Black Sands of Dawis Beach (Digos City, Davao del Sur)

The northern stretch of black sand from Dawis Pier used to have rows of cottages facing the beach, now there's none. Talisay trees and coconut palms line the shore. It is accessible from the lone restaurant beside the pier. South of this, there's a smattering of hole-in-the-wall beach resorts with limited facilities.

To get to Dawis Beach, you can hail a pedicab (tricycle) from the city center. Be sure to agree on a price, which should cost you about P80. 

These days, labels on the road en route to Dawis read "Barangay Dawis" instead of "Dawis Beach". In sunny afternoons, you can stand on the pier and watch the waves rush to the shore. It's a beguiling scene, to say the least.

The view south of the Dawis pier.

Unicolor Beach Resort, Barangay Dawis, (Digos City, Davao del Sur)

At the eastern coast of the Davao Gulf, south of Digos City, is the burough of Dawis. People used to call the stretch of black sand as "Dawis Beach" stretching northward from the pier. Now it is just "Barangay Dawis". The more open area is the southern stretch. We found Unicolor Beach Resort.

If I am not mistaken, getting a cottage will cost you P300 (or was it P500). These is a contiguous row of concrete shacks, like holes in the wall, painted in reds and blue-greens. These shacks are completely enclosed except for the entrance, thus you don't have a view of the sea. At the center of the compound is a medium-sized function hall. There's ample parking at the entrance, framed by a "tindahan", that subs as an entrance booth.

The compound has available rooms for those wanting to stay for the night. I asked about the rates - P800 and P1,200; the difference is probably in the availability of AC. The beach is, however, a few steps away. Just mind the children as there are wandering dogs everywhere. I read an online page that mentions a swimming pool. This does not have one. There are no cabanas facing the beach either; just Talisay trees.

During my visit, I saw a family bring pots of food with them so it should be safe to assume there's no corkage fee for food and beverages brought in. The resort has a Facebook page. Please refer inquiries there; not here.

You can leisurely stroll from this resort to the pier which provides a more dramatic vista of the ocean. In the golden hour of the afternoon, the sun casts a milky green hue on the sea. The stretch of dark sand north of the pier seems more inviting, with palms swaying with the gentle breeze. Next post, we'll show you the northern stretch from the pier. You can take a tricycle from Digos City proper to get to Dawis, setting you back by P80. Agree on a fare before getting in the trike.

Function Hall

Innocence Regained in Dawis Beach - Digos City

Innocence abounds in these quaint little beaches where naked children dive from abandoned docks. I caught a throng of them running around in ecstatic fun and frolic. Digos City is, after all, still a "backroad" in the community of backpackers. This area of Dawis Beach is free of charge. I just took a walk at the jetty, observing people enjoy the waters.

This is the Eye in the Sky!

Children unmindfully running around naked and malice-free, then diving down the not-so-shallow waters.

Floating devices

The northern strip of Dawis Beach, the more popular area for day tourists.

The southern strip of Dawis Beach where you can enjoy the waters in sweet isolation. Small residential huts dot this strip of fine gray sands. From a distance, you can see Hagonoy's Leling Beach.

A shanty with a lot of tubes (salbabida).

Anywhere is a bike away.

Locator map of Digos City. Davao City is somewhere sandwiched between Davao del Norte and Davao del Sur. This photo only courtesy of wikipedia.com.

Please check out the 1st part of Dawis Beach here - http://eye-in-the-blue-sky.blogspot.com/2011/01/dawis-beach-digos-davao-del-sur.html

Dawis Beach - Digos Davao del Sur

At the eastern rim of Digos City, an affluent suburban city in the province of Davao del Sur, is the leisurely stretch of fine, but dark gray sand. This is Dawis Beach, the city's number one beach strip. This is under the political subdivision of Barangay Dawis, one of Digos' 26 barangays.

It's easy getting to Dawis Beach. Everyone knows where it is so there's hardly any need for an elaborate instruction. You can hail a pedicab (a tricycle), agree on a fare (P30-50 fair one-way should be reasonable), this would take about 30 minutes or so from the city center. Getting away from the beach is also easy although rides get fewer from dusk.

Digos City itself is a burgeoning place with several proposals for huge malls including SM Digos (along the National Highway fronting Nakayama Tech), another much bigger Gaisano Mall (along MacArthur Highway in Tres De Mayo), KCC Mall and NCCC Mall (at the back of the NFA in San Jose), Robinson's Place in Tiguman. Economic prospect is robust, and things are looking up. It is a bit odd though that this city doesn't have a movie theater. If only they start having real taxis instead of the noisy, chaotic tricycles that ply the roads everywhere.

Dawis Beach strip is dotted by several resorts, mostly inexpensive ones. Transportation entrance rate at the main Dawis Beach (from the main road, you turn left at the fork of the road) is as follows:

Truck/Bus - PhP150

Elf - PhP100

Cars/Jeeps - PhP30

Multicab/Vans - PhP30

Pedicab (tricycles) - PhP10

Motorcycle - PhP5

There are small tindahans (stores), but it is wise to bring a take-away meal just to be sure.

Digos City is the capital of Davao del Sur province. It is located in Mindanao, in southern Philippines. To get to Digos, it's a 1 1/2 hour plane ride from Manila, then another 1 hour car ride going south from Davao City.

This is the Eye in the Sky!

Cottages for rent.

Fishermen pulling their fishing nets.

Up next: More images from Dawis Beach (Digos City) - http://eye-in-the-blue-sky.blogspot.com/2011/01/innocence-regained-in-dawis-beach-digos.html

Coke is it!

Philippines - Seeing the Sea In Davao del Sur

Davao del Sur, Mindanao Island - One of the great things about roaming this peaceful province is that wherever you go, you're just a few minutes away from the beach. It is blessed with the bluest seas. It is a land embraced by lush vegetation to the west and the clear Davao Gulf to the east. Those skyscraper-tall coconut trees are an amazing reminder of the past. How come? Many of them were planted by the Japanese army during their occupation 6-7 decades ago. Not a lot has changed.

RATES

Most beaches open to public are either free of charge or require dirt-cheap entrance fees: Leling Beach - PhP20; Seagull Inland Resort (not beach side) in Barangay Guihing, Municipality of Hagonoy - free entrance; Bolinao Beach in Barangay Dawis - free; Dawis Beach - P30/car, P10 for a pedicab (trike); Eagles' Eye Beach Resort (Malalag) - free entrance but concrete seats without a shelter is P150 while a basic cottage is a ridiculous P250; Villa Isabel Resort in the municipality of Malalag - P10/adult and P5/child. Where else do you find such rates? What could be cheaper than a free entrance?

Here's an introspective poem I'd like to share, from a talented wordsmith named Sidney Lanier:

March Song... At Sunset

Over the monstrous shambling sea, Over the Caliban sea, Bright Ariel-cloud, thou lingerest: Oh wait, oh wait, in the warm red West, -- Thy Prospero I'll be. Over the humped and fishy sea, Over the Caliban sea O cloud in the West, like a thought in the heart Of pardon, loose thy wing, and start, And do a grace for me. Over the huge and huddling sea, Over the Caliban sea, Bring hither my brother Antonio, -- Man, -- My injurer: night breaks the ban; Brother, I pardon thee. ________ In its reference to the Caliban seas, Lanier refers to the feral, sullen, misshapen creature in Shakespeare's The Tempest. The Caliban is Prospero's beastlike slave; the son of a sorceress and the sole inhabitant of an island. Curiously, the Caliban represents the native people's suffering under imperialist oppression. Perfect for Davao del Sur's rich historical past under the Japanese regime. This is the Eye in the Sky!

The lighthouse near Eagle's Eye Beach Resort in Malalag, Davao del Sur

Reflections in Barangay Leling in Hagonoy, Davao del Sur.

Eagle's Nest Beach Resort, Malalag, Davao del Sur

Dawis Beach

A deserted spot in Villa Isabel Resort. Malalag, Davao del Sur.

Fish pen in Malalag, Davao del Sur.

Visual poetry

Previous post: More photos and basic information about Davao del Sur here -http://eye-in-the-blue-sky.blogspot.com/2010/05/philippines-serene-charm-in-idyllic.html

Dawis Beach in Digos City - http://eye-in-the-blue-sky.blogspot.com/2011/01/dawis-beach-digos-davao-del-sur.html