scuba diving

Samal Island Divers School of Scuba Diving {15}

First a disclaimer, I don’t scuba dive nor have I ever used S.I.D.

Scuba diving is one of the more popular attractions on Samal Island and with it’s nice beaches, beautiful water and marine life, why not. There is a company that teaches scuba diving right on IGaCoS. Samal Island Divers offers a set of courses from beginner to advanced, and even instructor level. They are headed by Oliver B. Ramos, who is the only PADI staff in Davao City.
S.I.D. seems to have a connection with Punta Del Sol, one of the more popular resorts on Samal Island. I believe that’s where the instruction is held, though it’s not entirely clear from their website. Punta Del Sol is located in Catagman, Penaplata District, Island Garden City of Samal. They offer a variety of rooms starting at P500. Here’s a nice write up on Punta Del Sol.
If you are visiting for awhile and have interest in taking some courses, check out S.I.D. They have contact information on their site. Let me know what you think. (Update the website for Samal Island Divers no longer works)

Talikud Island {18}

Talikud Island Map

In addition to the main island, IGaCoS also has 7 islets that surround it. The largest islet, known as Talikud Island, is about 2,500 meters from Poblacion, Kaputian. The other six (6) islets are Big Liguid (28,092 has.), Small Liguid (4.5 has.), Arboles Shoal, otherwise known as Sanipaan (3.125 has.), Small Malipano (.1595 has.), Dela Paz (1.378 has.), Big Malipano (8.2858 has.) and Wishing Islet (700 sq.m.), respectively.

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Should You Retire on Samal Island {1}

Your choices for a retirement location are endless, money not withstanding, but living in a foreign land may not be for everyone. The Philippines, in particular, has a number of advantages over other countries for the American expat, chief among those being a large English speaking population, and comparitvely low cost of living. I feel Samal Island is an excellent choice for your retirement, if the Philippines is in fact on your list.

So what makes Samal Island such a great retirement location? Here are just a few reasons that I see:
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