Rising from the ashes of the old mall that was destroyed by fire about 4 years ago, you can now experience General Santos shopping at the newly-constructed and airconditoned KCC Mall. The old building used to be located at Osmena Street at the now Koronadal City as a fabric store. Eventually it developed into a shopping mall located at General Santos Drive.
Afterwards, the KCC Warehouse Club was established in General Santos City. The new building was destroyed by fire paving the way for the establishment of KCC Mall of General Santos, the biggest mall in Cotabato.
KCC provides a wide array of the best products General Santos shopping has to offer. You can get local and imported clothing at wholesale price. Its supermarket located at Level 1 has 82 checkout counters. There is a Food Court as well as popular American restaurants such as KFC, Dunkin Donuts, Pizza Hut, to name just a few.
Planning to book tickets for your trip to Manila or other places? KCC is home to a couple of travel agencies. Level 3 is the haven of gamers as well as six mini-cinemas complete with Digital Sound. Aside from that, there is a Skin Center, Dental Clinic, Spa, Beauty Salon, Barber Shop as well as regional offices of the two leading telecommunication companies Globe & Smart.
KCC also has an Internet cafe with over 30 computers providing the lowest rates at PHP20 an hour. Likewise, there are cellphone shops, a hardware, and a computer shop. Operations starts at 9 am and ends at midnight after the last full show in the cinemas. There is free parking space at Level 3 and supermarket level.
The store also sells clothes made by local manufacturers at affordable prices. Looking for souvenir shirts? They are available at US$3 per piece. There are discounted models of cellphones, Filipino crafts, religious items, among others. KCC Mall is located at J. Catolico Sr, Avenue, General Santos City.
General Santos shopping will become even more worthwhile as the SM Group of Companies is expected to open SM City General Santos come 2011, simultaneous with that of SM City North Davao. It will be first SM mall in General Santos City and the third in the whole Mindanao peninsula after SM City Davao and Cagayan de Oro. It will house common fixtures in any SM establishment such as SM Appliance Center, Movietime, Department Store as well as stores like National Bookstore and Toy Kingdom.
General Santos City is considered one of the most progressive cities in Mindanao. For tourists, it has several destinations like caves, lakes, mountains, beaches and dive sites for activities like sightseeing, trekking, camping, swimming and diving.
The Kalaha Karst Area, fifteen kilometers northeast from Barangay Conel, is catered for activities like camping, trekking and caving. Lush tropical forest, diverse animal life and pristine rivers, waterfalls and caves await the tourist.
Lake Sebu is another tourist attraction of General Santos City. A sightseeing tourist will be amazed at the lake’s calm water. Seeing this mesmerizing body of water is not just a nature-trip but a mystical experience as well. There is a belief among local tribes that the lake has miraculous powers. West of Lake Sebu is a T’boli tribe settlement. Visiting this settlement will give tourists a chance to see the local tribe’s culture. Tourists will see how crafts like weaving and beading. Another lake that is worth visiting is Lake Maughan. This lake as well as the area around it is a nature sanctuary. Tourists can see exotic plants and animals endemic to the area.
Adventurous tourists will appreciate going to Mount Matutum and Nopol Hills. Lush vegetation and a spectacular view of the surrounding area are the reasons climbers flock to Mount Matutum which is the second highest mountain in Mindanao with a height of two thousand meters or seven thousand six hundred feet. Nopol Hills, on the other hand, gives sightseeing tourists a panoramic view of Sarangani Bay. Tourist flock to this area to witness a spectacular sunset.
Beach resorts are also found around General Santos City. Swimming and snorkeling are popular activities in London Beach Resort. This resort has an artificial reef that is home to moral eels and scorpion fishes. The Rajah Beach Resort, meanwhile, has fine sand and corals as its attractions which is suitable for swimming and snorkeling.
Diving enthusiasts will not be disappointed with General Santos City. Rocky Beach is catered for beginners in scuba diving. Submerging just after a few meters, divers can see beautiful corals and exotic fishes. Veterans Beach or Sulifman Diving Site has the Tampuan or Tinoto Wall Complex. This dive site gives an impressive view of underwater marine life such as eagle and manta rays, hammerhead sharks, parrotfish, shoaling fish and tuna. Other notable dive sites are Takot Maasim, Takot Malbang, Sandbar and Kamanga Reef. This dive sites offer picturesque view of underwater life of corals and fishes.
Fondly known as Gensan and the crown jewel of southern Philippines, General Santos has fascinating attractions that draw visitors to it all year round. Originally just a vast farm land, General Santos has progressed to a highly urbanized city but at the same time has managed to preserve age old traditions. General Santos festivals are one of the many things that people enjoy and the experience during these events is truly something else.
General Santos is known for having one of the best Tuna in the world and hence it comes as no surprise that this city would celebrate the Tuna Festival. Tuna caught in General Santos is fresh out of the sea and it is one of the sources of income for this progressive city. The Tuna Festival is a culinary event that showcases the many different dishes that can be made from Tuna. This General Santos festival was an instant hit when it was first celebrated and today the entire city celebrates this. During the Tuna Festival, there are several contests and the biggest one is the cooking competition. This General Santos festival draws the best chefs from all over the country hoping to win that prestigious award. The other highlights of the Tuna Festival are the parades, street dances and trade exhibits all centered on the sashimi-grade fish. The best part though about the Tuna Festival is the gastronomical feast where one can try the many different dishes prepared by the different restaurants that take part in this event.
The Kalilangan Festival is the second biggest General Santos festival that has been celebrated for almost two decades. The Kalilangan Festival commemorates the foundation of this bustling city and it is an event organized by the local government in collaboration with civil society groups. This General Santos festival is more than just about merry making as it affords every visitor the opportunity to learn about this city’s rich culture and heritage. During the Kalilangan Festival, there are several presentations prepared by the residents from different towns that showcase the history of General Santos from the time the first settlers arrived. The Kalilangan Festival also has several contests for the local community which includes dancing and singing competitions. Some of the best talents are discovered right here at this General Santos festival. After a day filled with exuberance, a magnificent fireworks display light the night sky signaling the end of the Kalilangan Festival.