House Above the Sea

What’s the one thing that Dabawenyos always boast about to their out-of-town visitors? The city’s proximity to beach resorts, for sure. The coastlines of Samal Island are dotted with various beach resorts now, but when it comes to having a range of activities on offer, very few stand out like the Maxima Beach House and Maxima Aqua Fun.

Whether you’re staying overnight or just for the day, you’ll find something to amuse yourself at Maxima. Or you can just chill out and enjoy the sun. If you love the world under the sea, take a look at some of the wonders to be seen underwater:

If you’re not a certified diver, you can instead do “intro dives” at Maxima for less than a thousand bucks. They have a full-service dive shop with four dive masters and dive guides and a complete complement of equipment. Incidentally, you can also get yourself scuba certified (SDI, PADI, or NAUI) through the Carabao Dive Center and do your check-out dives at Maxima.

Love the water but not into scuba diving? Maxima’s got a jetski and a banana boat that’ll get your hearts racing! There are also two water slides that both get you landing in the ocean! The guys at Maxima will even capture your thrilling moments on digital video for you.

Would you believe they also have a canopy walk? Above the trees, you can test your mettle by walking a rope bridge from end to end. The view of the gulf of Davao is fantastic!

But it’s not just all fun at Maxima. Environmentally-oriented businessman Sonny Dizon, who operates Maxima Beach, has embarked on several marine conservation efforts, in order to contribute to the development of Samal as a true eco-tourism destination. The transplantation (or re-seeding) of giant clam, which is endemic to the waters of Samal but has all but gone extinct due to overfishing, is one commendable endeavor by the Dizons. Diving recently at Maxima, my dive buddy took this video of a patch of transplanted Tridacna gigas, thriving at a depth of about 15 feet:

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0CRGGLHC1Ew&w=570&rel=0]

You can tell that the Dizons are focused on protecting the marine environment because they do their best to educate their patrons on the value of preserving coral colonies and other marine life. Sonny Dizon is also working on getting coastline communities (in Samal and in Davao) to stop dumping plastics into the sea.

Maxima Beach, which is located in Peñaplata district, is about 45 minutes away by motorized banca from Davao City’s Sta. Ana Pier (the old wharf beside Magsaysay Park). They have their own boat, which leaves the pier everyday at 9:00am. For more information, please call (82)300-8636, 286-8883. Click here for Maxima’s website.

Leticia by the Sea at night

Recently, the owners of the resort — who, by the way, also operate Casa Leticia, Tsuru Japanese Restaurant and Hanoi Vietnamese Cuisine — hosted a group of bloggers and photographers to an overnight stay, which all of us thought was close to an enchanted experience. (Disclosure: I am related to the resort owners.)

Leticia by the Sea markets itself as an exclusive resort, which groups can “own for a day,” so to speak. Their most popular package is for groups of 20 who stay for a night or two and they get to have the run of the place exclusively.

I will let the following photos tell you more about the resort:

The idea is to get your friends or your family (or your organization) to own the island resort while you’re all there, with no strangers except for the resort attendants who are there to keep you reasonably comfortable. There are modern amenities that you might expect from a resort, such as clean running water in the bathrooms, privacy when needed, air-conditioning. There’s no wi-fi (yet), but I’m happy to report that all the mobile carriers do reach the resort and broadcast 3G Internet signals.

Aside from lounging and enjoying the idyllic ambiance of Leticia by the Sea, there are plenty of other activities for everyone on the resort. There are kayaks, jet ski, thrilling inflatable rides, snorkeling gear, and even an aquatic trampoline. But the best marine pursuit for me at the resort is scuba diving.

Just in front of the resort is a vibrant undersea ecosystem. Again, I will let the photos below do the talking. The first set are photos by resort proprietor, Ray de la Paz.

This next set is by one of Davao’s best photographers, Bing Peña.

(For even more awe-inspiring photography of undersea life in Davao’s waters, you must check out Steve de Neef’s account of the recently-concluded Philippine Seafari – Davao edition. He has a breathtaking collection of macro shots that will make you want to take up scuba diving and spend all your weekends underwater!)

That day we went diving, the sun was ablaze and visibility was excellent, which made for great photography and hours’ worth of underwater wonderment. It was pure pleasure observing delightful sea creatures and schools of varicolored tropical fish. (What I’d like to be able to do next is dive at night, when the undersea environment is bound to be drastically different and mysterious.)

The resort does not have its own scuba diving facilities. However, it’s very easy to engage the services of dive shops in Davao City. The Leticia by the Sea staff can arrange this for your group if you indicate that you’d like to go diving while at the resort.

Sunset cruise

One other activity that I vigorously recommend is their Sunset Cruise. You and your pals are taken by speedboat to the mouth of Samal Strait to view the sun as it sets behind Mt. Apo, with drinks and eats and soothing music on board.

To get to this tropical paradise, you have two options: go in style by speedboat, or by commercial ferry (which takes a little more than an hour). Either way, you will have to book in advance, because the resort does not allow walk-ins. Call +63(82)224-0501 or visit the beach resort’s website for more information.

They also offer day trips… But that’s not a good idea, because once you’re on the island, you’re definitely going to want to stay!

Here are other blog posts about Leticia by the Sea Beach Resort:

• BYAHILO: Ito ang trip ko!
• Life Online
• Dabaw Pinoy
• lost… in Davao!
• Shuttered Identity
• JuanDerPul PINOY

It should be said right away, Canibad isn’t for resort-goers. It’s more for the adventure-seeking types, because the “beach resorts” there offer little more than basic accommodations with the barest of facilities. But that’s the charm of the place, in my view. (When I decided to go, it was actually to field-test my new Coleman tent.) There’s no electricity, and only some of the properties have working generators — which means, however, that you’ll have a fantastic view of the stars at night. And a bit of good news: there’s a strong source of spring water, and they’ve been able to draw the sweet water into a rudimentary waterworks system.

My timing was almost perfect when I got to the beach Friday night, because the moon had just been full the previous day. When the large, golden, near-perfect orb began to rise from behind a picturesque outcropping of reefs, the sight was breathtaking. (Too bad I wasn’t able to take pictures of it, as I didn’t have the proper equipment for a night shot.)

The following day, I rose very early and took my first pictures of sunrise. And how glorious it was! You see, the most beautiful few minutes of sunrise cannot be seen from Davao City, because Samal Island blocks the view. But on Canibad Beach, which faces the east, you can witness the morning sun’s first peek above the low horizon.

I needed a brief respite to recharge, and Canibad was, for me, the perfect place to do just that. It’s very far from the hustle and bustle of city life, and it’s not easy to get there. The remoteness allowed me to temporarily break connection from everything, even just for a little while. So, on this idyllic tropical getaway, you can chill out to your heart’s content, soak up the sun, do a little boating… And don’t forget to jump off of the reef cliff!

They say that, if you didn’t jump from that reef into the azure waters, you weren’t able to experience Canibad at all. So, after mustering enough courage — and successfully quelling all fears — I did finally take the plunge! But only once, because the second time I went back up the cliff, I found my knees knocking even harder.

What got me to jump? A school of fish. That’s right: a very large school of very small fish (which locals call bolinao) that intermittently jumped in and out of the water a few times. It was like they were cheering me on. Of course, there were the other people on the cliff, too.

I find it quite refreshing how you can, somehow, easily meet and get to know other weekend warriors in far-off getaways. In Canibad, I chanced upon a big group of youngsters who also came from Davao. They were on the cliff when I met them, and while they were teasing each other, they happily and encouragingly urged me on — to jump a cliff that’s 3 or 4 storeys high!

The rest of my stay on Samal was spent listening to soothing music and chatting with my new friends. They “adopted” me there, so I didn’t have to worry about food or entertainment. Thanks, guys!!

It’s not very easy to get to Canibad Beach, though. From Davao City, you can take the ferry or a banca to Babak, or one of the regular inter-island routes to Peñaplata. From any of the points on Samal, hire a motorbike (with driver) to Canibad Beach, which is in Barangay Aundanao, Peñaplata District of the Island Garden City of Samal. The land trip will set you back around ₱150 and will take about 45 minutes to an hour. Most of the way is rough dirt roads, so be prepared for an unpleasant and bumpy ride. All in all, the trip from Davao City to Canibad will take more or less two hours.

Upon arrival, one more hurdle: a steep climb down a long stairway (which will be hell when you have to climb back up on your way home!). But once you step onto the beach, all your aches and pains will melt away. The off-white sand underfoot is very fine and cool (even at noon). There are lots of pebbles and smooth coral and shells strewn all over the strand. The sea… what can I say? It’s no wonder many call it the source of life. The sea in Canibad is what you’ve always imagined its perfection to be.

Don’t expect much, though, when it comes to dining. You have to bring your own food, otherwise you’ll have to settle for locally-caught fish. You can ask your hosts to cook the food for you, but it won’t be much of a gourmet experience. Like I said, it’s still mostly unspoilt and bare — a state in which I wish Canibad would remain for a few more years.

But–alas!–developers and prospective buyers have already found this tropical retreat. It won’t be long before we see more honest-to-goodness beach resorts out there, which will mean more visitors and a flourishing tourism industry in the near future. Whether that’s good or bad will depend on how you feel about nature, about the environment…

I’m glad I was able to see Canibad while it was still relatively untouched. Hopefully I’ll be able to visit again very soon!

Here are more pictures of my Canibad trip. And to get an idea of the location, here’s a terrain map, courtesy of Google Maps.

View Samal Island in a larger map

ADDENDUM:
Another way to get to Canibad, especially if you’re a big group, is by motorized banca. There are a number of these boats that can accommodate 30 to 50 people in Sta. Ana Wharf, beside Magsaysay Park. Since Canibad is pretty far off, these boat operators will most probably charge a whole-day rate — something in the vicinity of ₱3,500 to 4,500, if I’m not mistaken.

Mati City is the capital of the province of Davao Oriental, and is located about 3 hours (by car) northeast of Davao City. The roads going there are mostly cemented or paved in asphalt so it’s a pretty smooth ride all the way. In terms of economic development, Mati is about 10-15 years behind Davao… but who’s to say, really, if they won’t be able to surprise us and catch up in just a few short years? That depends on the city’s leaders, if they have the political will… but that’s another story altogether. The important thing to consider now is, Mati — despite its bucolic atmosphere — has the modern comforts that one might look for: Internet access, reliable phone lines, 24-hour convenience stores, and the like.

What Mati is known for are the beautiful beaches that dot the city’s coastline. Dahican, Botona and a couple of other spots are excellent nature getaways, and become surfing havens around September and October. For family overnight vacations (if you don’t mind roughing it out), the Cinco Masao beach resort might be a good choice.

View Larger Map

I’m definitely going back to Mati before the year ends. And from Mati, I’d love to take a road trip to the East Coast. There’s a town called Cateel (pronounced katee-il), north of Mati. It’s where my paternal grandmother hails from, and I’ve never been there — it’s about 6 hours away from Davao City by bus.

For me, aside from the sights (Cateel boasts of Aliwagwag Falls), what’s interesting in Davao Oriental is the prevalence of Dinabaw (or Dabawenyo or Camayo), the native tongue of the Davao region. The name of Davao City’s annual cultural festival, Kadayawan sa Dabaw, comes from the Dinabaw word “madayaw“, which means good or beautiful. This festival is the celebration of everything that’s good & beautiful about my beloved city.

Hopefully, soon, I can make time to go back to Mati and explore as many parts of Davao Oriental as I can!

Here are a few photos that I managed to take during my very brief stint in Mati.

Nestled atop a precipice overlooking Sarangani Bay in Maasim, Sarangani Province, is an alluring place called Lemlunay, which, in the B’laan and T’Boli tongues, roughly means “the good place one goes to in the afterlife”. The Lemlunay Dive Resort is a countryside getaway that will take your breath away, with its rustic ambience, relaxing surroundings, lovingly-prepared cuisine, personalized service… all encompassed by an expansive sea of unspoilt blue.

It is a paradise for nature lovers, but most especially for scuba-diving enthusiasts. The resort itself is still being developed — with only a few guest rooms available at the moment — but the diving facilities they have in place are at par with the ones I’ve seen in high-end resorts. I’m not really a scuba diver, but after an exhilarating intro dive I did there (with Chattee, Lyle, Angel and Leonard), I just might become one soon!

A short distance from the cliff’s side, the bottom of the sea drops dramatically to about 30 feet, then a coral wall presents itself with marine life all a-bustle. The variegated colors on the fish and on the coral is a delight against the backdrop of soft-hued sand and dark-toned rock that dot the seascape. I wanted so much to go deeper and check out the coral wall, but I couldn’t because I’m not yet certified. It was too bad none of us thought of bringing an underwater camera. I’ve actually gone diving twice before already, but before the dive at Lemlunay, I had never seen so many kinds of tropical fish in their natural habitat.

Our group of intrepid bloggers (6 from Davao and 2 from GenSan) were hosted by Sarangani Vice-Governor Steve Solon and his wife Michelle to a sumptuous lunch at Lemlunay, whose amiable queen of the kitchen served each a delectable plate of roasted chicken and grilled gindara peppered with heavenly golden garlic. Oh and there was also steamed pompano (also called dolphin fish and mahi-mahi), served in a rich brown sauce with olives and garnished with tomatoes and spices.

The owner of Lemlunay Dive Resort, Paul Partridge, who is also the head dive instructor, gave us a very colorful interview. He told us about how he built the resort in 2005, and his plans for expansion, which will become reality starting this year. He plans to add more cottages, a recreation room, meeting facilities, and a swimming pool. There is also a separate area that will be completed soon, and this will be for day-trippers. For people who want to get away from the city and learn scuba, Lemlunay could be the perfect destination: learn how to dive from the classroom to the pool to the open sea, all in one place. And be pampered with good food while you’re at it!

The diving operation is a separate entity, and is known as South Point Divers. Judging by the way the dive master and the staff handled our group — and to think they had other guests who were also going to dive — I am confident that they will be able to satisfy any seasoned scuba diver’s needs and whims. And I shouldn’t fail to mention, the more exciting dive spots are reportedly full of marine wonders. Michelle (who is a blogger herself) was telling us that there live a growing school of a rare species of wrasse in the waters of Sarangani Bay, which has in fact been declared a marine sanctuary. Head on over to South Point Divers’ online photo gallery to view spectacular underwater shots.

I’d like to thank Michelle and Vice-Governor Steve for giving us a grand time at Lemlunay, the paradise of Sarangani Bay. And to Paul and Joel, the dive master, for making it possible for us to have a wonderful time underwater! Most especially, in behalf of the bloggers of Davao, General Santos City’s lead blogger, Avel Manansala, deserves our gratitude and admiration for organizing that elating weekend in General Santos and Sarangani Province.

For your GPS locators, here are Lemlunay Dive Resort’s coordinates: 5° 52′ 24.00″ N, 125° 05′ 13.00″ E. From General Santos, Maasim is about half an hour’s drive. You can contact the resort via mobile phone: +63(920)914-9259.