by
Regin Reyno
Mindanao,
one of the three main islands of the Philippines, and dubbed as “The Land of
Promise” due to its natural resources, fertile lands, and no typhoons beyond
signal no. 2, is blessed with wonderful sites worth visiting.
Babak Wharf, Samal Island |
Samal Island is just a few kilometers from the city of
Davao, and is accessible via ferry and pump boats from the ports of Davao City.
Last December, I had the opportunity to visit this famed
island in Davao Del Norte, one of the most-talked-about tourist sites in
Mindanao. It was a family vacation, one of the usual things families do in the
Philippines every Christmas season. My family together with my girlfriend’s was
the ones who went there with me.
It was quite a long queue on a warm afternoon going to the
ferry, a typical December rush. The
smell of sea water, the site of blue aquatic, and seeing the island from where
we were all added up to our exhilaration. We were getting so anxious to get to
the other side. Thoughts of relaxing on the cottages by the beach, water
sports, and swimming were all in our mind that very moment. My 5-month old
nephew began to cry, as if saying, “It’s too hot in here! I want to go to the
other side!”
The distance between Sasa, km. 11 Ferry Terminal in Davao
City to the port of Samal called Babak Wharf is approximately 2 km. It took us
7 minutes aboard the ferry to reach Samal Island.
Samal Island is a vast island measuring 30,130 hectares.
It has its own market, gas station, and convenience store. Many locals live
there too, with a population of 90,291.
On
January 30, 1998,
it was declared a city through the Republic Act No. 8471.
Combining the municipalities of Samal, Babak and Kaputian, the whole island was
named Island Garden City of Samal.
Beach
resorts fill the island. So before going to the island, you must have a beach
resort in mind where to stay to if you don’t want to waste time in searching
for one.
We docked in the island with no specific beach resort in
mind yet to spend our vacation. So we ended up driving around the island in
search for a beach resort that would make our vacation worth-remembering.
It was already 4:00 pm yet still we were
searching for the perfect beach resort to accommodate our adventurous yet tired
souls.
"habal-habal" |
We
wasted no time in checking-in in the resort. Upon seeing it, I know we’ve made
the right choice.
Almost
all beach resorts in the Samal Island have an entrance fee or admission fee,
and a cottage rental fee; those are besides the payment of your hotel room. But
here at Camp Holiday Resort, once you pay your hotel room, you can use all the
cottages of your choice, and there’ll be no entrance fee.
We
spent the night eating our sumptuous dinner by the beach, relaxing, bonding and
story-telling while the gentle, cool December sea breeze caressed our face and
hairs. Unlike the other resorts in the island which was full-packed, this
resort had few visitors during that time, which allowed us to enjoy the peace,
tranquility and bonding moments with each other.
The
moon shone brightly as we witnessed the gentle waves while sitting in the
cottages. We really experienced island life at its best.
As
the older folks went to bed to relax, we younger ones, with energy yet to use,
jumped in the resort’s swimming pool, night swimming, that is. It was a
relaxing treat after the day’s activities. Some enjoyed the night by playing
billiards, one of the resort’s amenities.
Being
in this island is a respite from the busy life in Davao City, a getaway that
doesn’t take much time to travel to.
Camp Holiday Resort. Samal Island |
That view prompted me to prepare a cup of hot
chocolate, sipping it while sitting on the balcony’s chair while enjoying the
view. I can even spot the port of Davao City with all its ferries and ships on
that balcony. That tells me how Samal Island is near Davao City.
That
morning, the plan was to swim in the beach the whole day, as the bluish waters
and white sand kept on inviting us. So before swimming, my parents and I
checked the market for our breakfast. The market is a 5-8 minutes away from our
resort. We took a tricycle in going there.
Tricycle
is one of the public transportations in the island other than the
‘habal-habal”. It’s a good way to explore the island. The minimum fare is Php
10.
As
we rode the tricycle that early morning, I really felt the ambiance of being in
an island. There were few cars and the surrounding was peaceful.
The
market, located in Penaplata, one of the districts in Samal Island, abounded
fresh sea foods, vegetables and some other things that you will basically need.
Since our plan was to have freshly-catch broiled fish for breakfast, we headed
to the fish section of the market where we found lots of freshly catch fish
from the island’s own waters.
There
were lots of options to choose from. And finally we’ve made our choice, yellow
fin tuna, perfect for broiling. That’s one of the good things I love in staying
in an island. It’s the availability of fresh fish for broiling.
The
resort has grills all over wherein you have the opportunity to broil, grill,
and barbecue whatever you want, for free. Just provide your own coals.
The
sight of bluish-green waters and white sand, gentle sea breeze, plus the aroma
of yellow fin tuna over hot coals, o what a beautiful morning, a truly relaxing
break from my daily routine in the city of Bangkok.
As
the cool waters caressed my skin as I dive underwater, my stress from work was
quickly forgotten. As if nature all collaborated in healing my stress. There’s
the cool water, the gentle wind, the swaying coconut trees, white sand, and the
rays of the sun, a truly relaxing experience.
Most
of the coastline of the island is white-sand making it popular among tourists,
both foreign and local. It’s also a top destination for scuba diving,
snorkeling and island hopping, as there are islets surrounding the island. If
you have lots of time, which we didn’t have, it’s great to rent a pump boat and
go to the nearby islets, island hopping, so they say.
As
I gazed on the sky witnessing the sun on top of me, I realized it’s already
almost noon and time for lunch before heading back to Davao City. As what have
mentioned, our time was limited due to hectic schedule, so even if we want to
stay more in the island, we couldn't.
After
devouring our mouth-watering lunch of freshly-catch fish cooked in tamarind
soup with fresh vegetables, tropical fruits and grilled tuna, we headed back to
the city of Davao.
As
my eyes were looking at the island we left behind while on the ferry, thoughts
of a wonderful vacation lingered in my mind, an island paradise in Mindanao
indeed. We promised to dock again in that port called Babak Wharf someday.
Travel Notes
How to Get There
International Visitors
You can fly straight to Davao City from Singapore via SilkAir.
If your port of entry is Manila, you can take domestic flights
from Manila to Davao. Airlines such as Philippine Airlines, Cebu Pacific,
AirphilExpress, and Zest Air have flights to Davao City.
From Cagayan De Oro.
Take a bus from Cagayan de Oro Agora terminal going to Davao City.
Rural Transit has direct trips from Cagayan de Oro to Davao City
You can also take the plane. Cebu Pacific has flights from Cagayan
De Oro to Davao City
From General Santos City
Take a bus from General Santos City going to Davao City. Buses
such as Yellow Bus lines and Holiday Bus have direct trips to Davao city from
GenSan.
In going to
the Island from Davao City, there are three established entry points:
Sta Ana Wharf
It is located near Magsaysay Park. Motorboats
are available to ferry passengers directly to Kaputian and Talikud Island.
You can also arrange an Island Hopping tour in
this port.
Sasa, Km. 11 Wharf
Motorboats are available to ferry passengers
direct to Babak Wharf.
Sasa, Km. 11 Ferryboat Landing
This is where the ferry docks, where buses and
private vehicles board the ferry.
You can also ride the ferry from here even if
you don’t have a vehicle.
The ferry goes directly to Babak Wharf.
Accommodation
There are lots of resorts in the island. Prices
of the room range from
Php 200.00-Php4, 000.00 per night depending on which resort you will stay.
Php 200.00-Php4, 000.00 per night depending on which resort you will stay.
Famous resorts include Pearl Farm, Paradise
Island, Blue Jazz, Camp Holiday Resort, and Mayumi Disney Resort
For Backpackers
and Budget Travelers
Camping is allowed in most of the resorts. Just
pay the entrance fee and you’ll be allowed to setup your tent inside the
vicinity of the resort.
You can also sleep in the cottages of the
resorts. Just don’t forget your sleeping bag or hammock.
Author’s
recommendation: Camp Holiday Resort
Things to
do in Samal Island
1. rock climbing
2. rappelling
3. water sports
4. spelunking
5. explore bat cave
6. joyride around the island (you can rent
motorbikes at Camp Holiday Resort)
7. scuba diving
8. island hopping
9. snorkeling
10. camping
Originally published in
“Expat Travel and Lifestyle” (March 2012 issue)
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