LAST month, my travel buddy and I decided to go for another weekend adventure just right before our busy week began. This time we have chosen some nature tripping and went to a hiking adventure in Samal.
So with a pocket money of P500 pesos, we have managed to explore two places in Samal Island plus a bonus of extra experiences gained. Getting curious now? Read on!
First stop: Puting Bato via Tayapok Trail
Claudette and I woke up extra early that day and arrived in Samal Island from Sasa Wharf at around 7 in the morning. From Samal Port, we then rode a motorcycle going to the starting point of the trail going to Puting Bato.
A little extra info: we are trying to get kind of fit and conditioning ourselves for long distance walks in preparation for our upcoming big trip this year. (Stay tuned for that! *wink)
After doing some research prior to our hike, we found out that there are two trails available: the Tayapok Trail which is a shorter one (30 minutes) and the Guilon Trail which is the longer and dangerous one (4 hours). Of course, we chose the shorter one (lol!) and we did not regret it. It took us about 30 minutes to get to the starting point of the Tayapok Trail and boy, it was a very bumpy and dusty ride.
We began our adventure at around 7:30 a.m. They say to just follow the orange ribbon to get to the top. Apparently, we only saw two orange ribbons while hiking so maybe it got washed away during heavy rains. From our experience, you just need to follow the wide trail and don't take shortcuts especially if you are alone.
The shorter trail is generally safe but there's a portion where you really need to be careful and that's when you see the sign that points to the left which is a grassy road. We suggest not taking this path if you are alone because we have encountered a snake while walking there. Thank God for Claudette's eyes because she was really about to step on it and I must admit, I was super scared that time. There were a lot of crows flying around the area as well which added to the tension.
While I was very willing to go back to the main trail that time, Claud suggested for us to wait for the snake to be gone and continued. It is also because we were really near the top.
We have then arrived safely to Mt. Puting Bato Nature Park. Claud and I were so tired that we lied down the Bermuda grass for a minute to recover. They have a minimal fee of P10 pesos to get in the park. They have a place to sit down and rest so we decided to chill there first and eat our sandwiches.
The place, situated 1,755 feet above sea level, is beautiful with different plants, flowers and of course the famous Mt. Puting Bato Eagle Statue. You can even spend the night camping at the Nature Park.
Overall, the hike took us less than 30 minutes including the waiting-for-the-snake-to-go-away moment. Tip: Speaking from our experience, the area was very secluded so it is best to travel in groups.
Second stop: Canibad Secret Paradise Resort
After our nature trip at Mt. Puting Bato, our next itinerary was to have some downtime at the beach since we just had a short hike. Little did we know that we were in for a treat that time because the trail going down the resort was a very challenging one.
It was around noon the sun is on full blast, we were very tired and we got lost in Barangay Aundanao in Samal. There's a sign leading to Canibad beach and we suggest that if you are already on the road, wait for a motorcycle and if there's none, you can take our adventure trail wherein we passed by the side of a school. When you have reached down that broken wood ladder, walk straight that road or wait for a motorcycle as it will lead you to the beaches in that area.
As for us, we then found a motorcycle and manong driver was truly our savior that time. It was a short ride and we were relieved to finally arrive at Canibad Secret Paradise Resort. Something to take note though, in order to get in the resort, you need to pass by a long staircase going down but it's worth it. We didn't get a cottage and just laid a blanket under the tree. It was a perfect way indeed to cap off our tiring journey.
Budget breakdown
Just like our previous weekend travel, we have managed to spend less than P500 pesos for this trip and here's the breakdown:
Jeepney fare (roundtrip): P20
Davao to Samal (roundtrip): P20
Motorcycle to Tayapok Trail: P125
Nature Park fee: P10
Motorcycle to Canibad Resort: P20
Resort entrance fee: P40
Canibad Resort to Samal Port: P120
Total: P355