A far-flung town in South Cotabato, Lake Sebu has a raw appeal, thanks to the surrounding mountains clad in forest and a lake. Recognized by UNESCO as a cultural landscape, Lake Sebu is a laidback municipality serving as a melting pot of cultures.
Aquaculture is the primary industry in this part of South Cotabato. There is quite a handful of areas to visit in Lake Sebu and here, we present to you some of them.
Lake Sebu, South Cotabato: GinaD [CC BY-SA 3.0], via Wikimedia Commons
The Lakes
Go lake-hopping from Lake Sebu to Lake Lahit and Lake Seloton. Mind you, these lakes are not connected with each other, and one needs to rent different boats to explore each one.
The Falls
Inside Lake Sebu, there are seven waterfalls, namely Hikong Alu, Hikong Bente, Hikong B-lebed, Hikong Lowig, Hikong Ke-foi, Hikong Ukol, and Hikong Tonok. These seven waterfalls are located inside the Lake Sebu Eco-Tourism Park. Adventure-seeker will have their cravings satisfied as there is a zip line inside the park that runs for 400 meters—from Hikong Ke-foi to Hikong Bente, and another 750 meters from Hikong Alu back to Hikong Ke-foi.
The Hallmarks of Culture and Traditions
The T’Boli are the indigenous people of South Cotabato, and they have such a colorful culture that is captured in their traditional tapestry called T’nalak. The Lang Dulay T’nalak Weaving Center is one area in Lake Sebu where one can find handcrafted fabric.
The T’Boli Museum or otherwise known as the Baay’s Family House of Gongs is a traditional T’Boli house with a collection of antiques, gongs, T’nalak, and artifacts of the T’boli culture.
The School of Living Traditions is where the old generation of T’Boli pass their knowledge and culture to the younger generation. Handcrafter T’Boli souvenirs such as T’nalak and beaded jewelry are being sold here, as well.