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.

Davao Diving Destinations

One of the many dive sites in Davao

The Philippines, with its 7,107 islands, surely ranks among Asia's, if not the world's, best diving destinations. Scuba diving enthusiasts who love to explore the endless beauty of the underwater world, will surely find the Island Garden City of Samal in Davao Gulf the perfect underwater adventure with its 29 world-class dive sites clustered around Samal's three sister islands: Talikud, Ligid, and Malipano, as well as the different dive sites scattered along the coast of Samal itself. From the World War II Japanese shipwrecks quietly embedded on its seafloor, to the colorful seascape of hard and soft coral formations that abound in the area, and the rich tropical marine biodiversity therein, these magnificent sights will surely be an exciting adventure divers can truly find in the waters of Davao.

Aerial photo of Samal Island

Diving Map of Samal

Talikud Island

Talikud Island is a small island situated off the south-west coast of the larger Samal Island. It has a number of popular dive sites: Mansud Wall to the north which drops off to a depth of 45 meters, and has a good variety of corals that support numerous schools of tropical fish. Close by, are Talisay Wall, and Dapia Reef. Packs of barracudas, tunas and jacks are regular sights in the area.

Map of Talikud Island

A pack of Jacks is a usual sight in Davao Gulf

Barracuda

Gentle and calm water of Angel Cove

The Angels Cove is a popular snorkeling and diving site located at the southwest side of Talikud Island. Its gentle and calm waters, almost angelic in nature, generally characterize this attractive dive site in Davao. Thus, it derives its name—"Angels Cove" or a "haven for angels". The site is categorized as an easy dive, with visibility within a depth of 20 meters where soft and hard corals abound, and is ideal for novices, and a suitable training ground for beginners. At the depth of 40 to 50 meters, experienced divers will see huge pack of jack fish, as well as tunas, and mackerels abound in the area. The seabed is entirely made up of beautiful formations of soft and hard corals sprawled on rock beds of sandy bottom.

Corals at Angel Cove

Mansud Wall

Southwest of Talikud Island, and close to Angels Cove, is Mansud Wall. The site has a rocky surface with rich coral formations, and a sandy seabed at the depth of about 60 feet. Truncates hanging on the wall, parrot fish of various sizes, and tropical fish abound within the depth of 30 feet. Mansud Wall is suitable for night diving, and is recommended for snorkelers and experienced divers.

Dapia Reef

Dapia Reef is a popular diving destination in Davao. It is situated along the coast of Talikud Island, where its pristine waters serve as a sanctuary to various tropical marine life such as morays eels,  ox-eye scud, tube worms, sea stars, gorgons, barrel sponges, barracudas, fusiliers, hawks bill, turtles, sea urchins, sea horses, jack fish and tunas. Hard and soft coral formations cover the reefs. The site is relatively deeper than the other sites, and has sloping terrains with ridges. The maximum depth of the Dapia dive site is about 80 feet, or approximately 24 meters but the current is moderate. Although the waters are clear year round, it is best to visit the Dapia Reefs during the months of November to May.

Seahorse

Babu Santa

Another popular dive site in Talikud Island is the Babu Santa Minwall. Its water current is gentle most of the time particularly in the surrounding areas of Minwall, or Mansud Wall, and is perfect for snorkelers or advanced divers. Deep sea highlights can be seen at a depth of 60 feet such as, beautiful corals protruding from the wall, hidden cove that serves as a sanctuary for truncates, parrot fish of different sizes, and smaller tropical fish. 

Colorful Corals

Coral Garden

The Coral Garden and Marine Park is located west of Talikud Island, and is fondly called "Linosutan” by local diving folks of Barangay Linosutan. Here, divers are treated to a sight of deep sea sand dunes, hard and soft coral beds, tropical fish, wrasse, garden eels, parrot-fish, anemones of shrimps, damselfish, anthias, fusiliers, and tube worms. 

Aerial view of Coral Garden

Isla Reta

Isla Reta is located at the west coast of Talikud Island, and is inhabited by a good variety of fusiliers, sea horse, morays and sea urchins, garden eels, wrasse and parrotfish, among many others. 

View of Davao Gulf from Isla Reta

There are still several dive spots in Ligid and Malipano Islands which I have not covered under this post, and will definitely be featured in my upcoming blogs. So, please follow my blog for fresh posts and updates.