It was already getting dark on our way to Tudela to visit the Subanen Village Eco-Tourism Park, a soon-to-rise tourism spot in Misamis Occidental.
PJ, our guide, was quite anxious despite his cheerful spirit, and I understood why. He put a lot of effort to prepare for this moment to showcase what their town has to offer, only to possibly arrive there at night.
We just had some delays with our itinerary. We spent too much time exploring the nature and mountains of Don Victoriano which is quite far from Tudela. If we’re going to follow our schedule, we should be arriving in Tudela at 4:00 PM, but it was already 6:00 PM.
Then, adding to PJ’s anxiety, it rained. But still, we were all optimistic that this visit will be a good experience.
It was getting dark when we arrived, and also the rain has stopped. We had to move quickly to get a glimpse of the property and hopefully experience some. A Subanen dance was prepared by the locals. While enjoying it, we had to take some photos of the property.
A row of Subanen indigenous houses that will serve as accommodation for tourists was the first thing we noticed there. After taking some photos, we explored what’s inside the cottages. It was way too dark, but I guess the cottages were almost ready to accommodate visitors. It’s only a matter of time before the Subanen village will be opened to the public in 2023.
This eco-village is a joint project of the local government and the tourism office to preserve the rich culture of the Subanen people. They’re the first settlers in the province known as the indigenous people of Misamis Occidental and Zamboanga.
PJ shared that they are also planning to build more amenities for tourists to enjoy like more cottages and a pool. Once finalized, they’re aiming for the eco-village to be a place for relaxation as well as to learn more about the indigenous people of the province.
READ THE FULL BLOG POST: 20 Top Misamis Occidental Tourist Spots (Laag Laag sa MisOcc)
The local tourism office prepared also some snacks for us. The pineapple pie and the linidkid were delicious.
Linidkid is a local delicacy of Misamis Occidental made of kamoteng kahoy or cassava. This can be in different shapes like the shape of a suman of Clarin or it can also be formed in the shape of a coconut shell or bagol.
PJ said that they are planning to showcase different flavors of linidkid in the following fiestas and celebrations. It’s a delicacy you shouldn’t miss when you visit Misamis Occidental.
Linidkid
We only spent a few minutes until it was already dark. We still have one more destination to visit before calling it a night.
On our way to our last stop, I couldn’t help but think how beautiful Misamis Occidental is as a tourist destination. All of those things were running through my mind as I munched my last piece of Linidkid.
