Calvin’s Hub

If you’re going to take a vacation in Cagayan De Oro, it’s imperative that you should try out whitewater rafting with the city being the Rafting Capital of the Philippines and all. It’s pretty safe even for kids (the beginner course that is) and if Pres. Arroyo can do it then so can you.

Best months to raft is during the rainy season (June onwards) where the rapids are more stronger and faster. Seriously, the beginner course during summer is not something you want to brag about.

There are lots of rafting operators in CDO already but a good thing is that DOT dictates the rate for a trip. It’s P700 per head for the beginner’s course which consists of 14 rapids and lasts for about 3 hours. Already included is the jeepney ride to and from the start and end points.

We went with 1st Rafting Adventure Philippines which is the first rafting operator in CDO starting 15 years ago. You can also try out Kagay, their sister company. Actually, any rafting operator will do since most probably all the guides have worked for other operators at one point.

Different operators have different rates for inclusion of packed meals and other services like picture taking. Even though we bought our waterproof camera, we still opt for their photo service for P250.

We were on a tight schedule and can only raft on a Thursday (our arrival). Good thing we have contacts in CDO to arrange the trip for us and we were able to join a group of 18 at the last minute. Whew.

A raft can sit a maximum of 10 people and a minimum of one (excluding the two guides). However, a minimum of 6 should book before the trip will push through. For a couple, it’s hard to schedule a trip unless it’s during the weekend so better plan ahead. You can also pay for the remaining spots if you can’t find a group.

Usually, rafting is better in the early morning when it’s not too hot but ours was an afternoon session. Meeting place was in front of McDonalds at Divisoria at 1 PM so we had an early lunch nearby.

Promptly at around 1 PM, the jeeps carrying the rafts and equipments arrived. We boarded the jeep and went to pick up the other rafters along the way to the starting point. It took us around 40 minutes to reach the starting point. For advanced courses, starting point is much farther.

Dress For Rafting

There are change rooms at the starting point but it’s better to be in your rafting attire before leaving. For the outfit, it all depends on how you want your tan to look like. My wife wore a short-sleeved rash guard while I just wore a sleeveless shirt.

Oh yeah, apply sunblock (unless it’s raining) liberally because you’ll be out on the sun for a while. There are also arm sleeves being sold in the area in case you don’t have a sunblock. Slippers will do but if the current is strong (rainy season), better wear sandals with straps to avoid losing it.

You can also bring crackers and drinks with you along on the trip. There’s a pocket on your life vest for crackers or energy bars which you can munch during your rafting.

Short Briefing

Don’t worry. Before you actually climb into the raft and paddle away, there will be a short briefing. You will go down the staging area and step into the shallow river with your paddle, helmet and vest.

The lead guide will instruct you on different paddle commands (forward, reverse and stop) and safety procedures in case you fall off the raft.

I also suggest doing some upper body stretching at this point unless you will be paddling like a small girl. I got a sore back from paddling afterwards.

And We’re Off

The lead guide allowed us to be separated from the big group so we were the only ones on a raft plus our two guides. We were introduced to our guides who did most of the heavy work for us and kept us entertained with stories.

The beginner’s course is a very easy one. Although it consists of 14 rapids, you will cross each one in merely seconds.

You will have plenty of time going through calmer waters and enjoying the view.

They will even allow you to take a dip in the river in one stretch where the distance between two rapids are far from each other.

Contrary to what people commonly perceive, it is not required that you exert a lot of effort when paddling although you will do so with respect to the other rafters. When crossing a rapid, you can hold on instead of paddle if you think you will lose balance.

After the last rapid, you will get off at the finish point where the jeep is waiting to take you back to the city. You can asked to be dropped off your hotel if it’s on the way.

There’s also a restaurant lodge at the finish point where you can change or grab a meal. They typically serve grilled foods for around P150.

Photos from their cam

Here are some photos the lead guide took with his Olympus Tough 8000 camera (I did some post-processing). What he did was ride on a kayak to move quickly ahead to be in position so he can take a shot of us crossing the rapids.

Whitewater rafting is truly a fun and one-of-a-kind experience that adventurers should really try. The thrill when crossing a rapid is really awesome that we want to try the advanced course next if we ever go back.

TOTAL COST:

Beginner’s Course – P700 per head
Photo service – P250 (CD)

• Cagayan de Oro Trip for Two Part 1: The Plan
• Cagayan de Oro Trip for Two Part 2: The City
• Cagayan de Oro Trip for Two Part 4: Going to Dahilayan
• Cagayan de Oro Trip for Two Part 5: Zipzone at Dahilayan

Filed under: Travel