malinawa cool spring

surigao del sur is so blessed with beautiful spots, not to mention its inhabitants. the province, which is considered one of the poorest provinces in the country, is awesomely gifted with natural bounties from its sea, rivers, mountains, forest, etc. but all these gifts and this beauty are being challenged by greed of few individuals. greed in the guise of development and generation of jobs. mining companies have started to operate in the northern part of the province which is home to one of the world largest deposit of iron.

but let’s not talk about mining issue here nor the province being a member of club 21.

one of the tourist spots in the province is the Malinawa Cool Spring located in Parang, Cantilan, Surigao del Sur. it’s 1.5 kilometer away from the national highway. you can either hike or take a tricycle ride from the highway. it’s 6-kilometers away from the town proper of Cantilan; 2-kilometer away from Malitang-tang Cave, a mysterious cave just beside of the national highway.

fresh cool water flows beneath the boulders at Malinawa Cool Spring. if i remember it right, 100 gallons of mineral water flows every second from the mountain. it is said that beneath the rock mountain lined with trees is a wide cave. it is, however, difficult now to enter the cave since a swimming pool has been constructed to collect the flow of mineral water. unless, of course, you are a seasoned diver.

the water from the spring was used to irrigate the nearby rice farm. until today, the overflowing water still runs through the irrigation canal, which in turn irrigates farms nearby.

i had first visited the place in 1998. it was through the invitation of my cousin from Cantilan. we just drove there with a hired tricycle, had picnic and swam until our body could no longer stand the cold. we used the water to cool our drinks then. you buy a case of beer and softdrinks, put it near the opening of the mountain or spring and in just an hour, you’ll have a ready cold drinks.

there had already been changes in the place now. the last time i visited the spring, there is already a modern well-maintained swimming pool and a mini convention center. it is already equipped with shower rooms and small cottages. thanks to the local government unit of Cantilan and the Department of Tourism.

with this development, many could already enjoy night stay at the spring. it was difficult then to stay at night for security reason. i am not talking about being kidnap by abu-sayaf or what since our province is relatively peaceful. the mini convention center, backdropped by nature’s splendid beauty, could also be a best place to hold weddings or any special celebrations.

i plan to bring my fiancee there. it’s best that we should enjoy first the beautiful places in the province that nurtured us for many years. she had visited other beautiful places in the country but i guess she had missed the wonders of her province. Malinawa Cool Spring is one of these places.