Island Garden City of Samal: The Waiting Paradise

Merry Obrey A. Seballa

The new attraction of Davao, apart from the enthralling orchids, abundant fruits, strong-
smelling durian, and scintillating gold, is the Island Garden City of Samal. This place is made
up of Samal Island and the smaller Talikud Island in the Davao Gulf, making it a part of the
Mindanao Island group. IGaCoS is like a waiting paradise for everyone who craves a break
from any frenzied environment. Don’t you know that the Island Garden City of Samal is
considered the largest resort city in the Philippines? Currently, there are 85 registered resorts
with a combined inventory of about 1,000 rooms. 
Samal Island’s water is crystal clear throughout the seashore, the terrain of which varies from
gently sloping sandy beaches to steep cliffs and rock formations. Color alteration happens as
the coastline at the beach areas turns from the green lush vegetation of coconut trees to the
white sandy beaches, to the dark blue color of the sea, with its bottomless waters and coral
reefs.
If you wanted to escape from the hassle and chaotic place where you lived, Island Garden
City of Samal is the best place for you. It’s ineffable. It has lovely beaches sprinkling the
place’s shores, and hills are dominating the middle portions of the island. Visitors will surely
have a feast day taking in the Island’s unending charm with its white-sand beaches, well-
preserved coral reefs, thick mangroves, rock formations, and rolling hills. Located in the
Davao Gulf, about 700 meters south of Davao City, Samal Island is an archipelago of nine
islands. Its location provides a fabulous site for sunrise and sunset.
There are various Samal guided tours that you can avail of when visiting the place. The tour
covers the following places: Talicud, Angel’s Cove, Coral Garden, Babu Santa, Diaz Island,
Wishing, Dayang Beach, Samal Mariculture, Kaputian Beach, Malipano, Taklobo Sanctuary,
Dela Paz Islands, and many more. 
The Island also offers a wide-ranging array of activities that will surely electrify you. You
can take a slope at the Vanishing Island in Barangay Tambo before it dissolves when the tide
gets high. This is one of the best destinations I have ever visited on this Island tho. The place
is truly magnificent. 

If swimming on the beach is not your cup of tea, you can also go mountain climbing at Mt.
Putting Bato with an elevation of approximately 1,362 feet above sea level. Recently, a new
trekking site has been popular due to its breathtaking view, namely: Mt. Lantawan, and
Tagaytay View. 

Like all the other islands in Mindanao, Samal Island lies outside the typhoon belt and enjoys
comparatively calm weather. With a shoreline defined by tall, swaying coconut trees, white
sand beaches, rock formations, mangroves, coral reefs, and small fishing villages, one cannot
make a mistake of seeing a tropical island paradise waiting for you to come. 
Since we are all in a new normal, if you are planning to visit the Island, always take note of
the guidelines and health protocols that they are imposing for the safety of the residents and
the visitors of course. 
Aside from that, you can also take hold of a free fall in the natural swimming pools of
Hagimit Falls, or experience an adrenaline rush with the giant tarpaulin slide of Maxima
Resort Aqua Fun which will bring you down into the sea. If you can afford, you can also laze
around all day at the luxurious Pearl Farm Beach Resort, or enjoy the challenges of
windsurfing, water polo, jet-skiing, water-skiing, banana boat rides, scuba diving, sea
kayaking, Hobie Cat, surfing, and even underwater photography offered by some big resorts
in the Island. 

If you want even more concord and quiet than what Samal Island can offer and want to be
lost in your thoughts, I suggest you head out to the bordering island of Talicud. The name
itself suggests that the island is located at the back of Samal. Talikud Island is located
southwest of the main island. It can be slightly fiddly to get there especially when you do it
very late in the afternoon or early evening (the waves tend to be stronger as well) but you will
fall in love with this beauty the moment you step on it. One particular resort (which still
maintains a natural setup) allows you to pitch your tent and cook your own food making it
perfect for budget travelers!

namely: (a) Kabasan Festival, which coincides with the founding of Babak municipality
every year in May, features bikini open contests, fireworks display, street-dancing, and street
parties, and motocross events (b) White Nights Festival, which takes place every two days
with Kaputian as the venue, celebrating the city's cultural and historical heritage; and (c)
Hugyaw Madayaw Festival, a spin-off of Davao's Kadayawan Festival which is also held
annually in August, and also an attempt to preserve the diminishing Sama culture in the
island.