PUSAN POINT: Travel Guide To Where The Sun Rises First in The Philippines

My travels have been a series of fulfilled dreams, other times, of utter disappointments. If you have been with me for very long, you know that I’m not the type to sugarcoat. I’ve always been very vocal, just like when I wrote about how I was so upset with Balabac Islands, unbothered that it might raise countless eyebrows. But out of fulfillments and dissatisfaction, there are those trips that lie in between. They’re not what I pictured they would be but they’re neither conclusive nor distressful. They’re a different kind of spectacular that brings new flavor to the table. That’s the kind of trip our journey to Pusan Point was.

Pusan Point is one of the several gorgeous spots hidden in the town of Caraga in Davao Oriental. It is the place where the light hits first during sunrise as it is the easternmost part of the country. Points are pieces of land that project into a body of water. They are mostly cliffs, treacherous and kissed by the most menacing of seas. Yes. There’s plenty of them and they all are stunning. Pusan Point is one of the most noteworthy for its otherworldly views that are a combination of beautiful scenes from all the movies I’ve seen.

Our Journey To Pusan Point

Our journey to discover what the town of Caraga has to offer one weekend was a bit of a hit or miss. It was raining the entire week but we still gambled on and took our chances. I was with my sister and cousins and it didn’t look promising on the onset. Gloomy skies and soft drizzles greeted us that morning but the sun peeking out of the clouds for a brief moment was enough to give us hope. Donning our OOTDs, we drove our cousin’s tuk tuk to this unfamiliar town right after breakfast, excited and thrilled by the unknown.

We had no idea what we were in for. All we had was a map on our phones and a list of the places we would be seeing that day. First was Pusan Point as it was the farthest spot from where we were staying in Brgy. San Antonio, Cateel. We followed the main road leading to it, occasionally checking Google Maps which at times was impossible as cellular network coverage was inconsistent. While we drove to our destination, the skies went from cloudy to sunny then back at being cloudy with soft drizzles. By the time we reached the small town of Caraga, it was already 30 minutes past 12 NN.

I asked my companions if we would stop for lunch but all of them agreed to continue to our destination instead and leave lunch for later. We went on to drive for another 25 minutes before we reached the turn leading to Pusan Point. We almost missed it. It was a narrow concrete road and was barely noticeable had we not checked our maps in time. We followed the road leading to Pusan Point passing by local houses, a view of the coastline to our left. We continued the drive and ascended the dense mountain.

Ascending the unfamiliar road to the mountains was the most challenging. The road to Pusan Point was straightforward but its quietness was a little unnerving. There weren’t too many houses around. The engine revving up, the birds chirping, and the trees swaying as the wind blew were the only sounds playing in repeat. The silence got quite eerie by the minute and before long, I found myself feeling like we were driving on forever. 15 minutes away on the map felt like eternity that the scenic views did so little to take my mind off my worries, like I even have something to worry about at all.

Finally, after countless ascents that almost drove our vehicle to its limit, we reached Pusan Point. We weren’t the first people to arrive there. In fact, there were a few who were already leaving and a handful who had just arrived. We wasted no time and approached the front desk, paid the fees and started exploring. I did no prior research about Pusan Point other than its location. Thought it was just another one of those places overlooking the sea. Nothing has ever prepared me for the next awestruck moments that made this day one of those I would cherish in my lifetime.

I had no expectations. All I wanted that day was to tick off every spot on our list. As I was walking towards the coast, I saw wild splashing of water as they hit the limestone karsts. I thought it was beautiful but it was not something that has blown my mind away. I continued to walk towards a spot where a group was posing for a photo then stopped and stood a good distance from them, looked up the skies. Couldn’t help but frown at the gray clouds hovering over, concealing the blues. As soon as the other group left, I walked toward where they were taking photos. Right then I understood why we had driven all the way to this unfamiliar place.

I stood at the cliff and looked down at the waters. It appeared chilling as if it would swallow me whole and leave me in cold blood. I imagined myself as Bella Swan (Twilight) as I stared at the menacing sea. It was dead scary but so beautiful and inviting that it would be illegal not to take a plunge. The combination of blues was mesmerizing. It goes from deep blue to a turquoise to an azure and it was dark but I was kind of compelled to scale its depth. It made me happy, burying the stormy skies at the far end of my thoughts. I was content that even when the rain went to ruin my entire day, I was never upset about it.

How To Go To Pusan Point

From Manila – Fly to Davao City. At the airport, ride a taxi to Ecoland Terminal. Hop on the bus going to Cateel and alight at the turn going to Pusan Point in Brgy. Santiago.  Hire a tricycle to go to Pusan Point. Alternatively from the airport, you can ride a taxi going to G-Mall and ride a UV (van) going to Mati. In Mati, you will need to ride another van to Baganga and tell the driver to drop you off at the turn going to Pusan Point.

Note:

• Trips to Cateel by bus from Davao are limited and has schedules since the pandemic started. A good alternative is to ride a van instead going to Mati as there will be plenty of options for you when you get there.
• Rides from the turn to Pusan Point in Brgy. Santiago are hard to come by. I suggest that you alight in the Caraga town proper instead as it is easier to hire a ride that will take you to Pusan Point.

Budget & Other Essentials

There you have it, lovelies. Caraga is one of the oldest towns in the Davao Region. It keeps a rich history and its culture is raw and pure that I will definitely be back to experience more of this town. Don’t hesitate to reach out for any questions. Share this to your friends. Until next time. Ciao.

PS. Follow me on Facebook and Instagram for more travel inspo.