WHAT TO SEE

Municipality of Compostela, like any other places locally, features with a magnificent blending of multi-faceted cultures that would mirror its uniqueness from others. Its tourism transcends beyond the scope of mere traveling and likewise involves unquantifiable dimensions such as motivation, experience and education. Its tourism industry, this municipality, as an economic activity, linkages with such diverse activities like manufacturing, food processing/meat processing, environment and agriculture, among others; it also has impacts on the natural and social resources. 

          Tourism planning is primarily focus on the identification of local attractions or areas that have tourism potential to generate tourist traffic. Those which have cultural and educational value or those with recreational or leisure value shall be high in the priority list of tourism development. 

          The development of the tourism sector is a major local objective of the Local Government of Compostela, thinking that it is lucky enough if its tourism falls within the provincial or national priority for tourism development. However, if it does not fall within priority tourist areas, the local government would still be worthwhile to promote domestic tourism in view of downstream industries and multiplicity of activities connected with this industry that are good sources of income, aside from generating employment for local residents. Because, the Local Government believes that when tourism is properly planned and managed, can be an instrument to enhance national pride in local customs and as a venue to preserve or rebuild the physical environment. 

          Besides, tourism in the Municipality of Compostela views as a means to enhance the value of agriculture and forest resources and can also be considered as an alternative to destructive agricultural, fishing and other resource attractive industries. 

          Generally tourism sites, this municipality, are endowed with natural or manmade physical attributes and resources that are conducive to recreation, leisure and other wholesome experiences educationally and are intended for use of travelers and tourists. 

          These resources are characterized at two levels: the first level of tourist resources are the natural and cultural characteristics indigenous to an area; the second level are the attractions, activities and facilities needed to draw, entertain, and accommodate the tourists and travelers to the area. 

Tourism is but one of the many concerns of the Municipality of Compostela to promote and to recognize. Although, tourism is not a major role to be played by the municipality, yet, its development is on gradually arising. 

The presence of primary inn/lodging house/dormitory and boarding houses, restaurants, bars, and convention venues can cater to domestic and foreign tourists. Through its sanitation scheme of safety  measurement, all constructed establishments such as inn/lodging house/dormitory and boarding houses, restaurants, bars and convention venues abide the rules and regulations  prior to the construction of the establishments on the safety measures and sanitation among the occupants nor travelers.   

The presence of communication facilities such as PHILCOM, BONGAO CABLE Network, the cell sites of GLOBE, SMART and My DSL, the emerging of internet cafes like: TNET, FINGERNET and many more to mention support fully the gradual progress of the Compostela town. 

 Moreover, Municipality of Compostela celebrates its colorful, spirited, and bountiful BUGANIHAN FESTIVAL every 1^st day of August intertwined with the Araw ng Compostela. This celebration depicts the aura of the people of Compostela its culture, heritage, and practices as salutation to the native living indigenous people, the so-called Mandayas. Besides, this celebration makes all entire constituents to be one at all times in cooperation, unity, and mutual understanding, where all different sectors meet together both Christians and Muslims and even the minorities. Many visitors visited during this week-long celebration. Meanwhile, the ANDUGAN FESTIVAL is an indigenous festivity of the Mandaya tribe. It is celebrated on the month of December. Its activity portraits the worthiness and culture of Mandaya tribes, their dances show their culture in different aspects of life. Nonetheless, the town of Compostela will always be thankful as they celebrate its Parochial Town Fiesta in honor of Sr. Santiago Apostol. There are a lot of socio-civic activities ventured upon by the Local Government of Compostela just to invite people from nearby towns to witness the celebration done by its sectors. 

The Municipality of Compostela has proudly present the ‘One Town, One Product’ commonly known as “IBUS”, where all visitors could buy and bring it at home for their loved ones. 

The specifications mentioned above are attractions and activities facilities found in the locality. 

On the other hand, wildlife flora and fauna are still visible for nature trekkers in on second growth forest environment situating within the ancestral domain of the Municipality of Compostela. It is rich in bio-diversity particularly the indigenous plants. Numerous plants are identified by the local inhabitants known to have a therapeutic value. Though intensive documentation conducted as to the enumeration of indigenous animals in the ancestral domain, existing too many of those is still noticeable. These native birds do play a very important role in the perpetual formation of the symbiotic existence in their habitat with the rest of the living organisms thrived therein notwithstanding to their importance to the cultural dimension of the tribal people of Compostela, the Mandayas. 

Also, identified wildlife sanctuaries are found in Barangays Ngan, Mangayon and Panansalan. Such areas are mossy forests in Puting Bato and Mt. Tambuyong in Barangay Ngan, which considered as the old growth forest and Kumaykay Falls of Barangay Panasalan wherein some endangered animal species can be found such as agila (Philippine eagle), tarsius (Philippine tarsier), baboy-damo (Philippine warty pig), binaw (Philippine deer), kuwago (Philippine grass owl), milo (Flying lemur), and halo/ibid (Monitor lizard). 

The forest land of Compostela has endowed with diverse species of flora such as anahaw, rattan, anotong (Tree fern), apitong, red and white lauaan, mayapis, narra, molave, angelo, ilang-ilang, anonang, mahogany, bagras, acacia, falcatta, and mangium.   

Other natural features that exist within the Municipality of Compostela are the Matin-aw cave found in Barangay Mangayon, Magtunob falls, Pansan falls, Durian Bato falls, and Tagbubunlas falls are located at Barangay Ngan, and Kumakaykay falls and Pyagkawayan falls in Barangay Panansalan. Tingale falls and Marbel spring at Barangay San Miguel and Hot spring at Barangay Osmeña. However, existence of road is passable only by man or single motor.