Philippines – Manila Davao Borocay – Travel Food Entertainment

Del Monte is a household name known for its pineapple products such as pineapple juice and pineapple chunks.  But way down in Mindanao, specifically at Cawayanon, Manolo Fortich, Bukidnon, the Del Monte pineapple plantation also boasts one of the premiere golf clubs in the Philippines.  It is 10 kilometers from Cagayan de Oro where the nearest airport is.  The 35-minute drive up to the golf course provides the golfers and tourists with a great view of the mountains.

The golf course, established in 1928, is 6,390 yards, par-72, and is made up of 18 holes wherein the first 9 holes were designed by Peter Crawford and the last 9 by Celestino Tugot.  The course has fairways dotted with trees, sand traps, and man-made lakes.  Golfers may find par-3, 12`^h difficult with the need to go over 210 yards of water, that’s why this is also called the Waterloo Hole.

Since the golf course is found amidst Bukidnon’s mountain range and is in the south of the Philippines which is usually spared from typhoons --- the weather is fair and can get pretty windy.

Green fees cost PhP 500 for local residents and PhP 1200 for tourists during weekdays.  During holidays and weekends, add PhP 300 more to the weekday fees.  Caddy fees starts at PhP 250.  Golfers can also rent golf clubs for PhP 500.

This private golf club also has a pro shop, driving range, practice putting green and a clubhouse with restaurant that serves the best juicy steak in the country with bottomless pineapple juice (you don’t have to wonder why). 

    Due to kidnapping cases happened in Mindanao, many of the tourists are hesitant to travel in Mindanao. When the kidnapping case about the three members of International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) reported on national television, the United States and other countries released travel advisory to their citizens not to travel in Mindanao.
    Why do on earth, these Abu Sayyaf bandits had kidnapped the Red Cross members? It’s really a shame to the people of Mindanao. They don’t know what they are doing. Ever since, the ICRC is known for risking their lives in crisscrossing the enemy borderlines just to help the people. They don’t have a sense of debt gratitude for putting the entire Mindanao into becoming a dreadful place to visit.
    If you are hesitant to go in Mindanao because of what had happened, don’t be… I can guarantee that not all places in Mindanao are occupied by the bandits. Mindanao has still a lot of tourist destinations that are safe to go. You must not miss to visit the must see places in Mindanao like the Dolphin Island in Dumaguete, best diving site in Camiguin, magnificent waterfalls of Iligan City, highest mountain in the country which is in Davao City, highland paradise of Bukidnon, and the City of Golden Friendship which is the Cagayan de Oro City.    
    But to ensure your safety in visiting Mindanao, you should search first that the place you are going to visit is far from the bandit’s camp or not in red alert. Mostly bandits are in the remotest area of Mindanao. However, this is not the only reason to cause problem in our trip to a place. You could still be in danger wherever you are because you can’t control all the things around, still a lot of natural disasters could happen that are beyond of our control.. Let’s just enjoy the moment when we are in a particular place and do something that is worth remembering for a lifetime.