WHERE TO GO THIS SUMMER IN DAVAO

Text and Photos by Henrylito D. Tacio
Summer is already here. It’s time to hit those places that can make your body cooler this time of the year. In Luzon, most people go to the summer capital of the country — Baguio. But in recent years, Filipinos have discovered that there are other places that they can go to during summer.
 In Mindanao, some people might be packing their things and go to these places in Davao Region:
 Maragusan, Compostela Valley: “Maragusan is a cold place just like Baguio and Tagaytay.” “There are so many beautiful and exotic spots to visit. There are too many I can’t state them all.” “It is a cold region surrounded by high mountains.” “In the morning, it’s really cold that even cooking oil would solidify. It’s like an ice candy in the freezer.”
 These are just some of the remarks you often hear from people who had been to Maragusan, a first class municipality in the province of Compostela Valley. After all, it is considered as “the summer capital of Davao Region.”
 The best place to stay is at the Haven’s Peak Highland Resort, which has been featured in The Lonely Planet. It is nestled on Tarago Hills facing the town with 208 beautifully landscaped steps leading to its tidy but beautiful lobby. This mountain resort provides sight of the picture-perfect and picturesque view of green foggy mountains appearing like a painting and like backdrop of a stage.
 Dahican Beach in Mati City, Davao Oriental: It is located some 15 minutes from the heart of the city. A recent American visitor, who had also been to Boracay, hailed the beach in these words: “I have not seen such a wonderful beach, not even in Boracay. The Dahican Beach is South Sea dream come true.”
 Swimming is not the only thing you can do while you are in Dahican Beach. If you like water adventure like skimboarding, this is the best place in Davao region. In fact, several skimboarding competitions have been held in the place; it is being touted as the Skimboarding Capital of Mindanao.
 George Plaza, whose story I featured in Reader’s Digest, is the man behind the popularity of skimboarding in Dahican. He founded the Amihan Boys to help those out-of-school youths to do something worthwhile instead of being a problem in the barangay where they are living. These boys can be tapped as trainers for those who want to learn skimboarding.
 Not far from the beach are two beautiful islands: Waniban and Pujada. If white sand is your thing, then these two islands offer the very best. The only hitch: you have to hire a boat in going to these places.
 Pearl Farm Beach Resort in Island Garden City of Samal, Davao del Norte: Once a breeding ground for Daniel Aguinaldo’s white lipped oyster, whose survival depended on the cleanest underwater environment, it is now an idyllic private resort.
 One of the famous landmarks of the resort is the three-tiered Parola wharf (named after the local term for lighthouse), which was once a lookout post for strangers who were not welcome on the island, back in the days when it was still a pearl farm.
 A few hundreds off the beach resort is the Malipano Island which is the site of seven exclusive villas. All waterfront bungalows were designed by world-renowned Architect Francisco “Bobby” Mañosa, inspired by the stilt houses of the Sulu Sea using strictly native materials such as bamboo, coconut and yakal.
 For scuba divers, the Pearl Farm is a more than a paradise: excellent diving can be had right in front of the resort. This natural haven offers spectacular diving amongst the huge shoals of fish and the giant taklobo clams, without the need for tedious boat rides. Just 60 meters away from the resort are two sunken Japanese World War II ships that await discovery.
 Buenavista Island in Samal Garden City of Samal, Davao del Norte: The four-hectare island is a perfect place to go this summer. It has a beautiful view, especially the one that is facing the Pacific Ocean. It’s no wonder why the owners named it as The Island Buenavista (the latter comes from two Spanish words, buena for “good” and vista for “view”).
 Here, it gives a new dimension to the words “privacy” and “exclusivity.” You and your group can have the island all by yourself with no other people but you (and of course the staff who will serve you and attend your needs).
 If your dream this summer is swimming in a white sand beach with crystal clear waters and far from the madding crowd, then The Buenavista Island is a dream comes true. As you loiter around the island, you can take refuge under the shade of coconut trees (they don’t bear nuts so you are safe wherever you go) and feel the sun-kissed cottony sands. The nonchalant breeze from the sea cools your warm body.
 Eden Nature Park and Resort in Toril, Davao City: At 2,650 feet above sea level, it offers breath taking views of Davao City and the Davao gulf. Growing pine trees created canopies, but not so densely that other trees and plants were also able to grow. A huge area was also planted to mangosteen and dragon fruits. As years go by, a secondary forest was developed. Today, there are over 100,000 pine trees spread across about 80 hectares, making the resort 95-percent man-made.
 The once-barren piece of land now provides a relaxing alternative to the bustling city life of Davao with its cool weather and unpolluted air. If you happen to visit the place past five in the afternoon, you better bring your own jacket as it becomes cooler. It’s like Baguio during the old days.
 And there are so many things you can do fishing and horseback riding. Those who want some actions and extreme adventures, they can try zipline, skycycle (bicycling up in the sky), and skywing (yes, swinging on top and going down)