The Elusive Dolefil Club Kalsangi

On the foot of the majestic Mt. Matutum lies a secret village that are known only to the locals of Polomolok and GenSan. First timers will have a hard time finding it since it is not plotted on tourist maps. It is situated in the middle of Dole Philippines' 10,000 hectares of pineapple plantation. I'm not even sure I'm allowed to blog about it.hehe. It just makes me  feel proud in knowing that there is such a place in faraway Mindanao.

Of course there are reasons for its elusiveness. Dole Kalsangi is home to the multinational company’s ex-pats and top management. I could understand since some management positions in top companies as big as Dolefil hold sensitive positions. So let us not wonder why it is one of the safest places down south. Security there can be quite stiff mind you so if you’re planning to visit the place, I suggest you befriend one of the residents living there so they can vouch for you when you suddenly appear at the gate since the security guards won’t let you in not unless you have a sponsor from the company.

Upon entering Kalsangi, it feels as though you are not in Mindanao. Its streets are lined with Norfolk pine trees, Macademia trees (yep they have that there!), and other big trees complete with big wild ferns you only see in high altitude places. The cabin log houses remind me of Subic or Camp John Hay in Baguio.

Dole Kalsangi boasts not only of the elite living quarters of Dolefil's top brass but also of the premiere 9-hole golf course that is a favorite of many golfers in these parts. Its golf course is lined with a number of Norfolk and Pine trees that make you feel that you are playing golf somewhere in Europe. It's clubhouse is comparable to those in high society villages in the metro. It has an Olympic sized pool, kiddie playground and a restaurant that serves yummy delicacies that make lunches and dinners a festive occasion that most celebrate birthdays, anniversary among others.

To get there, you must first ask for a sponsor from any Dole regular employee. Then ask to guide you to the roads going to Club Kalsangi. Its not open for everybody so make sure you find a sponsor first, since they are the only gate pass you will need. :) Hope you get the chance to see for your own eyes the beauty of Club Kalsangi in Polomolok, South Cotabato

Big Appetite only at Bigby's Cafe and Restaurant

This is my first hand at blogging about a restaurant and the food we love. It comes not as a surprise since Bigby's Cafe and Restaurant is easily one of our favorite restaurants in GenSan. Every Sunday, we take our daughter on lunch dates after attending mass here. When asked which ones she loves to order, she will readily answer "the stetty". The Super Duper Spaghetti is a pasta dish with kids in mind. The fusion of sweetness and sourness of the sauce is just right even for picky eaters, topped with loads of cheese cubes and a little white sauce that my little girl can't get enough of. But it has been our habit to ask the servers to split it in half so we can take home the other half in case my little girl's attention drifts off her pasta. :)

Another of her favorite is the Dippy Doodle Doo Jr., a meal comprised of chicken fingers deep fried in a yummy mixture of bread crumbs and other herbs accompanied with a sweet and mild tangy honey mustard sauce. It is a a big hit with our little girl since it is boneless and easy to hold for little fingers, not to mention easily grabbed by daddy when she is looking the other way. :)

Another favorite is the Bermuda Triangle salad. What we love about this salad is not so much the mix of greens such as the romaine lettuce but the grilled chicken and beef with cheese sticks and croutons that come with it. If you are on a diet, then this salad is a meal in itself.

For birthdays or family dinners (with a party of about 4-5 pax), then I recommend the Fisherman's Catch or the Belly Buster. It is a combination of two or more dish in a huge platter. The Fisherman's Catch for example already has fish steak, gambas and shrimp-mushroom skewer and a few greens on the side.. yum!

The Belly Buster on the other hand is a healthy serving of grilled porkchops, a slab of baby back ribs and onion rings and greens on the side. This is a total winner especially for meat lovers, a must order for sharing! As its name implies, your belly will just explode with gooey goodness from this complete meal.

 This dish is the Wild Wild West Steak. Another favorite of hubby who never fails to get one for himself just as long as his triglycerides and bad cholesterol is under control. :) It is grilled so the taste has none of the greasy meat taste. Another perfect dish for meat lovers.

  

My personal favorite pasta however is the Raging Sausage Pasta, a fussili pasta what with the spicy and tasty sausages and fresh tomatoes that tickle the palate of your taste buds with just the right amount of spiciness. But I'm gonna have to leave your imaginations run wild with this dish since in my haste to eat it, I forgot to take pictures of it.. hehe. It wouldn't look good if I take snapshots of my leftovers for you. So trust me when I say it is one of the best pastas in Gen. Santos city.. What are you waiting for? Go head out to Bigby's Cafe and Restaurant over at Robinsons Place Gensan and order one for yourself! 

Untouched Beauty of Tuka Beach

My first time in Tuka Marine Park, I was wowed by its pristine waters and natural beauty both in the island and the colorful life under the sea. It is located in Kiamba, Sarangani Province about an hour and a half drive from Gen. Santos City.

The Tuka Marine Park as I learned is a protected marine sanctuary divided into four coves but the most accessible and usually the one perfect for tourists like us is Tuka 3. So that's where we were headed after all of us (our family of three with my hubby's small clan) were hoarded in a big motor boat provided for us by hubby's friend Mr. Allan de Lima.

The view of Tuka from the boat was splendid, with the natural foliage of coconut trees and other greens  that seem to cover the entire island. They weren't kidding when they said that this is a protected area. The whole island was untouched.. and so we were told that what we take here, our garbage and all, we have to bring back home. What we were allowed to take along with us in abundance though were pictures. :)

This is Tuka2, on the other side of the island is Tuka3 (Taken last summer, sorry wasn't a blogger then, would've blogged about this sooner :)

Another photo of the island as we approach the beach. Love the way that lone tree stands proud and tall on top of the hill here.

The Tuka Marine Cove 3 is about 600 meters stretch of yellowish white sand. Kids can readily wade in the shallow part of the beach as the sand is smooth even for bare feet. But then again, its still best to have your kids wear their swimming shoes just in case. Life vests and snorkeling gear are also a must here so you get to enjoy the beautiful corals and  rich underwater sea life.

As you can see, the water is crystal clear, like in a swimming pool "only salty" according to the kids who had a wonderful time since they can see the small fish swimming alongside them even without their goggles :)

I remember while snorkeling here, I got so awed by the corals and the variety of fish I saw that I forgot that I was already far from the beach. And then I noticed I was having a difficult time going back because of the underwater current, pulling me away from the beach..and lo and behold as I peeked in my goggles 

again, a number of jellyfish were going my way! It gave me the scare of my life..not so much as the current
 but the jellyfish! Luckily, one of the divers that came with us saw me and towed me back to the beach. I survived with a few scratches from the jellyfish.. I didn't realize I was on their turf :) The divers informed me that sometimes when the water is a bit warm enough, jellyfish are present in the deeper part of the water. But don't worry though, there weren't a lot of them near the shallow parts :) Maybe its just me, very attractive for jellyfish attack! hehe.

We had a nice time at Tuka beach all thanks to Mr. Allan de Lima who brought us there. For more info on Tuka Marine Park, you can also check out Mr Bariles' blog about it here.

To go there, you can take a van going to Kiamba from the terminal at North Osmeña St, the fare would be around P90-P120. Ask to be dropped at the Kiamba wharf, from there you can find fishing boats you can rent and haggle your way  to take you to Tuka Beach..ask the locals which cove is best for swimming at the time. For our case though, we were taken to beach/cove3. But its always best to take along a local who knows Tuka Marine Park well so you get to enjoy the whole day here. There are no accommodations or cottages there so you're going to have to rough it  out there and leave as soon as the sun goes down. (Unless you want to sleep under the light of the stars and the shelter of the coconut tree ala survivor style). 

PROVINCIAL TOURISM OFFICE
Provincial Capitol
Alabel, Sarangani Province
Tel No. (083) 508-2172 (083) 508-5231
Provincial Tourism Officer : MS. APRIL MARJORIE P. RUDES