Davao Oriental: Surfing & skim boarding at Dahican Beach in Mati

As I write this, surfing season has started in Dahican Beach in Mati, Davao Oriental where waves could reach as high as 10 feet. This beach facing the Pacific Ocean is also very popular among skim boarders and is often referred to as Skim Paradise.

I took the 2 a.m. bus from Davao City and found myself in Mati at about 6 a.m. The bus actually goes further northeast to Cateel. At the bus station, I hired a tricycle that would take me to the beaches of Mati since they are quite far from the town proper and the main roads.


We actually saw the sign to Dahican Beach but decided to go further down the road first. My first stop was Masao Beach which is about 45 minutes away. I was a bit disappointed though since I did not see the fine sand one would expect in a beach. But it's quite popular because of the pavilions and huts which stretch into the sea.


From Masao, we headed back to Dahican Beach which turns out to be the home base of a very vibrant local surfing and skim boarding community known as the Amihan Surf and Skim Team. In fact, you could get surfing lessons there for Php400/hour inclusive of board rental. Surfing season in Mati is from November to April. But since I arrived in mid-October, the waters were relatively calm. I was told that once the Amihan winds come in, the swells do too!


Note also that Dahican Beach is a sea turtle or pawikan sanctuary. And you just might be lucky to see one when you go snorkeling in the area. They even have an awareness campaign called Pawikan sa Dahican.

There are some comfortable rooms around the Dahican Beach area. But if you are on a budget, you can pitch a tent too. Anyway, I didn't have much time to stay since I wanted to be in Compostela Valley by afternoon.

Botona Beach Resort
(0918) 5255227 / (0916) 7968054

Ivan Henares sets foot on all 79 provinces of the Philippines

When I got off the plane this morning at the Masbate Airport, there was a strong sense of fulfillment. I could truly say that I have seen the Philippines. Masbate was the last province I had not visited. And with my arrival this morning, I am proud to say that I have visited all 79 provinces of the Philippines.


The last few weeks was hectic. I wanted to achieve the goal before 2010 ended. In October, I found myself breezing through the last four provinces of Mindanao which I had not visited yet - Davao Oriental, Compostela Valley, Agusan del Sur and Surigao del Sur. I endured several hours at a time on buses and boats given my limited time. And on my last day, I virtually traveled from morning until early morning the next day. I got to visit Dahican Beach, a popular surfing area in Mati, the waterfalls of Maragusan, stayed a night with the Manobo community of Sitio Panlabuhan in the Agusan Marsh, and marveled at the spectacular Tinuy-an Falls in Bislig.

Just yesterday, I had arrived from a 1800-kilometer drive around North Philippines to visit Abra, Apayao, Kalinga and Quirino. The views during the drive were so refreshing. It made me even prouder of our country. Highlights of the trip included visits to the Tayum Church, a National Cultural Treasure, the ruins of the Pudtol Church, the Chico River and Dam in Tabuk, and a peek inside the Aglipay Caves.

And just as soon as I arrived home, I found myself packing my bags again for Masbate. The Buntod Reef Marine Sanctuary is a must-visit when in Masbate City. It has an islet or sandbar with various species of mangrove trees. During high tide, you might be lucky to spot a pawikan amongst the trees since there are a lot of them there.

I still can't sleep since the high from having visited all the provinces of the Philippines is one-of-a-kind! The Philippines is such a beautiful place.

Update: Dinagat Islands was reinstated as a province in March 2011. With my visit to Dinagat Islands late last year, I've visited all 80 provinces of the Philippines.