Samal Island: The Island Garden City
The Philippines is an archipelago, thus, quite unsurprisingly, it possesses numerous attractive islands that pump life into the country’s thriving tourism industry. However, despite this wonderful fact, it is also undeniable that despite the hundreds of islands the country can offer, there remains to be a chosen few that stand out head and shoulders above the rest. Blessed with unspoiled beauty and inherent charm, Davao’s Samal Island is one that has lured countless visitors to its pristine shores.
Sitting pretty in the tip of Davao del Norte, Samal’s lush gardens and nature-filled sceneries earned it the attractive moniker of being the country’s unique Island Garden City. The claim of being a paradise on earth may well sound like an overused cliché, but, to say the least, you will not get to appreciate the allure and splendor of Samal until you actually experience it, for quite simply, it is a paradise.
Although technically considered as a 2nd class city, meaning that it does not have most of the extravagant features of a 1st class metropolis, the Island Garden City could surely offer unending fascination and an experience of a lifetime to anyone of its numerous visitors. With its world-class white sand beaches and mesmerizing coral reefs, the pristine waters of Samal is a perfect haven for lovers of water activities. Sailing, scuba diving, snorkeling or even playful swimming, you can do it all here in Samal.
For those in constant quest for extreme challenges and adventure, the physical topography of the island is a dreamland, being a perfect place to commune with nature. With numerous caves and mountain ranges, mountain climbing and mountain biking has become extreme favorites for most visitors. The rugged and demanding terrain of the island’s mountain ranges makes climbing a real challenge, one that true and blue climbers would surely savor. In addition, the island’s unusual road terrain cutting across hills of varied altitudes makes mountain biking an activity that anyone would relish to experience.
If accommodation happens to be one of your chief concerns, you do not have to worry, for even if Samal happens to be a 2nd class city, it incidentally houses the Pearl Farm Beach Resort, one of the places that the whole of Davao is famous for. In this world-class hotel and resort, you can simply laze around all day, frolic in the sand and simply have a good time day or night, so much for killing time and resting a stressed out body. A typical visitor would also get a room that is built on stilts right above the waters, so you get to listen to the waves at night plus a fantastic seaside view. In addition, the island’s cuisine would also be of little concern, due to the simple fact that the food is amazing, so you do not have to worry if you will like them or not.
If all that has been mentioned is still not enough to entice you to this island paradise, what about the fact that Samal houses the world’s largest colony of Geoffrey’s Rousette (Rousettus Amplexicaudatus) fruit bats living in the Monfort Bat Sanctuary? These amazing creatures would surely send a different kind of chill through anyone’s spine. Add to that, you can also enjoy and appreciate a lot more in the lush Mamacao Spring, where small patches of green forest surround the area. Located in a foot of a cliff, the spring’s gushing waters flow down to the shoreline, providing a relaxing sight for everyone to see.
Simple words could never be enough to describe the enviable beauty of Samal Island. Once an unknown paradise, the Island Garden City is now one of the country’s most famous tourist attractions, now a site open for everyone to enjoy.
A priceless blessing to any country, Samal Island is truly a precious national treasure.