DAHILAYAN ADVENTURE PARK
It seemed as though I was driving toward thick and dark clouds. I prayed so hard that it wouldn't rain or that I'd reached my destination before it poured. I'd been driving for hours with the motorcycle I rented back in Cagayan de Oro City, and I underestimated how long it would take to reach Dahilayan. I had to be back before dark, and it was already 3 pm when I arrived in Barangay Dahilayan.
It drizzled as I entered the barangay. Fog also welcomed me. My thin jacket was doing a poor job of keeping me warm and dry. I was shivering as I covered the last kilometers toward my destination. And at last, I reached a large parking area full of cars telling me I had arrived.
I immediately parked my motorcycle and walked towards the entrance of Dahilayan Adventure Park. Work brought me to Cagayan de Oro City (CDO), and I made sure that I visited its nearby tourist spots. Technically, Dahilayan is not near, but it's one of the major tourist spots in Mindanao, and getting there is quite accessible from CDO. Initially, I didn't want to go there because I'd be alone, but my girlfriend told me that it was going to be fun and that I would still enjoy the rides and the activities on my own. So there I was.
I paid 50 pesos for the entrance fee (less than 1 USD) and went inside. Pine trees surrounded the area, which for some reason, made me feel colder. I was clutching my jacket while I walked around.
These tall tree ferns were in the middle of the park's small rotunda. I am always intrigued and mystified every time I see them high up in the mountains. I know ferns are not trees, but somehow they were able to grow skinny trunks.
The first rides I saw were the zip lines. I had no plans to ride the zipline, not because I was scared, but because I thought it'd be pretty sad to be doing it alone. Their 'drop zone' ride was nearby, but I thought the tower wasn't that high when I saw it.
I didn't have a lot of time. I had to start my ride while there was still light. I knew I could only do one or two rides. I decided to go for the 'Razorback Ride'.
RAZORBACK MOUNTAIN COASTER
I went to their ticket station to buy a single ride for the Razorback Mountain Coaster. It's a ride where you sit on a bobsled attached to a fixed track that goes down along the mountain slope so that gravity would drive the sled downward. I thought it was fun enough to do on my own. I paid 400 pesos for it (around 7 USD). I was asked to sign a waiver, and the cashier told me that I still had to wait in line and there was a possibility that I'd be wet if it rained. I told her I was okay with it, and then she gave me a wristband.
I was told we were going to ride a shuttle to get to the starting point of the ride. We boarded a small van, and I was surprised by how far we had to drive to get to the starting point. We were further up the mountains. The fog was thicker, and it was much colder. To my dismay, there were a lot of people queueing for the ride. There were only eight bobsleds, and they had to be transported from the bottom to the starting point with each batch of riders.
I had to wait for two batches to go before I was able to get on my sled. I sat down with my legs extended in front of me. I clipped my seatbelt while listening to the instructions on how to operate the sled. The attendant said to push the lever forward to move and to pull it back to break. It seemed easy enough.
Just as I was about to go, rain poured hard. My phone does not have waterproof protection, but there was no going back. I also wanted to document my ride. I convinced myself that a few drops of rain wouldn't hurt my phone. I pushed the lever forward, and then I started to move. It was a slow start. I didn't know that I had to push the lever all the way to the front to increase my speed, so my ride was slow and I could hear the person behind me catching up. It wasn't until I became quite comfortable with the ride that I tried pushing the lever more. I sped up fast just as I arrived at the end.
The ride lasted for a couples of minutes, mostly because I was slow. But it was fun! I thought I was going to fall over when passing through the bends because the sled would turn sideways. I couldn't really appreciate the view because I was making sure I wouldn't fall and that the person behind me wouldn't catch up. The end of the ride didn't bring me back to main park, but it was on an area full of cabin houses. I thought they looked really well-made. Their comfort room even looked like a cute European house.
Another shuttle picked us up and brought us back to the main park. I still would've wanted to go on another ride but I was short on time. I returned to the parking area and got on my motorcycle. The fog had cleared up, but dark menacing clouds were still visible.
ANTONIO'S CAFE
Before starting my journey back to CDO. I decided to check out a coffee shop I passed by earlier. I thought a good cup of coffee would help me focus on the road. The place was called Antonio's Cafe. It grabbed my attention because of the lights, and the flowers inside.
The main shop was pretty small, a cube-looking shed with glass windows and surrounded by flowers. I went inside and more plants welcomed me. It was basically just their counter for you to order. I was glad that they offered milk substitutes. I had their Caramel Macchiato with oat milk.
I went outside to take a look around while they prepared my drink. The place was just teeming with ornamental plants, some of them I recognize from my mother's collection. But there were others that looked like they only thrived in cold weather. There were fresh flowers placed inside a basket of a bicycle. I though that was extra.
They had outdoor wooden tables with umbrellas. It was a very chill and relaxing place. Of course, I was in a bit of a hurry, so I couldn't really take my time. On the right side of the place, there was a tent that reminded me of a greenhouse. Inside, soft yellow lights were hanging from above. It was quite cozy. I sat on one of the wooden benches while I waited for my coffee.
CAFFEINATED RIDE
My hot coffee arrived, and I took a sip without guilt. I knew my stomach would stay calm because I was having it with oat milk. I knew I couldn't gulp down the entire thing, so I took a few minutes to enjoy every sip. My ride back to CDO would take around 3 hours, meaning I'd be driving in the night. I was prepping myself for it. It couldn't be that bad, I thought.
With the afternoon growing late, I left Anotinio's Cafe and made my way back to CDO. I would take the same route, and I hoped that the journey back would be quicker. Most trips feel that way, right?
Well, that's it for now! My solo trip to Dahilayan was short and sweet. I'll be coming back to make the most of what the place has to offer, but with some friends or family.
This travel blog is not over. On my way back, I stopped by a sunflower farm just as the sun was setting. It was already dark but the sunflowers were still so striking to see.
If you missed the previous parts to this travel series. Check them out below. See you in the next one. Cheers!
I Rode a Boat! | Taking the Longer Route to Cagayan de Oro City
Food Adventures Around the City | Day 2 of My Trip to Cagayan de Oro City
Up for Another Food Adventure? | Indulging at Cagayan de Oro City
The Start of A Solo Ride to the Mountains | Camhills Cafe, Cagayan de Oro City
