MATI - A Revelation

A Last minute decision.

My client meeting finished earlier than expected. It then became a choice of spending the weekend back in the usual Davao City or a first time in Mati. My adventurous spirit switch to first gear and 30 mins after, I was already seeing a glimpse of Mati City from the horizon at the Dinasour Island Viewdeck - Badas Point.

Checking my phone watch showed 4:30 pm which made me wonder how sunset would look like from this vantage point.  However, I need to head on to the city to scout for possible lodging for the night.

Hotel search and Dahican Beach preview.

There wasn't enough time for me to do an internet research for the hotels and pensions in Mati City. It would be a street to street search for my lodging that night. 

What about staying in a lodging in much-talked about Dahican Beach? After going into 3 or so pension/hotels asking for rates and availability, I headed to Barangay Dahican which I surprisingly found out is just less than 30 mins away from the city proper.

The much-talked about and seen Dahican Beach front is operated and maintained by the city government of Mati. 

There are open cottages which are free for use on a first-come-first-serve basis and and no entrance fees!

There are no closed cottages around so the only option if you wish to spend the night is to bring a tent. 

There are neighboring beach resorts and private houses where one can take lodging which if found too steep for a solo or duo traveler.  With this new found fact, it's back to the city proper for the night.

Dinner was at the boulevard where one can have an array of choices of food. After a heavy sumptuous dinner, a stroll around the breezy park allowed for food digestion.  The boulevard is just a block away from the hotel, so  I had a leisurely walk back. 

I need to sleep early for an early morning exploration of the beaches around the Barangay Dahican and Masao areas.

Round-trip.

After breakfast, I started my exploration of the beaches of  Mati starting from the Barangaty Masao area then making a round-about near the Masao barangay hall towards Barangay Dahican.

The beaches around Masao is hilly with almost no sandy beach front. Notable resorts in the Barangay Masao area are the Fernandez and Cinco Masao beach resorts.  There's also the newly opened Blue Bless resort with a swimming pool.

Common among these resorts are their open and closed cottages built on the water that you can practically jump out from the window of your cottage (during high-tides of course)  if want to take a swim.

In the Dahican area from the farthest from the city is Kubo Sa Dahican which has a salt water swimming pool. There's the Pacific Breeze resort, then the Botona Beach resort and finally the impressive Dahican Public Beach Resort maintained by the city government. 

The beach front in the Dahican Public Beach area  has the widest, whitest and cleanest coastline - featured mostly in travel and tourism brochures. There are also several private beach houses in the area like the Kanakbai Tropical Homes.

There are no restaurants around except in one or two resorts, which also has to be pre-ordered. Lunch for me is back in the city proper.

Subangan Musuem

I have been all over mindanao and visayas and have visited a few of the museums in these islands,  but the Subangan Musuem is probably the most modern and hi-tek I have visited to-date.

Davor's reconstructed skeleton, the museums center piece,  is a jaw-dropper to any visitor.  This is the first place to go to for first-timers and would-be explorers around Davao Oriental. 

Right outside the museum is a snack bar where I had the opportunity to meet the museum curator.  We had a brief conversation on the thrust of the provincial tourism. It was from her that I learned about the provincial dorm, a building to the back of the museum that will be  opened to the public soon. Something to look forward to by future visitors to the city.

The Governor and I

The provincial capitol is another impressive building of the city - looks like a mix of the Cebu Capitol and the US White House.  

Curious as to how the dome looks like from the inside,  i went in the building to check.

Even if I was preoccupied taking pictures of the dome, i still noticed the arrival of an elegant woman in walking shorts and fuchsia-pink shirt. 

She is the governor as per information whispered to me by the lobby in charge! 

An opportunity not to miss, so I asked madam if I can have a photo with her, which she gamely agreed.  

After some brief pleasantries madam governor had to excuse herself to proceed to her office to work - on a Sunday. Impressive! 

She wished me well in my exploration of the city and encouraged me to see the rest of the province. 

I'll be back Davao Oriental.  There's still so much to see in Davao Oriental aside from the beaches of Mati City - this I learned while in the museum. Soon, ill be back to explore them ....