Mapawa Nature Park where you can take a dip in
a mini waterfall and do horse-back riding.

 Shopping: There are a lot of ukay-ukay places in the city which is heaven for the
budget shopper. You can also go to the Night Market where you can find cheap
stuff, along Divisoria. However, they are only open on weekends- Friday and
Saturday 7pm until 2am.

 Sight-seeing: You can find historical sights in Cagayan de Oro, such as the St.
Augustine Cathedral which was built in 1845; Gaston Park which is where the
first Spanish settlement was located; and the Museo de Oro, which shows
collections of things that Muskim tribes used in the past.

 Nightlife: If you happen to be there during the weekend, don’t miss out on the
famous Night Café which is open only on Fridays and Saturdays. You can have
 some beer and grilled food. You also get to interact with other tourists and
locals, as well as experience Cagayan’s street party. The city also has lots of
family KTV bars such as M2 and Loreto’s. And a popular hangout for yuppies
would be The Site at Limketkai Center.

 Extras: You can also go to Bukidnon, the pineapple capital of the country where
you can see the Del Monte Pineapple plantation. They also offer great tasting
steaks in their restaurant. It takes 2 hours to get there by bus.

Where to Stay
There are expensive hotels and there are also budget-friendly accommodations in the
city. For the most part though, the room rates are relatively inexpensive.

• If you want to stay in a hotel within a golf estate, you should stay at Hotel Koresco. It
has an 18-hole golf course located at Pueblo de Oro Golf Estate and is just 10 minutes
away from the city. Rates start at $79. Phone number (+63) (88) 859 2298

• You can also stay at a pricier place, Pryce Plaza Hotel, which is probably the most
luxurious hotel in this side of the country. You get a fantastic view of the city, plus it also
has the amenities of a first class hotel. Rates start at $98. Phone number (+63) (8822)
722 791

• The Mallberry Suites would be the most strategic hotel to stay in. It is a business hotel
located just beside Robinson’s Mall and Limketkai so it is very convenient. The rates are
pretty fair too, starting at $43. Phone number (+63) (88) 854 9999

• A much cheaper place to stay is the De Luxe Hotel, which offers spacious and clean
rooms. Rates are quite low, starting at $17. Phone number (+63) (088) 857 2145

Where & What to Eat

• Peking House: for authentic Chinese dishes, this is the one place you should go.
Located at Gaisano Mall, you can have a sumptuous array of food for only $4. Their
specialties are: Pansit and Lumpia Shanghai.
• Sentro 1850: Great tasting tenderloin steaks you will surely find here. It’s cheap too-
you can eat to your heart’s content for only about $10. You can find this restaurant
along Don Apolinar Velez Street.
• P Joe’s Diner: American food at its finest, you can find P Joe’s along Limketkai Center.
Good steaks, burgers and fries and pizza.
• Golden Arirang: The best Korean restaurant in town. You can try their Kimchi because
it is better than most. Don’t order too much though as they tend to serve a lot of side
dishes. They are located at Claro M. Recto Avenue.
Sources:
http://tourism-philippines.com/cagayan-de-oro/