It was April 19, when my friends arrived at Davao International Airport. They got a cab and went to my place by themselves, brave enough? haha.
I ordered our lunch beforehand. When they finally arrived in my place, we just had to eat lunch, got a cab immediately to bring us to our first destination, Eden Nature Park. It is located in Mt. Talomo Toril Davao City, an hour travel from my place. It is a 80- hectare very tourist-friendly mountain resort that has many amenities.
We arrived at the resort around 3pm, just on time to join the last batch of one of their activities, the one hour guided shuttle tour. We occupied the last row bench since, we were the last one to get in.
The tour has 3 stops for picture taking:
The tour has 3 stops for picture taking:
first stop Ampitheater with the rainbow pass as backdrop.
second stop Tinubdan Cultural Village.
Last Stop Lola's Garden
After an hour of tour, we went to the playground area to try the Indiana Jones ride. It's a mini zipline ride with no harness at all, since it's only for the kids and kids at heart.
It was already 6pm when we decided to go to the restaurant just beside the playground area to grab our dinner. We had a buffet of pork, chicken, fish and fresh vegetables from their garden. 30 mins after we went back to our room and rest.
Day2:
We woke up around 6am, grabbed our breakfast at 7am. Then we went straight to Eden Fields, where we had to ride their shuttle. Since i secured a free ticket for zipline already a month ago, it didn't add to our expenses. After trying the zipline, we went tot the resort's fishing village entrance fee is 40.00 the tilapia is 100/kilo. It was may nth time to go fishing, so I was the first one to catch a tilapia.
finally, Roxy got her fish
Since our plan was to check out early, we didn't have the time to let the staff of the fishing village to cook the fish for us, so we brought it home and put it in the freezer.
We arrived at my place after lunch and decided to go to Digos in Davao del Sur to try the first zipline ride in the Philippines located inside Camp Sabros. My Tita invited us for lunch in her house in Digos the night before, so we had to go straight to her house before leaving for Camp Sabros. It was 1pm when we left my aunt's house, we had to go to the public market to rent a habal- habal (it is the only mode of transport going to our next destination). Habal Habal is just a motorcycle, long enough to accommodate the four of us including the driver (rent was 600)
After an hour of dangerous mountainous ride, we reached the jump off point, where we had to ride a horse to get to the place.
After 15-20 mins we reached the place.
Camp Sabros is a mountainous resort located in Kapatagan, Davao del Sur. It offers overnight camping, zipline and cable rides.
We bought 2 package deal of 550 per person that includes 3 zipline rides each person(450m, 800m and 1.4 km) and a cable ride, and. 1 ticket for cable ride because I wasn't brave enough to try the 3 zipline combo that time.
We went back to Digos after an hour, and decided to eat early dinner at one of the local eateries there. We ordered 12 pieces of barbecue, 4 pieces each, 1 liter of 7-up and 4 cups of rice for 150 pesos only very budget friendly indeed. We rode a bus for Davao around 6:30 pm and arrived at my place at 8pm bought same drinks and food.
Day3.We woke up as early as 6am to prepare for our trip that day.
Roxy cooked are breakfast (hotdogs) and our baon (takehome tilapia from eden) and some pork adobo.
We headed to the port around 7:30 and arrived at 8 just on time to catch the boat for Talicud Island. It is a part of IGACOS (Island Garden City of Samal) but not attached to the mainland Samal.
We had no idea that time where to stay, fortunately a passenger told me that Isla Reta is good.
at Isla Reta.
We ate our baon lunch at Isla Reta. Since we had to catch our rented Habal Habal at the mainland to continue our samal trip, and the public ride going there is scheduled at 3pm, I asked some of the locals if we could rent a private banca to service us to the mainland. We made a deal, a private banca for 400 pesos, expensive though we had no choice.
our 15 min trip to mainland Samal
Habal habal is the main transportation in Samal Island. Rent is 500-1000 per ride.
Our first stop (Hagimit falls)
The place was so crowded when we went there. We had to take approximately 80-100 steps down to see the falls. We had no plans to swim though we took some pictures.
Our last Stop (Paradise Island)
We reserved a gated duplex airconditioned cottage with 2 single beds and 1 extra bed for 4,000, a week before.
The beach has a small strip of white sand. The resort has a restaurant (open air) along the beach where one could listen to the music of their local band. Unlike any other beaches , this resort is not crowded.
Since we still had our baon leftover, we didn't eat at their restaurant. Though bringing baon inside the resort wasn't allowed, we still managed to bring foods inside. haha
Day 4. We woke up as early as 6am to explore the resort more. It was 8am when we decided to check out and go back to Davao city, but we didn't have to ride a habal habal, because the resort has its own boat that services their clients back to Davao. It was only a 7-10 min. ride.
Since it was our last day, we went to souvenir shops and Public Market to buy pasalubong. We went to Aldevinco, an establishment that sells affordable souvenir items. It is across the Ateneo de Davao University and Marco Polo.
Then we went to Bangkerohan, a public market which sells fruits like durian, marang and suha (pomelo).
We got back to my place around 1pm and we had our lunch there. We spent the remaining 3 hours of our stay packing our things and rest after. We headed to the airport at 5pm and boarded the plane around 7:30pm.
Expenses:
Taxi (airport- pad) 200.00/2= 100.00
Lunch (for 3 persons) 500.00/3= 167.00
Taxi (pad-Eden Nature Park) 700.00/ 3= 234.00
Eden Nature Park (Aster Room)= 500.00/3 (promo)= 167.00
Buffet dinner= 475.00
Guided Shuttle Tour= 120.00
Zipline = 150.00
Fish= 360.00/3= 120.00
Taxi (Eden Nature Park- pad) = 700.00/3= 234.00
Bus to Digos= 95.00
Tricycle= 10.00
Habal habal- 600.00/3= 200.00
Horse Ride 70.00
Package Zipline at Camp Sabros= 550.00
Dinner at local eatery in Digos= 50.00
Bus back to Davao= 95.00
Taxi from bus terminal to pad - 60.00/3=20.00
Taxi to Sta. Ana Wharf= 150.00/3=50.00
Boat to Isla Reta= 80.00
Table rental at Isla Reta= 70.00/3= 24.00
Private Boat to Samal Island= 400/3= 134.00
Habal Habal- 1,000/3= 335.00
Cottage (Paradise Island) 4,000/ 3= 1,334.00
Boat back to Davao= 12.00
Taxi back to pad = 180.00/ 3= 60.00
Taxi (pad- airport) 180.00/3= 60.00
Terminal fee= 200.00
Grand Total: 5,146.00
