Island Garden City of Samal, IGACOS or simply Samal, this island in whatever name, just across the bay from Davao is a perfect hideaway whether you seek for the comforts of resorts or naturalness of unspoilt coves and beaches. In fact, the west and east side of the island is diverse and dependent on your liking.The west side of the island is where most of the top-end resorts are located. This side faces Davao and you can see the lights of the City at night and the buildings and unsightly refineries and shipping terminals at day. The east side of the island is more secluded, thus quieter and unspoilt. Less resorts there means you can pinch your tent and just spend your day looking like a cast-away.
It would probably take me three to four days to fully explore the island but unfortunately, our group has only a day to spend in this City. Truly, it is hard to leave such a place knowing that you have not explored everything yet but on the positive side, you will be left with the lingering feeling that you need to go back to this beautiful place again in the future... and I will be looking forward for that day. In the meanwhile, please enjoy these photos:
This is my last post on this Davao-GenSan Trip with Dong Ho, Scud and Jon. I truly enjoyed this trip because we have covered so many places in such a short amount of time. We had a blast in General Santos where we met awesome bloggers Sheng, Rick, Donna, Bariles and Orman. We had a very brief but amazing trip in Gumasa as well. Davao is a blast where we met young adventure travelers Rob and Roj and awesome bloggers lead by Ria and Olan. And of course, this last leg in Samal Island just completed the amazing trip.
To all the bloggers and friends we met in this trip. Thank you very much and hope to see you again in some future journeys. More amazing photos and stories here.
53 took the journey:
The last time I went to Paradise Island in Samal was when I was in my incoming college days. It was a summer, and I have long wanted to be back, kahit kasi malapit lang kami, busy days loom. So now that I have seen the development of the island from your adventures, it entices me to go back there, and bring the kids to enjoy some quality bonding moments. Thanks for paying us a visit in Mindanao, sa susunod, kami naman ang pupunta jan!
uy... love this batch of pictures. ganda ng colors!!!
i spent 3 days in Samal and it was bitin! i know there are much to discover in Samal side from the beautiful beaches, and hot springs. will definitely go back on my next trip to Davao.
the bougainvillea pic brought me back to my elementary days where the school grows many of them.. lovely pic, lawstude.
@ sheng - thank you very much to you and all bloggers there from Gen San to Davao. Hopefully, we cud go back sooner. You are very much welcome here in Luzon, just tell us when do you plan to go here. :)
@ gilboard - thanks. para ngang na associate ko na ang mindanao with colors eh.
@ luna miranda - 3 days and bitin pa. dapat siguro one week hano? i would like to explore the unspoilt coves more.
@ bing - that shot was taken in paradise island resort. great flora and fauna there. para nga lang maze yung resort. :)
maraming salamat sa davao and gensan bloggers. kuhang kuha ang peak ng mat apo.
Nice photos. Loved the first one with the boat. Spectaculars view and wonder when I will have the chance to visit the place...
uy, blooming. hahaha. syempre, un napansin kong caption. :D
is that slide safe? parang mabato ung dagat eh.
i think i missed the other posts. balikan ko.
yay! i wanna go back to samal island too! one day lang kasi kami dun eh!
The first photo is a very nice photo. Looked like a postcard. Very beautiful scenery. Sorry for the late visit, am extremely busy over here.
looking at your pics makes me want to go back to Davao, we weren't able to explore this place when we were there.
@ the dong - salamat talaga. mount matutum yata yun bro. :)
@ superman - thanks. summertime is the perfect time to visit the place.
@ reena - mabato sa reef pero malalim naman sa babagsakan ng slide so its perfectly safe.
@ princess dyanie - bitin na bitin ang one day no? dapat at least 4 days. :)
@ alicesg - don't worry. just visit when u have the time. hey, my singapore posts are coming next. :)
@ lakwatsera de primera - thanks for the visit, hope you could enjoy the place next time. one fine travel blog you got.
This is a beautiful scene and your photo is absolutely wonderful.
gorgeous image!!
oh my, such a paradise. i love the flowers too.
It looks absolutely beautiful !
Amazing and beautiful!
when are you going to bring me to the beach??
Beautiful scenery! Thanks for visiting!
nice shots... love the 1st pic :)
that's a perfect place for sabado de gloria. have a meaningful lent lawstude.
@ george - thanks. i appreciate it.
@ magiceye - thanks for the complement.
@ vanessa - that is why it is called a garden city, so many beautiful flowers in the area.
@ gattina - thanks :)
@ lady fi - thank you :)
@ fufu - when do u want? my country has lots of beautiful beaches for you to enjoy.
@ irene - you are very much welcome and thanks for visiting too. :)
@ bw - that was taken early morning just after sunrise and is one of my fave too.
@ uno - we will be going to one of the best beach in the philippines this lent. have a meaningful week as well.
iba talaga ang epekto--gumaganda lalo ang lugar pag me mga bundok bundok sa background....nice place.
Lots of great shots.
Sydney - City and Suburbs
i was there two years ago and i wanted to live there. ang ganda-ganda. tapos noong naging probinsya na iyan, nag-uwian ang maraming mga taga-igacos na big shots sa manila para tumulong at magsilbi.
That is certainly a dreamy picture.
Lovely shot. I bet you don't have to wait until spring for the world to turn green.
What a beautiful place. Your photography is so good. I feel like I was visiting there too through your pictures.
Beautiful shots of the place. Very scenic.
What an incredibly beautiful place and your photos -- as always, are breathtaking! The skies, the water, the flowers and colors -- gorgeous! Thank you so much for taking us along on such a wonderful trip! Have a great week!
Sylvia
Wow, gorgeous photo taken at exactly the right time - stunning.
Thanks for stopping by my blog....so glad you did because now I have found yours. :) I have been browsing around your blog looking at all of your photos. They are just gorgeous. I have enjoyed them so much! You are a wonderful photographer and they truly make a person feel as if they are there in person.....everything is so beautiful.
I love all the photos but the Bougainvilla photo is my favorite.
You seemed to be having a great time despite of the hectic schedule. I wish I can join with your group someday. Someday...
Great captures my friend
I swear I see paradise every time I visit your blog. What an incredibly beautiful place. That looks like a wonderful way to live.
lawstude---uo nga e. pag emotionally ready nako. lol
at saka na pag me dslr nako. hehe
@ pusang kalye - yup, nakakaganda talaga pag may background lalo na kung maganda horizon.
@ j bar - thanks for the visit.
@ atticus - ang ganda talaga ng place no? at ang dami ring development kaya mas gaganda tyak ito in the future. sana lang ma-preserve yung mga magagandang spots at di magkaroon ng over-development.
@ yogi - thanks. got lucky with that one.
@ martha z - yup. but it's summer now and the effects of el nino might turn these greens into brown.
@ carver - wow, thanks for the nice words. glad you like the photos.
@ rajesh - the place is indeed beautiful and photographers will just can't go wrong with these scenes.
@ sylvia k - thanks too. just happy to share the beauty of my country to all of you.
@ wolynski - thanks. this first photo was taken just after sunrise.
@ elaine - thanks you too. glad you enjoyed the photos. i truly appreciate the warm comment.
@ dodong flores - thanks bro. hope to shoot with you in the future. tagal na natin magkakilala sa blog, dapat magsama na tayo minsan. set na natin.
@ anthony samson - thanks a lot.
@ sandy carlson - that island is such a beautiful place and truly a paradise.
@ pusang kalye - emotionally ready? wala ng ganun bro, mababait naman kami eh lol.
galing talaga ng mga kuha mo pards...
p.s.
pards pwede papirma otograp!
sorry but im more excited in Carabao Island series!
yan ang most compared to Boracay right? I wanna see!
i'm glad you enjoyed davao (and gensan). i hail from davao del sur but i've never explored IGACOS. Makapunta nga this april. Your blog is really helpful.
If you want to explore davao oriental, let me know. =)
lawstude - what a great collection of shots and what another beautiful place worth visiting.
woah..i really wanna visit davao again....pumunta kami dun last october pero bitin kasi 2 araw lang...pumunta kami samal...nakalimutan ko pangalan ng beach ahha..sa maxima sana kaso matatanda mga kasama ko nun eh..nanay tsaka uncle ko tsaka kaibigan ko..bitin
...dahil sa post na nakakaengganyo tuloy bumalik sa davao! pag-iipunan ko yan diyan!
pretty nice island
at great photos din
astig
@ everlito - hehe salamat. ako nga dapat pa otograph eh lol
@ chyng - actually na post ko na yan dati pa. about two years ago, browse mo para makita mo hehehe. yup, ang sabi nila boracay of the 80s daw yung place.
@ walking on water - davao oriental??? me like!!!
@ photo cache - you bet, such a beautiful place indeed. thanks.
@ sendzki - bitin nga yun. kami din 3 days lang for such a long itinerary. pero ok lang kasi we left something to look forward to.
@ raft3r - salamat :)
This is paradise if ever I saw one.
Samal has many resorts to enjoy... 'hope to visit Pearl Farm on a next trip. Nice photos of Samal Island.
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