Butuan Mangroves

The city is endowed with swamplands near its coastal area. These swamp areas are interconnected with the waterways joined by the Agusan River. Most of the swamplands are actually mangroves that served as habitat to different marine species.

The boom of the logging industry from the 1950s to the middle of 1970s made Butuan the "Timber City of the South" and led to an influx of business and fortune seekers from other provinces. The flourishing logging industry inspired and prompted Congressman Marcos M. Calo to file a bill converting Butuan into a city and on August 2, 1950, Butuan became a city.

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Food Delicacies

• “Palagsing” is a local delicacy popularly made in Banza. The popularity of making “Palagsing” in Banza is attributed to the abundance of Lumbiya (Metroxylon sagu Rottb.) where “Unaw” (lumbiya starch) is harvested from the Palm Tree. Another popular ingredient is young coconut meat taken from coconut trees. The mixture of “unaw”, young coconut, and brown sugar make “palagsing” moist and chewy. They are delicately wrapped by banana leaves and are boiled for 30 minutes to create the soft consistency of “palagsing.” It is commonly known as “suman”.

Places to see

• Agusan River is the widest, deepest and longest navigable river in Mindanao. A cruise along the river barangays reveals much about Butuan's history, culture, arts, and people, and as a tribute to the Patroness of the Agusan River Senora Sta. Ana, the Abayan Festival was born – a day-long celebration of baroto races and fluvial procession at the Agusan River.
• Asian Century Museum is the newest museum in Butuan City. It is a proper museum, with a curator and actors. This museum states that this century, the 21st century, is the Asian century. The exhibit level shows the tools and weapons used in Asia before and after the time of Christ. Three Board rooms show history written.
• The Balangays (or Balanghai) are ancient boats found in Butuan. They were excavated in the Balangay Shrine, across the Masao River from Bood Promontory. They played a major role in Butuan because Butuan was, and still is, a port city. Since its discovery, the Balangays are an icon of Butuan. Now, the Kaya ng Pinoy, Inc. recreated the Balangay boats and sailed it on their project, the Balangay Voyage. So far they have only sailed in Southeast Asia, though they are planning to sail around the world.
• The Balangay shrine museum is located at Balanghai, Libertad, Butuan City. Five kilometers east of the city proper lays the graveyard of the Balangay 1 dated 320 A.D. or 1688 years old. This wooden plank-build and edge-pegged boats measured an average of 15 meters in length and 3 meters wide across the beam. To date, 9 Balangays have already been discovered in Ambangan, Libertad. Three have been excavated and others are still in Site.
• National Museum-Butuan branch or the regional museum is the repository of historical and cultural materials and artifacts that proves Butuan's prehistoric existence and rich cultural heritage. There are two exhibit galleries. The Archaeological Hall and Ethnological Hall specimens of stone crafts, metal crafts, woodcrafts, potteries, goldsmith, burial coffins, and other archaeological diggings are exhibited. At the Ethnological Hall are exhibits of contemporary cultural materials the Butuanon or every Filipino for matter used for a living.
• Looming southwest of the Agusan Valley is this majestic mountain of Mayapay. It rises stunningly to 2,214 feet (675 m) above sea level. Mount Mayapay got its name from the ancient Madjapahit Empire. The history behind the Sri-Vishaya period bears much meaning and influence of Butuan's pre-historic and archaeological discoveries.
• Delta Discovery Park is a newly opened zip-line in Butuan located at Brgy. Bonbon, Butuan City. The park is a hidden paradise in the heart of the city and known as the longest zip-line in Mindanao and in Asia with a length of 1.3 kilometers.
• U/C: Butuan - China Friendship Gate and Rotunda Project
• The project is complemented by the proposed Butuan-China Friendship Park-cum-museum to be constructed inside the rotunda. Target completion of the Bancasi Airport Section project is on August 7, 2012.

• The Diosdado Macapagal Bridge is the longest bridge in Mindanao, which is 3 kilometers upstream of the old Magsaysay Bridge and provides an alternate route across the Agusan River to connect the Philippine-Japan Friendship Highway (Surigao-Agusan-Davao road) and the Butuan City-Cagayan-Iligan road. The bridge is gaining popularity as the only cable stayed bridge with steel deck and single tower in Mindanao, and it has a total length of about 10.30 kilometers.

Mountain of Mayapay

How to get there

By air: There are two flights daily to from Manila-Butuan City.

Accommodations

•    Muyco's Resort by the Bay - Tandag City, Surigao del Sur
•    Shacene Pension House, Restaurant and KTV - Tandag City, Surigao del Sur
•    Zyphora Garden Hotel - CANTILAN, SURIGAO DEL SUR
•    Playa Pacifico Beach Resort - Tandag City, Surigao del Sur
•    TJ Oasis Beachview Resort - CARRASCAL, SURIGAO DEL SUR