Located in Initao, Misamis Oriental, Lasang Secret Adventure Park is the best adventure park I'd been to this

summer of 2011. It is able to combine all the elements that I am looking for in a park - thrill, safety and environmental concern. The adventure starts off with a 100 meter board walk through old balete trees; you then climb up an 80-foot spiral staircase winding through a giant tree. Once you reach the top, the adventure continues as you cross five hanging bridges also called as the canopy walk. The longest hanging bridge is 500 meters and once you get to the end you'd get to see amazing wildlife like monkeys and birds of different species. The finale is the zip line where you fly by wire from the top of the trees down to the ground. You will zip through thick forests as far as the eyes could see. That is, if you have the guts to open your eyes! According to the trusty crew, there is nothing to worry at all because the trees will move aside to let you pass through :). Now that's the "thrill" part. The "safety" part is that they have a clinic right at the base. Blood pressures are taken prior to take off. The resident nurse will also follow the team just to be sure that everyone will be immediately attended to. Back up crew will also be sent up in the event that some of the team wills chose not to continue the trek. My sister realized she didn't want to scare herself much after climbing the spiral staircase so she didn't proceed to the canopy walk. Back up crew immediately came over to keep her company. She still had a wonderful experience as the crews were very knowledgeable on environmental concepts and regaled her of the wonders of the forests that we were in! The "environmental concern" part is even more amazing. The part is located in a protected area. The structures there were erected without harming the natural habitat of the animals and plants. It was built by mountaineers who

painstakingly climbed up trees and manually haul equipment and building materials so as not to bring heavy equipment in the protected area. The forest was barely disturbed and the visitors are warned to litter so as to keep everything as pristine as it always is. The crew will also be telling you about the history of the protected area. They are such good source of information and you sure will become an environmentalist afterwards if you are not one already. It was truly an amazing experience. The Lasang Secret Adventure Park is located in the western part of Misamis Oriental, a vibrant and progressive province in the northern coast of Mindanao. It is a 40-minute ride away from the capital city Cagayan de Oro and just a few kilometers from the forthcoming Laguindingan airport, which is currently being constructed. The Lasang Secret Adventure allows nature lovers to explore the inner sanctum of the Initao-Libertad Nature Park, home to centuryold trees and endangered species which include tarsiers and monkeys, monitor lizards, flying lemurs and megapodes. Rare birds are also found at Lasang like the imperial pigeons (bawod), native doves (alimokon), emerald doves (manatad) and serpent eagles. One who would like to shun the dust and noise in the city may find solitude as one walks on a long stretch of boardwalk surrounded by talisay gubat trees and experience serenity amid Gods wonderful creations. The Lasang Park offers a rare opportunity to commune with nature and enjoy the gentle kiss of forest breeze as one ascends the long and winding hundred-meter high staircase. For the thrill seekers who would like to conquer their fears, they may tread along the canopy

walk and touch ground through the 120-meter zip line. If you find a city hotel unfit for corporate workshops, trainings and team building programs, the Lasang Eco-lodge is the place to be. The Provincial Government of Misamis Oriental under the watch of Gov. Oscar S. Moreno is presently constructing a restaurant with function rooms designed to cater to domestic and foreign travelers and corporate events. Its close proximity to the Laguindingan Airport, which is envisioned to be the northern gateway to the beautiful island of Mindanao, will no doubt make Lasang a prime tourist destination. The proposed P17.2 million Lasang Eco-lodge with a Day Spa undertaken by the provincial government includes the following facilities -five units of Suite rooms with balcony, five units of double rooms, five units of single rooms, two units of dormitory with six double-decker beds, lobby and reception area, a business center, administrative office, kitchen, linen and laundry areas, storage and utility rooms. The main feature of the Lasang Eco-lodge would be the Spa where visiting tourists and guests can relax and reward themselves with a delightful moment with the traditional hilot and trained masseurs. The Spa also offers a Jacuzzi. If youre keen on investing in the tourism industry in Northern Mindanao, come and explore the investment potentials of the Lasang project. The strategic location of Misamis Oriental makes the province a major transport and transshipment hub in the upper half of Mindanao. Misamis Oriental and Cagayan de Oro has been a major contributor in the development of the region. Its capital city, Cagayan de Oro, serves

as a convergence point for commerce, education and services with most of the regional line agencies, banks and financing institutions and the best colleges and universities in Mindanao are located. The potentials of the tourism industry in Misamis Oriental are at its peak as industrial development continues to gain momentum in anticipation of the soon-to-be-completed Laguindingan International Airport. Misamis Oriental also prides itself with superior infrastructure compared to other areas in Mindanao with good weather all year round. The Lasang Secret Adventure Park is located at Initao, Misamis Oriental and is part of the Initao-Libertad Landscape and Seascape Protected Area. My fond memories of this area was during our sampling days in Biology, armed with sampling bottles and canisters, and other quintessential stuff "biologists" would bring. This was a baby's crib for us, we had a few overnight stays, spelunking adventures, and at lot of skin rashes for me --- but we learned a lot in this fenced up sanctuary. Lasang Secret Adventure Park is Misamis Oriental's adventure surprise for its' visitors. The protected area is split by the national highway, as the road curves along with canopy of trees framing the highway. and despite the high speeding vehicles passing by, an adventure and commune with nature is a stop-by midway between both cities Cagayan de Oro and Iligan. So we went into the adventure park that offered spiral staircase, a canopy walk, and a zipline to cap it off. Priced at 250Php, it was not bad. It was the virginal zipline for Doc Wendell, we were okay to not push through had he not wanted to. But he braved up and went for it. It was epic to see it in his face trying to push the idea out of his head until the harness and line faces him. Lasang Secret Adventure Park was fully operational last August 15, 2009 and is managed by the Region

10 Provincial Tourism office. There was a short trip through the protected forest. It was informative of the our guide to show and point out some interesting flora and facts about. And yes, Jam and I were, oh-ah --- bio geeks alert. I would've liked it more if we were walking on the ground than on the walkway that leads up to the bottom of the spiral staircase. Then again, placing that walkway also helps in preserving and lessens visitors disturbing the area. A few steps we came upon the brightly colored red spiral staircase. It was a nice sight as the foliage takes up most of the spaces around it and only pockets of sunlight would pass through. Doc Wendell went on ahead while I stalled Jam and Alex every once a while to take eye level shots. If you're afraid of heights or easily get seasick, piece of advice: DO NOT STOP. If you do, you will actually feel the staircase move and sway with the movements you make and the wind hitting the structure. The spiral staircase has 74 steps, five rounds, and lands on the first pad 100ft. above the ground. There are 5 suspended walkways, 3 of which goes to one direction which are 30, 60, 120 ft length. You have to walk back on these 3 to the main pad, and off to another 2 walkways which are 60, and 100 feet in length to end up at the zipline launch pad. And yes, I stalled the group, yet again, as I would stop at the middle of the walkways to get some shots. Blogger mode turned ON -- hmft! I was scared, truly was, but had some exhilarating moments of realizing how far up we were that I just had to take in the moment, and get some shots of it. Don't we all do that? The zipline was short but I always get jitters just before the lunge off the launch pad. I would have this constant battle of whether be pushed off or let myself jump off the pad or basta! I just hate that part. LOL!

Before I took the zipline though, I did ask if the line can be controlled, and if it was okay that they give me a short stop midway. And they said, yes! So somewhere in between the launch pad and the landing area, the ground far from my feet, the canopy above my head, and dangling midair-- I yelled, STOP! Just to get a few seconds or so or more for some shots! I knooooooooooooow!!! Ahahahahaha.. I don't like suspended on a line, but the adrenaline and the excitement pushes you to do some crazy stuff. This was a simple trip out that taught us to push fears away, get scared but face it still, laugh anxiety off, and take a bit more from the experience. Not all ziplines are the same, and not all experiences gives you the same level of adrenaline -- this one taught me, it's okay to get scared, and sometimes some crazy stuff pushes that fear off.