My girl friend visited me here in Davao City for a one week vacation. I asked her to snub her sports fest in school and fly here instead. She had no choice anyway as it was booked even before she knows it hehe (sigurista ako eh). We spend our weeknights visiting each and every nice restaurants here in davao city. Jack Ridge, Penongs, Shakeys, Banoks, etc. On Sunday, we broke out early to visit a place where I myself have never been. Isla Reta.
Isla Reta is a small beach resort in garden city of Samal. We took a 40-minute board ride from a port near Magsaysay Park at 50.00 each. The entrance fee is only 50.00 each for the whole day stay. There are no cottages here and if there are, its better not to rent one. Just get a table and bring your picnic blankets and dine below the trees. We bring our own food and snacks, its allowed. Isla Reta has no high-class restaurants, hotel rooms or cottages. Its was just really a simple white beachfront. But they cook native chicken tinola! Yes, the best chicken tinola I have ever tasted since I left Manila. Its something I can only eat at our home in Batangas. It tastes really good that me and Ning-ning got really full we can’t walk, it was hard, and it was painful laughing. It feels relaxing sleeping under the trees after lunch, watching the beach front and the tranquility of water.
In places like these we usually don?t spend time on beach bathing, we usually spend time talking and sharing everything. Its been almost 2 months when we last had vacation, that was in Puerto Galera, such as place also.
While I may have visit Paradise Island instead, I find this place better. Better because its simple, clean, inexpensive. Its more like a picnic groove where you can dine below trees or bring your own camping tent and spend a night free. Its nice spending overnight here with a camping tent but not with cottage, I think its no good getting rooms here. Boat last trip is 3PM and we’re back in city by 4PM.
Her whole stay makes me complete again. It was just not perfect we can’t go out during weekdays as my daywork demands my presence. Sorry bout that hon, I should have bring you to Crocodile Park, Eden Park or Pearl Farm. Next time promise…
She left with a box of Durian and an impression… Davao seems a safe city. Davaweños are lazy cook, it seems they just love to dine out. People here are rich. Taxi drivers are nice and honest.
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October 18, 2007 at 7:59 am
Lovely place. I hope I can visit it someday. Perhaps when my kids finally graduate, then my wife and I have time for ourselves.
October 18, 2007 at 3:20 pm
yup, try this place schumey. this is a good place for a family picnic. this may not be the best place for people looking for nice restaurants, food and cottages.
I plan to visit it again this holiday.
October 19, 2007 at 11:03 am
Unfortunately, I was not able to visit the beaches when I was in Davao early this year. I did get to visit Eden Mountain Resort and the Crocodile Park.
Eden Mountain Resort was the best!
May 15, 2008 at 2:25 pm
are the cottages and rooms unsafe? is it haunted, dirty, or watsoever? be honest please.. coz me and my friends are planning to spend overnight on the island particularly in Isla Reta Resort. i heard they offer cheap rooms as low as p700/day for native rooms and p800 for concrete rooms. what can u suggest? please reply thanks!=)
May 15, 2008 at 3:16 pm
@arlocue, sorry i cannot comment on the cottages because i did not checked it out. from what i see outside the cottages i think its ok but not luxurius. better to get the concrete cottages or just bring your camping tent.
there are no security guards or security people there. you are there at your own risk, spend night in beach front with no one to bother you.
when we were there, its clean, and nice. simple and not commercialized. the comfort rooms are nice also but that time they have no water.
its not haunted! depends on your criteria of what is haunted. if you are looking for a better place in samal try Pearl Farm
May 15, 2008 at 10:21 pm
hi! its arlo, is it possible that you delete my previous message in this account? please… i promise to drop by your page and comment after our island tour. thanks so much..