First time I saw this zipline video on a Youtube video and ever since I wanted to do
this. And my main purpose of visiting Philippines was the Zipline. If you’re planning this trip, this is how I planned it.
You’ll have to get a flight to General Santos airport. Air fare is not that costly. Internally I took 4 flights in Philippines with Cebu pacific airline. Nothing to complain with the service.
Once
you arrive at GenSan airport there will be people holding boards for taxi. You
can go to one of them and ask to drop you at General Santos City bus terminal.
The people who are holding boards have 100 pesos as the fare, but the driver
took 300 pesos from me. He said it’s a fixed price, and to be fair it’s like a
20km, 30 minutes, ride.
At General Santos city bus terminal(Or GenSan City bus
terminal or Bulaong terminal) take the bus(Yellow bus) to Koronadal( Or
Marbel). It’s displayed in the bus windscreen and it shows how many stops (1
stop, 2 stops) as well. Take the direct bus to Marbel. Bus fare is 85 pesos. It
took like 1 hour to Marbel bus terminal.
From there you have 2 options.
Option 1
Take another bus(Yellow bus) to Surrallah Integrated bus
terminal, and then take a van or Jeepany to Surrallah bus terminal(Or Lake
Sebu). Bus fare is around 30 pesos. Surrallah Integrated bus terminal to
Surrallah bus terminal(Lake Sebu) Habaal-habaal ride will be like 100 pesos.
Option 2
Once you get off at Marbel terminal, take a van straightly
goes to Lake Sebu. Do don’t have to bother finding a van, there are people
shouting at you saying different destinations’ names and you just need to pick
the one who’s shouting “Lake Sebu sirrr, Lake Sebu maam”.
I took the Option 2, as it was one less headache to bother.
Van fare is 80 pesos. On your way you’ll pass Surrallah Integrated bus
terminal. Then you’ll arrive at Surrallah bus terminal(Lake Sebu).
Here something interesting happens. It’s good for the
tourists. At the Lake sebu bus terminal, they collect your information and they
give you a motor bike driver and whole throughout the tour he’ll be with you.
The drivers know each and everywhere and tours are listed and priced. For the 7
falls it’s like 40 pesos, half day 300 pesos and likewise. Those are very fair
prices. Other thing is, if something bad happens they would know how to trace
you, as they know with whom you went with. Get the mobile number of the driver
and whole your tour can be done with him. Once they get your details and they
will give you the driver, and he’ll take you to your hotel.
Why motor bike rider?
Roads in Lake Sebu are terrible as it can be. Not even bikes
can make it sometimes, a tractor would be the ideal. The motor bike drivers
know every place there. I stayed in Sun rise garden lake resort, just it is the
closest to the zip line and I thought I would make it alone. But I’d recommend Lake
Sebu Mountain Log Resort. They do email replying as well.
Simple fact I recommend Mountain Log Resort is, From my
GenSan airport to Lake Sebu ride wasn’t pleasing as much as I thought. I was
travelling solo, felt so isolated once I got there. All I wanted was getting
off from that place as soon as I could once I’m done with Zip line. So I asked
a cab from Sun rise garden lake resort people and they told me fare is 3500
pesos. Considering the mental stage I was in, I’d have agreed to 5000 even. But
the thing is, before my tour, during the days I booked my accommodation; I sent
few emails to several other places as well. Mountain Log Resort is such place
and they offered airport pickup for 2500 pesos. So the normal price should be
like that. Another thing to suspect the fare was, we normally pay the driver
after the tour. But next day morning when I went to the reception, they asked me
to pay it at the reception itself. I felt they cheated. So that’s why I don’t
recommending them.
So, zip line.
On weekdays Zip line fare is 250 pesos and weekends and
holidays its 300 pesos.
There are 2 zip lines, 740m and 420m, for a one ticket you
can ride both the zip lines. And there are photo booths as well. For 200 pesos
you can get a softcopy of your both the zip lines’ rides. There are 2 more
photo packages as well.
Once you get to the other side of the zip line, there’s
another zip line to come back again. But bit lower to where you’ve originally
started. By the time you reach there, your motor bike driver will be there to
pick you. He’ll pick you from there and take you to your hotel or maybe other
places you want to visit in lake Sebu.
I’m not sure I’d recommend this for a Solo traveler, but I
had no harm there, and definitely worth the amount I paid for the zip line
considering the adrenaline rush goes through your veins.
I arrived at the Zip line starting point like 11 am, and I
saw the reception has “CLOSED” board. I was so daunted. But the motor bike
driver asked me to wait and brought the news they are having lunch and once
they finish they’ll open the counter. I was little surprised to hear 11am lunch
but it was just my 2nd day in Philippines so I thought these people
must be having early lunch. Later 3,4 days I figured the reason. There was a
small boutique there, and an old TV. Rather than having the lunch, most of them
were around the TV watching a boxing match, even my motor bike driver. That day
I thought as they don’t have anything to do till others finish their lunch so
they watch it, but after 3,4 days in Philippines I figured what a fad they have
for Mani Pacciquo. They worship him. That was a Mani Pacco’s match and all were
watching it. To worsen the things, Mani Pacciqo’s born city is GenSan. Then
same-city-fit as well. So I had to stay till 1.30pm till Mani Pacciqo finishes
his match. Anyway, I’m glad that ever after such long awaiting, I got to do the
zip line ride. Though it says 7 falls zip line, you can clearly see 2
waterfalls only. But there are 7 waterfalls. Ever since I mentioned to a
Filippino that I went GenSan, the reply comes as “ aaah Mani city,
you went Mani Pacciqo’s city”
