For those interested to visit the caves, getting a tour guide and a good tour operaor is a must in exploring beauty of Zamboange Del Norte [more popularly ddubbed as ZANORTE]. For the Libuton Caves, I contacted Lifestyle Travel and Tours. Here’s my review:
1. The rates that they offer is good. In fact, had I been traveling with a group I know that it would have been cheaper for me to go on a group tour because for the group tour of 13 people, they offered 7,500 pesos for everything for four nights and three days of adventure. That amount already covers the Dipolog and Dapitan City tour, the river cruise, the Libuton Caves and nearby waterfalls [depending on how fast the group can finish the caves and dependent on weather conditions] and even an overnight stay at Dakak! All that with meals included, with most meals buffet style. Not bad if you ask me!
2. They have very good tour guides who are truly accommodating, honest and easy to deal with. They know the local cultural life, the history and they even go the extra mile to make sure that guests indeed feel that they are taken cared of. For example, of all the countries in the region I’ve been to [and I've only been to three], some tour guides are defensive and pretentious. These men [Renan and Bobet of Lifestyle Tours], when confronted with questions and irate tourists would just smile, listen and work on whatever is asked of them. Best of all, Renan explained the life of a cave and the different features of a cave. I’ve been to the caves of Sagada, but the tour guide neither explained how the stalactites and stalagmites form. It neither explained how keeping the ecological balance is important. It was also fun to have trivias of how caves are visited. For instance, the Chinese have this belief that if one experiences a drop from a stalactite, that would constitute as empowerment and as good luck.
3. I was able to meet the owner of the tour operations and she is very amiable and understanding too. I like the fact that her assistant at the office Gangging [I can't seem to pronounce her name correctly here] offers the best assistance that a tourist can ask for. She has prompt replies to questions like the best place to buy this and that item, and where to eat and dine as well. She will also offer alternatives of where are the affordable places to go around and get souvernir items.
4. Best of all, as a pesco-vegetarian — it is the first time that I experienced that the tour operator went the distance to make a separate meal for me. I happened to join another group for the Libuton Caves since I was alone; and during lunchtime they were surprised when they saw me eating fish while the rest of them had something else. When asked, I told them that I specifically asked the tour operator about it and they immediately made arrangements.
This positive experience has prompted me to indeed return here to do more cave exploration and other nature trippings next year. It’s rare that I would want to go back to the same place twice. The only place that I keep coming back to again and again each year is Bagiuo City. I just love mountains. But for a cities and urban jungles, Dipolog City is indeed a charming place to visit and perhaps stay and live in if one would want to consider migrating to this place. As for Lifestyle Tours, thank you so much for all the help in making this trip enjoyable for me. All the best!
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