Another low fares promo from Cebu Pacific found me heading for Ozamiz City. Not that there was anything I have been longing to see 
there, but Ozamiz was the last Mindanao airport CebPac serves, that I have not yet flown to. So off I went, maka-avail lang ng zero-fares!
Not much time to do extensive research on what is there and what I wanted to visit. At least, I had the church, the city hall and the fort in mind. Being “unprepared”, I knew I was to encounter many surprises, as I knew nothing about Ozamiz. Back-up plan… if there was really nothing worth my while, I could hop to nearby places like Oroquieta, Tangub, Iligan, Pagadian, CDO, etc. Looking at my map, Ozamiz is after all just near to all those places. And I wondered why there is not even a paragraph about Ozamiz in my Lonely Planet latest edition!
Fly in
From Cebu, it is a southward flight and I did not expect to see anything but the sea. Flight was just about half an hour and whoa, as the plane descended towards
land, to our right, I saw a little island with some rather big house or structure. I took a mental note and said I will ask around what it was. Hmm, their airport looks like most domestic airports in this country… sprawling… arrivals in the middle, departures at one end, and cargoes in the other end! Collection of checked baggage is also like at every other small airport, it’s the drop and grab scenario – meaning once the baggage men of the airline drop your luggage at the area, you grab it and go!
Now what?
Alright I thought, I am in Ozamiz, now what? I was silently laughing why was I there and what next could descend upon me. I walked towards some counter at the arrival area where there were ads and leaflets for accommodations and other tourist services. After a while, I decided I would try the Royal Garden Hotel due to its centrality. Hopped on a tricycle that zoomed through rice fields until it reached the bustling city streets and zigzagged its way to the hotel.
And at Royal Garden, with the help of the eager front staff, my Ozamiz visit began to take shape… a wonderful sojourn I did not expect!
I went there without a purpose. Now because you’re reading this, I’ll be first to tell you… go there, it’s a wonderful place!
See my next blog entries?!
there, but Ozamiz was the last Mindanao airport CebPac serves, that I have not yet flown to. So off I went, maka-avail lang ng zero-fares!Not much time to do extensive research on what is there and what I wanted to visit. At least, I had the church, the city hall and the fort in mind. Being “unprepared”, I knew I was to encounter many surprises, as I knew nothing about Ozamiz. Back-up plan… if there was really nothing worth my while, I could hop to nearby places like Oroquieta, Tangub, Iligan, Pagadian, CDO, etc. Looking at my map, Ozamiz is after all just near to all those places. And I wondered why there is not even a paragraph about Ozamiz in my Lonely Planet latest edition!
Fly in
From Cebu, it is a southward flight and I did not expect to see anything but the sea. Flight was just about half an hour and whoa, as the plane descended towards
land, to our right, I saw a little island with some rather big house or structure. I took a mental note and said I will ask around what it was. Hmm, their airport looks like most domestic airports in this country… sprawling… arrivals in the middle, departures at one end, and cargoes in the other end! Collection of checked baggage is also like at every other small airport, it’s the drop and grab scenario – meaning once the baggage men of the airline drop your luggage at the area, you grab it and go!Now what?
Alright I thought, I am in Ozamiz, now what? I was silently laughing why was I there and what next could descend upon me. I walked towards some counter at the arrival area where there were ads and leaflets for accommodations and other tourist services. After a while, I decided I would try the Royal Garden Hotel due to its centrality. Hopped on a tricycle that zoomed through rice fields until it reached the bustling city streets and zigzagged its way to the hotel.
And at Royal Garden, with the help of the eager front staff, my Ozamiz visit began to take shape… a wonderful sojourn I did not expect!
I went there without a purpose. Now because you’re reading this, I’ll be first to tell you… go there, it’s a wonderful place!
See my next blog entries?!
2 Comments
waaa..brings back memories when I used to live there way back in 1980 or something. I went to ICC and I think we lived near this Restaurant called Bahay Kubo and there was the house of the Mrs Apat (the late I believe)... Rizal St or something. Would love to see it again and bring back those childhood memories that forever affected my entire life!
ReplyDeleteit's good to know you dared to visit ozamis. One good piece of advice, PLEASE BE VERY CAREFUL. It is not safe anymore, especially your belongings. Do not roam around the city with huge cash, and expensive personal things, etc. Crooks are everywhere. Secondly, try to visit these places:Naomis Botanical garden;of course the Cotta; submerge yourself into a refreshingly cool waters of regina springs in bagakay; that thing you mentioned about the place in the middle of the sea-it's called MOAP just minutes away from the city proper; and lastly, try to visit the HOYOHOY highland park in Tangub city, it already has accommodation I presume. Enjoy, and I hope you'll only be having "good memories" of our little place that is OZAMIZ!
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