I arrived in Cebu around 7 a.m. and headed directly to the bus station to catch a bus to Cagayan de Oro. I’d forgotten to change more money and there was nowhere to change money at that time of the morning. I was 15 pesos short to take the more direct (air conditioned) bus (for 480 pesos) so had to take the local bus that stopped at every junction and most points between along the way, adding about 2 hours to the travel time.
My first stop once I got to Cagayan de Oro was the forex. Thankfully, I was able to catch a jeepney from the bus station to Mega City for 8.5 pesos. I could only get $200 changed because the forex wouldn’t accept bills that had been stamped and my other bills had a stamped M on them. At least I was able to change some money because I needed to buy a sim card and talk time (380 pesos) and take a taxi to my hotel.
Gardens of Malasag is about a 30 minute drive from the bus terminal in Cagayan de Oro. It was 5 p.m. by the time I got there, just in time to see some people performing a tribal dance in the streets of the village.
It’s like a tropical forest at Gardens of Malasag, hot and humid. I was happy for the AC in my room. A walk through the village had me sweating. My jeans and sneakers were too heavy for the climate. Despite the heat, I was thankful for the hot water in the shower, albeit low water pressure, after my 20 hour journey.
Dinner was a simple affair that night. Had I been traveling with others, I would have gone to town for dinner. As it was, I was tired and hungry so ate from the hotel restaurant and called it an early night.
I hadn’t had much time the day before to explore the village before it got dark. I intended to explore the village but had my plans foiled by rain. The weather dictated that I have a leisurely morning reading before breakfast. The rain eased off at some point during breakfast, allowing me the opportunity to explore.
Gardens of Malasag has a variety of green spaces, animals and tribal houses. The apiary and monkey house were two spots on my walk but the best part of the gardens for me was the flowers and greenery. I would have liked a full day here for more opportunities to experience the tribal cultures represented. The swimming pool and campsite held little interest for me but would be a welcome respite from the city for some.
Gardens of Malasag is a lovely idyllic spot for nature lovers, especially those interested in cultural experiences also. The service needs improvement; I did not receive a map of the village until dinner time and no toilet paper was provided in the bathroom. I didn’t complain about any of this, although these details should have been taken care of at the price of 1200 pesos per night (midrange for that area). The room did have clean towels, packets of soap and shampoo.
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