Best Tourist Places to Visit in Butuan, Philippines, Asia

Best Tourist Places to Visit in Butuan, Philippines, Asia

Butuan is a developed city in Caraga in Philippines, about 1150 kms southeast of Manila. Butuan is one of the educational hubs of Philippines houses two top universities namely the Father Saturnino Urios University and Caraga State University and the prominent colleges include Agusan College, Butuan Doctors’ College and St. Joseph Institute of Technology.

Geography of Butuan:

Butuan is placed at the northeastern part of Agusan Valley between 8°56′57″ N latitude and 125°32′37″ E longitude. It spans over an area of 817.28 sq. km.

Butuan shares its borders with Agusan Del Norte in the north, west and south, Agusan Del Sur in the east and Butuan Bay in the northwest.

Etymology and history of Butuan:

It is believed that, the name Butuan is derived from the sour fruit, batuan. Other theory states that, Butuan name originated from the earlier ruler of Butuan ‘Datu Buntuan’.

Butuan was formed as a town in the year 1902 and as a city on August 2, 1950. Until 2000, Butuan was the capital of Agusan Del Norte province.

Connectivity to Butuan:

Butuan is served by Bancasi Airport Terminal situated at a distance of 7 kms.

Tourists can reach Butuan by boats from Nasipit port in Agusan Del Norte.

Butuan is also reachable by bus, hired van, or private vehicle. From Davao City, Cagayan de Oro Cit and Surigao City are three best ways to reach Butuan. Bachelor Express and Surigao Liner are the local bus operators.

Taxis, multi cabs and motorized tricycles are good for local travel and to reach tourists spots.

Things to do in Butuan:

Tourists can enjoy mountain hiking and visit historical sites and museums and shopping malls.

Culture, Food and Shopping in Butuan:

Kahimunan Festival is organized every third Sunday of January and Abayan Festival is celebrated on every last Sunday of July.

Adlaw Hong Butuan charter day includes motorcade, palagsing festival and thanksgiving mass. Balangay Festival is other grandly celebrated festival on May month and Butuan also arranges summer league basketball championship games.

The shopping centres in Butuan are:

Robinsons Place Butuan
Asialink Central Mall
Gaisano Butuan
SM Savemore Market
Samping Avenue
SM City Butuan

RIBBS is the major food centre in Butuan.

Places to see in Butuan:

Balangay Shrine Museum:

Balangay Shrine Museum is located 5 kms away from Butuan. 1688 years old graveyard is the major watchable site at Balangay Shrine Museum.

Butuan Regional Museum:

Butuan Regional Museum is a historical museum contains materials and artifacts of history and culture. Archaeological Hall and Ethnological Hall are two exhibit galleries which display stone crafts, woodcrafts, potteries, goldsmith, metal crafts and burial coffins.

Bood Promontory 1st Easter Mass Eco Park:

Bood Promontory 1st Easter Mass Eco Park contains colonial nursery and Tree Park, archaeological treasures and fishponds.

Banza Church Ruins:

Banza Church was constructed by the Recollect Friars in the year 1625. Presently the ruins of the church, bell tower and banyan tress are visible.

Other tourist attractions near Butuan include:

Mount Mayapay
Agusan River
Nipa Wine Distillery
Magellan’s Landing Site
National Museum Branch
Delta Discovery Park

Best time to visit Butuan:

January is the ideal month to visit Butuan when Kahimunan Festival is organized in Butuan annually.

Accommodation Options in Butuan:

Air-conditioning system, cold shower, cable television, refrigerator, private toilet with hot and mini bar, electric kettle, dining utensils, and dining table and Free Wi-Fi are very common facilities available in the star hotels of Butuan. The best hotels in Butuan are: