Flight chronicles of the backpacker Tutubi, with travelogues, pictures/photos/videos, travel guides, independent and honest reviews, affordable, recommended resorts and hotels (including inns, guesthouses, pension houses, lodges, hostels, condotels, bed and breakfast and other cheap accommodations), commuting guides, routes (sometimes street maps and GPS coordinates/waypoints) and driving directions to answer "how to get there" questions, information and tips on tourism, budget travel and living in Philippines, Exotic Asia and beyond!
Backpacking, independent travel, and flashpacking are cheaper than the "cheapest package tours" and promotional offers around but you can also use travel information for family vacations, even romantic honeymoon destinations.
More than the usual tourist spots and "places to see," this blog advocates heritage conservation, environmental protection, and history awareness for Filipinos, foreigners, and ex-pats wishing to explore Paradise Philippines and Exotic Asia!
In 1762, about the same time Fort Pilar in Zamboanga City and Fort Triunfo in Ozamiz City, Misamis Occidental, both in Mindanano, were constructed, the Spaniards also built on a hill in Dapitan City a fortress overlooking Dapitan bay to protect against foreign invasion. Ilihan Hill viewed from Dapitan City Plaza with Rizal Monument visible
Strategically located on high ground, the fort has wall fortifications on the slopes of the hill supported with cannons and accessible via a 209 step stairs (access near Lourdes Grotto) leading to the top of the hill.
part of the 209 steps leading to the top of Ilihan Hill Fort de Dapitan
Before reaching the top, you can see ruins of the old fortress but not other structures and cannons. Two of the cannons can be seen in front of Dapitan City Hall while hill now is planted with young mahogany trees and old mango trees besides other plants.
the only visible part of the old fortress are ruins of the old walls...no more cannons nor fortifications can be found
On top of the hill, you can get a sweeping view of Dapitan Bay, the city proper, fish ponds, Rizal Park, several bridges and a river around the place that you'll soon realize that Dapitan City poblacion is actually an island.
Note that when Tutubi inquired about the place at Dapitan City Tourism Office, the tourism staff remarked that it's been a long while somebody inquired about the place. Tutubi just replied that he's an explorer and not an ordinary tourist. :P
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remark: It would've been better if the local government of Dapitan reconstruct the old Spanish fortress based on the original design of the cotta for tourism, historical and heritage showcase of their place to complement the Rizalian character of their city.
kyels, i don't know. rizal monuments outnumber towns and cities in the philippines for all of them have at least one rizal monument. there are also jose rizal in europe, even south america
went last week... dapitan is, to the truest sense of the term "charming little town" (even though its a city) quiet, people are friendly and every inch photogenic, wish they could have done something about their church i guess it went to a very bad plastic surgeon. the ceiling is something though... the dogs are the exceptions. not very friendly.
Ilihan Hill viewed from Dapitan City Plaza with Rizal Monument visible
part of the 209 steps leading to the top of Ilihan Hill Fort de Dapitan
the only visible part of the old fortress are ruins of the old walls...no more cannons nor fortifications can be found
Kyels said...
said...
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