Going to the Enchanted River, Hinatuan, Surigao del Sur

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Going to the Enchanted River, Hinatuan, Surigao del Sur

20 January 2011 9,106 views 20 Comments

I had heard so much about the Enchanted River in Hinatuan, Surigao del Sur, especially after a local movie filmed a scene there (Spirits). My hometown is just a few hours away but I confess I haven’t had the opportunity to go there until last December when my family and I took a road trip.

The amazing Enchanted River © Amihan Bajade

When we arrived in Hinatuan, my first impression was the cleanliness of its roads. Where were the overflowing garbage cans that you could see everywhere in Manila? The candy wrappers and cigarette butts on the streets? The plastic bags and empty bottles scattered all around?

I couldn’t see any of those anywhere in that small town, not even in the Hinatuan River. When I asked one local, she proudly said that Hinatuan was judged the “Best Performer, Cleanest and Greenest” local government unit in the Philippines in 2010. No wonder the locals were proud!

Wonderful clear water in the Enchanted River.

Our destination though, was further ahead, in Barangay Talisay where the Enchanted River is. It was indeed far from the town center; even by private car, the trip took around 30 minutes. The view when we arrived though, was very much worth it.

The magnificent color of the water in the Enchanted River is the result of a mixture of fresh and saltwater from Hinatuan Bay. The middle part was deeper in color (they said it was 80m deep) while it was light green along the sides. Alas, we didn’t get to swim since there were a lot of people there (weekend + holidays) but when I dipped my foot, the water was quite cold.

There are a lot of fish; at certain times of the day, the management ask the swimmers to get off the water when the fish feed, and we could see them fighting for the food scraps, and then disappearing afterward.

Entrance costs only P10 per head, and there are cottages you can rent as well if you’re planning to have a picnic. You can also take a boat ride from the river to Hinatuan Bay. You can swim, snorkel, and even scuba dive there.

This is over 200ft deep!

How to go to the Enchanted River: Take the bus from Butuan City and get off at Hinatuan town. From there, take the habal-habal (a public transport motorcycle). You can either wait for other passengers (P40) or hire the whole thing for P200-250. You can get to Butuan City from Manila via Cebu Pacific or Philippine Airlines.

All photos and content here are intellectual properties of Aleah of SolitaryWanderer.com unless otherwise stated. They are not for reproduction without my knowledge and permission. If you would like to use any of my content or images, use the contact form on this site to ask for my permission.

20 Comments »

☮Pinay Travel Junkie☮ said:

i got friends who have been here and are raving about it too. hope i could go someday… dami nang nasa listahan ko! hahaha!

# 20 January 2011 at 9:11 pm

lakwatsera de primera said:

The water is so clear! Good to know they are maintaining this place, there are very few clean rivers around the Philippines now. (Did you swim?)

# 20 January 2011 at 10:45 pm

josua V. jegou said:

Wow looks nice are we allowed to catch the fish and just release them after?

# 18 March 2011 at 12:05 pm

Aleah said:

@ Claire: I didn’t get to swim. There were too many people at that time!
@ Josua: No one is allowed to fish in the river
Aleah recently posted..Puerto Galera in One Day

# 18 March 2011 at 12:42 pm

junk said:

i’m greatly amaze in every wonderful experience you’ve been through with all of your travels, its so euphoric if we know were doing what we love to do.. breaking our limitless boundaries “oh wow a stunning pleasures”… great shared experiences.. ” i’m inspired to dauntless spirits like you”

# 14 June 2011 at 10:38 am

Aleah said:

@ Junk: Thank you. The Philippines (and the world!) is so big. There are so many places more to explore!
Aleah recently posted..6 Things You Shouldn’t Forget When You Travel Solo

# 25 June 2011 at 3:23 pm

Elde Jabonero said:

The enchanted River was the most fascinating I have ever seen. Plus the boat ride to Vanishing Island and quick swim in white sands surrounded by crystal clear waters, it makes you think of coming back-with your loved ones and friends this time. My van can take you there from Davao City.

# 8 July 2011 at 2:08 pm

Aleah said:

@ Elde: Thank you for your offer. If somebody asks about the possibility of getting your services, I’ll give them your contact details.
Aleah recently posted..Day Trip from Manila—Our Mt. Pinatubo Trekking Adventure

# 8 July 2011 at 4:07 pm

Feanne said:

Aleah, sobrang gandaaaaa! – Feanne from CS

# 9 July 2011 at 2:34 pm

Aleah said:

Thanks, Feanne. Yes, it’s the best and cleanest river I’d ever seen
Aleah recently posted..Day Trip from Manila—Our Mt. Pinatubo Trekking Adventure

# 9 July 2011 at 7:56 pm

Yan said:

Thanks for posting! This place is beautiful!

# 22 July 2011 at 11:13 pm

sheriz said:

paano malaman ang contact# para makapagreserved nang room to stay?

# 16 August 2011 at 8:56 pm

Aleah said:

@ Yan: Yes, it’s a must-visit! It’s really very lovely.
@ Sheriz: They don’t have a hotel (yet). It’s just a day trip. I’m not sure if there’s an inn in Hinatuan, but there’s one in Bislig City, a few hours away.
Aleah recently posted..Snapshot Sunday—Child in Ta Prohm Temple, Siem Reap, Cambodia

# 17 August 2011 at 11:45 am

happysole said:

how far is it from butuan? will be going to butuan in 2 weeks, care to share your contacts (accommodattion, rentals, tours, itinerary, etc)? thanks!
happysole recently posted..Sagada – where time stood still

# 8 September 2011 at 8:04 am

Aleah said:

@ Happy Sole: Hinatuan is around 4-5 hours from Butuan City. I didn’t take a package tour as my family lives in the same province and we took a road trip. How long will you stay in Butuan for? I suggest that if you want to go to Hinatuan, you take the public transport (bus going to Mangagoy/Davao will pass through Hinatuan), then when you reach Hinatuan, take the habal-habal. You can spend the night in Bislig; there are inns there, just ask directions from drivers. Haven’t been there for years so I can’t really remember the name of the inn where I stayed before.
Aleah recently posted..Snapshot Sunday—Beautiful Bodies in Pattaya, Thailand

# 8 September 2011 at 11:36 pm

shiela said:

Hello maam:) Can i post my link here? i have a tour package in Mangagoy ,Bislig city. tinuy-an falls, Cagwait white beach,Britania Islands, Enchanted river.

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Mangagoy-Tour-Package/193150304064365

Kindly visit my page po.. salamat:)

# 13 September 2011 at 10:57 pm

Aleah said:

@ Shiela: Sureness
Aleah recently posted..Solitary Wanderer is Turning 2! (A Call for Sponsors)

# 15 September 2011 at 5:55 pm

Hidden in Hinatuan: Reef Surf Paradise said:

[...] is again a natural wonder that could also be one of the province’s treasure aside from Hinatuan’s Enchanted River. The stunning surf that breaks beside rock formations truly is a marvel. And guess what, locals and [...]

# 5 January 2012 at 7:10 pm

Journeys and Travels said:

this is the place Aleah na dapat ko pinuntahan pero di ko nagawa. Grabe ang disappointments ko kasi nadaanan ko lang sya and when I arrived in Surigao, and asked people around where this is, they told me I am passed it 4 hours away.

Next time, Il come here and of course, the Sohoton Cove na isa pa rin elusive dream ko.

# 1 February 2012 at 8:31 am

Aleah said:

@ Doc Wends: Sayang naman, ang tagal pa naman ng byahe papunta dun. Well at least it gives you a reason to come back. Go na rin to Tinuy-an Falls if you can.
Aleah recently posted..Manila Bay Sunset Cruise: A Romantic Valentine’s Day Date

# 1 February 2012 at 11:28 pm

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All photos and content in this blog are intellectual properties of Aleah of SolitaryWanderer.com unless otherwise stated. They are not for reproduction without her knowledge and permission. If you would like to use any of her content or images, use the contact form on this site to ask for her permission.

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