Dahican: A Travel Guide for the Backpacker

If you're daring to ride the waves of Dahican, Mati, Davao Oriental, here's a guide to help you in your first steps to AWESOMENESS: 

1. Take the bus to Mati City at Ecoland Bus Terminal in Davao City. Get a really good seat for it's at least 4-5 hours of travel. Do make room for other passengers for there'll be a lot of them getting in and out during the trip. The bus ride costs PhP 228.00 per person.

Note: Bring your mp3 players (in my case, my Kindle was quite helpful in relieving the boredom) and stock up on food and water for the trip.

2. As soon as you arrive in Mati bus terminal, pool in with other people on the motorcycle. The fare is just PhP9.00 per person when I was there in May. To be sure, ask the locals for there may be updates on the fare.

Ar-ar, a 12-year old skimboarder and surfer sets out ride on the waves in front of Amihan surf resort

3. Choose either to settle in Mati City, camp out in Amihan Surf Resort or rent a room in nearby resorts for your accommodations.

Note: Tent rental at Amihan costs 200 pesos per night and there's no catering and decent bathrooms/comfort rooms. Cooked cheap food (veggies mostly) is just across the street. Work out your charm to find a family who could let you use their c.r./bathroom.

This works out for groups who can pack a load of food and cooking materials to the beach

For the solo backpacker like me, I stayed in one of the inns in Mati City called Villa Merced Hotel at Bonifacio Street. It has a queen size bed and a bathroom inside for only PhP 500.00 a night. Restaurants are just a walk away as well as the baywalk, one of Mati's hang outs where you can buy fruits and food if restaurants are too much for the lone diner.

There are other inns and restaurants in the city as well as in Dahican. The city government was kind enough to provide the details online so you can check them out prior to your trip. Just click on the link: http://mati.gov.ph/IT_MatiOffice/where-to-stay/

A young woman and man surfer hang out with their friends during their downtime at the Amihan surf resort.

4. Going to Dahican, the motorcycle fare is PhP30.00 per person as it is quite a distance away from the city. Some drivers may jack it up to PhP 50.00 if you look touristy so be sure to arrange and agree on the fare and destination before finally hiring one. 

5. Be sure to meet the Amihan boys and girls in the resort. They are very accommodating and quite chatty. It's best if you're fluent in Bisaya because they'll be talking to you like a long-lost friend. But if you're not, Tagalog and English will do just fine. Just be patient if you're not getting the right answers. 

Note: Look out for Bayogyog Aporbo, the best of the Amihan surfers and skimboarders.  He is a tourist attraction as well as the place itself. Catch him with the rest of the team in their "duwa" or play as they call their riding on the waves.

Bayogyog Aporbo does what he does best: riding the waves with finesse in Dahican.

6. For surfing lessons, arrange it with the Amihan boys or girls so that they can schedule your lessons and determine who your instructor will be. An hour's lesson costs PhP400.00 per person. I assure you, it's not as difficult as it seems. The instructors are very patient and helpful in your learning. Be sure to add a tip though.

7. Be sure to pack your camera and charger for there'll be a lot of photos to take. If you have a monopod, the better to take selfies with it. Once your on your way to surf, ask one of the Amihan boys or girls to take photos of you as mementos. If Ar-Ar is available, the better. He takes good photos. Just be sure to set it on f16 aperture or the best mode for beach settings. I was too excited to did that and ended up with overexposed photos. It'll take time to edit them afterwards.

8. Always remember that fear is a state of mind. Let it go and have some fun, fun, fun in Dahican!

Surf Up in Dahican: My 28th Birthday Splash

The Amihan Surfer's resort face the winds blowing from the Pacific in Dahican, Mati, Davao Oriental.

It was two days before my 28th birthday and what did a fun-motivated, goal-driven woman do to usher this momentous event in her life? Well, I decided to turn over a new leaf and dared to try on surfing. 

My adventure began from the hustle bustle of Cotabato City where I am currently based for work to the durian city of Davao where I stocked up on sunscreen with a 75++ SPF and bought a pair of pink Speedo board shorts. Yes, I needed these stuffs not only to prepare my skin for the harsh summer sun and to make sure I look like a surfer girl but also to give myself a bit of a cheer. My nerves were shooting up and down with anticipation as well as apprehension.

Twelve-year old Ar-Ar patiently waits for the right wave to ride in Amihan Surf Resort.

After a restful overnight sleep which I forced myself to have, I carried my enormous backpack and skipped on a bus from Ecoland terminal that would bring me to the southern tip of Davao Oriental. Five hours of waiting somehow calmed my nerves and I began to hear reggae songs playing in my head. It was a good sign and I knew then that it would be more fun than I could ever hope for. 

Off Ar-Ar goes to catch the perfect wave to skim in Amihan Surf Resort.

I arrived in Mati City at two in the afternoon and after a short nap, I decided to take a peek of the famous surfer's village of Dahican particularly in the Amihan surf resort where the best local surfers hang out. It was about 20 minutes of motorcycle ride from the city. 

And there it was, the long stretch of creamy white sand beach that welcomed the rushing waves made by the strong blows of the wind from the Pacific Ocean. I stood there lock-jawed and totally overwhelmed. Though it was still a few months before surfing season, the waves were good enough for the Dahican local surfers and skim boarders to catch and ride on. It was quite a frenzy as several of them simultaneously take on the waves; providing the non-surfers quite a show with their undeniable great skills on catching a good wave, balancing on the board and riding the surf. 

The youngest of the Amihan boys, Longlong skims the beach easily for a 6-year old.

Most of them were boys and young men. The youngest of them was Longlong who when I asked was just 6 years old. The oldest are still just in their twenties. And it was indeed my luck because among them was the best surfer and skim boarder in town, 21-year old Bayogyog Aporbo who had already proven his excellence in various competitions ranging from local to international.

Bayogyog Aporbo expertly rides through a wave in Dahican, Mati, Davao Oriental.

Unlike other surfers there, Bayogyog seemed to be one with the waves. When he started to do what he does best, I couldn't help but follow his every move. Yes, he was very smooth. Every move was done in perfection. So much so that even his fellow surfers and skim boarders sometimes took a break just to watch him ride wave after wave. I admit that watching him glide easily added to the courage that I was already building up for the next day's surfing lessons and application.

Bayogyog Aporbo (left) and a fellow skimboarder show off acrobatic skills in riding the waves.

The morning after, I donned my rashguard and board shorts and headed back to Dahican. I was ready and so was my instructor, MacArthur. It was not his real name but hey, to each his own, right? With dreadlocks on his hair and a wide smile on his face, I couldn't ask for more for a surfing instructor. Bob Marley songs played in my head again and I smiled back. 

Surfing instructor, McArthur waxes the surfboard in preparation for the surfing lessons in Amihan surf resort.

With an ease of a beach bum, he taught me the basics. First, lie down facing the board with legs drawn together. Palms must be laid flat on the side of the chest and head and eyes straight ahead. He told me that when he says "Ready", I must fold my right leg so that my sole touches the side my left knee. And when he says "Up", I must slowly push myself up with my hands and squat on the board with my left leg in front of my right and with my hands stretch out slightly on the side for balance. Upon reaching the beach, put more weight on the back of the board to slow it down for the easy jump on the side for landing. After ten minutes of practice, we were set to go. 

The writer takes a memento of her surfing lesson in Amihan Surf Resort, Mati City, Davao Oriental.

As I was tying the leash on my leg, I assured myself that it was going to be easy breezy. How difficult could it be?

Before heading out, a surfer must tie a leash that connects her to the surfboard for easy retrieval.

But as I rode on the board and started to paddle, the waves seemed bigger and stronger and I felt the sudden kick of fear in my mind. As if sensing the change in me, McArthur began whistling a familiar tune: Bob Marley's Three Little Birds. I giggled and joined him singing "Don't worry about a thing coz every little thing is gonna be alright". 

McArthur guides his student towards the waves. 

And soon we were there where the surf starts to break and while we waited for the right wave, McArthur incessantly pepped me up. Suddenly, he shouted "Ready!" and I moved into position, breathe in and out and focused on his instructions. He said, "Ma'am, don't forget to keep your mouth closed". 

My laugh was drowned by the sound of the wave coming and suddenly I was being pushed towards the beach. "Uppppppppp!", I heard McArthur from the distance and with the determination to perfect my first ride, I pushed myself up, folded my knee to squat and balanced myself on the board.

I rode smoothly on the wave and it was indeed like floating on cloud nine. But just like every fleeting moment, the ride was soon over. "Dowwwwwwwwwwnnnnnn.....", McArthur shouted and I leaned at the back of the board to slow it down and eased myself down the water. As soon as I hit the water, I felt it rushed down my throat. This did not hinder me from jumping up and down, fists up in the air and shouting Yes! 

Oh yes, I did it! I braved the surf of the Pacific! 

It was an hour of smooth and clumsy rides but as a learning wanderer, I knew that ups and downs form the foundation of the process. And just like the waves coming home to Dahican everyday, I promised myself to come back and do better.

Happy birthday, brave girl. I am proud of you. 

Here, let me be your guide and take you to Dahican: 

http://mindanawani.blogspot.com/2014/05/dahican-travel-guide-for-backpacker.html

Chasing the Light: A Photographer's Mementos

The sun rises in Tagbiliran Bohol. (August 28, 2010)

There's not one perfect moment. Instead, there's a myriad of breathtaking possibilities. 

Chasing the light, the elusive light that appears only at the early hours of dawn and the late hours of the afternoon as it gives in to the night can test a photographer's patience. Yet it also rewards her the most in her quest for one-of-a-kind mementos of beauty and wonder. 

A family watches the colors of dawn on a Greek ship bound towards Venice, Italy. (August 2, 2013)

Whenever I find myself in travels, I force myself to wake up very early in the morning to get a chance to capture that beauty as it peeks from the East. No words can describe the feeling every time I am one with nature as the sun lights its way up in the horizon. 

Everything seems to stand still. Yet as its rays slowly creep out and illuminate the world, all of creations begin their early praise. 

A number of birds perch on electrical wires and bask on the glow of dawn in Lebak, Sultan Kudarat. (November 1, 2011)

The rooster crows as it welcomes the start of the day. The birds flap their wings and fly from their perches towards the golden glow of the sky. The flowers open their blooms to soak the sun's warmth and to spray a heady perfume in the air. The trees stretch out their branches to bathe their leaves with the dawn's light. I, a mere mortal bask in the glorious feeling of being alive and witness this magical spectacle.

A water lily bloom opens up to the glow of the sun in Lake Sebu, South Cotabato. (June 4, 2013)

And at the end of the day when Helios flies his chariot to rendezvous with the god of darkness and shadows, I stand there and watch as he blasts his way with the various hues of pinks, blues, purples, oranges and reds. Like a moth to the flame, my senses are drawn to the seduction of the sunset; leaving me speechless and reflecting on the infinite joy that life brings to my searching soul.

The author (right) having fun with flippers as the sun sets in Picalawag, Sultan Naga Dimaporo, Lanao del Norte. (October 23, 2013)

The Water Flows in Tubak

I couldn't count how long we rode at the back of a pick-up truck, how many bumps my butt endured and how much dust I inhaled while traversing that tree-canopied rough road when the sight of the jade river winding from a series of waterfalls greeted me that scorching day in Brgy. Tubak, Ampatuan, Maguindanao.

But one thing I knew for sure: a welcoming majestic spectacle such as that signified a passage blessed with more wonders a learning wanderer like me could only hope for.

It was the blackened set of teeth from chewing betel nut of older men and women smiling warmly at me that brought me back from the enchantment of the place when they hailed us as we arrived.

They are the Dulangan Manobo people who foster this land that their ancestors passed down to them since time immemorial. Written on their faces and marked on the tattoos on their legs, were the history and the identity of their people. This is a truth that would always enthral me, a daughter of Ilonggo and Ilocano migrants who was born without much knowledge of my lineage.

But it was deep in their weary eyes, the calluses of their hands and the way their children ran around in their soiled clothes that took away the mystical and gave away the reality. This is their land no more.

Most of these lands were covered by the Integrated Forest Management Agreement (IFMA) which allowed a private company to “manage” the resources therein. On the way, I saw the vast plantation of durian and some mangosteen: cash crops that replaced forests which once served as grounds for hunting, gathering of food as and medicinal herbs. And I couldn’t help but wonder how long they will tolerate this plight. They land were taken away. Leased, if the term taken offended anybody. But it was all the same pattern: those whose lives connect to the land were driven away to give way for “development”.

As I lay awake that night, the sounds of the beating gong that the Dulangan Manobo women played late that afternoon made me afraid to close my eyes. It was a call and I had heard it before: the haunting sounds of forgotten dreams that were robbed by time and by force.

Will I be able to help? Will I be able to wake those dreams alive?

Other people may see Tubak as an idyllic place for a vacation with its foggy mornings and star-filled night sky with crickets chirping throughout the day. For me, it will remain in my memory a forgotten place, lost among the promises of a better and just life for the genuine stewards of the land unless something will be done to change this so.

Alas, there is always hope and it would shine for them soon. I can almost feel it warm and tickle my skin.

Dear Sun

Dear Sun, thank you for shining on me today.

Sun rises in the island city of Samal, Davao del Sur.

When you leisurely peeped in my window this morning, your vibrancy warmed me inside and woke all my slumbering senses.

Water hyacinths open up to the early morning sun in Lake Sebu, South Cotabato.

The moment you wrapped me with your light, I allowed myself to melt like the last winter snow softening into dew kisses on leaves of trees. 

I felt my skin opened up with your affectionate embrace like the rousing petals of the blooms in the garden in spring.

The sun paints the morning sky in Tagbiliran, Bohol.

Oh how pleasurable you are when you slowly lighted up the cerulean blue of the sky with your radiance! I knew then that my day would be complete even if the cottony clouds linger to soak up the splendor of you or even if it rains.

The scene before the sun sets in Kiamba, Sarangani.

Because just when the last of your golden rays bled and gave in to the shadows and the beautiful mystery of the night, remember that somewhere here, beyond the horizon you so loved to come home to, there’s a dreamer who longs for you.

Boys watch the sun bleed before finally fading into the horizon.

Until tomorrow.

The Dream Catcher

I heard his soft footsteps when he approached the hard unforgiving couch where I laid pretending to be asleep. My anticipation heightened when he slowly drew nearer like a cat on a hunt. I closed my eyes tightly, took a shallow deep breath and prepared myself for one of the most awaited sweetest moments of my childhood.

He picked me up carefully from the couch and I tried my best not to gasp. The familiar scent of him, a clean mixture of early morning dew and the breeze blowing from the sea filled my lungs and I found myself drifting slowly to sleep. The short distance from the couch to our bedroom seemed like eternity and I cherished every moment cradled in the warmth of his chest and the safety of his strong arms.

I felt the familiar texture of the mosquito net touching my feet as he lifted it up. Our bamboo bed melted into the luxuriously-soft mattress in that story of the Princess and the Pea when he put me down into it with intricate care. Cautious not to let the cold of the night’s mist seeped in, he wrapped me up to my neck in a blanket. Then when he was sure that I was settled in, his ritual began.

He tucked the edges of the mosquito net carefully into the mat. Then, in the darkness of the room he switched on his flashlight and tuned his ears to the buzzing of any mosquito that got in. I could hear him swat them one by one and when he thought his movements started to disturb us, he would pat me and my younger siblings on our side and brought us back to sleep.

I remembered how each night, I would drift off to sleep peacefully and woke up every morning from beautiful sweet dreams. 

Tacloban Moving Forward in Pedals and Wheels

With prices of diesel and gasoline hiking up from less than a hundred pesos to three hundred pesos a liter, survivors of supertyphoon Yolanda or Haiyan in Tacloban City found their way back to the power of the pedal to move from one place to another in search for food, water, shelter and missing loved ones. 

The day we arrived in the city on November 15, I couldn't help but notice the number of bicycles in different sizes and styles flocking the streets side-by-side motorcycles and cars which rely mainly on fuel. In this phenomenon caused by the drastic change of climate because of the excessive burning of fossil fuels, I hope that people in the whole world will see how important it is to reconsider their lifestyles which caused the death and suffering of the most vulnerable.