Dive Trip: Samal’s Islands

Diving Facilities

Carabao Dive Center is, without a doubt, the leader of the pack. They’re fully equipped (compressors, hundreds of tanks, equipment for sale and rent, gear servicing), and staffed with an entire community of full- and part-time dive instructors, dive masters and guides. A number of dive operators have come and gone, but Carabao has ploughed on, thanks to their professionalism and openness. (Why “Carabao”? Ask them!)

Carabao organizes dive tours with groups of 10 to 30 people (often a mix of certified divers & “intro” divers), every Saturday & Sunday. This is what makes their dive packages so affordable: only ₱1,500 per person for two dives, inclusive of equipment rental & boat fee; ₱750 if you bring your own gear. Dive guide fees are normally ₱500/group.

Dive Shop:  F. Hermano Bldg., outside Sta. Ana Wharf, Magallanes Ave., Davao City
Landline: (82)300-1092 / 222-0121
Mobile: +63(917)716-6991 / (928)504-7642 / (922)861-0874
Email: john.neri@divedavao.com

 

Open Water students under the tutelage of the Davao Ocean Divers

 

Carabao is primarily an SDI center. If you’re looking to be certified under PADI, sign up with the Davao Ocean Divers, run by the indefatigable dive-instructor couple, JR & Chiclet Gerochi. They take care of their students like family members and, like any top-notch professional instructor, will make sure you get trained up right and proper. I appreciate very much their deep concern for the marine environment, which is reflected in the way they teach scuba.

This husband-and-wife team would be the best people to contact for diving the Sagami-maru wreck, by the way.

Contact Chiclet via mobile: +63(917)325-9895 / (922)858-9778.

And then there’s Davao Outdoor Tours & Adventures. They are not only divers but also paragliders, mountain climbers, kayakers, thrill seekers… all rolled into one adrenaline-laden outfit. They also retail diving and mountaineering gear and apparel, among others.

Shop: 22-2A Rizal St. (downtown area), Davao City
Landline: (82)321-6803
Mobile: +63(923)182-3070

Speaking of dive guides, there’s one guy I highly recommend: Balolok Espejon. He’s an island boy through and through, with well-honed diving skills and a sharp eye for hard-to-find critters. Balolok works for a dive shop in Samal and you can hire him as a spotter. [Mobile: +63(912)391-3811]

 

Curious octopus

 

There are a few other dive operations in Davao and Samal, and there’s also a tank refilling station that provides Nitrox, at the Pearl Farm Marina in Lanang, Davao City. The good thing is, most of the dive operators get along well with each other, and that works out nicely for us divers.

 

Getting to Davao and Samal

Davao City has daily flights to & from Manila, Cebu, Clark and other major cities. It’s about an hour & a half flying from Manila. We also have daily direct flights to Singapore (plus other foreign destinations to open up soon). The city is a port of call for a number of passenger shipping lines, and it takes three days to sail from Manila. Bus lines travel to Davao City as well, and I do believe it’s also a three-day journey from the capital.

Samal Island and Davao City are connected by a ferry service, which runs 24/7. From 11pm to 5am, however, they do only one trip each hour. Passage is ₱270 one-way and it takes less than 10 minutes to cross the channel. (I’d hoped their rate would go down once the competition opened shop…but now they both charge the same thing!) Motorcycles are charged a lot less, and people hopping onto the ferry pay only ₱10 each way. The ferry terminal in Davao City is in Sasa, near the international container wharf, about a half-hour drive north from downtown.

Public passenger boats ply fixed routes between the mainland and ports on Samal and Talikud. For those with the moola, speed boats can be rented from the Pearl Farm Marina in Lanang, Davao City. [Landline:  234-7018 / 234-6987]

 

Where to Stay

There are lots of choices in Davao: from swanky hotels to backpacker’s hostels, and more in between. For the very budget conscious, there’s the Green Windows Dormitel. Their rates start from ₱188/bed. The premises are well-maintained and there’s free wifi. [5/F FTC Tower, Mt. Apo St., Davao City; Landline: 300-3893]

If you’d rather stay in cozier settings, choose The Big House, a heritage home that’s been transformed into a B&B. A bit far from the diving action, but if you’re the type who likes serene surroundings and good food, this place is for you. [10 Juna Ave., Matina, Davao City; Landline: 285-7665; Mobile: +63(917)500-0543 / (925)882-4601]

A proper hotel with well-appointed rooms and good service in the heart of the city? That would be Casa Leticia. It’s just across People’s Park, and near malls, restaurants, and such. [J. Camus St., Davao City; Landline: 224-0501; Email: sales@casaleticia.com]

Of course, you could opt to stay on Samal or Talikud and be so much closer to the dive spots.

Isla Reta Beach Resort in Talikud Island has huts and cottages, but you can pitch a tent just as well. They have a kitchen for your meals, and a sari-sari store for drinks, canned stuff and chips. Or bring your own food. The sprawling beach is great for sunbathing, playing catch, or just lounging under the big talisay trees. [Landline: 234-7903; Mobile: +63(928)214-1487]

Getting to Isla Reta won’t be a problem because they have their own boat service from Sta. Ana Wharf. But if you’d rather stay on Samal Island (where there’s more by way of night life), check out Capt. Hook’s Red Parrot Inn, which also has some pretty interesting muck-and-rubble diving just in front. You can get to this resort by riding the public boat from Sta. Ana Wharf to Kaputian in Samal. [Landline: (82)286-1658; Mobile: +63(907)122-2091 / (908)944-7805]

 

My favorite getaway in Talikud Island: Leticia by the Sea

 

Fancy a more upscale resort that won’t set you back a fortune? Leticia by the Sea Resort on Talikud Island is a diver’s paradise — an idyllic tropical getaway where you can relax in comfort (airconditioned rooms, hotel-style bathrooms, luxurious lounging areas), play water sports, and go diving at your pleasure. Their home reef is proving to be a promising hunting ground for critters, such as the elusive hairy shrimp (Phycocaris simulans). They have their own boat which takes guests to the island from Sta. Ana Wharf. [Landline: 224-0501; email: info@leticiabythesearesort.com]

Après-diving…

After a day dive, many old timers—as well as newcomers drawn to the community—gravitate towards Carabao’s dive shop outside of Sta. Ana Wharf. Over drinks & barbecue, we like bragging about air-consumption feats, depths attained, rare critters found, and harmless underwater shenanigans. Sometimes, people bring beer in coolers on the boat, for chilling with friends on the trip back.

It’s easy to approach groups of divers either at the shop or on the boat. As simple as an earnest question about what to do in Davao (or Samal) after diving is your ticket to making friends with local divers.

That’s it for now. When you do decide to visit my hometown, look me up and let’s dive!