Cagayan de Oro

Cagayan de Oro, Philippines

Cagayan de Oro is a modern, multi-cultural city that lies on the northern shores of Mindanao Island of the Philippines. It has gourmet restaurants, fine hotels and is the shopping capital of the island. Known as the "city of golden friendship" because of the hospitable nature of the kagayanons, Cagayan de Oro always offers a special welcome to visitors, wherever they may come from.

Population:

675,950 (2015)

Currency:

Philippine peso (PHP)
₱10 ~ US$0,19

Emergency Numbers:

911

Opening Hours:

The larger shops tend to be open from around 10am to around 6pm, although smaller shops often open earlier and the large shopping malls for which Cagayan de Oro is famous are usually open well into the evening.

Newspapers:

Mindanao Times
Mindanao Gold Star Daily
Sun Star Daily
Sun Star Cagayan de Oro
Daily Tribune
Philippine Daily Inquirer

The City

The city is known as the ‘Gateway to Northern Mindanao’ because of its key location on the shores of the island. The capital of the Misamis Oriental province and the regional government and commercial centre for Region 10, the northern district of Mindanao Island, Cagayan de Oro is a bustling, cosmopolitan city.

It is home to leading universities, including the Capital University, Xavier University and Liceo de Cagayan University, recognised for their work in medicine and agriculture. They give the city a vibrant edge and a large student population. Bookshops can be found on almost every corner.

The city is surrounded by vast plantations, including those of the Bukidnon province, famous for its pineapples. Not to be confused with the Cagayan province in Northern Luzon or Cagayan islands, the city of Cagayan de Oro can trace its history back to the 1st century AD.

Little remains of the original city due to a fire that destroyed most of its buildings in 1901. As a result, the Plaza Divisoria, a huge area of parks that divide the city, was designed and developed as a fire break. Today, it is where residents can be seen jogging, reading in the sunshine or quietly contemplating. Within the Plaza Divisoria is Bonifacio Park where local soldiers who fought for the country are honoured.

Do & See

The city offers residents and visitors many things, including fine restaurants, great hotels and the chance to enjoy whitewater rafting and kayaking along the Cagayan de Oro river, festivals, golf, spas, museums like the La Castilla Museum and the Museo de Oro, famous for their antiquities, and horse riding or trekking in the Mapawa Nature Park. With many huge malls, the city is also the shopping mecca of the Mindanao region.

Dining

Eating out in Cagayan de Oro can be as extensive or as light as you wish. Many of the local dishes comprise fish marinated in wine, lemon, and spices (such as the popular Kinilaw). Grilled meats and poultry can usually be found on the menus of most eateries as well.

As befits a cosmopolitan city, there are restaurants to suit all tastes. Keep an eye out for French, Italian, Mexican, Indian, and, of course, Oriental eateries. Many restaurants offer al fresco dining.

Below are the best places to eat in Cagayan de Oro, Philippines:

Cafes

Cagayan de Oro has a cafe society lifestyle with many establishments having outside eating areas. The city’s cafes offer a great way to eat quickly and informally while out sightseeing or shopping.

Here are some of the best cafes in Cagayan de Oro, Philippines: