By JOSE PAOLO S. DELA CRUZ
Dubbed as the “Island Garden City,” Samal Island can easily go head-to-head with some of the country’s top tourist destinations, thanks to its fair share of pristine shores, underwater sights, diving cliffs, bat caves and, just quite recently, its own Discovery resort.
“And the secret garden bloomed and bloomed and every morning revealed new miracles.”
So wrote Frances Hodgson Burnett in The Secret Garden, a novel about a spoiled little girl who finds herself in the midst of strange new surroundings after the death of her parents. Fortunately, no such tragedy had to befall our small crew in order to find ourselves on Samal Island, off the coast of Davao del Norte. Admittedly though, we, too, were positively spoiled.
The only city in the country that encompasses two entire islands, Samal lives up to its reputation as the Island Garden City. And much like Burnett’s Secret Garden, Samal also blooms anew every day with its fair share of miracles and, at times, even adventure.
In place of cold and dreary Misselthwaite Manor, we find ourselves exploring this island paradise from the comforts of Discovery Samal. From a distance, the resort, whose aesthetics general manager Stanley Lau describes as “modern luxury,” stands out and vanishes at the same time.
A short boat ride away from Davao del Norte’s main island, Discovery Samal’s white beach glistens as we approach, standing out even more with the beach umbrellas and coconut trees that are lined up on the perfectly groomed sand. Not to be outdone, its aquamarine waters mesmerize us as we dock on the resort’s private quay, hypnotizing us with its slow, steady waves — effortlessly showing off why the Discovery brand picked such a location for its initial foray into Mindanao.
In sharp contrast to its standout beach, the architecture itself seems to vanish into the natural terrain. Designed by Architect Ed Ledesma of ELL, the buildings’ almost Brutalist architecture sinks into the background, allowing verdant trees and blue skies to take center stage in a six-hectare prime beach property. Never mind that these modern black buildings house the resort’s 128 suites, 15 executive suites and Grand Signature Suite and nine villas. Respectfully, the architectural marvel plays a supporting role, smartly allowing the natural marvels of the land to awe, attract and inspire at every turn.
Such dark exteriors, however, are in stark contrast to the light and airy indoors by interior designer Manny Samson of Emesaé Design Corp.
The rooms, for instance, are painted off-white and furnished with a mix of wooden and light-colored pieces. Flanked by gray curtains, their floor-to-ceiling windows let natural light in and open up the space to stunning views of the landscape. Such color schemes are mostly replicated in the open-air lobby and its adjacent lounges, whose tall ceilings and minimalist décor give off a relaxed and luxurious vibe.
Each building complex also has an infinity pool that guests, especially those with kids, will surely enjoy. First, there’s the pool by the beach, the busiest of the three due to its proximity to both the sea and Discovery Samal’s signature restaurant Morning Catch — which offers the freshest seafood, and a mix of Filipino and Asian fare.
Next, there’s the dramatic and exclusive villa pool, which can be accessed by guests staying in any of the resort’s villas. For those staying in suites in the building complexes, there’s also an infinity pool that connects to yet another signature restaurant, The Shoreline.
Should swimming and gazing into the horizon ever grow old, guests can also head to the blissful Samal Escape Spa to avail themselves of relaxing massages and treatments, all capped off with a rejuvenating sip of the spa’s complimentary sweet and spicy ginger tea.
Like many sprawling resorts whose design follows the terrain, Discovery Samal might just literally make you weak in the knees, should you decide to walk from point A to point B during the duration of your stay. The paths are often winding and uphill. Luckily, round-the-clock golf carts are always just a phone call away for the guests’ convenience.
Discovery Samal also has the largest resort convention facility in Mindanao, making it an ideal venue for corporate events, conferences and even extravagant celebrations. Set to open later this year, the convention center comes complete with five function rooms, all equipped with state-of-the-art facilities.
With an army of lounges, bars, fitness amenities, a spa and even a convention center at its disposal, Discovery Samal definitely wanders into the one-stop shop category, which hotels and resorts of its caliber are known for. But while staying in can easily deliver a relaxing experience, Lau reminds that there’s more to Samal Island than what their prime property has to offer.
“We want people to not only stay in the resort, but to also enjoy the island. We work together with the Tourism Board, whose staff immediately introduced us to the wonders of the place when we came here,” says the general manager, who has been in the hospitality industry for 45 years now. “And we believe that these attractions make the experience even more enriching for our guests.”
Discovering the ‘Island Garden City’
And since Discovery Samal makes it easy for guests to go about the island, we gamely spent the next couple of days exploring the neighboring attractions.
Well, who are we to argue?
Beyond the resort’s white sand beach, and no more than an hour-and-a half’s boat ride away, we discover more of the Divine’s masterpieces.
One such unforgettable sight is the vibrant marine life of the Coral Gardens in Talicud Island. There, we snorkeled to witness a dazzling array of colorful fishes and coral reef formations, while learning about the beauty of Samal’s abundant marine ecosystem.
The pièce de résistance for this writer though, at least, as far as natural wonders are concerned, is Samal’s Giant Clam Sanctuary. These “Taklobo” tours offer an immersive learning experience on the six different species of giant clams that call these waters home. Growing up to more than a meter wide, these colorful marine creatures are definitely worth seeing, especially during clear, sunny days.
Situated near Kaputian, Sabang Cliff, on the other hand, is a must-go for thrill seekers. With three levels starting at 14 feet above the sea as the lowest level and 40 feet as the highest, each cliff jump is sure to keep the adrenaline pumping.
Discovery Samal is also a short drive away from the Monfort Bat Sanctuary, a remarkable natural wonder and a significant site for wildlife conservation. It is often hailed as one of the most extensive bat colonies in the world and has gained international recognition for its ecological importance.
Explore the Monfort Bat Sanctuary, one of the world’s most important bat colonies
The bats, according to the park’s staff, play a vital role in pollination and seed dispersal. They contribute to the island’s ecosystem and continuous efforts are made to protect and conserve the bats and their habitat — a shining example of people coexisting with nature.
We also visited the Vanishing Island at Sanipaan Marine Park in Babak. As the tides recede, the beautiful white sand peeks through and showcases a magnificent view of the island. Just a short boat ride away, Sanipaan Marine Park offers a space of tranquility away from the hustle and bustle of the city.
Luxury everywhere
As a guest who prefers to stay in the resort and simply enjoy the beach with my glass of wine in hand, I usually find tours and sightseeing activities as a bit of a chore. But Discovery Samal and its team of hospitality professionals proved me wrong.
Aside from keeping a relaxed itinerary, the staff also prepared a smorgasbord of dishes for us to enjoy — ranging from an all-out feast of bistek Tagalog, sauteed shrimps and grilled chicken, or cute little frozen mangosteen snacks that we had in between stops. We even had chilled bottles of water, soda and even wine, wherever we went. Yes, they really understand how to keep their guests pampered, even when they step out outside the property.
And that, definitely, is Discovery’s not so secret weapon.
“It’s the Filipino touch, I think. There’s a genuine desire to welcome and to treat others well,” concludes Lau, sharing an observation he’s had as a foreigner living in the Philippines for the past decade. “And it’s not just the staff. Many times I’d see younger guests guiding their elderly family members up the stairs or off the cart. That’s not a connection that you see in many places around the world anymore. And it is something that Filipinos can definitely be proud of.”
Well, the secret is out and it’s sure to spread like wildfire.
For reservations and inquiries, please visit www.discoverysamal.com or contact +63 84 308 2998
