Isla Malipano

Isla Malipano

Malipano Island is an island that lies a few hundred meters off the coast of Pearl Farm Beach Resort, and is the site of the famous Malipano Island Villas. 

Aerial view of Isla Malipano

Malipano Wharf

The Malipano Villas are three-storey villas patterned after the Maranao and Samal ethnic design, and whose roofs were exquisitely designed after the traditional Philippine native hat, the “salakot”. The Villas are three-octagonal in shape, and are designed with wide verandas that open to a commanding view of Davao Gulf. The reception areas, guest suites, and the dining area, are all around the cantilevered deck. Four of the Villas are perched on stilts directly above the sea, while the other three Villas are outcropped from the rocks on the beach. 

Malipano Villas

There are a total of seven, fully air-conditioned Villas in the Island, equipped with mini-bars, coffee and tea makers, safety deposit boxes in the masters bedrooms, cable televisions, spacious living rooms, and even hair dryers. All the rooms have individual toilet and bath, with the master bathroom furnished with a bathtub. Butler service is available for food orders and other guests assistance. There is also a standby speedboat readily available to transport the guests to the restaurant and other facilities at Pearl Farm.

Davao Gulf viewed from the Veranda

Samal Houses and Sunset Suites are designed after the stilt houses of seafaring Samal tribe of Sulu archipelago in southern Mindanao. There are 19 superior rooms that are fully air-conditioned, with separate toilets and baths, safety deposit boxes, hairdryers, and cable televisions.

Samal Houses

The Samal Suites are two-storey Muslim inspired cottages that are named and decorated according to the different ethnic tribes of Mindanao, such as the Tausug, Yakan, T'boli, Bagobo, B'laan and Maguindanao. 

There are six Samal executive rooms, consisting of two floors: the upper room where the master's bedroom is situated, is furnished with a King-sized bed, a bathtub, and an air-conditioning unit; and the lower room where the living room is situated. The living room may easily be converted into a children's bedroom, and is ideal for families with 3 children. An extra sofa bed with a trundle bed can be arranged as well. A second toilet and bath facilities are located on the lower level with a private stair that leads to the sea.

Samal Sunset Suites

Samal Sunset Suites

Samal Suite Executive Room

The Mandaya Houses consist of 20 de luxe rooms, and are located near the aqua sports area of the resort. The Houses, which encircle the Mandaya swimming pool, are furnished with air-conditioned units, mini-bars, hairdryers, safety deposit boxes, and cable televisions. Two rooms may be conveniently joined together to form a single unit. A small packet garden is located at the back of each room.

Mandaya Houses

White sand beach surround the Mandaya Houses

Swimming Pool near the Mandaya Houses

The Balay Houses or Hilltop Rooms are located on the hillside of the island overlooking the Davao Gulf, and are surrounded with lush forest. The word "Balay", which means "home" in the local dialect, is a hotel-type building designed with native materials and décor.

The Balay Houses, which consist of 17 Standard Rooms, are set atop the ridges of the Island’s highest elevation, and offer the best view of the Davao Gulf, and on a clear day, the City of Davao. All the rooms are air-conditioned, fully furnished with mini-bar facilities, hot and cold showers, cable televisions, telephones, and afford a view of the Balay Garden, and a stunning view of the sea from the verandas. The Balay Garden which is situated within the area is a suitable place for picnics and social events.

Balay House

Wide and spacious Veranda

Malipano Gazebo is perfect venue for special events, parties, social and business functions, and affords a perfect view of the natural beauty of the sea and the mountain ranges of Samal.

Malipano Gazebo

Malipano Helipad

How to get to Isla Malipano

Isla Malipano is a few hundred meters off the coast of, and can be reached from Pearl Farm Beach Resort. The island is about 1½ hours away from Manila by plane, about 50 minutes by taxi from the Davao International Airport, and around 45 minutes from Davao City by ferryboat.

For more information, please contact:

Pearl Farm Beach Resort

Kaputian, Island Garden City of Samal, Davao City, Philippines      

Tel + 63 (082) 221 9970

Fax + 63 (082) 221 9979

Website: www.pearlfarmbeachresort-davao.com 

Images courtesy of, and many thanks to SCC-Davao.

Tiki Beach Resort

Tiki Beach Resort in Samal Island

This is Tiki Beach Resort in Barangay San Jose, Peñaplata, in the Island Garden City of Samal. The resort is a sprawling 5-hectare beach property naturally set with towering coconut palms and lush tropical greens, fronting the white sand beach of the island and the crystal-clear, blue waters of Davao Gulf.

Built in 2010 primarily to entertain family and close personal friends, the resort was eventually opened to the public and named it after the whimsical word "TIKI" - a large wood or stone carving of humanoid-like form that welcomes guests upon entering the resort.

Here, guests are specially treated with a TIKI welcome fruit punch and a cold towel, and are served with an early continental breakfast, and more. Stay in the resort is particularly tailored and personalized for each guest in which a fixed daily lunch and dinner menu is prepared based on the guest's tastes and preferences to ensure a refreshing experience family and friends will surely enjoy.

Accommodations

There are four types of accommodation to choose from, and these are furnished with duvet-covered beds, fully provisioned mini bars, and equipped with hot and cold showers with signature toiletries, and fresh thick towels: 

Superior Room - Garden and ocean view deluxe room with beamed ceilings, ceiling fan, air conditioner, queen size beds, mini bar, private bath, hair dryer, and stereo. Family package comes with a maximum of 4 persons (2 adults and 2 children).

Deluxe Room - Garden and ocean view deluxe room with beamed ceilings, ceiling fan, air conditioner, two queen size beds, mini bar, private bath, hair dryer, and stereo. Maximum of two persons.

Tiki Hideaway Room - Private hideaway tucked away for maximum privacy. No frills room with air conditioner, queen size bed, private bath, hair dryer, and stereo. Maximum of 2 persons.

Honeymoon Suite - Garden and ocean view deluxe room with beamed ceilings, ceiling fan, air conditioner, queen size beds, mini bar, private bath, hair dryer, and stereo. Maximum of 2 persons.

Tiki Beach Resort provides a wide selection of fun-filled activities such as snorkeling, sea kayaking, hiking, mountain biking, a visit to one of the local attractions like Hagamit Falls, bat caves, villages and a whole lot more. The resort is also a perfect venue for private parties such as weddings, anniversaries, family reunions, business  functions and corporate events.

Exclusive private use of the resort and price are available on request.

How to get to Tiki Beach Resort

The resort can be reached via the Sta. Ana wharf in Davao City where a ferry service departs at 8 AM and returns at 4 PM.

Contact Information

Tiki Beach Resort

Barangay San Jose, Peñaplata
Island Garden City of Samal Philippines

Tel (082) 284 3931
Mobile 0917 304 2002 (Isi Arredondo)

Email mike@tikibeachresort.com

Website www.tikibeachresort.com

Please visit the resort's Facebook Fanpage

Many thanks to Dir. Art Boncato of the DOT-Davao, SSC-Davao, and Tiki Beach Resort for the photos.

Times Beach

Times Beach

Times Beach is one of my personal favorite places in Davao City, and I am featuring this beach under this special post. 

It is the very first beach that I have visited when I set foot to Davao City in January 15, 1999 on a business assignment. Here, countless fond, unforgettable memories transpired along its shorelines which remain vividly in my mind today. My family and I have spent so many weekends here and on every possible opportunity during the week, we would always find ourselves enjoying a short dip into its waters and pig-out in one of the restaurants that line-up the grayish shores of Times. The beach may be wanting of white sands, here and there, but it still remains today a favorite hang-out of locals, and will always have a very special place in my heart. Needless to say, Times Beach will always remain part of my family's itinerary whenever we find ourselves back in Davao City, my family and I call home.

Times Beach is a public beach widely popular among the locals, and a must-see attraction in Davao City. It is where Dabawenyos from all walks of life gather for picnics or leisure walks on weekends and holidays. During low tide, countless different migratory birds can be seen hovering around the area; Chinese egrets, Eurasian Curlews, Whimbrels, Common Greenshanks, Terek Sandpipers, and White-Collared Kingfishers, to name a few. Its shore is lined-up with a number of nipa huts, kiosks, and restaurants where delectable dishes of seafood are usually served. 

How Times Beach got its name

There is a popular story on how the popular Times Beach got its name: Shortly after Davao City recovered from the ruins of World War II, a group of young reporters and editors of Mindanao Times, the first post-war newspaper in Mindanao, would often meet and drink during payday at a certain area in the beach where the Queensland Motel and the Davao Baywalk and Park are now situated, and would consume their provision of "sinugba" - grilled fish or meat, usually pork, or a combination thereof, and knock a few rounds of "cervesa" - Spanish for beer, as it was commonly called then.

These young men, then all bachelors, were Editor-in-Chief Atty. Cesar R. Nuñez, who was appointed City Hall Secretary by then Mayor Elias B. Lopez; City Editor Pedro R. Laviña, who became Regional Coordinator of the Department of Tourism; Associate Editor Artemio Loyola, who was elected congressman of Davao del Sur; and reporters Vic Generoso and Ernesto Corsino, who was the liaison officer of the United States Information Service in Davao City. Their group was led by Mindanao Times founder, Atty. Guillermo Torres, Sr., who, at one of their escapades to the group's usual afternoon rendezvous at the beach, raised his bottle of beer as a gesture of toast and announced to his cronies that he was christening the place as "Times Beach" so that they would all know the exact place where they were to meet every payday. Thus, the popular beach got its name.

How to get to Times Beach

The beach is located at Ecoland in Davao City and is a well-known destination in the city. It is about two kilometers drive from the downtown area and is easily accessible by all types of public and private transportation. 

Bonhomie Leisure and Resort

Bonhomie Leisure and Resort

Bonhomie Leisure and Resort is the newest attraction to hit Davao Oriental. Celebrated its first year anniversary only this July 2012, the Resort offers a perfect weekend getaway for families to bond and friends to hang-out far from the usual toxic noise and demands of urban living. The Resort is easily accessible as it sits along the National Highway in Puntalinao, Banaybanay, Davao Oriental.

Bonhomie features outdoor swimming pools for kids and adults, open cottages, beach huts, and the white sand beach of Davao Gulf. Swimmers are protected by a perimeter of large boulders that serve as boundary at the beach.

Entrance to Bonhomie along the national Highway at Puntalinao in Banaybanay

The Resort's ground upon entering the gate

Reception Area

Kiddie Pool

The Main Pool for Adults, about 5 feet deep

Another angle of the Pool with a view of the beach

Open Cottages

Row of Cottages at the Beach

Beach Huts

White sand beach

Bonhomie has a restaurant that serves delectable dishes at very affordable prices. It also has sports facilities for billiards, table tennis and more. The Resort also provides function facilities for private parties, weddings, anniversaries, reunions, as well as for business events such as meetings, seminars, and other needs. Food catering service is also available upon request. On some nights, an acoustic band serenades the guests at the restaurant.

The Resort's Restaurant

For overnight stay at the Resort, Bonhomie has beautifully designed air-conditioned guestrooms that provide utmost comfort and style. Bonhomie is a french word for "geniality." Check-in time is at 2PM and Check-out time is 12 noon.

Guestrooms

How to get to Bonhomie Leisure and Resort

The Resort is located along the National Highway in Puntalinao, Banaybanay, Davao Oriental, and is easily accessible by any mean of transportation. It is about 45 minutes away from Tagum City, or some 3 to 4 hours drive from Davao City.

For more information and reservation, please contact

Bonhomie Leisure and Resort

National Highway, Puntalinao, Banay-Banay 8208 Davao Oriental

Tel +6382 284 1847

Mobile +63932 214 9838 | +63933 112 3067

Website bonhomie.zetzab.com

Please visit the Resort's Facebook Page

Images courtesy of the Resort

JamBay Beach Resort

JamBay Beach Resort

JamBay Beach Resort is one of the three popular beach attractions situated along the shoreline of Pujada Bay in Mati, Davao Oriental. The other resorts are the Cinco Masao Beach Resort, and Gregorio Beach Resort. The Resort started its operation only in December 2006. It was initially used as a weekend getaway by the owners and later opened the place to the public due to its increasing popularity among the locals as it affords a magnificent panoramic view of the surrounding calm waters and green mountains that enclose the Pujada Bay. It is an eco-friendly resort perfect for families to bond, groups of friends to simply hang-out and enjoy the beach, or business associates and office colleagues to meet.

The Resort has open cottages by the bay with tables and chairs, and guestrooms: Double room, Family room, and Royal Family room for overnight stay, which are fully air-conditioned with private toilets and baths. They also provide motorized boats that can be hired for island tours, and island hopping to the nearby Waniban Island, Pujada Island and, the vanishing Oak Island. 

Open Cottages

Cottage ground

Guestroom

The Resort has a function hall for private occasions and business events and facilities for barbecue grilling, a Karaoke for singing, a vehicle for pick-up of guests, and a parking lot. They also do food catering services. There is no corkage for food and drinks brought in by guests.

How to get to JamBay Beach Resort

The Resort is located in Dita Bobon, Mati, Davao Oriental, and is about 30 to 45 minutes drive from the downtown city proper of Mati through paved and sometimes rough roads. Guests may request the Resort for pick-up service.

For more information and reservation, please contact

JamBay Beach Resort

Dita Bobon, City of Mati, 8200 Davao Oriental

Tels 0921 954 1272 | 0910 702 8417 

Website www.wix.com/jambay

Vist their Facebook Page