The Arrival

Enchanted River opens at 6:00 and the entrance fee is only P10.00 because it is operated by the local government. Visitors are allowed to bring foods and drinks but if you want to eat fresh sea foods, you can request people in the area to grill fish. Inside the area, there are several cottages ready for visitors.

Hinatuan is one of the two municipalities in Surigao del sur, aside from San Miguel, that situated in the most secluded part of the province, almost located in the middle of the rainforest of Surigao del sur. Aside from its location, the road leading to Enchanted River is very rough, however despite the long and exhausting journey, both on wheels and on foot, the view when we arrived painted smiles on our faces. It was very much worth it.

The magnificent color of the water in the Enchanted River is the result of a mixture of fresh and saltwater from Hinatuan Bay. The middle part was deeper in color (they said it was 80m deep) while it was light green along the sides.

Swimming Time

Even though there were a lot of people when we went there (weekend + holidays), we weren’t hindered from taking a dip into this magnificent river. But of course, you need to put on your life vests which can be rented for one hour at P15.00 as the water here is over 200ft deep. Imagine that! Surprisingly, the river h also has a salty water because of its connection to the sea.

Feeding Time

At around 12 noon, the management will ask the swimmers to get off the water for them to feed the fishes. People could see them fighting for the food scraps, and then disappearing afterward. To add to this, there is also a background music playing a cultural song abut Surigao and the Enchanted River in their own dialect.

You can also take a boat ride from the river to Hinatuan Bay. You can swim, snorkel, and even scuba dive there. Enchanted River also offers the following adventures for minimal cost.

How to go to the Enchanted River via Public Transportation: Take the bus from Butuan City and get off at Hinatuan town. From there, take the habal-habal (a public transport motorcycle). You can either wait for other passengers (P40) or hire the whole thing for P200-250.

Goring Zarido – City Tourism Office
Mobile Number : +639207168379
Landline Number : (086) 853-6089; (086) 628-2112
Fax Number : (086) 628-2132
Email Address : bisligtourism@yahoo.com.ph

Mr. Almar B. Autida – Bislig Government Employees Multi-Purpose Cooperative (BGEMCO) 
Member, Board of Directors
Mobile Number : +639195954878
Email Address : almar_autida@yahoo.com.ph / hillside_vco@yahoo.com.ph

Here is a series of posts on our 3-day adventure to Surigao del Sur. Discover the places we’ve been to, the people we met, the food we tasted and the experience we gained in this remarkable escapade. AdventuRoj Surigao del Sur Adventure: The Plan | The Crystal Clear Enchanted River | Vanishing Island at Surigao del Sur | A Cave at Surigao del Sur (An Untitled One) | Sibadan Fish & Turtle Cage, Surigao del Sur | The Hidden Tinago River, Surigao del Sur | Surigao Tinuy-An Falls: Philippines’ Little Niagara

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