Wanderworld

Enchanted River in Surigao has been gaining popularity among tourists because of its enthralling beauty and mystery. While most of the pictures online hardly capture its real beauty, Enchanted River up close will undoubtedly draw you to its clear and vibrant water, which is a combination of turquoise and blue, just like a sea.

Perhaps the mystery of the place is another reason why tourists flock to the river. According to myth and stories, fairies were spotted on the river one night, and such fairies are reportedly the caretakers of the picturesque river and the fishes there.

The depth of Enchanted River is another mystery, as many claim that no one really knows how deep it is. However, some blogs claim that the river is 24 meters deep, according to divers.

With that said, here’s what you need to know about Enchanted River, based on our experience last May.

Fees

Visitors to Enchanted River have to pay Php 30 each for the entrance fee. Picnic huts and cottages can be rented for Php 100. Life jackets can also be rented for Php 15.00 per hour.

Best Time to Visit

If you wish to avoid crowds, don’t go there during summer weekends. During our visit, it was like there was a huge party on the river. New visitors (and big groups at that) seem to arrive every minute. All the cottages were already occupied, and there were no life jackets left for rent.

It seems that even locals or those from nearby areas flock to the place during weekends because Enchanted River serves as their public pool or beach where families can enjoy a day trip with their kids.

The River’s Beauty

No one would probably disagree that Enchanted River is a real gem. After all, I doubt that you’ll find other rivers in the Philippines with a turquoise/blue color. Even from afar, the water glistens, seemingly inviting you for a dip. And when you actually dive in and swim underwater, you’ll be amazed to discover just how clear the river is.

The middle, blue part of Enchanted River is probably the deepest. If you try to swim underwater, you’ll see what seems like a bottomless pit coupled with some fishes. Such seemingly bottomless pit is probably the reason some people claim that the river has an “unfathomable depth,” which supposedly adds to Enchanted River’s mystery.

Cliff Diving, Swimming, Fish Feeding

These are just some of the things you can do in Enchanted River. There are several steps of stairs leading to the river itself, and the top of the stairs is usually where visitors would simply jump off from to dive into the water.

Swimming at Enchanted River can be a bit challenging for those not confident enough with their swimming skills. The river is deep, and during our visit, it was hard to even walk to farther sections because of the strong current. However, the water is refreshingly cold, perfect for beating the summer heat, and the fishes underneath are a sight to behold too.

If you can’t manage to swim underwater and therefore see the fishes, you can wait for the fish feeding, which takes place at 12 noon. A bell signals its start, and everyone will be asked to get off the river. If I remember correctly, it takes around 15 minutes, and you’ll see the fishes above the river as they try to eat while background music plays. After that, you can go back to the river and swim.

Wash Areas

Changing clothes and rinsing at Enchanted River may be a problem if there’s a huge crowd. You’d have to endure long lines to the bathroom and wash areas. Take note that the bathroom and the wash areas (where you take a bath or change clothes) are separate. There are no toilets in the latter.

If you wish to take a bath after swimming, you’d have to fetch a pail of water which is sold for a small price. However, we were told that the water comes from the river as well, so we opted to just change clothes because there was no point in taking a bath if the water is the same as the one we swam in. 😀

However, you can ask your habal-habal driver to take you to a nearby resort if you wish to take a bath before you head to your next destination.

Travel date: May 2015

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