 Text by Tuna City Scuba Center Photography by Tuna City Scuba Center Southern Mindanao is an area that has not been visited by many divers or studied by many Marine Biologists, so it is still relatively unknown to the Diving Community. In General Santos City, Tuna City Scuba Center is now promoting the area as a water sports destination. Sarangani Bay, our home water body, is not only excellent for Scuba but with fresh winds most of the time should also be good for Wind Surfing and Sailing.
The following pages give a brief outline and some information about the City but, more importantly for divers; there are descriptions of the diving and dive sites that can be reached by road in less than one hour. Most of the diving is directly off the beaches as many of the reef structures are only 50m from shore or closer! GenSan, as it is affectionately called, is a charming blend of cultures from around the Philippines. Christian pioneers, led by General Paulino Santos, settled here in 1939. It became the Municipality of Rajah Buayan in 1948 until the City Charter was passed by Congress in 1968. The mellow, provincial temperament of the region's population and their traditions of hospitality and cultural diversity guarantee a warm welcome for travelers. The surrounding SOCKSARGEN Growth Region (South Cotabato, Sultan Kudarat, Sarangani and General Santos City) is a tropical treasure trove of exciting opportunities. Spring water pools and abundant beach resorts vie for a visitors attention withtrekking and climbing up to the cloudy summit of the 2,293 meter Mt. Matutum, the region's highest peak, or the breathtaking views from Mt. Parker, a 1,600 meter trek that affords stunning views of the 256-hectare Lake Maughan. Spelunking and rock climbing can be arranged with local enthusiasts. Fishing on Lake Sebu, home to the T'boli and B'laan tribes, is a great option, or you could choose to visit the seven waterfalls tumbling into the lake or explore some of its many caves. There are several commercial shopping centers with a wide range of goods and the local crafts, such as T'boli,and T'nalak weaving and brassware are world renowned. GenSan, sometimes known as 'Tuna City' for the many tuna canneries in the area, has plenty of restaurants. Fresh seafood is always on the menu especially blue marlin and tuna, and locally grown Australian beef is widely available. The city is famous for its kinilaw (fish marinated in vinegar, shallots, ginger and chili pepper) and sinugba, tuna charcoal broiled in a special sauce. There is a good choice of hotels catering to all budgets and you can sing and dance the night away and meet new friends at one of GenSan's karaokes, cafes, cocktail bars and lounges. GenSan has three major festivals every year, Kalilangan Cultural Festival every February 20-27 and the Tuna Festival and Charter Anniversary every September 1-5 and the Lemlunay Cultural Festival at Lake Sebu every last week of November. How to get there: By Air:
Philippine Airlines (63-2) 8558888
Flights: Daily
ETD: 6:30AM
Fare: P 3,298. Air Philippines (63-2) 8437770
Flights: Daily
ETD: 9AM
Fare: P 2,218. Ferry Services:
WG&A Super Ferry (63-2) 2450660
Sched: Wednesdays 10AM, Saturdays 9AM
Fare/person (meals included): P 1,295. – Economy, P 1,610. – Tourist, P 1,675. – Business Class, P 1,960. – Cabin, P 5,320. – Suite Room Negros Navigation (63-2) 2435359
Sched: Mondays 10PM
Fare/person (meals included): p 1,315. – Economy, P 1,420. – Tatami, P 1,630. – Tourist, P 1,695. – Business Class, P 1,980. – Admiral, P 2,680. – Suite Room |
