As promised, here’s the second part of my adventure as a wanderlust in Samal Island. You can read PART 1 here

Tripadora became an Island Explorer! This was my first do-it-yourself island hopping tour. I didn’t avail of any tour packages offered. Instead, I tried to arrange the trip for me, my brothers and my lola.

Since Bluwaters Resort has its own boat, we availed the services of the boat. Half-day island hopping costs me Php 3,500 (all four of us). I know it’s a bit pricey and a pain in the pocket but I valued the beauty that my camera can capture more than my torn pocket.

We left the resort at around 8:30 am and started sailing amid the greens and the blues of nature.

Our goal for the day was to see not only the grandeur of the islands but also the underwater treasures of the Coral Garden at Talikud Island, the neighbor of Samal Island.

Talikud Island is a haven of turquoise waters and unspoiled beauty. Locals called it Talikud (Talikud means “at the back”) because it’s literally situated at the back of Samal Island.

Before going to the Coral Garden, we passed by Babusanta Beach, where other island hoppers stop by for lunch.

Photo-Op first with Wish, my Canon D10 before plunging to the waters.  I snorkeled with my brother IG.

Check out the magnificent treasures underwater. Too bad, we didn’t find Nemo. We forgot to bring bread crumbs to attract the school of fish.

Snorkeling was indeed tiring. So don’t forget to bring water and bananas to boost your energy.

Another wonder at Talikud Island is the rustic beauty of Isla Reta.  Isla Reta is divided into two parts. At Isla Reta 2, you can find a small cave and can catch a glimpse of wild birds.

Here’s a photo of a wild bird (sorry, I don’t know what specie this is.) caught by Rash, my Canon 450d. Due to the limited capacity of my lens, this was the best that I can get.

Meanwhile Isla Reta 1 has cottages and boasts a stretch of fine white sand. We didn’t spend much time here  so I’d definitely return for a beach camping!

Of course, we didn’t forget to pass by the world famous Pearl Farm Resort. And since I didn’t have the budget yet to experience Pearl Farm, I just captured it in photos.  Here’s a photo of the Samal Houses.

I must admit, I’m a photoholic. So here’s a stream of photos of the eye-candy sights that I captured.

Samal and Talikud Islands definitely struck me. I shall return just like McArthur!

Beautiful is an understatement. The Island Garden City of Samal is enchanting! The wanderlust in me led me to see one of Mindanao’s treasure island.

When I drafted my itinerary for a trip to Davao, I made sure I had Samal Island on my list of places to go to. Samal Island lies in the Davao Gulf and is just minutes away from Davao City. Even if you’re on a tight schedule, you can still visit this island.

Let me count the reasons why you should go to Samal Island:

1. Hop from one island to another and capture the unspoiled beauty of the islands like Samal’s small neighbor, Talikud Island.

2. Swim in the turquoise waters

3. Snorkel and see the underwater wonders

4. Nature trip at Hamiguitan Falls

5. See the Monfort Bat Cave where the largest colony of fruit bats reside. It even landed on the Guiness Book of World Records.

6. Ride the Habal-habal and experience the thrill.

Check out my next post for our island hopping, underwater, and Hamiguitan adventures.

How to go to Samal Island

You have a number of options in going to this island.

1. Since we reserved a room at Bluewaters Beach Resort, we went to the Marina Wharf, Lanang Beach Club where Danica, the boat of the resort is docked. Lanang Beach Club, located at Lanang, Davao, is six kilometers away from Davao City.

Lanang Beach Club is also the docking area of the boat going to the world-class Pearl Farm Resort.

Pick-up time is 7:00am. If other guests are riding with you, then you don’t have to pay P200 to go to the resort.

Travel time from Lanang, Aplaya to Bluewaters is about 10 minutes.

2. Another option is to ride a ferry at Sta. Ana Wharf at Magsaysay Park. Fare is 50 pesos. Or ride a bus going to Samal Island at Magsaysay Park.

Accommodation

Blue Waters Beach Resort

I chose this resort since their prices are affordable.  The apartel room costs 1,800 pesos for two persons and you just need to add 300 pesos in case of an extra person. It’s not your A-class resort but the rooms are decent and the people are friendly.

The staff even helped us in our inland and island hopping tour. I’ll tell more about it in my next post.

But what I didn’t like is the FOOD. It’s not that delicious and it’s quite expensive. It’s better to bring your own food. Two BBQ sticks with rice and mango cost around P180.

The airconditioned room of the Apartel at Bluewaters is small but clean. The comfort room is clean as well.

The shaded dining area is a plus point to this resort. It also has a garden where you can sit and reflect.

But my favorite spot in this resort is Jack’s Cove! It’s located on the shoreline of the resort where you can sit and read a book or take a nap.

More photos of the resort:

Visit the local government website of Samal Island for more info:

http://samalcity.gov.ph/

Tunnels always appear to be mysterious with the way they are associated with history. Hence, the Japanese Tunnel made it to my list of places to see in Davao City.

Located at Ma-a Diversion Road, the 250-kilometer long Japanese Tunnel can be a stop-over before going to the famous Philippine Eagle Center in Calinan. That’s what we did.

I was surprised to see a restaurant and a pool beside the tunnel. My previous researches online didn’t mention that the tunnel is now within a resort.

We ate our lunch at the restaurant, which  didn’t offer Japanese food. lol. I was really expecting that they will offer Japanese food since they are promoting the Japanese Tunnel. They serve Filipino cuisine at affordable prices. A group meal of five viands (good for 6 pax) costs us Php 950 or Php 158.50 each. For internet addicts, you will love the resto for their free wifi.

After feeding our appetite, we paid an entrance fee of 50 pesos each (adults). The entrance fee for kids costs Php 20. (Previous researches noted that the fee for the tunnel was Php 10.)

At the entrance, I saw a tarpaulin with a short history of the place. It says that the Japanese Tunnel was excavated by Filipino war prisoners under the Japanese Imperial Army in 1942. The tunnel was a hiding place of the Japanese during World War II.

But it was only in 1960 when the tunnel was discovered. The development of the Ma-a Diversion Road led to its discovery. Ammunitions, bayonets, and paper bills were among those unearthed. The paper bills were displayed at the entrance. Imagine– a five-peso bill during the Japanese period resembled a dollar.

Unlike other tunnels, this one was somehow well-lit. But seeing statues inside the tunnel saddened me. The essence of history was somehow lost by placing replicas. It should have been preserved rather than renovated. For photography purposes, it adds color but it degrades the value of history.

Admittedly, it’s good for photo-ops. But I do hope that the management will improve their services by giving more importance on the place’s history.