Enchanted Blue River

Blue river?  I was intrigued when I first heard of it,  rivers may have clear waters or worse murky, but never blue.  But this river is indeed blue!  Couple of weeks ago, I visited this best-kept secret in Hinatuan, a coastal town in Surigao Sur.  It was almost two hours from San Agustin, and as we go through the spot with those trees and vines, it felt like I’m transported into another world.  It gave me a sense of being in a city somewhere in another dimension.

The blue waters seems to beacon one –  to just jump into the river, but how mysterious!  I watched in awe – so pure, so natural,  hidden in this remote corner in Mindanao.  It was heard there were groups who tried to dive its depths. Indeed, they posted on the info board a  report of technical and cave specialty divers who went down to explore the depths of the river.  How magnificent, but unfortunately there were no details but merely brief introduction of the expedition.  😦  It looked so creepy at the river head, the dark corner mysteriously hiding  is a cave underneath!

I was still cracking my head why it is blue, when my companions were waving at me to come into the waters. Descending from the concrete steps into the shallow waters, it seemed I was overwhelmed of the wonderful sight before me.  And once in the cold waters, there was that familiar urge to see what’s beyond, the rush to just dive in to the depths. Yes, lo and behold!  A white pavement-like on its side down to the bed on a slope, with a depth of about 30 feet – that’s what made the water so blue!  🙂 The slope is formed like a cone with about two feet wide clearing on its bottom.

With visibility of about 50-60 feet, the waters was so clear and with those oversized sweetlips and rabbitfish swimming coyly, it was a wonderful sight!   Sea species claimed its abode in the river, yet the waters is brackish – such another mystery!  The waters is connected in the deep blue sea underneath, it is part of the sea camouflaging as river.  I stayed longer just floating and swam nearer into that mysterious dark corner at the river head.  Someday, somehow I wish I could penetrate its mysterious depths….

One day, I promise a return in this baffling, enchanted river in Hinatuan.

Travel Notes:

Hinatuan is about 1.5 hours from San Agustin and  1.5 hours from Bislig City, this coastal town in Surigao del Sur can be reached by bus from San Francisco, Agusan del Sur.

My route:  Cagayan de Oro – Butuan (by aircon bus – 4 hours)
Butuan to San Agustin via Los Arcos, Bayugan (by private vehicle – 2.5 hours)
San Agustin to Hinatuan (by private vehicle – 1.5 hours)