There are unplanned trips and today’s was one of those crazy,
impulsive, over-the-top getaways I had.
The other night, we were planning to take a few days
vacation to some beautiful solemn places like Surigao or Kidapawan. Short of
budget and preparation, and for fear that there would be no available
transportation and places to visit because of the Holy Week observance, we just
settled to somewhere near but exciting.
So early this morning, I woke up, had my motorcycle checked
for oil, air and gas (and brakes), and fetched a friend. Wearing our best friend
helmets, we left Uhaw at fifteen past nine. We were endlessly chatting along
the way, over curves and ups-and-downs, on narrow two-lane highway, past large
Barangays and unknown “prawn” farms and funny beaches, that it took us at least
an hour to reach our first destination – IML Ecopark.
Accordingly, the Ireneo Miguel Lopez Ecopark is around 60-65
km from General Santos City (Poblacion Maasim is 45 km away and IML is roughly 20
km from Maasim). The park is owned by former Mayor Aniceto Lopez, Jr. and
family. Situated at Barangay Lumasal, the ecopark rests on the boundary
between Maasim and Kiamba. Tourists will not find it hard to locate the place
since there are large signages along the way, plus the hill on which the park
lays has large floral arrangement of the letters I M L. The ecopark stands 100
meters above sea level facing the Sarangani Bay. Going up (and worse for going
down) was sort of difficult – the road was rocky at the beginning, then smooth
pavement takes on, and lastly, the slope was near perfect!
But at the top, the sights were awe-inspiring. The place is
certainly beautiful and considering that it is far from human habitation, it is
peaceful and refreshing, perfect for the holidays. But we arrived at half past
ten, so we were sweating and going up and down the entire park drained much of
our energy. They have several tiny comfy rooms and two breathe-taking pools
with mushroom-shaped shades and some cute cottages. There is even a playground
for the kids.
The place was captivating but we stopped the urge to jump on
the clear cool water. It was already high noon and basking under the furious
sun would not be a great idea. It was not really the pool that we were after
but their other amenities – the zipline and the shooting range. The zipline traverses
a 580-m distance, while shooting range covers 80, 100, 150, 200, 350, 500 and
1500 meters. To our dismay, these amenities were not available. Their staffs
were on a break for the holidays. Whew! It was frustrating on our part. How we
wish to fire those targets!
But we could not ruin the day with such frustration. We took
pictures around, toured more, and enjoy the sites.
The ecopark has an amazing location. In front is the view of
the pristine and blue Sarangani waters, while at the back, lush hills covered
with banana and coconut meet our sight. We enjoyed the ecopark at a budget of
P170.00 or roughly $4 (entrance fee and food only).
By 12:30 after taking our lunch, the sky took on darker
shades. We geared up and descended the slope, the hand and foot were both on
the brakes. Upon stepping on the highway, we headed to our next destination –
Lemlunay Resort where sailing, snorkeling and the beautiful infinity pool were
waiting for us.
To continue….
Related articles: Motorcycle Ride to Lake Sebu (Part I), Motorcycle Ride to Lake Sebu (Part II)
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