Anyone living in CDO for the past two years or so can attest to the increase of local and foreign tourists that visit the city, even during non-vacation seasons. This is perfectly understandable since CDO is a fast growing city with developments and investments from local and multinational companies being started left and right.

Other people may be wondering, what is it with CDO that makes tourists include it in their travel or vacation itineraries? Here is a simplified rundown of reasons why tourists love CDO:

1.  Low Cost of Living, High-Standard Lifestyle

Compared to living in Manila or Cebu, it is indisputably cheaper to live in CDO. This makes it easy for vacationers to stay longer in the city. What’s more, they get the same quality of products and services that they get in the more expensive establishments elsewhere in the country.

2.  High-Class Establishments Abound (and more are coming!)

When popular establishments such as SM Mall, Robinsons, Starbucks Café, Marks & Spencer, and many others started arriving in the city, they added to the overall appeal of CDO to tourists. People from the neighboring cities of Iligan, Ozamis, Malaybalay and Butuan no longer have to go somewhere farther or travel to Manila and Cebu just to enjoy the delights of these establishments.

3.  Exciting Offerings for Tourists

Vacationing in CDO is never boring. There are high-adrenaline adventure activities that friends and families can enjoy together. CDO is particularly famous as the White Water Rafting capital of the Philippines. Other in-demand activities of tourists are nature trekking, ziplining, caving and various water sports.

4.  A Budding Convention Hotspot

CDO is gaining popularity as the destination for conventions, business meetings and the like. Ever since the tourism industry boomed and the real estate industry followed suit, many more hotels, inns and pension houses opened all over the city. These lodging establishments made it possible for the city to play host to high-profile events with large scale attendance.

5.  High Quality Education

This is what primarily makes foreigners (particularly Koreans) and dayos become semi-permanent residents of CDO. Young people seeking good education for cheaper rates find CDO to be the perfect place for them. There are excellent universities and schools to enroll in and most neighborhoods are quiet and conducive for studying. The best thing is that these students can still find plenty of enjoyment whenever they seek it once in a while.

6.  The New Manila

People from all over Mindanao used to dream of going to Manila to find jobs and send back money to their families in the provinces. Cagayan de Oro is now in that similar status. With plenty of businesses being established in the city, more and more jobs are created. In fact, CDO is already classified as a highly urbanized, first class income earning city by the National Statistical Coordination Board.

7.  An Over-all Great Place to Live In

It is highly industrialized, but not as hectic as Manila; relatively peaceful, though definitely not as quiet and bland as the stereotypical “probinsya”. If you want to have all the comforts of urbanization in a place that still exudes the charms of a small-town community, Cagayan de Oro is the place to be.

As the days go by, there’ll be many more reasons why tourists prefer to spend their vacation in Cagayan de Oro. So even if summer is still some months away, start planning your vacation and get yourself (and your family and friends) ready for an exciting Cagayan de Oro experience!

-Jay Bual-