Backpacking Philippines: A Short Sightseeing Tour of Dipolog City

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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!

A Short Sightseeing Tour of Dipolog City

Formerly part of Dapitan City and now the capital of the province of Zamboanga del Norte, is the gateway to the Shrine City of Dapitan where Rizal Shrine, Dakak Beach Resort and the new Gloria de Dapitan theme park is located.

A brief tour of Dipolog City materialized on the way from Dapitan City to Dipolog Airport to catch Tutubi's flight back to Manila.

At the intersection of Estaka and Turno road, there's Dipolog Fountain (sometimes called Estaka-Turno Y junction Fountain), according to the official website of Dipolog City, "located at Estaka-Turno road junction is the Fountain of Blessings. The statutes represent the tri-people of Mindanao, which symbolize the diverse cultures prevailing in Dipolog. The bowl raised to heavens is a gesture of thanksgiving and offering to God Almighty for the generous outpouring of graces and blessings, bountiful harvests and sustained peace and prosperity."

a photo of Dipolog Fountain taken inside a moving van. This fountain would surely look great at night with water and lights but no time to even stop and take a better snapshot

Just outside Holy Rosary Cathedral (Dipolog Church), in front of the historic Dipolog Hall is the Monument of Three Prominent Dipolognons: namely "Hon. Pascual T. Martinez, the first appointed Mayor of Dipolog in 1913-1918), Rev. Fr. Nicasio Y. Patangan, the first Filipino Diocesan Priest of Mindanao and Eugenio R. Margate, a farmer for 25 years who introduced the MARGATE SYSTEM OF PLANTING RICE."

Onwards you'll come across the "Sta. Cruz Marker (Punta Corro) which is the spot where migrating Boholanos from the Visayas landed on and planted the cross for Christianity on May 3, 1905."

The historic landing spot of Boholano settlers in Dipolog City's marked by a huge cross facing the sea and Dipolog Boulevard

Dipolog has three major shopping malls: Dipolog Shopping Center and Lee Plaza Mall (LP) Mall and Dipolog City Mall

Dipolog Shopping Center

Dipolog Boulevard is a development of coastal park now a favorite haunt of promenaders and fitness enthusiasts.

Other places to see in Dipolog that Tutubi wasn't able to visit due to lack of time: Sungkilaw falls, Subanen Village in Cogon Eco Park, Organization of International Spiritual and Cultural Advancement or OISCA Forest Park for trekkers and nature trippers being a mountrain trail and bird sanctuary, the 3003 Steps to Linabo Peak (a holy week trek destination). No information yet on why the local government of Dipolog is marketing the city as Orchid City of the Philippines.

Other tourism activities in Dipolog include the annual Sinulog sa Dipolog every 3rd Saturday of January with the usual street dancing for the Sto. Niño, Katkat Sakripisyo at Linabo Peak in April, and the Pagsalabuk Festival in May marked by harvest rituals of the Subanens, Feast of St. Vincent Ferrer during 3rd Saturday of May, Araw ng Dipolog marked July 1 to 6, Feast of the Lady of the Holy Rosary in October, and the nightly shows during Pasko sa Dipolog in December. Take note also of Araw ng Zamboanga del Norte.

Coming up...Dipolog pasalubong shopping :P

How to get there:

Dipolog can be reached by plane from Manila via Dipolog Airport and by ferry via the Dapitan Seaport. Buses from other parts of Mindanao e.g. Davao City (via Butuan City), Cagayan de Oro City (CDO) and Zamboanga City are available.

drive-by Photos of Dipolog City taken inside a cruising van and may appear a tad blurry or color-skewed.

Sources: Official Website of Dipolog City and Dipolog City locals who are now friends of Tutubi :P

Related Posts and Nearby Places in Dipolog:

Dakak Beach Resort
Jose Rizal Shrine
Holy Rosary Cathedral

Labels: Dipolog, Zamboanga del Norte, Zamboanga Peninsula

posted by GingGoy @ 10:20 PM,

9 Comments:

At Nov 28, 2009, 3:02:00 PM, boracay lover said...: whoa! there's a theme park now in zamboanga? i just went to zamboanga city last september and my friend did not tell me about the theme park in dapitan. how far is it from zamboanga city?
At Nov 28, 2009, 9:40:00 PM, GingGoy said...: boracay lover, the theme park i saw was not yet finished when i was there but it's more like a mall setting with a carousel, don't know about other rides...just heard on the news that jalosjos now opened it...will probably ask my contacts there one of these days
At Nov 29, 2009, 12:19:00 PM, aceychan said...: where's the pasalubongs! :D :D :D
At Nov 29, 2009, 12:19:00 PM, aceychan said...: *are, i mean
At Nov 30, 2009, 1:52:00 AM, dodong flores 도동 플로오리스 said...: It's so sayang that you missed some of the important places right there in Zamboanga. You should come back there to visit those places...

I'll wait for the Dipolog pasalubong shopping next post ;)
At Dec 2, 2009, 12:00:00 AM, bing said...: me naiisip ako when dipolog is mentioned.. but i have not been there.
At Dec 11, 2009, 5:02:00 AM, pieterbie said...: That fountain looks pretty special!
At Jan 18, 2010, 3:01:00 AM, Anonymous said...: im so proud to be dipolognon..guys theres so much things un discovered in my place..i hope all of u can explore it personally.. its not just the stuff that makes us different but we the people itself remains the beauty. see ya in dipolog. i miss my only love. Dipolog.
At Feb 4, 2010, 5:49:00 PM, richard uy said...: I miss my birthplace very much. I want to see that theme park in Dapitan and Dakak again where i worked last 1989

A Short Sightseeing Tour of Dipolog City

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