Mountain trek in Mt. Hamiguitan (Bonsai Forest)

The Philippines is full of great wonders. Everywhere you go, you can find scenic spots that relieve you of your stresses in this dog-eat-dog world. It has the majestic Mt. Apo; the highest peak in the country, which is found in Davao. It also has the Tubataha reef which is found in Palawan. These spots are world renowned for their great splendor, but one tourist destination in the country is considered a rarity, a rarity in its beauty and mystery. We call this destination the Hamiguitan Mountain Range.

I, together with a couple of my friends happen to personally experience its unique beauty last January of 2009. The University of Southern Mindanao’s Biology instructor, together with his graduating students invited us to go with them to the said place. They went there to have their thesis as a requirement for graduation and we were there to get footages and photos of the said activity.

Just getting there is a grueling, hard, and tiresome experience, especially for a beginner like me. We travelled at nighttime to avoid traffic, for about 5 hours from Toril to German Beach Resort in San Isidro, Davao Oriental. We rested there and barely had 3 hours of sleep. In the morning, we traveled to a certain barangay. It was the jump-off area to start the trek to Mt. Hamiguitan. After a couple of hours of contacting the locals and finishing the paper works which include paying for the entrance fee, we started to ascend; it was 12 noon. The trail was near a river so we had no problems with the water supply but it was long, very long journey. I didn’t even notice how long we had been walking until nighttime came. I was troubled because we haven’t reached the camp. The porters said that we were only a couple of hours away so after taking a short rest, we started walking again. The headlights were on now because we could barely see each other. And just when I thought it could not get any worse than this, it started to rain. I walked with the group not knowing what’s beyond the dark forest. We walked for about three more hours until we finally arrived to camp.

In the morning after breakfast, we started to ascend again. The trail was a deep “dipterocarp” forest. Everywhere you look; it was just colossal trees which were covered with wild orchids. When we came across a small waterfall, we stopped there and had our lunch. After a little while, we started moving again. Upon reaching the top the top of the waterfall, we found ourselves on a vast field of bonsai forest. The trees, even though they are more or less 300 years old, they only grew up to 4 feet. The Philippine Cedar, which normally grows up to 50-70 feet, barely reached my shoulder. Being there was like being a giant standing on a field of little trees. A few more hours of trekking and being engulfed with amazement about the view, we finally reached camp three. It was still quite early in the afternoon so the researchers decided to gather data while we set up camp and took pictures of them.

The following morning we ascended to the peak. Since it was just an hour or two away, we left our bags in camp and just brought a few provisions. On the southeastern part of the peak, we could see the breath-taking Puhada Bay. Blessed with its white sandy beaches and crystal clear blue waters, it was truly a sight to behold. On the western part of the peak, we could see two even greater peaks, the Mt. Apo of Davao City and Mt. Matutum of Polomolok, South Cotabato. From there, you would think that these mountains stand beside each other.

After a few moments of picture taking activity, we descended back to camp 3 and started preparing to descend to the next destination; Camp 2 which is also called “Tinagong dagat.” Legends tell that it is so called because it used to be a great lake with sea-like waves, hidden in the middle of the great mountain range, but is now reduced to a vast marshland.

The trail towards the campsite was also like a journey to another world. We were trekking in the middle of a vast bright area of almost ancient 4 feet tress for almost 3 hours when we were suddenly consumed by the dark, mossy forest. The place was so so damp and mossy that thick masses of moss were hanging on the branches, blocking the sun’s rays. Come to think of it, the place looks like a set in a horror movie where you pass through a thick eerie forest before reaching a haunted house.

After a few hours of more walking, we finally reached the legendary “Tinagong Dagat”. The placewas a vast plain of marshland right in the middle of a mountain range. Upon finding a spot where we could camp best, we retired for the day.

The following morning, we descended again towards camp 1. There was nothing unusual about the trail. It was just a bunch of tall trees, tall grasses, moss and mud until we passed to what looked like a hidden garden. The place astonished me. Though the trees were tall, we could still infer they are bonsai basing on their form. They were also really old that their skins were literally peeling off of their trunks. After a few more moments of picture taking; we went along to camp one.

We rested for the night and got ready to trek once more towards the known world again. From Camp one, It was a downhill river trek for about three to four hours until reaching Barangay Macambol, Mati, Davao Oriental. From there, we traveled by van back to Toril, back to where home is.

As I sat in the vehicle, waiting to get home, I felt relieved. I felt happy. I was relieved that the test of physical fitness and the grueling countless hours of climbing up and down the mountain is finally over. I was happy because after five days of sleeping in the wild, on the cold, hard ground with no other protection but my tent. I could finally go back to my comfortable warm bed.

But on the other hand, my heart was also heavy. I was sad because I had to leave such a lovely place. And as I thought about it, many questions lingered in my mind. Will I be able to go back to that place? Will my children and my children’s children ever experience such awesome wonder? Will I ever have another adventure of a lifetime like this? I guess we will never know because like the great Mt. Hamiguitan; life is full of mysteries.