Kisulad, Sta. Maria, Davao del Sur

In an archipelago of more than 7,000 islands, it's easy to find one's self hitting the beach. I'm in Davao on holiday and there's certainly no shortage of it here. After climbing the country's highest mountain and not taking a shower for 4 days there, the best treat I could give myself is one at sea level: immersing myself in the warm saline splendor of the Davao Gulf.


Friends told me about this gem further south in Sta. Maria. Off we went in a chartered jeepney that could only bring us as far as another fishing village. It turns out this particular beach in Kisulad is hidden in a cove and the only access to it is by banca or more interestingly, by walking along the wild coast (during low tide).


Owned by the Gloria family, the resort is at its best, still rough on the edges. What amounts to a reception desk is actually the sari-sari store of a katiwala (caretaker). Outside, an ambitious master plan is laid out in a painted plywood, depicting a fully developed resort complete with a hotel at the top of the hill directly behind the beach.


But I actually like the way that it is rough - I don't even care about a future hotel here. Sure, there are cottages for rent, three even with airconditioning, but I brought my tent because I like to feel roughing it up a bit. The idea of sleeping close to earth - as opposed to being on a mattress - makes me feel truly closer to Nature.

Ok, Inang Kalikasan, bring it on!