Samal tourism

Samal Island Implements Environmental User Fee {6}

Samal Island has begun charging tourists an Environmental User Fee (EUF) effective April 1, 2010. This will only apply to non-residents visiting the island, including those there availing of the many adventures offered.
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Last modified: 14th October, 2013

By Category: Development, Samal Island, Tourist Attractions Tags: , , , , ,

Samal Island Guidebook {5}

Samal Island Guide

I’m very pleased to announce the latest addition to the Journey to Samal Shop (shop closed, post left for info), the Samal Island Guidebook. This is an item that I’ve been wanting to offer for a very long time, but I was never able to arrange it until now.

Without a doubt this is the definitive guide to Samal Island. Hey, it may be the only guide that exists, as far as I know, but that doesn’t mean it’s not worthy of the praise. This is a well done publication by Samal Publishing House, of Davao and Samal. The 116 full color pages include:
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Last modified: 24th July, 2013

By Category: History, Samal Island, Tourist Attractions Tags: , , , , ,

Batty in Samal {7}

Monfort Bats

Most people that know about Samal Island are aware of it’s beautiful resorts. But also worth visiting are the Bat Caves of Monfort. Right there on Samal Island is the largest known population of Geoffrey Rousette Fruit Bats. Reported to be 1.8 million of the little guys. These are just one of the species of bats there, totaling an estimated 5 million.
Unlike most things regarding Samal, there is quite a bit of information available about the bats. There is even a website dedicated to them, The Bat Sanctuary of Samal Island. There have been recent articles about them, expeditions to study them, and lots of photos and videos are available.
These are fruit bats, and therefor a benefit to the eco system. They help keep the insect population down, don’t bother crops because they eat the waste, and evidently are the primary seeder of Durian, among other fruits and spices.
If you get a chance to go to Samal Island, or are visiting Davao, take some to time visit this interesting piece of the island. I know I will on my next trip.
Last modified: 14th October, 2013

By Category: Samal Island, Tourist Attractions Tags: , , , ,

Samal Hopes to Avoid Boracay Mistakes {3}

Note: this is a what I hope will become a regular (weekly?) feature of news specific to Samal Island. Mostly from news sources, I’ll have short articles relaying the latest news of the island. I’ve found that my main weekly articles are a struggle between personal, regional and Samal specific content, and I’d like to see if I can’t alleviate that to some extent.

 

Department of Tourism (DOT) Regional Director Arturo Boncato Jr. has been very supportive of Davao, and particularly Samal Island, in the news that has been coming out of the region recently. He is now saying that there is a long term plan being developed for Samal tourism, and from what I’ve heard so far I can say I’m in favor of the approach.
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Last modified: 14th October, 2013

By Category: Development, Samal Island, Samal News, Tourist Attractions, Transportation Tags: , , , , ,

Hagimit Falls Recreation Complex {8}

I have to admit that I was very surprised by what I saw when I visited Hagimit Falls recently. Everything I had read and seen lead me to believe this was a small, natural attraction on Samal Island. Maybe it once was, but that’s not the case anymore.

It’s a long trek down the cement steps to get to the falls. If I understand correctly, those are newer to the compound but I’m not clear on that. What I know is new is all the building that is going on there. There are Nipa Huts all over. There was what appeared to be rooms for rent. I also saw a sort of bar or tavern structure being worked on. In others words, it was being developed into what I would call a “recreation area” or complex.
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Last modified: 14th October, 2013

By Category: Development, Health, Samal Island, Tourist Attractions Tags: , , , ,