Philippines Guide
For Travelers, Expats and Pinoys
Butuan Sightseeing Guide
Butuan City is one of the historical locations in the Philippines. It has more than a thousand years of recorded history part of which predates the colonial era. Anciently, the city is known for its balanghais, which are native boats that have been well known in Southeast Asia even before any colonizer has set foot on the islands. This Butuan sightseeing guide will walk you through the many historic and cultural sights in the city.
On the first part of our Butuan sightseeing guide, we’ll look at things and places this city is famous for. Butuan is well known for the oldest kind of boat in the Philippines known as the balangay. The use of balangays dates back to fourth and 13th century. These edge-pegged boats are unique and have no counterpart in the entire world.
The Golden Tara is a figurine of a female deity made up of nearly four pounds of 21-carat gold. It is said that a local woman from the Manobo tribe found this relic in 1917. It is a cultural symbol that grew in ancient Southeast Asia.
The Agusan River is longest navigable river in the island of Mindanao in the Philippines. Visitors can go on a river cruise and view the river towns. The cruise is a tour through the city’s culture, history, and people.
The next part of our Butuan sightseeing guide includes cultural attractions. First one would be a tour to different antique collections. Schedules to each collection are to be made by appointment. The collections were the result of archaeological excavations done in 1976 that showcases a lot of rare pieces in the Philippines.
The National Museum is the place to go if you want to dig into the city’s history and culture. You’ll find exhibits dating back from pre-Hispanic times and items during the colonial period. The Balangay Shrine Museum is where you’ll find the rare and peculiar boats that transported the city’s first inhabitants. You’ll get to see a flotilla of them here preserved and restored.
Mount Mayapay, our Butuan sightseeing guide’s natural attraction, is the landmark of the city standing at 700 meters. Its name, according to local lore, was given by the Madjapahit Empire in the 10th to 11th century.
The last leg of our Butuan sightseeing guide will feature the festivals celebrated in a year. January 17 marks the date of the flag hoisting commemoration. This celebrates the first time the flag of the Philippines was raised in Mindanao in 1889. March 17 marks the China Trade Mission celebration. May and August are made alive by the Balangay Festival and the Adlaw hong Butuan. These are homecoming reunion festivals when locals from all over the world come home to be with friends and family.
Other notable events include the Abayan Festival and the Tourism Consciousness Week. This Butuan sightseeing guide is a walkthrough to the different historical and cultural highlights of the city. Enjoy the sights and you’ll appreciate Butuan City’s history and the culture in the Philippines.
Butuan Restaurant Guide
One of the famous hobbies of Filipinos is eating. In every celebration food is an important part. In Butuan when there is a fiesta there is lots of food in a Butuanon home. Butuan is also filled with different restaurants serving different dishes tourists and locals can enjoy.
1.Manay Maling’s Restaurant - This is a restaurant inside the Almont Resort. This is where most of the tourists come to eat because they get to enjoy the view outside the hotel including the pool. There is a waterfall which was made by the hotel. They offer Filipino cuisine. The buffet for lunch is priced at two hundred pesos per person. Many guests enjoy the halo-halo they have as well.
2. Almont City Cafe - This is in the middle of the city. This is a good dating place. There are fewer choices of dishes in this restaurant compared to Manay Maling’s. Couples go here to eat particularly because there is a pianist that provides the music and the romantic atmosphere.
3.Embassy Hotel & Restaurant - This hotel is a major landmark in the city The Embassy hotel’s restaurant is also a good place to dine. Their best sellers are Filipino and international dishes which are Crispy Pata,Fillet Mignon and Kare-kare. They also serve food for people who want to eat healthy like steamed fish.
4.Luciana Inn & Restaurant - This restaurant is worth the climb. There are two flights of staircase you have to go through before you reach the place. Their best sellers are buttered chicken, pancit canton and chicken pillow. They also serve them in big portions.
5.Narra Restaurant - This is one of the first restaurants in Butuan. Most of the people in Butuan has probably eaten here already. They have two branches. Many people recommend their garlic chicken as well as their pansit bihon. You should also try the Lumpiang Shanghai. This restaurant is part of Butuan’s culture and history already.
6.Margie’s Kitchen - This is one of the latest restaurants in Butuan. This place is more popular with the younger crowd especially during the night time. They are famous for their delicious desserts. They also serve complete meals like chicken wrapped in pandan leaves. Their best seller also includes tuyo pasta with black olives.
7.True Brew - This is a coffee shop where you can enjoy different coffee blends and some sandwiches. They recommend their clubhouse and pastrami melt. They are also famous for Cuban Grill and tacos. Their other drinks include Mango Fizz and some Spritz.
Butuan Hotel Guide
Butuan is quickly becoming an ideal destination for a vacation for many locals and tourists in the Philippines. This is the capital of the province known as Agusan Del Norte. It has become one of the premier centers for tourists where you can enjoy different sports and activities. Below are the following hotels where you can have a safe stay and enjoy your vacation.
1. Almont Inland Resort Hotel - This is one of the most popular hotels in this city. It gives the familiarity and comfort of a home to the guests. The hotel was established on land with four hectares. There are fifty two rooms and four suites. It gives a big space for comfort and relaxation. Businessmen can also do their business conference here. Every room has a television with cable, air-con and designed with an elegant style. Their restaurant offers their guests international dishes as well as local dishes. They have a pool that was designed like a lagoon. The stay here costs sixty dollars for a standard room. The deluxe room there costs sixty seven dollars and a suite room costs seventy one dollars. This hotel is in Rizal Park in the city. You can inquire them through their telephone numbers at 63-85-352-5263 or 63-85-352-5464.
2. Balanghai Hotel - This is a good hotel that is proud of the kind of comfort and service they give to their guests. The rate at this hotel is also affordable. It is located near some of the commercial establishments of the city. There are several facilities in this hotel including a pool, coffee shop, restaurants, a karaoke bar and a business function room. Guests can get the standard or a suite room. Every room has air-con, toilet and a bathroom and a television. The telephones they have installed can be used to call abroad. The rooms have mini-bars and a fridge. The rate of the rooms can range from one thousand five hundred pesos up to three thousand pesos. The standard room is for a minimal amount of eight hundred pesos. It is inside Malvar Subdivision in the city. You can call them at 63-85-346-3396 for inquiries.
3. Carl Patrick’s Hotel - This is the best hotel for many backpackers. The rate at this hotel is cheaper than most hotels. The rooms are equipped with all the standard amenities. They also have a lounge with music and another bistro. They also have their own Internet cafe. This place is in the city along Montilla Boulevard. You can call them at 63-85-342-6854 for their current rates.
4. Dottie’s Place - This is the place where guests can stay if you want to have a comfortable time with your family and friends. The hotel has a pool where guests can dive in after a tiring day. All the rooms have the general amenities like the other hotels. The accomodation rate begins at one thousand pesos for one night. You can find this hotel at Aquino Avenue in the city. You can reach them through 63-85-341-4579.
5. Gardenville Hotel - This is the place where you should stay if you want to enjoy an intimate time with your family. This hotel offers more privacy since they only have twenty rooms. The rooms have all the amenities the guests need and services like shuttle service and laundry. This hotel also has its own restaurant which sells steaks. The costs of the accommodation in this hotel range from nine hundred pesos up to as much as two thousand pesos. More amenities are available for the more expensive room. You can find this hotel at the national highway of the city. You can book by calling 63-85-343-5103 or 63-85-815-9381.
Butuan Beach Guide
Butuan may be associated with historical monuments and landmarks, but there are also several beaches you may want to check out. If you are not sure where to go, this Butuan beach guide can point the way.
Located some 30 km away is Cubi Cubi Beach, and this Butuan beach guide can relay some of the qualities that make it such a top attraction. There are the lovely resorts and cottages around the beach, which complement the scenery rather than diminish it. There are also the friendly local folks, and of course the waters and sands, which rank as among the most exquisite in the Philippines.
This Butuan beach guide can also point to Jabonga Beach as another worthwhile site. One of the distinguishing features of the area is that there are several beaches lying side by side, so you can spend your time just exploring each one. It is also worth noting that these beaches are also connected to other diving sites, which is always popular with tourists, both local and foreign.
For those who are looking for something a bit more serene, this Butuan beach guide can recommend you to the Tubay Coastline, which is only about 40 km from Butuan, Philippines. Unlike other beaches, the major part of the environment has been left untouched, and remains in pristine and clear form. This is the place to be for those that want some quiet time on their hands.
Tinago Beach is also becoming a much sought after tourist destination. If you come to the site, this Butuan beach guide can inform you that you will be greeted by the sight of several diverse cottages, resorts and nipa huts. The latter in particular is very popular among travelers, as it helps bring about a feeling of being completely away from the modern trappings of suburban life.
Vinafor Beach is well known for being a haven for diving enthusiasts, but as this Butuan beach guide can attest, the white sands are world class too, and possess a silky smooth texture that few beaches can claim to have. The breeze coming from the shore is also constant and comforting, be it in the morning or nighttime.
As this Butuan beach guide makes plain, there is more to the city than just scouring over historical relics and examining its glorious heritage. If you feel like taking a dip in some of the finest beaches in the Philippines, you now know where to go.
