Just a few weeks ago, I was invited by a colleague to her birthday celebration in one of the new restaurants in Cagayan de Oro City. When she told us where the venue was, that was the first time I heard about Royal Panda Restaurant even though it's located near my mother's house. I did not know that there was a new restaurant nearby!
Royal Panda Restaurant is an eat-all-you-can Asian buffet located at Caltex - NHA Kauswagan Highway station. Here, you get to enjoy a variety of Asian food for P199.00 per head. That's kinda cheap as compared to all other eat-all-you can-buffets.
So much food to choose from. :)
Dimsum area
What I like about this restaurant is they separate food containing pork from the other dishes, so it's very inclusive.
Separate Pork Station
If you are a dimsum lover like me, this is a must-go place for you! Look at all the varieties!
I tried each of them and I love 'em all!
Also, if you don't feel like eating all-you-can, you can still order food from their menu. The prices are very reasonable. Here's the full menu:
Lastly, don't forget to make a reservation if you plan to dine in since they don't allow walk-ins at the moment. For booking and reservations, just contact 0956-536-7071.
My former co-teachers achieved another milestone in their careers and they wanted to celebrate it. Of course, I just had to celebrate with them. But because of the pandemic, we wanted to do it outdoors and in a place where it's not crowded. We wanted to be somewhere that we can feel the nature but we also did not want to go out from the city.
Good thing is that one of us remembered a post that she found on Facebook a month ago and when she showed it to us, we immediately decided to go to this newly-opened outdoor restaurant in Tipolohon, Upper Camaman-an, Cagayan de Oro City, the Way Out Glamping Site and Grill.If you are not familiar of the area, you can simply ride a public transportation in Cogon going to Indahag or if you are driving, take the road going to Bella Vita Subdivision in Indahag. The grill is located right after Xaris Christian School.
Some details on the rates of the glamping site and grill:
Note: Once you avail of the Unli Grill or the Teepee tents, there is no need to pay for the Entrance fee.
According to the owner, they also conduct yoga sessions in the place. Thus, the teepees you can see all over the place. They also plan to conduct future events here such as art workshops, etc.
The place is also very close to nature and you can enjoy a great conversation with friends or family.
You can also relax and enjoy the comforting vibe of the place. You can take lots of photos too!
Make a reservation through their FB page or through this contact number: 09958945991.
It was my mom's 63rd birthday last week and we were looking for a nice place to celebrate. Due to restrictions brought by the pandemic, we were specifically looking for a place that is not crowded but where we can enjoy and relax at the same time. As I was searching, I came across Kinabuhing Dagat, a newly-opened resort in Purok 3, Barangay Kalamkam in Talisayan, Misamis Oriental. Looking at the photos, I immediately inquired on how to make a reservation, etc.
So, here's some details if you want to spend your day in this sanctuary.
👉 They don't accept walk-ins. You have to make advance booking or reservation through this contact number: 0927 613 3462
👉 Cottage rate is P2,000.00 and I think it's good for 15-20 persons.
👉 No corkage and entrance fees so you can bring any food and drinks that you want.
👉 There's a parking area for vehicles.
👉 From the highway, you will be entering a rough road going to the place. So, expect some bumpy ride in going there.
I highly recommend this place because...
...it is very clean. I observed that the staff always go around to pick up dry leaves and trash in the area.
... the sand is white and the water is clear.
...it is not crowded. They only have 5 cottages and the place is gated so only those who made reservations can enter.
...the entire place is picture-worthy.
It's a perfect place to go to if you want to escape from the bustling noise of the city or if you simply want to enjoy and relax at the same time.
Ever since I went on a trip to Bukidnon with my former co-teachers , we have been wanting to travel together again but this time, in a different place. We have been so stressed out in the past few months adjusting to the new normal set-up in our workplaces and we felt that traveling would somehow soothe the uneasiness brought about by the many changes that we are experiencing. We were brainstorming on where to go. We did not want to go far away but we want to go somewhere we've never been before. After a few months of talking over FB messenger, our one-day trip to Misamis Oriental came true. We went to 4 places in 2 municipalities in Misamis Oriental.
Sharing with you our itinerary and some details on the trip.
1. Halseyle's Hill, Sugbongcogon, Misamis Oriental
Entrance: P50.00
How to get there: It's on the right side of the road when you are traveling from Cagayan de Oro. There's a big sign on the highway.
This was our first stop since it was the closest from Cagayan de Oro. What's nice about this place is that it got a very nice view of Camiguin Island from afar. You can also take a lot of photos from the place since they took an effort to do landscaping of the place. You can order coffee and some from their mini-cafe. There is some ongoing construction to an amenity, probably a restaurant. I would visit again, definitely.
2. Mantianak Zoological and Botanical Garden, Sugbongcogon, Misamis Oriental
Entrance Fee: P100.00
How to get there: Located across Sugbongcogon National High School
I've been to Mantianak once a couple of years back but since we were already in Sugbongcogon and some of my colleagues were not able to visit it yet, we dropped by and enjoyed the place. If you're a plant and animal lover, it's something that you should visit when you are in Misamis Oriental.
3. Nita's Place, Talisayan, Misamis Oriental
Entrance Fee: No entrance to the restaurant, all you have to do is order food. But if you want to take photos of the place near the beach, you will need to pay P20.00.
After visiting Mantianak, it was almost noontime since we head on to Nita's Place in Talisayan to have our lunch.
If you like to take photos of the sky meeting the sea with some 'instagrammable' backgrounds, you can check this place out.
After lunch, we went back to Sugbongcogon to spend the rest of the afternoon in Alibuag Beach Resort known for its white sand and crystal clear waters.
I did not swim but my colleagues enjoyed the waters.
After our trip, we were planning to go back home right away but decided at the last minute to drop by in Balingasag Baywalk to watch the sunset.
After almost a year of being on quarantine and not being able to come out as much as we can, I finally had my first out-of-town trip with former co-teachers. This is in celebration of one of our colleagues' birthday and it took us months to plan the trip because we really wanted everyone to follow protocols and be safe. So, we decided to just go somewhere nearby.
At first, we planned to just swim in Mt. Pines Spring Resort since all of us did not have prior experience of going there. But after learning from one of our co-teachers, we decided to stop by these other places since these places are along the way.
Sharing with you our itinerary and some details on the prices, etc.
1. Sunflower Farm
This is just a portion of the farm. You can also find different kinds of flowers and plants in other areas.
Location: Kinawe, Libona, Bukidnon
How to go there: Take the Indahag - Libona route
Entrance fee: P50.00 (consumable and ticket can be exchanged with snacks after)
Booking: No need
It's very easy to spot because it's located on the right side of the road if you are coming from Indahag. Use GPS as the place is already pinned on the map. You might experience a loss of signal in the area but you can easily ask questions from the locals who are very friendly.
I went there for the sunflowers, of course!
The best time to go there is during the early morning or late afternoon. You will enjoy the scenery of different flowers and plants. The place is very instagrammable and picture-worthy.
2. Vista West Cafe
This photo did not justify the breathtaking view of the mountain ranges. You have to go there to appreciate the place.
Location: Kili-og, Libona, Bukidnon (a few meters away from Sunflower Farm)
Entrance fee: P20.00 but if you want to take photos in the view deck, you will need to pay another P50.00.
Booking: No need
View deck
A few meters away from the Sunflower Farm, we dropped by Vista West Cafe. The place has a breathtaking view of the mountain ranges of Bukidnon. You can also see a waterfall from afar. You can also dine-in as they serve some food and drinks.
3. Forest Park
After dropping by the Sunflower Farm and Vista West Cafe, it was already almost 11 am, so we decided to go to Forest Park in Dahilayan right away to have our lunch there.
Location: Dahilayan, Bukidnon (From Vista West Cafe, it took us about 30-40 minutes to reach Forest Park)
Entrance Fee: P130 for adults
Booking: No need
We really did not explore much of the place because all of us have visited Dahilayan a number of times.
What is nice about Forest Park is that you'll get a feeling of having to dine in the middle of the woods.
What I really wanted to see was the area where they placed vintage cars and a vintage/Riverdale-themed cafe because it was not there yet during my last visit a couple of years back. You can order some coffee, burgers, and other snacks from the cafe.
The old-school girl in me is happy.
To know more about the many things that you can do in Forest Park/ Dahilayan, visit their website here.
4. Mt. Pines Spring Resort
Location: Dahilayan, Bukidnon ( a couple of meters away from Forest Park)
Entrance: P70.00 per person
Cottage: P400.00 (by the lagoon), P750.00 (by the pool)
Booking: Advance booking needed. Visit their FB page for more details.
After having lunch in Forest Park, we went straight to Mt. Pines Spring Resort which we booked already. We enjoyed the cool spring waters of Bukidnon.
