Oh the smell of coffee and the feel of a warm cup in my hands in the cool morning at Lorega Bukidnon was one of those simple pleasures I enjoyed on a trip like this. Even with a cheap 3-in-1 instant coffee, the view from the porch of DDD Habitat Bukidnon was soothing to the senses. Just the right chill after a morning rain. Some of the Travel Mindanao friends and I decided to do a quick walk in Lorega in the early morning before we leave for Valencia Bukidnon after lunch.
Walks Around Lorega
With DDD Habitat Bukidnon as our base, we had a chance to walk around the area easily. With the nippy air in Lorega, exploring on foot is ideal in this part of Bukidnon. Thin fog hovers lightly on the hills and courses through the pine trees. If there’s a place I would spend for a vacation house, this would be it. I love the hillside houses and the small plant nursery shops along the road. BuDa (Bukidnon-Davao) road, the main highway connecting Bukidnon and Davao have several mountain lodgings, one that we visited was Seagull Mountain Resort.
On the Highest Point
We were lucky Shugah (of WanderShugah) has a friend from the resort so we were able to do some sightseeing. Seagull has several gazebos, condos and cabins for overnight stays. Day trippers can enjoy the scenic pathways leading to a small outdoor chapel overlooking the magnificent hills and valleys of Lorega, Bukidnon. Within the vicinity, a waterfall can be reached through a 10-minute hike from the highway, some may be put-off by how the place was developed but it still a nice nature trip if one is looking for cool dip and splash.
Off to Valencia
If I had my way, it would be nice to stay in Lorega for a while. It’s one of those places that’s so conducive for downtime or to disconnect from the world for a while. But it was still the start of our Bukidnon leg and there were exciting activities up ahead. From Lorega Quarantine stop, we boarded a non-aircon bus for a 3-hour ride to Valencia. A squall greeted us in Valencia but we were able to take cover and have dinner at Greenwhich NVM Mall before finally proceeding to our lodging.
Dream Haven Bed and Breakfast is a charming place to stay in Valencia. The rooms are tastefully designed, and it has a spacious garden and a viewing deck overlooking the city. This would be our home for the next two nights.
Essential Info
Dream Haven Bed and Breakfast
Purok 4, Mt Kitanglad St, Poblacion
Valencia City, Bukidnon
Rates: Php 750 (Twin, Standard, Deluxe Rooms), Php 1500 (Family Room), Php 1300 (Suite Room)
Contact: Landline (088)8284019, 09064217839 (Globe), 09092741096 (Smart)
Seagull Mountain Resort
Bukidnon-Davao (BuDa) Road, Lorega,
Kitaotao, Bukidnon
Reservation Office: (082) 298-5990
Resort Office: (082) 286-4124 , 286-9397
Email Address: [email protected]
Non AC Bus Fare Lorega to Valencia – Php 130 (3 hours)
Ferdz Decena is an award-winning travel photographer, writer and blogger. His works has found print in publications such as Singapore Airlines’s Silver Kris, Philippine Airlines’ Mabuhay, Cebu Pacific’s Smile and Seair InFlight. He has also lent his expertise to various organizations like the Oceana Philippines, Lopez Group Foundation, Save the Children and World Vision, contributing quality images for their marketing materials.
