Butuan Destination Guides

Overview

Butuan is surrounded by rivers and bays including the Agusan River and the Butuan Bay making it a land fit for agriculture. Farming isn’t the only thing to do in Butuan though since this place has lush forests that are now part of a reserve program. When in Butuan, there are several Butuan destinations that one can visit and it includes an adventure both on land and on water.

The Golden Tara

The Golden Tara is the pride of the locals of Butuan and from this figurine has sprung many myths and legends. Because of Butuan’s long and diverse history, there are several artifacts that have been discovered here and the Golden Tara is considered as the most amazing of these finds. First found in 1917 by a Butuan resident, the Golden Tara came from the Agusan River and weighed less than 5 pounds. As to where it came from, nobody knows exactly and historians can’t pinpoint if it belonged to a particular era but the Golden Tara, made entirely from 21 carat gold is believed to be the image of a goddess. The Golden Tara is on display at the Butuan Regional Museum and this Butuan destination holds many unique finds and most of its sources are still a mystery.

The Agusan River

Butuan is not just rich in flora and fauna and there is a diverse community living along the banks of the Agusan River. Because the Agusan River was the center of all commerce in ancient times, most of the civilizations lived here and a large part of Butuan’s history and culture can be explored by taking a boat ride along this Butuan destination. A boat tour along the Agusan River does not just show one the natural wonders of Butuan such as the flora and fauna, just as interesting as those are the communities that can be found by the river bank. One can even take a moment to get off the boat and mingle with the communities that live along the Agusan River to learn and understand their culture. The importance of this Butuan destination should not be undermined because a festival is held annually to honor this place called the Abayan Festival.

The Diocesan Ecclesiastical Museum

Moving back to land from the Agusan River, a visit to the Diocesan Ecclesiastical Museum is one that almost all Catholics never fail to make when in Butuan. This Butuan destination is home to the oldest and most significant relics in the entire history of the Catholic Church in Mindanao. One of the statues found at Diocesan Ecclesiastical Museum, the statue of the Santo Nino was first brought to this Butuan destination by historical figure Magellan prior to its transfer to Cebu.