ENCHANTING TO MEET YOU : ENCHANTED RIVER, HINATUAN, SURIGAO DEL SUR

Hello Hivers, we're back to share another adventure of a must-see natural wonder of Surigao del Sur - The Enchanted River. The river's pure, glistening, turquoise water creates an enchanting scene that will charm any visitor. The term Enchanted River enticed tourists, particularly us, to come see it. The legends and myths around how the river came to be known as "enchanted" add to the mystery and intrigue of the place. Join us as we share how we immersed ourselves in the clear waters of the Hinatuan's Enchanted River. Let’s start!

It was back in Summer when me, my father and my sister’s whole family were invited to visit in my brother-in-law’s hometown in Cabadbaran, Agusan del Norte (one hour away from Butuan City). So when I have known that they planned to visit Tinuy-an Falls and Enchanted River, I felt so excited that I can finally visit one of my dream destination. We rented a van and travel time is around six hours from our origin and wasn’t expecting to be that long! It was such a pain in the ass. We began our tour as early as 2:00 AM. It really takes almost an entire day to get to this tourist destination since Butuan City is 140 kilometers away and it takes five to six hours to drive there (taking the bus could take longer). The first place we visited was Tinuy-an Falls which I will also be sharing our experience there soon and after that, we hopped in the car to bear witness to the mystery of Hinatuan River.

We arrived in the place in no time. There were only few of tourists that time. There is a Php 30.00 entrance fee, and a vest may be rented for Php 100.00. If you're traveling in a group like us, the cottages are also available for rent at a low cost.

I was simply grateful for the opportunity to snap a photo of this signage before the crowd becomes larger.

Now I wanted to see that river! There was a cement stairway that led down to the river. It was love at first glance! I was simply astonished - speechless — overawed by the river’s beauty. The Enchanted River is truly enchanting and magical! It's so lovely that I couldn't take my gaze away from it. The river is clean, and the water is a brilliant blue crystal.

Swimming in the river was still permitted at the time of our visit, so I find myself in no time immersed in the river's mix of fresh and salty together. The river was so clear and blue that I couldn't believe it. People might think it's been photo-shopped, but that's not the case. This is real natural beauty at its finest! The enormous fish swimming along the river bank are swimming beside you. If you're steady, they'll get extremely close to you, but they won't bite. However, as far as I'm aware,right now, the river is already prohibited from swimming for the sake of preservation and maintenance. The best time to visit the river is on weekdays and early in the morning to avoid huge crowds and enjoy the water to its fullest.

The fish are another enigmatic feature of the river. After swiming for about an hour, the bell rang at 12:00 noon and we heard a voice from megaphone requesting everyone to leave the water beacuse it would be feeding time. It was part of the local’s tradition and one of the highlight of the Enchanted River. Fish feeding began, and all of the enormous fishes appeared out of nowhere to begin their feast. I was taken aback by the large number of fish, thinking where did they all come from?

After feeding the fish for almost 30 minutes,we returned to swimming and enjoyed the rest of the day! By the way, once in the water, life vests are required for swimming. However, you are not allowed to bring food or beverages into the river in order to maintain its cleanliness.

As shared with us by our driver, he said that the depth of the river is around 275 feet and it was unlocked by a diver who also happens to be a foreigner doctor at the same time. The foreign diver was accompanied by seven other divers. However, because he was able to swim to the maximum depth, things took a tragic turn when he died of a heart attack. Several other professional divers have also attempted to explore the river's underground compartments but still failed to reach the bottom.

The Enchanted River is unquestionably a site that Filipinos can be proud of. This is the most gorgeous river I've ever seen, and you'll agree when you come to see it for yourself. Though the journey was long, it was well worth it once you saw this river. It is really rare to come across something like this, and I am hopeful that our government would do everything possible to safeguard this hidden treasure in Hinatuan. It was an incredible experience to have this visited together with some members of our family.