CAGAYAN DE ORO 18 years later: Lunch at Chub's Diner and Night Out at Lifestyle District

To say that Boracay 2007 was my first real travel is a false statement. Ang late bloomer ko naman? Actually, I got to travel 10 years earlier. First plane ride ko rin yun. It was 1997 and I was in 3rd year high school and I was one of the National Press Conference representatives for Region 1 on sports writing. And the venue, Tangub City in Northern Mindanao. We got there via Cagayan de Oro so even if we only passed by, CDO was the first city I got to visit outside Luzon. I remember taking long bus rides to Tangub City and then during our event field trip until as far as Dapitan City. It was not the most pleasant of trips pero byahe parin.

And I never returned until this year. 18 years! Imagine? It has been a while and Cagayan de Oro has changed a lot. Just like other other cities in the Philippines enjoying the boom. I noticed so many constructions all over the city. Also many new dining places and Cagayan de Oro nightlife has never been this alive.

Laguindingan Airport Cagayan de Oro

They moved the airport outside the city in Laguindingan and that's 45 minutes away. We had to go through CDO to get to Camiguin and the original plan was to sleepover and catch the fast craft from CDO direct to Camiguin at 8:00 in the morning. Sounds perfect because I don't want to take the long way and that is to take the bus for two hours to Balingoan and take the ferry to Benoni Port Camiguin.

Unfortunately, fast craft is no longer operational in CDO. Di ako na-informed! And even my pal who is a respected photographer in CDO was confident until when were having been the night we arrived that there are still regular trips. It was our guide/tour contact in Camiguin who told us that such route no longet exist. And the people at the inn where we stayed that April last year pa wala. Perfect. Revert to plan B. Bus.

St. Nicholas Inn

Well, at least we got to explore the city a bit. We checked in at Saint Nicholas Inn and in
had late lunch at Chub's Diner in the afternoon.

Chub's Diner
The Inn is really a good value for money and I will write a separate review on it soon. With Chub's Diner too which we found via Tripadvisor. Quite popular as it is located in front of Xavier University and is a favorite hangout among students but I didn't really like it. To think we were already starved at that time and were not that satisfied means something. I think quota nako sa mga diners after a similar dissatisfaction with Bigg's Diner which is homegrown in Naga. If there are similarities with these diners, it would be 1. Hip interior 2. Nice food presentation 3. So so taste. It's fast food with a little upgrade. More details on the food we ordered soon.

Centrio Mall

Went back to our Inn to take a nap and went out again at night to meet a local friend who is known in CDO for his photography ---Tom Udasco. Tom and I have been friends on Facebook for quite sometime but haven't really met in person so I thought it was the perfect chance to finally see each other and introduce him to my group. We started in Centrio, the posh mall of Ayala Group which I find quite good.

Lifestyle District

But we thought of having beer in an outdoor setting so we were taken by Tom to Lifestyle District which is Cagayan de Oro's version of Metrowalk or Greenbelt. Nice crowd, lots of open space and a few interesting restaurants. We chilled here for a few hours, had fun and parted. We had to have ample sleep for the next days push for Camiguin.

There is nothing much to do in CDO but it definitely is a fast growing city with lots of construction going on and a few nice spots to try out. It is the set off point to Bukidnon and of course Camiguin where we were headed. A quick stop in the city was a pleasant experience.

More on Cagayan de Oro soon.
Happy travels!!!


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