Davao City: The Safest City in the Philippines

Day 2: 08 September 2015

We left La Familia Beach Resort around 9:00am by the help of Kuya Roel. There are daily trips and many boats leaving for Davao City from Babak Port since it was the nearest port to the city. Some of the passengers lives in Samal Island and are working at different establishments in the city. The boat costs 13.00php per person and after paying, you need to log your name at their records. The ride was fast which was around 15 to 20 minutes and we arrived at Sasa Port. It's situated at the back of a wet market and might get you confused on how you'll be able to get out to the main road. Just follow where the people are going or you may ask the local sellers too.

Sasa Port

We are not familiar on how we can go to Red Planet so we decided to just ride a taxi. Taxis and jeepneys are everywhere when you get to the main road.

Tip: Better have your research or a map on where you need to go to avoid hassle or remember the landmarks, It's actually helpful if you have 3G on your phone :)

We passed by SM Lanang and our hotel happened to be just beside Robinson's Supermarket. Our taxi meter until the hotel was 130php which fair enough due to the distance and traffic.

I wanted to compliment Red Planet Davao's staff were very hospitable and helpful as I can say. They would always greet every guest with a smile and friendly tone. We were well accommodated with out early check-in request around 11:00am. However, there are no new towels yet since these are distributed at the regular check-in time. After sleeping on non-air conditioned and non-comfy beds, we found ourselves enjoying the cold room with soft bedding and pillows. We rested for a while before we go out and do our itinerary for the day.

Red Planet Hotel's Front Desk

By 12:00nn, we got out of the hotel to go to Eden Nature Park. We have researched that they have a lot of recreational activities just in one place. We rode a jeep until Gaisano Mall for the guard at Red Planet said that there are jeepneys passing by going to Toril. But when we asked the people there, they said that we need to ride another jeep until Aldevinco. Since it's already lunch time, we stopped by an eatery where you can get a jumbo 1 piece fried chicken with rice for only 28php ONLY! Cool yeah! Anyway, we left the eatery with a full stomach and happy pockets.  We rode a multicab with a sign going to Roxas and we asked the driver to drop us in front of Aldevinco where there are lots of jeepneys waiting for us going to Toril.

As per instructions in the previous blogs that I have read, we need to go down at Chowking facing Mercury Drug in Toril where tricycles are waiting for those who are going to Eden Nature Park. The fare was 100php/person for an almost 20 minutes ride.

Tricyle around Toril

After we were dropped off at the reception area, we immediately registered and paid for the entrance worth 220php each with plated snacks. This was required for every visitor as per asking the lady on the reception but I actually have some doubts. Anyway, you better ask this again when you visit the nature park especially of you're only up for the rides. You will be given a voucher for your snacks plus a guide map for the park has various recreational activities scattered at the 80-hectare attraction.

Reception Area's Facade

It suddenly drizzled when we arrived and so we decided to eat first. We went to the park's restaurant which is The Vista Restaurant. They have selections for their snacks, we opted for a spaghetti with garlic bread and a caramel bar plus one glass of soft drinks.

Inside Vista Restaurant

Our plated snacks

After eating, the rain poured a little harder and as per the lady on the desk, rides are put into a halt due to the weather. It was already 2:45pm and we are worried that the we might not be able to make it for the rides are sometimes until 4pm only. At last, the rain stop and we proceeded to the other side of Eden where the rides are.

At the desk, you will have the prices shown and you can get to choose which activity would you like. Since we wanted to make the most out of our trip, we chose the Combo Package (Skyrider + Skycycle) for 300php each  and the Tandem Swing for 400php for 2 persons. This is 150php less if you are getting the three activities individually.

Be sure to have your harness and helmet on by going to the harness area before going to each activity. We started with the Skyswing first. We sat at the swing side-by-side and was given instructions to expect 3 whistles before we face our fears. Two whistles as warning, and the last whistle is to signal you that they will let the rope go and BAM! By the way, this swing stands 95 feet above ground and you will be pulled 80 feet high. I can say that you will REALLY feel the adrenaline rush once you try this. (Have your phones/cameras ready and give it to the attendant to have your screams recorded. The attendants sure know how to take videos and pictures at the same time. Awesome!)

Here we go!!

We headed to the harness area after our Skyswing experience to have our harnesses changed for they use different ones for the Skycycle and Skyrider. It was my first to try out the Skycycle and I was very excited. While cycling 60 feet above ground, you will see a panoramic view of beautiful trees. The ride would last for about 4 to 6 minutes and will depend on how fast you pedal. Below the Skycycle, there's the Skyrider which is 400m long. This is 200m going to the other and another 200m going back.

Let's do some cycling

Skyrider-ing

I can say that the long trip was indeed worth it for we enjoyed the rides plus having received a good service from the attendants. After the rides, we explored some of the areas inside the park. Just follow the map when you are inside and you are good to go!

Going back to the main road in Toril, we rode another tricycle parked just outside the park for 90php each. The driver dropped us off near a public market where jeepneys going back to Roxas are waiting. We hopped on the jeepney and paid 20php per person which was also the same going to Toril from Roxas. It's actually not that hard to commute around Davao as long as you ASK people politely, yes? So don't forget to include Eden Nature Park on your list when you visit Davao.

Samal Island: One of Davao's Best Islands

Day 1: 07 September 2015

We woke up early to have our trip to Samal Island as scheduled at 8:30am. Kuya Rey, a driver whom Ms. Laura talked to to pick us up, was waiting at one of the open cottages near the "Reception" area before we arrive. Going back to the port was such a challenge since the road was uphill and very rocky that I needed to go down the habal-habal so Kuya Rey can drive up. I was left the middle of the "forest-like' setting and I got the chance to observe what''s around me. I can hear the birds whistling and the wind whispering in my ear. It was so peaceful. After a few minutes, I heard the sound of the motor and Kuya Rey was back to get me. Well, that was the only challenge for that ride. Haha Oh yeah, please don't forget to wear your sunblock every time you're wearing a sleeveless shirt. I was wearing one and I forgot to put on my sunblock. After the ride, the sun already made a mark on my skin. LOL.

Sta. Cruz Port in Talicud Island

At 9:00am, we arrive at Sta. Cruz port and saw that there was one boat leaving for Kaputian. That time, there were still no passengers aboard. We talked to one of the locals there who was also going to Kaputian and he told us that the boat will leave as soon as it is full. To kill some time, we roamed around the market just beside the port to buy our food for the day. The tinderas there was actually nice and helpful. I would recommend that you should buy food in the local markets to save some for your travel. Here's what we bought:

Fried chicken  - 40.00 php (2 large thigh parts)
Corned beef - 28.00 php (1can)
Dried fish (daing) - 25.00 php (1 pack with 2 pcs. of fish)
Coffee - 7.00 php (1 pack)
Milo - 7.00 php (1 pack)

Total: 107.00 php 

It was almost 10:00am, the boat was barely half full of passengers. Me and Nash were feeling a bit frustrated and wanting to just pay for the empty seats. But we are traveling on a budget so we just prayed for more passengers. While waiting, I noticed some children who were playing by the parked boats. They are actually also asking tourists to drop coins to the water for them to dive for. Take note, there's also a little girl included to the group. (Girl power!) Oh well, I wonder where are the parents of these children and that they allow this for their kids to do. Around 11:00am, the boat took off after a group of tourists came and joined us. (Oh thank God!) We paid 35.00php per person. The trip lasted for only 15 to 20 minutes and voila! We arrived at Kaputian port.

They were right, the sand and the beach in this part of Samal was very beautiful. Just like in Talicud Island, the sands were powdery white and the waters are teal-like in color. At the port, our boat driver had contacted a habal-habal driver for us to be dropped off Coracay Beach Resort. Our driver was okay but our fault that we were not able to ask for the price. Due to our hunger and the intense heat, we were eager to go straight to the resort to rest. It was almost an hour long of a ride from Kaputian to Brgy. Limao. We have passed several barangays with small stores where you can grab something to eat. On our way to the resort, we drove down a small road that was not yet developed. It was muddy and lots of puddles of mud which made it hard for our driver. And that moment came when we had a flat tire that we have to walk on our way to the resort. (Mind our hunger!!) Kuya (I have never asked his name) said that he'll just follow us to the resort after he got his tire fixed. We agreed and walk towards that muddy road where we don't know if the resort is already near or what. We asked questions to the guards of the resorts that we have passed by and thought of just getting a room if it's cheap enough. However, all of them were saying that Coracay was still far and their rates were out of our budget!

Anyway, we walked by La Familia Beach Resort and decided to check their rates. On the outside, we saw their rates and their cheapest was around 1,500-2,000php per night for a regular room. Thank you to my partner in in adventure, Nash, she was able to haggle our room for just 1,000php per night since we are not going to stay for long and we will be leaving early the next day. We got the Havana that was a non-aircon room which was good for about 10 people. Not bad.

Inside the Havana

Some of the open cottages - Bali Uno

Now that our habal-habal driver lost his tire, we have to look for a new driver to tour us to the Hagimit Falls and Vanishing Island. Kuya Buboy, La Familia's caretaker, recommended to us Kuya Roel who just lives beside the resort. We ate lunch (the chicken we bought at the port plus the rice we asked for Kuya Buboy to cook for) and freshen up before our tour. By 3:00pm, we headed to Hagimit Falls as what Kuya Ryan said so we can catch the sunset at the Vanishing Island. We were very fortunate with Kuya Roel because he was very honest and gave us a reasonable price for our tour.


First Stop: Hagimit Falls

Before you can enter, there would be paying entrance fees twice. First - upon entrance of the habal-habal (10.00php) then second - for the city ordinance where you need to also log your name as one of the visitors (40.00php per person). Kuya Roel was left outside and wait for us while we explore.

For your reference - Habal-Habal fares from Hagimit Falls

Let's go down!

Hagimit Falls - composed of several waterfalls where you may get to swim and also slide your way down to the next pool of water. They have several cottages here and also a place to stay overnight. At first sight, you might get lost with several paths but there are a lot of signs leading you to the falls so worry not. We just took photos and checked out the different pools of water where people were enjoying.

Rates:

2 to 7 years old - 20.00php
8 year old and above - 40.00php

Second Stop: Vanishing Island

We were so excited to to go to this beautiful island of Davao due to its sandbar and intriguing fact that it vanishes. Kuya Roel has it's own contact for us to rent the boar going to the island. Yes, you have to have a contact for a boat to get there. For us, we agreed for a price of 500php which we thought was not bad because we are again lucky because the tide was low and the island is visible. (Yey!) As we were sailing towards the island, I noticed that even when we were already far away from the shore, some parts were shallow enough that I can see the bottom.

We alight the boat which was parked just on the side of the island. There were other group of people that were staying for a day and us. We got to enjoy and savor what this place has to offer. Mangroves were everywhere. The sand was kind of coarse but it did not stopped us from walking our way to the other end.

We were able to catch the sunset, though its a bit cloudy, it was still very beautiful to witness.

By the way, we paid 50php as an environment fee. Once your on the island, someone will arrive (via boat as well) to ask for your payment. For those who wanted to stay for the entire day, Kuya Roel said that the house on this island was for rent for groups.

Well that summed up our second day of adventure. Our next stop would be Davao City. See you on my next post!

Talicud Island: The Other Part of Davao

09 September 2015: Day 0

Me and my colleague, Nash had been very excited about this trip for it's both our first time to visit Davao. Since most of the people would like to enjoy the city, we decided to go the nearby islands of the province. We planned our itinerary months before and we were researching for the best things to do, best places to go in Davao.

Our flight was via Cebu Pacific on a Sunday at 5:00 in the morning. Our flight got delayed for about an hour but it then it was a smooth flight. We arrived at Davao past 7:00am. Our first stop was Samal Island and according to our research, there are several ways on going to this known island. Sasa and Sta. Ana wharves were our options but we opted for the later since there are several trips from Davao City to Kaputian (a part of Samal Island that this less developed). We walked towards the front part of the airport where the cabs are waiting. People were right, cab drivers are fair drivers though the once we rode with was a bit quiet or maybe shy. Anyway, the wharf was about a 20-minute ride from the airport. We arrived before 9:00am which I thought just in time to catch the boat to Kaputian. But to our surprise, the boatmen (I don't how to call those people who are in-charge of each boat) said that the next boat will be arriving by noon! (Oh my, that's 3 more hours of waiting!) The Sta. Ana wharf was not the usual port that has a ticketing office so you have to talk to the people there to know which boat to take for each destination. To cut the story short, we opted to take Andro, a boat heading towards Isla Reta. Isla Reta is located in Talicud Island which is just beside Samal Island. The boat was large enough to accommodate about a hundred passengers and during this day, many people are on board for their Sunday getaway. For this more-than-an-hour trip, we paid 80php per head.

Isla Reta Beach Resort is indeed one of the best beaches in Talicud or maybe in the Philippines. With their shore of white sands and clear waters, many people are visiting to relax and to enjoy the nature. Isla Reta Beach Resort has several types of accommodation and you may approach their Reception for inquiries. Budget travelers may opt to bring or rent a tent for overnight stays. Check their Facebook page for more details!

Docking at Isla Reta Beach Resort

Isla Reta

While we were at the boat, I was already contacting Dayang Beach Resort where we opted to stay for one night. Good thing that there was an internet signal in the middle of the sea. (haha!) I spoke to Ms. Laura, the resort's caretaker, which was helpful when I asked for their availability and resort details. She even gave me a contact number of a habal-habal driver to pick us up at Isla Reta. However, due to a motor problem, a different driver picked us up named Kuya Ryan. He met us at the gate of the resort and from there, we rode a habal habal. I can say, he was a very good driver because some roads a VERY steep and at the same time, rocky too! He was able to drop us safely in Dayang Beach Resort and we paid him 160 PHP for that one-way ride.

We arrived at the resort around 11:00am and headed to a sari-sari store which happened to be the "reception" area for guests. Ms. Laura was there and we asked for the cheapest room that they have.

(c) Nash :)

Rates starts from 500php and up. We chose the second cheaper room which is 700php per night. While waiting for our room, a fisherman approached us to sell his fresh catch of fish. I am not sure what you call that kind of fish but it was big and enough for 4 people to eat for only 100php. Good deal right?

The facade of our home

From the inside

Dayang feels so comfortable and relaxing to be at. If you want a run away from the hustle and bustle of the city, this is one place to go to. Just like Isla Reta, this resort offers white sands and beautiful waters. However, there are a lot of small rocks and shells near the shore so be careful while you walk along. But this did not lessen the beauty of the island. 

Since it is still lunch time and the sun is very striking, we ask Ms. Laura to have our fish be cooked while we rest inside our mini home. Yes, you can ask help from the resort staff to cook food for your with just a small fee. There are no other source of food aside from the fishermen or the sari-sari store in the resort. So before you go here, you may buy some food to be cooked or cooked food in the market near the Sta. Cruz port which is the main port in Talicud. It is a short walk outside Isla Reta. Going back, when you want the staff to cook food for you, better tell them an hour before you want to eat to save time and also that you stomach would not get angry. Haha!

Let's eat! (Fish - 100php + Rice - 50php + Cooking Fee - 50php)

We roamed around the island around 5:00pm just the before the sunset. From Dayang, we walked toward Babu Santa Beach where the usual stopovers of tourists that go island hopping during the day.

Ruins of an old port

Babu Santa Beach (c) Nash

Waking up with the sound of the waves and the birds humming was a kind of morning that I missed about this. Having limited signal made me connect more to nature. 

To those who are planning to go here, please take note of the following:

- Can only be reached via habal-habal where only 2 persons can ride at a time

- Contact Ms. Laura at 0999 459 1319 and ask for availability

- Bring some canned goods or cup noodles to save money for food

- Bring power banks for your gadgets. No socket in the huts. BUT you may bring socket adaptors and use it on the light bulbs

- No electricity from midnight up to 9am

- You can buy drinking water, rice (to be cooked) and other quick goods at the sari-sari store

- Water from the faucets at the common restrooms are pumped from the beach. You may buy water for brushing your teeth and taking a bath at the sari-sari store.