Cateel Bay

Cateel Bay opens toward the eastern coast of Mindanao, where warm tropical water meets a densely wooded interior. The coast receives rain throughout the year, with especially heavy downpours in December and January, so streams descend from the uplands with unusual force. This abundant water sustains the forest and gives the baylands a close relationship with the rivers behind them.

Inland, Aliwagwag Falls forms a striking chain of 84 cascading tiers. Its separate drops range from about two to nearly thirty-four metres, and the full stairway of water reaches a height of roughly 340 metres. The falls occupy a largely undisturbed forest, while the river below runs through thirteen rapids. These features make the catchment more than a quiet backdrop to the coast: its water, rock and vegetation shape both the landscape and the routes followed by people in the valley.

Cateel is remembered as one of Mindanao's earliest municipalities and as a place associated with some of the region's earliest Spanish landings. Along this exposed shore, the forested interior and the history of settlement are joined by the recurring test of tropical weather.