Balay Cuyunon Museum

After learning how the Cuyunons reached the mainland, you can then find out how they lived (and, in some cases, continue to live). The Balay Cuyunon Museum along Sibaltan's beachfront is a place where you can do exactly that. The museum features a replica of a traditional Cuyunon house, fully-furnished with tools and décor, some of them authentic. From the living room to the bedroom, to the kitchen which is separated by a bridge, you can not only see how the Cuyunons lived, but also experience it – the museum is interactive, after all. If you’re up for it, this place lets you bang on the drum that Cuyunon mothers used to call their children home, or try on a one-of-a-kind raincoat made from thick plant leaves woven together. Launched in 2012, the museum was put up not only for travelers who want to immerse themselves in a new culture, but also for the younger generations of Cuyunons who need to know where they came from. According to Enrico Cabiguen, the man who spearheaded the project, it’s important for young Cuyunons to know about their own cultural heritage and be proud of it. True enough, the guides who will take you around the museum are young Cuyunons themselves. There is something quietly wonderful about learning of the tribe’s traditions from the very people who inherited it.