Asenso Misamis Occidental Resort and Aquamarine Park — Attraction in Misamis Occidental

Last December 29, 2006, we went to MOAP in Sinacaban, Misamis Occidental. MOAP stands for Misamis Occidental Aquamarine Park and is a provincial government project constructed in 2003 under the administration of Governor Loreto Ocampos.

After an hour drive from Iligan, we reached Mukas port.

There was a long line of vehicles waiting in line to board a ferry boat. It took us an hour to queue for a ride in one.

The 20-minute ferry boat ride transported us and our vehicles across Iligan Bay - Lanao del Norte was behind us as we head towards Ozamis City which is already part of Misamis Occidental. The ferry boat was carrying 10 vehicles (big and small) in its lower deck and passengers on two upper deck levels.

From Ozamis City Port where our ferry boat docked, it's another 25-minute drive to Misamis Occidental Aquamarine Park. MOAP offers guests a mini zoo, a hatchery, a hotel and a restaurant in an excellent location - above water. The park cultures lobsters, groupers, fresh prawns, bangus and shrimps.

Mangroves grow in the shoreline along MOAP.

Their restaurant serves delicious food at reasonable prices but to get there you need to walk around half a kilometer on wooden planks supported by bamboo poles with water directly below you.

We wanted to go to MOAP Dolphin Island so we walked further from the restaurant to ride a boat.

From here, you can already see Dolphin Island. See the box on the left side of the photo below. This distance is a good 12 minutes of boat ride in deep blue water.

Dolphin Island is where MOAP takes care of rescued dolphins. This is the only island that I've seen that has no vegetation growing on it. This is because the whole island is actually submerged under water and to say it plainly, all structures there are on stilts to keep them above water.

The water level in Dolphin Island is shallow and in some parts you can stand in the water as what these guys in the photo inset below were doing. The surrounding water is very deep - observe the sudden change in the color of the water from light blue to dark blue. If my memory serves me right, this land formation is called an atoll.

There is a restaurant located at the center of Dolphin Island

You can go diving and snorkeling in one side and kayaking on the other side

Before sunset, we headed back to the main island to head to our next destination.

Misamis Occidental Aquamarine Park (MOAP) Sinacaban, Misamis Occidental, Philippines Park general entrance = PhP 10 / person Dolphin Island entrance = PhP 130 / person SCUBA diving = PhP 1,000 / dive Snorkeling = PhP 50 / hour Kayaking = PhP 100 / hour Fish for Fish Feeding = PhP 100 / kilo

Room rates Suite: PhP 2,000 / night (2 persons w/ breakfast & free entrance to Dolphin Island; extra bed at PhP 300) Family Room: PhP 2,000 / night (6 persons; extra bed at PhP 200) Dormitory: PhP 250 / person / night (one dorm cottage can...

I am here last December 25, 2019 it seems that the place was very quiet and lonely. Few tourist came in including us but as I observed was different from before because you cannot saw people caring the animals and plants but in fairness, the place overwhelm by its nature from plants and fishes. The restaurant was closed but the bridge going to the restaurant was always amazing...

The park is closed for renovations as of the moment and they have not yet posted any updates as to when they will re-open again hopefully soon as I would love to take my children there to enjoy the view and interact...