South Cotabato: Spectacular Lake Sebu Seven Falls Zipline

Lake Sebu Zipline

I must admit, I was thinking, “What the hell did they do to they do to the Seven Falls?” first I heard about a zipline being set up there. Marring the amazing sight of the falls with wires was the image that came to mind. But then again, I’ve heard and read from people how they enjoyed the zipline but I wanted to see it first and make sure they didn’t do anything drastic to the natural landscape. So the recent Backpack Photography gave me a chance to experience the getting famous Lake Sebu Seven Falls Zipline.

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South Cotabato: Meeting Lang Dulay, the T’boli Dreamweavers and the T’nalak

Philippines National Treasure Awardee Lang Dulay

We climbed up the stilted T’Boli long house said to be the home to a National Living Treasure Awardee, Lang Dulay. She wasn’t there yet but the large airy long house, has portrait images hanging on one side of the room and written literature about her life and accomplishments. I heard someone going up the stairs, emerged is a small old lady garbed on a beautiful and colorful T’boli garbed. She doesn’t look frail from her old age, she has lines of experience on her face, but the lightness on her face and seemingly contented eyes makes her look younger than her years. So here’s a National Treasure right before us.

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South Cotabato: Serene Morning at Lake Seloton Lake Sebu

Lake Seloton Morning Mist

It was 3 years ago when I first stepped on the land of Lake Sebu in South Cotabato. Oh I remember how our jeep from Koronadal struggled to climb the 300m elevation to Lake Sebu Market then taking a habal-habal to take us to our resort. It was a memorable journey as we met locals during the jeep ride who shared us some caramelized bananas for snack. The place exceeded my expectations and it’s only fitting that we hold our third Backpack Photography here in Lake Sebu and share the wonderful sight we ourselves came to appreciate.

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Backpack Photography Lake Sebu and the Olympus PEN Workshop

Lake Seloton Misty Morning

On the heels of the recent BP Batanes Travel and Outdoors Workshop and BP Banaue Photography 101 Workshop, we’re up on another unique Backpack Photography Experience. Join us, as we explore Lake Sebu’s T’Boli Culture and Natural wonders on Backpack Photography Lake Sebu Photo Tour to be held on August 21-23, 2010, Lake Sebu South Cotabato.

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Lake Sebu: The T’boli tribe

A Tboli girl playing a native instrument

The Tboli tribe of Lake Sebu is one of the indigenous people in Southern Mindanao. Known for their excellent skills in weaving and metal works, they are able to produce their one of a kind Tboli cloth, the Tinalak and fine metal works from musical instruments to swords. Most of them also has talents in making wooden collectibles from beads to bracelets and other bling-blings you might think. Indeed, the Tbolis is one culturally rich and talented tribe if not also, one of the most colorful in the country.

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Lake Sebu: Seloton, the sunrise lake

Sun rises over Lake Seloton

Lake Sebu may wow us with it’s vastness and sullen beauty, but it is in the Lake Seloton, the second largest lake and the deepest of the three mountain lakes, is where you can see a lake bathed in golden light as the sun rises behind the surrounding landscape covered mist. So early morning, on our last day in South Cotabato, we literally had to pull ourselves out of bed just to make our way about 2km to Lake Seloton’s Sunrise Garden Lake Resort.

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Lake Sebu: Exploring the Fog Lake

Three boats and dusk at Lake Sebu

It is one thing seeing Lake Sebu from afar, but it’s another thing exploring the actual lake itself. For Php 350 at Punta Isla Lake Resort, you could hire a motor boat good for 8-10 persons in addition to your personal tour guide and boat man. Their tour guides are native T’bolis and are accredited by the DOT (Department of Tourism), so you get loads of information as well as stunning views of the lake during the boat ride. And I can say is that I truly appreciated the lake more while cruising along its expanse.

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