Tukuran, Zamboanga del Sur: Building Memories with the Beach Capital

Location:  Sirena Beach Resort, Tukuran, Zamboanga del Sur

Access Point: Highway of Tukuran,  Zamboanga del Sur

Mode of Transportation: Motorcycle/Jeep/Private Ride

Arrangement:Entrance (Php 10.00-20.00 pesos as far as I can remember); Cottage for resting or eating (Php 300.00-1,000.00).

Activity/Attractions: Swimming (beach)/Bamboo Rafting/Floating Cottages (free)

Maranding, Lanao del Norte.

I intentionally planned  to go to Maranding, Lanao del Norte in this trip to accompany a friend. We visited a friend whose domicile is in this place. In the place where we stayed lies wide rice fields and a lot of coconut trees.

Houses are not built very close to each other because of the vast fields.With this, life is peaceful and I appreciate the simple life in this community.

Maranding sunrise.

Mr. Sun greeted us the next day as we planned to tour around the place. Our host planned on bringing us to a beach but little did we know that we are crossing another province/region.  Tukuran, which came from the Cebuano word “tukod” which means “to build” or “to construct”, is regarded as the Beach Capital of Zamboanga del Sur. This municipality is bounded by Lanao del Norte on the East which explains its proximity.

This coastal municipality served as a passageway for Regions 9 and 10. This made me amazed because of the ways going to Iligan City and then to Cotabato City. I felt geographically lost since I’m not good with geography (I think).

They brought us to Sirena beach and this view welcomed us.

Tukuran coastline.

The place has an amazing view and I am excited because I was able to set foot on Zamboanga which was my first time. Although I never thought it is that extraordinarily special, this place marked a special place in my heart and brought out the child in me.

This is the view going down the shore. Cottages can be rented for eating and staying.

One can notice that the shoreline of this beach is not that prominent. It is filled with rocks and boulders.

Just like any of us who wants to play in the sand, this beach may be a bit frustrating at first; but what made this special is that the people here are creative. So they put up floating cottages  so that you can enjoy the swimming despite the big waves and the rocks.

One of the floating cottages.

These native and playful cottages can be reached with this bamboo raft. You just need to pull the rope so that this raft will move towards the floating cottages. Exciting and fun, isn’t it?

Bamboo raft.

Chillin’. Just like a boss!

 

The first cottage has a net on the center which makes it a netted swimming pool. So one can still enjoy swimming in the sea despite its depth because its safe since there’s a net. Children love to play here and also adults.

I just think that this is a very creative and cool idea! It just proves that you can really enjoy if you like wherever you are.

 

 

 

 

Then there’s this Play Therapy for kids… and for adults also. We enjoyed this tire-swing.

The second cottage is a little different than the first cottage in the sense that it has a diving board with a longer “netted swimming pool”.

The second cottage is connected to the third cottage.

The view from up here.

We explored the area and visited the adjacent beach resort which was just accessible. The shoreline here is prominent where one can truly play with the white sand. This resort looks not operating though.

Identified as Baguio’s beach resort.

 

There is also a rocky part though most of it are sandy.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Reflections:

• This place will always have a place in my heart because of the floating cottages that made us play like kids. Adults need Play therapy regularly so as to relieve stress and just be lighthearted. This place taught me not to be childish but to be childlike. God bids us to be like the children.To be like a child means to have full confidence and to fully trust in our Father that He has the best interest for us and that He will never leave us. This also implies that being child-like is to have a simple faith– trusting God always and obeying Him instantly whatever He says.A childlike spirit is trusting and forgiving. “The most childlike disciple is the most efficient in labor for God.”  Be childlike. 

“Let the little children come to me and do not forbid them for such is the kingdom of heaven.” Matthew 19:14

I went home with a fulfilled heart from the fun of discovering something new and setting foot on a new place. It was indeed worth building memories with Tukuran, the beach capital of Zamboanga del Sur.